Debuting at the SCAA Expo, meet the brand new La Marzocco Linea PB espresso machine. Our partners at La Marzocco have been developing the PB behind closed doors for months – years, really – and we can finally reveal the new look here on Sprudge. It’s a redesigned version of the iconic La Marzocco Linea, and comes fully loaded with a sleek new design and improved elements.
To be totally honest, we haven’t actually seen the new Linea PB yet. Truth is, unless you work directly for La Marzocco, you haven’t seen it either. It’s been a closely guarded secret until now, and the real big reveal for Linea PB comes this Friday, April 12th in Boston at the 2013 SCAA Event. You’d better believe that we’ll be there with cameras for a hands-on look at this beautiful new machine, but until then, we’ve got first-published photos up above in the slideshow, plus information from a heretofore embargoed press release made available for publication at midnight on 4/11/2013.
Linea PB features improved component longevity and new technology that gives the barista control over functions directly from the machine interface including boiler temperatures, brewing volume, hot water tap dose, and auto-backflush. The Linea PB also features Piero Bambi-designed group caps that ensure water never leaves the coffee boiler during the brewing process, which eliminates instability. A digital display incorporates intuitive programming and simplifies the adjustment of machine parameters.
The Linea PB is named for Piero Bambi, son of Giuseppe and nephew of Bruno, the famed “Fratelli Bambi” who founded La Marzocco in 1927. Piero Bambi helped design the original Linea in 1989; now 79 years of age, Mr. Bambi continues to have an active role in the design and engineering of La Marzocco’s espresso machines, including the new machine that bears his name.
La Marzocco celebrates the Linea lineage on the website “Linea Love“, where coffee professionals can publish essays, photographs, poetry, songs, and videos about their relationship with the legendary machine. Sprudge Studios produced several videos for the campaign in anticipation of the Linea PB’s big reveal on Friday. Take a look back at some of the voices whose careers in coffee have been directly impacted by this iconic espresso machine. One of our favorites comes from Sprudgie Award winner Stephen Vick (2009, Outstanding Achievement In The Field of Excellence), who reflected on his time with the rare five group Linea over a decade ago at Seattle’s Hines Public Market. There are all but ten of these machines in the wild today!
If you’re lucky enough to be in Boston for the Specialty Coffee Association of America Event, be sure to catch luminary and CEO of La Marzocco Kent Bakke introduce the Linea PB at 2:00PM on Friday, April 12th.
