What Is UL Certification, Anyway?

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What Is UL Certification, Anyway?

Once upon a time at an unnamed company in an unnamed city, a coffee company opened a new café. They had exotic tastes in espresso machines and had purchased a beautiful, completely unheard-of model directly from a boutique European manufacturer. The crate was opened with care, the machine lifted onto the counter, and the whole staff gathered around to admire it.

“Hey,” said a bright young barista. “That machine doesn’t have a UL sticker on it.”

And at that angst-filled moment, the manager of the new café suddenly got very curious about UL. Could the machine be installed? Was it legal? Was it safe? And what, just exactly, was UL?

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The Wonderful World of Pressure Relief Valves

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The Wonderful World of Pressure Relief Valves

In any system where steam is generated, there is always a possibility that over-pressurization can cause a catastrophic failure of the pressure vessel. This could result in destruction of property, injury, and loss of life. This is a bad day no matter how you cut it.

Learn about the good old pressure relief valve, and how it can save you and your espresso machine a whole load of bother.

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The Coffee Technician's Mantra

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The Coffee Technician's Mantra

“In my day-to-day you’ll often find me on the phone helping techs in the field figure out what’s going on with the piece of equipment they’re in front of. We’ve all been there. After having dealt with traffic, circling the block several times looking for parking, only to be confronted by a frustrated café manager who needs their business-critical piece of equipment back in operation so they can get back to bringing in the monies. In those types of situations, it can often be a challenge to take a step back, gather information, and work toward sussing out the root cause.

It’s times like these where having a mantra comes in handy.”

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Answering the What, Why, and How of Parts (Not Necessarily in That Order)

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Answering the What, Why, and How of Parts (Not Necessarily in That Order)

“Sproparts sells parts. We do our best to manage stock for the US Market. We listen to the needs of the technicians. We carry the stock so they don’t have to carry everything around in their truck or carry the cost of high-cost parts that will rarely be used. Let us do that. We got you.”

ANN HALSNE gives us the “breakdown” on the What, Why, and How of Parts.

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Interview with Anthony Ragler of Black and White Coffee

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Interview with Anthony Ragler of Black and White Coffee

"I've never really looked at cafés as anything other than the signal that, okay, you are being priced out. But as I became more visible there, I watched the clientele change. Conversations would start about, oh, I didn't know this was here. Or, I knew this was here, but I didn't feel like I was welcomed. And that made me go, okay, I can work on building community and creating spaces for people to feel comfortable and be themselves.”

Anthony Ragler of Black and White Coffee talks to the CTG’s Hylan Joseph about current barista culture, gentrification, and inclusivity in the coffee industry:

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Submissions Open for The Scientific Poster Session at The Specialty Coffee Expo 2021

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The highly anticipated Scientific Poster Session is back! We’re looking forward to bringing the latest in research and education in coffee to The Specialty Coffee Expo 2021 and are thrilled to invite you to submit a proposal to have your research highlighted in our dedicated session. This is the perfect opportunity to connect and engage with the specialty coffee industry, broaden your horizons, and help the industry learn more about our favorite subject: coffee.

The Specialty Coffee Expo will take place on September 30 - October 3, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Posters will be displayed in a prominent location for the entire event and highlighted during an official Coffee Science Foundation Poster Session on Friday, October 1 from 1-3pm. In this session, scientists can engage with industry, field questions, make connections, and discuss compelling research questions. Poster presenters will have a unique opportunity to talk coffee with people in the industry, and to learn about current trends and applied needs.

Poster proposals will be reviewed by the Coffee Science Foundation. They will be scored based on both their academic rigor and relevance to coffee community.

 

Topics of interest include but are not limited to: 

·      Coffee Growing and Processing

·      Coffee Health

·      Coffee Quality and Evaluation

·      Coffee Brewing

·      Coffee Genetics and Breeding

·      Coffee Technology, Storing & Packaging 

·      Sensory Science 

·      Consumer Science

·      Sustainability

·      Market Research

·      Economic Research


Poster Requirements: 
If a poster proposal is accepted by the CSF, the academic presenting onsite must arrive with one (1) poster with the dimensions of 48" x 36" and following the standard format of: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion.

 

Presenting scientists are responsible for arranging their own travel and logistical support and must attend the poster session in person on Friday, October 1 from 1-3pm. Poster presenters who are accepted will receive complimentary registration to the event. No funds are available for honorarium or to support participant travel.

If the poster is accepted but the academic is unable to travel to New Orleans to present the poster, please contact Katie von der Lieth at Katiev@sca.coffee to discuss potential arrangements.



The submission deadline is Friday, July 30, 2021.