WHAT BEVERAGE EQUIPMENT TO BUY?

What to look for

WHILE few catering products offer a greater profit margin than beverages, it's easy to get production and service wrong. The choice of system requires a careful balance between menu choice, perceived drink quality, production speed and service format - table service, self-service, counter service - relative to available staff skills.

Pour-and-serve

Available for under þ200 (and often provided free on loan by beverage suppliers), countertop pour-and-serve sets provide a compact way of making fresh filter-brewed coffee in 2-3 pint glass or steel jugs. They also make it feasible to offer a menu of different coffee origins (and also tea). Hotplates (integral or separate) hold the brewed coffee for up to an hour or so (after which it soon "stews").

Alternatives to pour-and-serve

Percolators also continue to find applications eg in outside catering and have the advantage of not needing constant filter changes. Once the coffee is fully brewed, the percolator stops automatically, storing coffee at the correct serving temperature by means of a low heat element. TSE supply a range of commercial percolators in the Argo range.

Another alternative to the pour-and-serve is the Cona vacuum brewer, comprising two interconnecting glass bowls with a heater base. Infusion at the correct temperature without boiling or over-extraction is automatic. Capacities range from 1 to 2 pints with prices from þ70 to þ100. There are also modern versions of the traditional samovar; WMF make an electrically heated 3 litre vessel with tap.

Individual service

Cafetieres or plunger pots work in conjunction with boilers to enable ground coffee (or leaf tea) to be served direct to the diner while still brewing. Sizes range from 1-2 cup to 10-12 cup and options now include heatproof glass, polycarbonate or coloured stoneware. Unit price is modest (þ4-35) but wash-up and replacement costs need to be taken into account.

Coffee bags avoid mis-portioning errors with ground coffee and also suit simplified systems using insulated urns eg in outside catering and banqueting.

Vacuum jugs

For functions, meetings and events, double-walled vacuum flasks, jugs and pressure pots in plastic or steel enable beverages, hot or chilled, to be held at correct serving temperature for several hours. Matching vessels hold milk. An extensive choice of sizes, colours and styles are available from þ10-30 from Elia International, Zojirushi and Thermos.

Water boilers

Continuous tea production is possible with an adequately sized water boiler, which can also be useful for dealing with other drinks to order such as decaffeinated coffee, soups, single cup filter products and cafetieres. When considering applications involving high volumes at peak periods, it is important to establish the rate of continuous hot water output available. Expansion boilers, available in a wide range of outputs from popular counter-top "Hot Tap" units upwards with water fed through a heater in an expansion chamber.

Latest electronically controlled beverage brewers offer easily programmable ingredient throw, brew time and water volume to suit the application and customers' strength requirements. Other useful features include indicators which automatically warn when the integral waste container needs emptying, initiate self-cleaning, etc.

Bulk boilers and urns

Where a large number of drinks is needed within a short time, such as at a function, it may be best to use a bulk boiler to heat up and keep the required batch of water on tap, or else make and hold the drink in a thermostatically controlled urn.

Pressure boilers

These comprise a pressure vessel - normally housed separately under the counter - which heats and holds the water at pressures up to 7 psi for rapid tea production. Main snag is the need to have annual inspection and certification by an engineer to meet insurance needs.

Soluble ingredient brewers

Machines which mix hot water with single cup quantities of coffee, chocolate, tea and whiteners in soluble form (powder or liquid) cannot match the finished drink quality of machines handling fresh-ground coffee or leaf tea but they score on speed of service and cost. Thanks to the small internal storage space needed to hold soluble ingredient canisters, machines are also very compact and can handle a wide range of drink variations and combinations, notably the popular frothy-top styles of coffee. Machines also in many cases suit self-service applications, coin-operated if required.

Bean-to-cup espresso brewers

Boosted in importance by the espresso coffee boom over the past 5 years, bean-to-cup machines grind a measured amount of beans and feed it to a dispense section where the drink is converted to fresh, strong coffee under pressure. The "cake" of spent coffee is then automatically passed to a disposal bin.

Addition of frothed fresh milk to produce cappuccino can also be an automatic process through an internal system (as on Black and White machines) or a fitment to the steam outlet. Machines can also provide a hot water outlet for decaff or tea in modest quantities.

Many of the latest bean-to-cup machines bristle with automatic features such automatic self-cleaning cycles which come into action at the end of shifts. Hobart's Viva series has programming which enables machines to be switched on and off at predetermined times, with coffee brew volumes varied to match changes in demand during the day.

Traditional espresso

Despite the spread of deskilled coffee-making methods, traditional espresso makers still have an edge at outlets seeking Continental authenticity and panache. These pump hot water under pressure through fresh ground coffee (usually from an adjacent grinder)in a steel filter cup which is slotted into "groups". Operation of the water output is by manual lever, push-button or automatic dosage control. Most machines also have hot water and steam outlets for frothing milk.

One conspicuous problem with espresso making is the care and skill needed by staff to ensure that customers get a well-made drink with adequate strength, aroma and body. One approach introduced this year by Bezzera is to supply coffee in permeable plastic pots which fit into the group holders of traditional espresso coffee brewers.

Accessories

Successful beverage service depends heavily on well-thought-out systems involving location of equipment, ergonomics, staff training and the right ancillary equipment such as milk dispensers and cup carousels.

Beverage carts

Demand for "on the move" provision of hot beverages in such applications as shopping malls, leisure centres and stations has encouraged a growing choice of beverage carts available on sale or rental terms, in some cases tied to branded ingredient supply. As well espresso brewers, carts incorporate water tank, hand-washing sink and storage for ingredients and disposables.

Cold drink dispense

Much of the equipment used for serving cold drinks is loaned or rented on a service-inclusive basis by ingredient suppliers relative to notional weekly sales. Dispensers for milk, flavoured milk, squash and speciality drinks such as slush or granita still drinks normally take the form of chilled reservoirs (typically 10 litre capacity and made of clear acrylic)with liquid kept mixed by paddle or fountain-type spray and a tap or cup-push lever to control dispensing.

For service of carbonated drinks and other concentrate-based drinks in large volumes, post-mix dispensers are outwardly similar but are plumbed-in, with dilution carried out automatically in a secondary tank. High volume outlets may warrant draught dispense systems using under-counter bag-in-box containers and counter-top taps. Automatic juicers which convert whole oranges into fresh, premium-price juice have become available in a growing range of options, including coin-operated.

Milk shake dispensers machines work on similar lines to soft-serve ice cream machines and likewise are mostly self-standing, with a floor requirement of 500 x 500 mm. The shake mix (made up from liquid or powders) is kept chilled and constantly stirred in a stainless steel tank, with pump action dispense similar to ice cream.

What to buy

Pour-and-serve coffee makers

(including two jugs)

SUPPLIER SERIES POWER JUG LIST

SIZE PRICE

from

Autobar Bev Systems Gourmet UA100 3kw 2x3pint 250

Bravilor Mondo 2 2.17kW 1.7ltr 249

Bravilor Novo 2.24kW 1.7ltr 189

Bravilor TH10 2.01kW 2.2ltr 230

Bravilor Matic 2 2.17kW 1.7ltr 329

Douwe Egberts New model TBA

First Choice Coffee Bloomfield 13amp 1.9ltr 160

Instanta C100M 2.6kW 1.8ltr 259

Lincat LCM2 2.5kW 1.8ltr 315

Melitta 171M 13amp 1.8ltr 150

Matthew Algie Vacuum Brewer 240V 1.42ltr LOAN

Countertop water boilers

Electrically heated non-pressure boiler for beverage-making

SUPPLIER SERIES POWER MAX OUTPUT LIST

kW (ltrs/hour) PRICE from

Bravilor HW10 2.08 18 278

Bravilor HWA20 2.1 18 365

Bravilor HWD30 3 25 819

Cafe Du Monde Manual/plumbed 2.4 20 Loan

Calomax Cascade 3 30 349

Calomax Clipper 5L(wall) 3 25 448

Calomax Kudos 3 40 480

Calomax Kudos-6 6 78 660

Calomax Kudos-9 9 109 715

Douwe Egberts Cafitesse 110 13amp 275cups 1500

Douwe Egberts Cafitesse 400 3,6,9kW 700cups 2596

Hobart 50E 3 28 1462

Hobart 100E 6 56 1741

Hobart 150E 9 84 1880

Hobart 200G 42,500BTU 112 1612

Hobart HTS2 3 36 593

Hobart HTS3 3 39 672

Hobart HTS4 6 72 860

Instanta 1500 3 27 335

Instanta 2000 3 28 490

Lincat EB3(auto-fill) 3 34.5 341

Lincat EB4(auto-fill) 4.5 39 404

Lincat EB6(auto-fill) 6 50 440

Lincat LWB2(manual) 3 9 138

Lincat LWB4(manual) 3 18 149

Lincat LWB6(manual) 3 27 161

Marco Aquarius 3 26 344

Matthew Algie Twin Urn 30amp/1ph 350 RENTAL

Parry Catering 1879 3 25 325

Parry Catering 1979 6 50 415

TSE 10 litre 3 25 120

Viscount/Jackson JJ3 2.8 21.5 299

Espresso machines bean-to-cup

A selection of espresso brewers with integral bean grinders and fully automatic operation for push-button production of fresh-brewed coffee.

SUPPLIER MODEL MAX OUTPUT STEAM LIST

(cups/hour WAND? PRICE from

/cup size)

Autobar Bev Systs Carimali FIID 180/6oz yes 2600

Autobar Bev Systs Carimali F21D 180/6oz yes 3500

Buttress/Bezzera BZ99 Espressopot/7g 770

Douwe Egberts Vitesse 42 300/50ml yes 7242

CMC/Simonelli Auto-Froth 120/7-12oz yes 3350

Cafe Du Monde Mon Ami 80 120/7oz yes 3950 (or rent)

Douwe Egberts Vitesse 42 300/50ml yes 7242

SUPPLIER MODEL MAX OUTPUT STEAM LIST

(cups/hour WAND? PRICE from

/cup size)

Douwe Egberts Arco 220/50ml yes 5626

Douwe Egberts Opal 50 50/day yes 899

Euro/Nuova MAMD 180 yes 4450

Simonelli

First Choice Coffee Black & White 200 opt 5700

Barbini 80 opt 3900

R.H.Hall/ Siemens 60 yes 699

Maestrowave

Hobart Viva 240-400/5oz yes+frother 10,021

Matthew Algie 550 150/8oz yes RENTAL

Melitta C5 200/125ml yes 6500

Taylor Company X90 50cups auto foamer 1800

Taylor Company Eclipse M 100cups yes 3550

Taylor Co/Horizon Classic 150cups yes 4550

WMF Bistro 8204 300cups yes 7400

Espresso machines - traditional

A selection of machines with 2 groups for traditional espresso brewing, plus automatic dosage control and steam wand

SUPPLIER MODEL MAX OUTPUT LIST

(cups/hour PRICE

/cup size) from

Aberna/La Pavoni BarTV2(20amp) 120/std 1799

Aberna/La Pavoni PubTV2(13amp) 60/std 1649

Autobar Bev/Carimali Gamma e2 240/6oz 2100+grinder

Buttress/Bezzera Bistro - 2350

Buttress/Bezzera Elisse - 3100

CMC Rancilio 240/7-14oz 3125

Cafe Du Monde Gaggia TE2 120/7oz 20/week

Douwe Egberts Leone 200/50ml 2543

Euro/Nuova Simonelli 2V 240 2950

Matthew Algie Moderna 200/4oz RENTAL

Melitta Reneka 200/125ml 3450

Taylor Company HKB200-2 12ltr boiler 2495

Soluble ingredient beverage dispensers

SUPPLIER MODEL NO.OF MAX OUTPUT LIST

CANISTERS (cups/hour) PRICE from

Autobar Bev Systs OA6-4-12 4 - 1900

Balmoral/Scanomat Cafecino Pro4 4 150 POA

Bravilor Bolero 10/11 1 180 565

Bravilor Bolero XL42 4 240 990

Douwe Egberts Vision 4 275 2951

Douwe Egberts Fantasy 1 (choc) 180 1348

Drink making/serving accessories

CAR'SL=carousel P-MIX=post-mix

SUPPLIER MILK MILK CUP DISPENSERS VACUUM

HEATERS FROTH CAR'SL SHAKES P-MIX JUICE JUGS/POTS

Bravilor l l

Carpigiani l

Elia Int. l

Euro Catering l l

Hobart l

Instanta l

Jet Spray l l l

Macdonald's l

Malibu Corp l

Marco l

Pasadele l

Robot Coupe l

Servequip l l

Taylor Co l l l

Thermos l

Zojirushi l