MAS o Menos

Today Starbucks (*$) announced they have acquired the The Coffee Equipment Company which is the maker of the Clover coffee brewing system. This is a huge step forward in coffee. Being from Seattle and having attended both the SCAA and CoffeeFest shows in the last year, I am already familiar with the Clover machine. It makes amazing coffee.

Clover coffee is as clean as drip and as rich as the best french press. It is a better vacuum pot. If you get a chance to try one, I advise a medium to light roasted East African coffee. You’ll detect flavor notes that you’ve never experienced before under other brewing methods.

Photo by Flickr user Tonx.
I do have some lingering questions about the business deal.

1. *$ roasts dark. Clover brewed coffee is more about flavor than body. My hunch is *$ will have special lighter roasted offerings just for the Clover. I’ll pay $3 for a Cup of Excellence winner. I won’t pay 50 cents for their Yukon or Italian Roast blends.
2. *$ makes their money with a FAST moving line. Making a coffee in a Clover takes time. Perhaps with *$ deep pockets, the Clover machine will evolve to handle more customers?
3. Will independent coffee houses still be able to buy Clover machines? The best cafes in Seattle already have one. What about the rest of the country?

Tags: coffee