Roy Street Coffee and Tea (operated by Starbucks) uses an automatic Pour Over device. It is created by the same folks who invented the Clover coffee brewer. This is the only store where I have ever seen this automatic pour over. I’ve often wondered about it. I am pretty sure that there are just a couple of distinct advantages over the traditional manual coffee pour over. First off, the barista can turn it on, and walk away, and not have to stand there pouring water over coffee. This definitely frees up the barista to do something else. Since the pour over of water is mechanical, it’s controlled and won’t be prepared at a too hot or too cold temperature. And the actual pour over of water won’t result in over or under extraction of the coffee due to barista variation in how long the pour over of water takes.
Hope you enjoyed the pics! I don’t have anything else to say about this interesting device. I wonder, who wants one in their store? 😀
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So this is pour over. Its not available here, but I think its widely available in US and Europe, right? Hope this one will also make it ways into stores, soon… =)
Hi Kara! This is a really unique machine because at every Starbucks the pour over is a really manual process. I think this is a single prototype machine. It’s just that I am in favor of Starbucks making more of them even though that looks like an unrealistic idea on my part. This machine doesn’t appear to be launching anywhere else. Nonetheless, I wanted to feature it.
I wish they would put these in more stores because this would make a SB experience even more unique. And it would actually be nice if they could create a pour over for tea! How wonderful would that be.
Thanks Melanie. What a cool looking machine. I live in the Northeast and there are not many Clovers out here (I recently saw one in Greenwich, CT). I am sure you know (but I didn’t) that Starbucks is going to feature a Jamaica Blue Mountain bean soon – at least at the Greenwich store.
Oh, I’m interested in the machine price.
What a fantastic machine! It will certainly make for an easier pourover. My only concern is with the proper way to “pour over” the water into the cone. Proper pourover starts at the middle of the cone and proceeds outward in a spiral….. Do you know Mel if the water just pours out ina stream or does it move in a swirl or at least spray all over the grinds simultaneously?
I guess, since we can’t possibly have the (real) Sbux of old, with no PPR, and actual brewed coffee on a rotation, with different coffees…. I think this little (porbably quite costly) machine would be a good thing for alot of stores. I think the ‘pour over’ is my least favorite way to have my coffee…I still think of it as an emergency measure, like camping or at a job. (boiled water and some coffee and something to use as a filter)
This is very interesting tho….and as you said, it’s a walk-away device, which is often a plus.
@Mark – Welcome to the blog! How did you find me? If you like what you’re seeing, please click “like” on the blog’s facebook page widget (right hand column). By the way, my name is Melody not Melanie. I really really really like the name “Melody.” The Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee returned to Starbucks on July 12, 2011, and I would love to write about it soon too for the blog. July is going to busy because Starbucks has done a lot this month! I definitely DO like the JMB a lot with its palate cleansing citrus-chocolate flavor notes.
@LaireLandon – The partner just puts the grounds in the filter, makes a divet*in the center a bit (I’m not totally sure what that is for), and then walks away, and the machine really perfectly controls the water all over the grounds. I know it works.
*Very odd, my vocabulary is failing me. My firefox spell checker doesn’t recognize divet and I’m struggling to come up with a synonym and I thought divet was a word. Or maybe it is supposed to be written as the gold term, “divot.” Confused. I mean when you make a very shallow depression in something. Maybe it does come from the golf term … Oh well, hopefully you understand me.
@DeniseR – I would LOVE it if Starbucks started sending these machines out to stores – Maybe all Reserve stores. Problem is that it would likely cost a pretty penny. However, there is SOOOO much variation in pour overs. I’ve gotten a few that were luke warm. I few that were too weak. A few that I would call the “dump over.” And a few great ones. If stores had this, it would eliminate that extreme inconsistency in the pour over. I mean, the real reason to have a blog post is to encourage Starbucks to do something with this phenomenal technology that they have tucked away in their attic and not really using.
I really wish Melody that SB would listen more to great comments and discussions on this blog and use this technology to make the experience at SB better. Somehow, I think sometimes it all goes nowhere. I really believe too that they can set up an individual brewed tea system so they can bring loose teas into the store. I love the smell of coffee brewing, but no longer drink it, but enjoy so many wonderful loose teas.
Denise R- off topic for a second Melody- but how is the weather by you? Hear you are having an awful heat wave and it is heading our way. Stay cool.
@Purple1 – We’re having a wonderfully cool summer. Yesterday was 72. This is a PERFECT summer. It’s probably in the 60s right now and rain. At 75, it’s too hot. It’s funny because when I moved here a million years ago, I could tolerate the heat well, but years and years and years of living in Seattle have acclimated me to that anything over about 75 is a scorcher.
This technology (the automatic pour over) would be a huge boom for the drip coffee drinker. I’d go crazy to see it launched. I’m sure the issue is money. As I recall, I remember reading that each Clover Brewer is an $11k to $15k valued piece of equipment. I don’t know what it costs to make one, but probably spending. I can imagine that deploy an auto pour over brewer would be a lot of money. But I think they should at least consider it for the Reserve stores. Let’s say there are 800 reserve stores. and that each one of these machines costs $2000 plus you’re going to spend money on training, training materials, and possibly signage? Say $3000 per machine x 800 stores. That’s $240,000 spent. On top of that, there probably is an initial huge fixed cost in hiring, manufacturing each machine, so my $240k may be a low estimate. Then think about the ROI. Probably not that great. The number of people who order Pour Overs in the afternoon is quite small. It would take forever to earn back the cost of deploying this. If Starbucks did it, it would be about asserting their position as the coffee authority, and the intangible benefits from that, but the more I think about this, probably very little profitability in this machine. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love the machine, and given the scale of things that Starbucks can do, and their position as the “premier purveyor of coffee,” I still think it would be well worth it. Even $300k might be very affordable for a billion dollar corporation.
I’d give up all my free drink cards. 😉 (Okay, that was me being silly).
Sorry for the ramble. I have no idea how that happened. That was very loose and disorganized writing.
Melody thanks for the great answer. Do you think they would ever invest in any machine that brews loose tea?
Mel- Love that 🙂 I would love to do a tasting with it vs. the clover. I love how different methods make coffee taste so different.
@mark if you are ever in Boston, we have lots of clover stores and you should check out the new one in Harvard Square. You will be blown away- I promise.
Also for those who haven’t tried the two new reserves: Jamaica Blue Mountain and Kenya Tana River- they are really amazing 🙂
I’m very intrigued by this machine! I’m highly fascinated by things being “automatic”, but as an “old-school” coffee lover, it’s heart-breaking to see machines taking over the Art that is making coffee. They replaced manual espresso machines with automatics, french presses and pour overs with drip brewers, clovers, now this? I can’t pledge my allegiance to any one brewing method by any means, I just think it’s sad to see something that takes so much knowledge and passion and control and turn it into button pushing.
Again, I’m very interested in how it tastes. Did you order something from it?
We brew bold all day in Canada so I forget that sometimes in the US it can be a hassle to get your bold coffee. Because of that and the fact that my store does not carry reserve coffee this machine seems completely unnecessary to me. Interesting, but not required.
However, we do brew decaf by pour over and I know for a fact that on occasion I’ve poured the water over the coffee, walked away to do something else while it was brewing and forgotten all about it. I bet the machine would stop me from forgetting about it! 🙂
@Purple1: yes, we are having some horrible, humidity-filled heat wave. Only about 90 today, not counting humidity, but every day is expected a jump higher, up to 98 (which means, in real temps in the neighborhoods, ~105. So, yes, headed you way 🙁 or so they say. unless of course we get some violent storms in between, like we’ve been having…. sometimes cools down but also brings down tens of thousands (literally) of trees…..2 big ones (storms) since June 20th.
maybe you’ll be lucky!
This is really neat!
And, a pour over for tea? What could be easier than pouring hot water on a bag? Am I missing something?
Oh! Loose leaf tea, yes! *very tired*
@Purple1 – I don’t think that brewing loose leaf tea is the same as brewing coffee. I can’t imagine that there would be a Starbucks machine for that. ?? I am so sorry but I can’t picture what you mean. I guess you could fill the filter with loose leaf tea and see what would happen??
@Bcav – I love this machine. Since the water is not poured over at the wrong temp, or too slowly or too fast, you get a great cup of coffee. It truly mimics the flavor profile of coffee brewed through the brewers into those big urns. I did order coffee with it – That’s my coffee being made in the photos.
@Michelle – This would be perfect for decaf orders!
This machine is on my long wish list of things to launch in a Starbucks, but on the same list that I definitely should not hold my breath for
As an engineer, who once worked in the food industry, I can appreciate the need to be more efficient and accurate. Coffee brewing might not be an exact science, but it does help keep the line moving and that can be the difference between having a great store and a bad one.
This machine. Is. Awesome.
And here’s your tea machine: http://www.brevilleusa.com/tea/one-touch-tea-maker.html
Re loose tea vs. tea bags. There is a difference. Sure there are new inventive type tea bags, but having a pour over loose tea is so nice because you can taste the tea. Maybe it is just my preference. Saw that link to the tea maker- nice but a bit pricey. Melody- It would be nice to have SB do a pour over through a filter with loose tea.
@purple1 – In thinking about the space constraints of a typical Starbucks’ counter tops, I doubt that there would ever be a separate tea machine from a coffee pour over machine. But this whole thing is demand, There isn’t even all that much demand for the pour over. Hopefully if there were a machine sitting on the counter top, that would be a visible clue to customers that they could order a pour over of a coffee (or loose leaf tea??). Part of the problem of the current pour over system, imho, is that it is not customer facing. I’m sure the studies would show that people are less likely to order what is not obvious to them, and not obvious on the menu.
@Anthony – That tea machine is kind of cool.
@Bill – Welcome to the blog! Just wanted to say hi. Yes coffee can have very pronounced flavor changes with just a small amount of over or under extraction. One more reason I support Starbucks really launching the technology of this auto pour over… Wishful thinking on my part, but I can wish.
oh Melody:) (I can’t resist…) you’re weather reply to Purple1 was wayyyyyyy non-linear, you’re right! lol….. I liked it. and I think @Purple1: were you referring (when you put @Denise) to our horrible heat here in the Chicago area, because that’s how I responded. ??? otherwise, if you weren’t, sorry for the weather report;)
and @Purple and @melody: re: the loose leaf tea pour-over. I don’t see that (as automated) coming to Sbux either but I think I get what you mean (Purple). I really never drink tea at Sbux but certainly there’s a really common way of making tea, as I know they did (do?) in the UK for many yrs…I did it back in college (early’70’s) of pouring boiled water thru a strainer type thing that holds loose leaf tea…really essentially the same as the manual pour-over for coffee. I don’t know if that helps, or not.
purple – Just reading about the loose leaf pour over. While I like tea I am not an expert on this by any means. Would it work if we opened up one of our bags and used the pour over system we currently have? Or am I being ridiculous? 🙂
My first reaction was to say,” We should have those in the clover stores.” However, last night when I couldn’t sleep, I thought to myself, how great would to be to have those at the nonclover stores who don’t have a clover because of either space or other reasons. It could create a clover-like experience.
@Amy in Boston – We should have these machines in the Reserve stores that are not Clover stores! Please Starbucks …. Are you listening?
And how is this anything more than a small “Mr. Coffee” brewer? 😉
My go-to brewer is a classic 12-cup Melitta Fast Brew (no longer manufactured). It will brew 2-cups in about 2-minutes. I also have a 2-cup Melitta Personal Brewer (also no longer manufactured) that is also fast. However, these brewers are not only fast but the coffee quality is the best. What makes these the best is that the boiler and delivery pipe are copper, it produces consistently correct temperature water from start to finish, and they use funnel style filters. (I think the reason they are no longer manufactured relates to the high price of copper.)
Granted, this new Clover Precision is more efficient and accurate than having a harried Barista running back and forth. Since this is a commercial grade machine and would have to meet NSF standards, sure it will cost more than a “Mr. Coffee”, but this should actually only cost Starbucks a few hundred dollars to manufacture.
I would like to see this deployed, but it really needs to come in a version that can do at least 2 separate cups at a time.
I had a sip of one of my friend’s automatic pour overs of OMX while I visited Roy St. C&T… not a fan. I had a lot better manual pour overs.
And I’ll also say, the SOE of OMX I had at RSC&T was DELICIOUS. So was the lemon pastry I had with it!!!!
I also want to say I wish all Starbucks used Hario kettles instead of the measuring cups we all have. 🙁
Yes, Denise R was asking you about the Chicago weather. Thanks for the update. Re tea and making individual cups with loose tea at SB. I would love it but can see at a very busy store this would not be possible. For instance, yesterday at the Soho SB it would not work at least during peak times. So busy, so crowded, no real interaction and very little seating available. We had to move around alot. Nice artwork and big windows.
Although I am not totally a tea expert, I do not think it would work to take the tea out of the bags and do a pour over. For me the loose tea is of a different consistency and taste.
Off Topic — please excuse…
Treat Receipts have returned, same deal as before, any cold grande $2.00 after 2:00pm
@Purple1 – Well all of this is just wishful thinking on my part anyways. @CamSpi – I am surprised to hear that. I have had a few bad pour overs. The ones that are “dump overs” are weak and luke warm. Now I agree about the Hario Kettles. That would be amazing for the stores to get. And in any case, I have never had a bad pour over at 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea – I think it’s possible the Hario Pour Over system is superior to the Melitta Pour Over system, but I’m no pour over expert.
@DadCooks – July is giving me a million and one things to write about. I forgot about treat receipts. I might have to whip up a blog post tonight on that!
@Purple1 and @Denise – Your weather conversations make me eternally grateful for cool summers. Today might get up to 75 degrees, and I will melt! A scorcher! It’s probably like 55 degrees this morning, at 8:07 am in Seattle. I love it.
@Melody and @Purple: it was 103 heat INDEX ~ 11A today and this is the coolest day as far they can predict (next 7) I just sooooo want to keep elecricity……
When you say “the people the brought you the Clover” do you mean the Clover group within Starbucks? I think the inventors of the Clover left Starbucks after two years.
@Karl Dahlquist – Yep. Roy Street Coffee and Tea opened late 2009. I think this automatic pour over had been invented before then, and I think it’s been sitting at Roy Street for a full year. I’ve been meaning to write about it for a long time. I think this really was created by the same guys who made the Clover. Makes me wonder what they are doing now.
Interesting conversation about ‘bad’ pour-over coffees. I think the issue is probably that you aren’t getting correct temperature water when your barista measures out the water. The hot water in the brewer will cool down over 20 degrees if there hasn’t been any use recently. I always pull out about 16 oz. of water and dump it out before measuring out the water for the customer. That ensures the water is coming straight from the tank, so it’s close to the displayed temp on the machine (ours shows 201-203 degrees). The same thing can happen when pulling water for a french press. Temperature is critical for flavor extraction, ask your barista to make sure they are getting you water that is hot enough!
I did some further research and the founder of Coffee Equipment Co left Starbucks after two years (that is a usual time from for takeovers), but two of the engineers mentioned in other article were certainly there in Ballard.
That certainly is an interesting machine…but I really think Starbucks has bigger fish to fry in their stores (at least in SoCal) I happened to go to a Peet’s last week in Santa Monica and it was an eye opener how much better the latte was.
@Brad Bauder @lairelandon
The automatic pourover machine simultaneously rotates the filter and moves the position of the water ‘faucet’ relative to the center of the coffee filter in order to properly wet the ground
Dear PBE:
Thank you soooo much for the insight into the Clover Pourover. It makes sence
That the marvelous company that brought us “Coffee in high definition” should create such an ingenious machine.
@melody
I don’t judge your spelling/grammar, you’re totes familiar with the atrocity that is my own. 🙂 <3
Please excuse my ignorance, but could someone explain how this pour-over machine is different from drip coffeemakers like Mr. Coffee? Thanks! 🙂
@Judy – A pour over is the brew method that has probably the closest flavor profile to ordinary filter brew coffee. At home your Mr. Coffee maker, and other home coffee makers, probably sit on a burner to keep it warm. In the specialty coffee business, a burner is a big no no. There are no burners at Starbucks – All that does is burn your coffee, burn off some of the water, and make it taste bad. So the pour over is a way to get a single cup of coffee with a filter. At fine indy coffee houses in Seattle, coffee is often made a cup at a time.
This machine above ensures that the pour over has the right amount of water, temperature, and the dispersing of the water over the grounds. It probably more evenly distributes the water than you home maker which just has water directly coming out of a all, rather than water rotating all over the grounds.
Thanks Melody, for the clear and thorough description! <3