The Clover coffee machine at Star$ucks in Seattle

[Charlotte]

Liz and I are going to Seattle tomorrow.  Seattle is the home of coffee in the US and I'm really looking forward to hanging out in some of the city's best coffee houses.

I was discussing this with my boss this morning and he told me about Clover:

Clicky the first

Clicky the second

Now, whilst I'm not a fan of Star$ucks in the UK and try not to patronise them, if you're in Seattle, you've got to sup from the Evil Empire at least once, surely?

But $4 a cup?  It's got to be damned fine stuff...

[Greenbank]

But $4 a cup?  It's got to be damned fine stuff...

£2.25. About the same as a (large) coffee in a Costa/Nero/Pret over here.

[andygates]

I'll be disappointed if you don't make a whole coffee tour of the town.  After all, those legs have a lot of riding to do.  Best stock up on caffeine.

[clarion]

Didn't some independents get them before the $tar$ucks takeover?

I have a good friend in Seattle - shall i get some recommendations?

The Guardian had an article about them a couple of days ago - sorry if that's your link (no clicky from work, y'see )

[Charlotte]

I have a good friend in Seattle - shall i get some recommendations?

Ho Yuss!

We'll be online 'til tomorrow lunchtime 

[clarion]

I'll try & get hold of her tonight

If not, will you be EeePC-able?

[Charlotte]

No - it didn't make the cut for weight.

But I expect we'll be on YACF from a cyber-cafe 

[Sergeant Pluck]

I think the problem with Starbucks is the coffee they use, and half-arsed barristas, rather than the equipment.

Liz and I are going to Seattle tomorrow. 

Have a good one, should be a hell of a trip. 

[Notsototalnewbie]

I don't know nuffin about coffee - but do have a fabulous trip, how have you sorted the luggage situation? Gert big tandem panniers?

[Wascally Weasel]

 don't know anything about coffee either but is Seattle still good for live music?

[Charlotte]

I don't know nuffin about coffee - but do have a fabulous trip, how have you sorted the luggage situation? Gert big tandem panniers?

54 litre Arkel jobbies.  Not the tandem-specific ones, but capacious nonetheless.

Mind you - I've still never packed as light as this before.  For  three and a half weeks, I'm staggered by how little kit we have!

[mike]

have a fabulous time, send lots of postcards!!

[Notsototalnewbie]

Oooh Arkel panniers. Nice. Well done on packing so light 

[Sergeant Pluck]

54 litre Arkel jobbies.

The £200 jobs? Very nice 

[Julian]

54 litre Arkel jobbies.

The £200 jobs? Very nice 

Very.  I'm a complete tightarse, and I think they're worth that, although I believe Charlotte got them at a sneaky discount. 

[clarion]

I think Butterfly secretly hankers after Arkells.  Well, maybe not so secretly.  But, knowing how much she can pack in a pair of Alturas, I'd be wary of anything bigger

Personally, because I'm an old git, I want Super C *lust lust*

[Notsototalnewbie]

I think Butterfly secretly hankers after Arkells.  Well, maybe not so secretly.  But, knowing how much she can pack in a pair of Alturas, I'd be wary of anything bigger

Personally, because I'm an old git, I want Super C *lust lust*

Nothing secret about it, she drooled over Jane's Arkels at Mildenhall (which were an Ebay bargain IIRC).

[TimO]

Bizarre, I've never heard of those Arkel panniers before, but looking at their website, they do seem to be the dog dodahs.

Have a good time in Merkia, I suspect you'll get up to rather more than trying out the coffee in Seattle!

[Regulator]

Bizarre, I've never heard of those Arkel panniers before, but looking at their website, they do seem to be the dog dodahs.

Have a good time in Merkia, I suspect you'll get up to rather more than trying out the coffee in Seattle!

I have to agree with Clarion... you can't beat a Carradice Super C!

[citoyen]

Didn't some independents get them before the $tar$ucks takeover?

To sum up (as per Charlotte's links and this one: they were made by a small independent company and only sold to small independent coffee shops. There were only a handful of the machines in existence until the fateful day some Starbucks big cheese wondered why the small place round the corner from one of his ailing stores had queues halfway down the street. After trying the Clover-made coffee, he came over all Victor Kiam - principally to stop any of his competitors getting hold of the machine.

Sgt Pluck is right. Owning a Clover won't turn you into a world-class barista any more than buying a Formula 1 car will turn you into Lewis Hamilton. And using Starbucks beans is a bit like putting 4-star in that F1 car.

d.

[peterh]

Liz and I are going to Seattle tomorrow.  Seattle is the home of coffee in the US and I'm really looking forward to hanging out in some of the city's best coffee houses.

I was discussing this with my boss this morning and he told me about Clover:

You could try Trabant in Pioneer Square - not far from the first Starbucks in Pike Place - they've got a Clover as well!

[clarion]

I have a good friend in Seattle - shall i get some recommendations?

Ho Yuss!

We'll be online 'til tomorrow lunchtime 

*hangs head in shame*

I'm sorry - the delightful Martha must be otherwise engaged (she's a busy gal!).  She's normally online every night, but not around yesterday, and my email remains unanswered.  I feel spurned.

If any information comes through, I shall let you know, and hopefully you'll pick it up somewhere

[Rhys W]

And using Starbucks beans is a bit like putting 4-star in that F1 car.

 I've tried this experiment at home. It's the over-roasting.

[tiermat]

And using Starbucks beans is a bit like putting 4-star in that F1 car.

 I've tried this experiment at home. It's the over-roasting.

Something I have noticed since buying a "proper" espresso machine for home is how many coffee shops burn their coffee, so much so that my wife knows striaght away now as I take my first sip of a coffee, when we are out, if it is burnt.  Really easy to tell, if it tastes of licorice (?SP) then it is burnt.... 

[geraldc]

That clover thing just seems like a robot cafetiere.   All seems a bit emperor's new clothes to me.