Checked out the new coffee bar on 3rd Street and saw a real problem with their setup

I was at The Daily Grind on 3rd Street yesterday and noticed they have their main espresso machine right next to the front door. Every time the door opened, a cold draft hit the group heads. That's a fast way to ruin shot consistency, especially with our morning weather lately. Has anyone else had to fix a placement issue like this in their own shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthonymurray15d ago

Ay @piperb93, you're totally spot on with the dose changing thing - reminds me of the time I set up my home espresso machine next to a window AC unit, thought I was being clever saving counter space lol. Guess you learn some lessons the hard way, right?

dylan_bell1mo ago

Wasn't there a whole article about this in Barista Magazine a while back? They did a deep dive on how even small drafts can mess with machine temperature. It's a real thing, not just being picky. That spot by the door is probably costing them a ton in wasted shots and unhappy regulars who get a sour espresso one day and a bitter one the next. You'd think basic shop layout would consider the equipment first.

piperb931mo ago

You're totally right, dylan_bell. I worked at a place that had the grinder in a drafty hallway. The dose would change like crazy every time someone walked by. We'd have to constantly re-dial, wasting so much coffee. It feels like such a simple thing to plan for, but some shops just don't get it until their shots are all over the place.