For the last four decades, North American coffee drinkers have been under the voodoo curse of the ever-so-convenient consumer grade electric auto drip coffee maker. By and large, they all suck. Most auto drips on the market, from the cheap to the very expensive, use the same $5 heating element and forty-year old “bubble pump system”, a brew method with the temperature stability of a hot-blooded Polish mother. But how the hell can you argue with the Wal-Mart $10 Price Cutter Toaster/Mug Warmer/Foam Frother Electric Coffee Combo? In this economy?
Proper manual brewing results in coffee that tastes quantum leaps better than most auto drip machines. That’s why on Saturday, November 5th, the folks at Counter Culture Coffee Chicago are doing their part to spread the manual brewing-is-better message, by offering consumers a chance to trade in their hunk-a-junk electric coffee makers for a manual pour-over brew kit. Even better, they are offering lessons as part of the deal.
On Saturday, November 5, from 2-4 p.m. (CST), the Counter Culture Coffee Chicago Training Center will host a special Trade Up event, in which people who trade in their counter-top electric drip machines will receive:
- Counter Culture Classic Pourover Brewer
- Hario 4-cup glass server
- Natural Paper filters
RSVP for the event at CCCC’s Facebook Page. More than a few cafes in the past that had similar trade-in programs and think it’s a great idea. The question is: what do you do with the old electric coffee machines? Recycle them? Donate them?
Counter Culture is partnering with the Chicago Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Center to find a home for the trade-in electric drip machines. The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center is one of the larger and most respected substance abuse recovery programs in the United States. It provides comprehensive, specialized services to persons seeking to overcome the disease of alcohol and substance abuse.
