# Hello and help



## Addz

Well hello thank god I stumbled in to your forum it seems such a friendly place full of help

I really need some advice

My story goes I love vintage cars trucks and all things mechanical,I love to fix (bodge) things

My girlfriend one night about a year ago finds a 1950s ice cream trailer for sale well a deal is done I end up with back at my workshop

She has a idea lets start a mobile ice cream and coffee shop parlour well I know nothing about either nor does she but lets say she has a eye for these things and im fed up with drinking dish water at car shows and the thought of that shhhhee sound (steam milk)the one I rember as a kid when my mum used to take me to the local Italian coffee shop an ask for a frothy coffee kind of gets me excited

After phoning around a few coffee equipment supplies they say it can be done but its gonna cost me ££££ they all real off lists of things I'm goings to need that I know nothing about and that going to cost thousands But they all have complete kits that they have for instant despatch that they will install and show me how to press the button that they can sell to me at a special price that day lesson learnt never give out personal number to these people there worst than tele sales

Any way after a little research and a bit of common sense I find a espresso machine that suits my needs, It needs to be electric and not LPG as I don't want to get involved in gas certification a trawl through e bay and it turns up a stafco markus 2 group high cup machine and a elite k3 grinder and various other bits I watch the auction it ends no one has bid I contact the seller I get a bit of a story about how the machine is only 6 months old and there still paying for it on a credit card I've heard it all before but the girl sounds genuine anyway at the price I offer if it needs a rebuild I'm still going to be quids in I go and have a look

I pretend to know what I talking about and give the machine a inspection now I've never seen a espresso machine before well only in coffee houses and what I've read on the internet and thats about my knowledge but the sight of this big little shiney machine is all to much and my hard earned grubby wad of cash is handed over

This all sits in the corner of the dinning room for the next year well it seemed kind of a good idea at the time

fast-forward to 5 weeks ago this project needs a kick up the backside and car season is fast approaching Help I'm in to deep but i do have shiney door stop and trailer I can sleep in

well after a mass headache with shureflow/ flowjet pumps water filtration systems, John guest fittings, strange blue pipe a lot of swearing shouting grazed knuckles I've got the the stafco installed And WORKING i think

Last weekend me and the girl friend got high real high on espresso after grinding some beans we usually use in our French press we tried now Ill use that word loosely tried to make something that resembled what would be served at a coffee shop well they make it look so easy I had fun steaming milk pressing buttons and singing in a strange Italian voice I'm easily pleased my girlfriend not so

So This is where I ask for help/advice we need to learn how to make espresso based drinks/ basic machine maintenance/ bean advice/grinding advice /drinks menu what we should be offering . I think a barista course is what we need but im so confused to what I should be looking for can any recommend one in Se Kent area or a company that will come to us

Thanks to this forum that I discovered last week I managed to find a online manual for my espresso machine and grinder

I'm sorry this post was so long but it puts you in the frame to where I am

Adam


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## Glenn

Welcome Adam

Sounds like you have an extremely steep learning curve coming up.

It's not impossible but you will require a lot of practice and a full understanding of the coffee making principles before serving customers.

I assume you have the Stafco Markus and not the Stafco Markus Plus (with built in grinder)

The Compak Elite K3 grinder as a separate unit will be fine and is certainly more than capable of producing a good espresso grind (fineness)

I'll pop you a PM regarding coffee consultancy (training - at your place using your equipment, bean and business advice, menu design, pricing structure etc)

The caffeine can knock you about if you start to consume too much in a short period but you will become immune to the effects (to a degree) in a relatively short timeframe.

Let me know if I can be of assistance to you


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## LeeWardle

Good luck with it. You're going to be a busy chap! Glenn will sort you out though.

Lee


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## BanishInstant

Hi Adam - what a trip you're on!


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## sandykt

Well Adam. Sounds as though you are going to be busy. I really hope it all works out for you.

Welcome to the Forum.


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## Addz

Thanks everyone , will hopefully get back to you this week Glenn , when we know what dates we can do. What time of day is best to call you ?


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## Glenn

Anytime between 0900 and 2200 is suitable. I will be in meetings for large chunk of tomorrow but free after 1600.


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## Addz

Well we had Glenn round and boy did we learn a lot Thanks Glenn we enjoyed the training and the excellent coffee


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## Glenn

I also enjoyed the training session and it was a pleasure working with you in the sun, pulling shot after shot and putting the machine through its paces.

You've got a nice setup and the grinder was a bargain, grinding fine enough to choke the machine and coarse enough for filter coffee (future state...)

The burrs seem to be in very good (as new) condition and the machine itself looks to have been well looked after.

I can already see lines of people queuing up for coffee and ice cream at the events you attend.

Keep up the practice and try and get a few minutes in each day for the next few weeks until the technique becomes second nature

I'll email a process flowchart that may help too, however use 16-17g for the beans we used yesterday instead of the value shown.

I particularly enjoyed the flavour and taste profile of the Roasters Blend No 8 (from *Coffee Bean Shop*). I'm surprised the neighbours didn't start queuing when we started grinding as the smell was floating across the breeze.

I'll drop you an email tomorrow with the list of suggested/useful items to purchase but you're 90% there already

Keep up the great work and if there is anything else I can do or if you have any questions at all please don't hesitate to call.


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## LeeWardle

Wow, that sounds very positive. Well done Adz. It's really important to keep the quality up. Don't ever be tempted to serve something not quite upto standard. Get practicing and strive for perfection always.

Good luck and keep the rest ofthe forum updated on how you get on! Great to hear the good news!

Lee


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## coffee cat

Hi Adam,

I'm new to the forum and the only I've joined is to get some info to start a business. I live in London and was thinking to start a mobile coffee shop in a small van or something. I work in pub and we do sell coffee over there. Nothing special only basics, so I thought it wouldn't be so difficult to make a sellable coffee. After readiing about your adventure, now I understand there are lots of other things to think of. May be I can get in touch with Glenn too. I haven't bought the van yet, just looking. Any way good luck with it and all.


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## Glenn

Welcome coffee cat

Plenty of opportunities for coffee businesses, with not nearly enough decent cafes and mobile oeprates and cafes to service the population

Pubs are missing out on an opportunity to sell a high margin beverage.

One of our local pubs has a 3 group La Spaziale and trained staffed. Their coffee is quite drinkable, although like with any business it depends on who is serving you.

Coffee should be a focus in more cafes and restaurants.


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## Addz

Just A quick up date on how were getting on

Well what a couple of weeks 1st of all ordered some bits and bobs one being a reg barber tamper its so manly in hot pink but well worth the money oh and more practice, sourced some Tea/Ice cream oh and most importantly a coffee supplier we have seen some beautiful Kent country side sourcing these and this alone was a task. Sorted out public liability insurance what a headache its another language my Ears are still ringing, Got local council to certificate trailer, Put all the health and safety bits together cleaning/fire/etc etc. More practice Had some sign writers to Quote Us on some A Board Menus still waiting on the results some things you just need a creative person to do, Got several bookings 1ST BEING MID MAY FINGERS CROSSED.

Ive become a coffee snob over night no longer will i be served or pay for hot milk

Ive think I Have found a new hobby we have being trying different brewing methods indoors cant wait to Get my hands on one of them science experiments I think its called vacuum brewing, OH Know i just thought of a novel idea with moka pots and a V8 engine

Ive knock up a rough web site its not finished but will give you all a idea to what we Have been doing

http://cupsandcones.weebly.com

Im off down the garage now to brew up some Roasters blend no 8 on a hot engine

Adam and Rebecca


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## Glenn

Well done Adam and Rebecca.

A hot pink Reg Barber tamper will go nicely!

Which roaster have you engaged with iniatially? Looks like you've been in touch with Liz









I can see your confidence growing and really look forward to visiting you again soon.

Don't forget to give me a holler when you have a gig as I'd love to pop along and pull some shots with you!

Bear in mind that vacuum brewing will not turnover the cash as quick as espresso will so if you do offer it don't focus too much on it initially.


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## Addz

Sorry Glenn I have not replied for so long Have had a very busy couple of weeks we have been sampling liz"s coffee most days currently we trying Her Sumatra Mandheling we

went down to see her and saw her new roasting machine hopefully it will be online soon it all sounded very good, we stuck with her roasters blend for show use, but quite like her Peruvian Amazonas Altura

As for vacuum brewing thats for me but would like it set up to show people would find it interesting to watch the whole process

And Now for the update we had the van sign written by hand I think it looks quite good and now promotes what we are really trying to do it can be found on the web site

We had our first show boy was it good we served about 60 coffees we only had one complaint by one person and that was the first coffee we served whilst i was trying to dial in the grinder some people just wont wait for perfection we also had some really good feedback.

Rebecca quite enjoyed doing it all the hard part was the couple of days before here goes,

Bear in mind sunday was our first show we never done this before also did i mention we have two very young children Enzo 2 years and Rafael 6 months I took the week off of work to spend some time with the kids and Rebecca most

of the week was consumed with coffee related things never mind.

Thursday a trip to Deal to pickup ice cream then on to Ashford for some coffee beans then up to lakeside to the wholesalers.

Friday my brand new genarator broke whilst testing it a mad rush a few favours i finally manage to borrow a old arc welder that will kind of do the job of powering the van thats a close shave to close that night we spent writing out sandwich Boards and working out Prices

Saturday Test out genny it just about copes with the load

charge the freezer and pack everything in to the car and trailer, its about 5pm ive now got to start baking cakes.

1am were finished everything packed baked polished prepared. We fall into bed slightly worried what the hell have we got our selves into its to late now got to be up at 5

Sunday

kids up fed washed dressed I roped my mum into help

were Already late hook trailer up and were on our way a hour late than i hoped for we get to the site, were one of the last to arive a hour before it opens to the public in a mad rush we set up 1st problem i start the genarator but pull cord starter broke genarator starts but i cant switch it off to refuel it ok not a problem can refuel it whilst running

we now have to wait for the espresso machine to heat up which seems like a eternity its ready we pull a test shot somethings not right a few shots later changing the grinder weve got the 25sec extraction weighing the basket on the scales weve got the right amount of coffee and good shots a few onlookers are facinated by the whole process whilst pulling a shot and test drinking i get a tap on the window a latte please oh no a paying customer i cant do this 5 mins i tell her Rebbeca takes over 5 mins is like a flash shes back looking for coffee here goes i dont know what went wrong but she say it two week we pull another for her and she goes away happy double check every thing and the shots are fine turn around there now a quue well it all seams a blur from there

The only thing that upset us was the words can i have a normal coffee please

All went well and looking forward to our next outing

Adam and Rebecca


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## Glenn

Well done!!

I am so proud of you both. It only seems like last week I was walking you both through the basics and now you've realised your dream!

Congratulations. Liz was so pleased as well, and had tipped me off that your show was coming up.

Great to see the ingenuity helped in overcoming the challenges, but this will give you a great foundation for the next show (in preparation etc)

60 coffees is a good number and I am sure this will give you the confidence to grow too.

Keep up the great work!


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