Institutional brewing: staff lounge

[Tex]

I've heard that there are some Cafe's that brew into airpots during peak hours and don't offer by-the-cup brewing until off-peak.  Same dilemma.

The way I solve this is individualistically...  I use the hot water tap from the cooler or coffee machine (and boil it) with my own by-the-cup brewers kept in my desk drawer and with my own hand-ground coffee. 

Unless you're working with coffee enthusiasts that are willing to brew and clean up their own, I don't see an easy way to solve this dilemma, especially with a large-ish office.

Hey isn't that what secretaries are for?

[rasqual]

Thanks for the commiseration, fellas.

Another problem is the weird politeness some folks engage in. Ya tell 'em: "Use these beans in the Bunn machine, anytime, folks! They're for everyone to enjoy!"    "If there's half & half in the fridge, folks, use it and enjoy!"

Then they avoid both not because they don't like either, but because they don't feel comfortable using stuff you've urged them to treat as if it were their own.

It's as if they were all Lake Wobegon Lutherans or somethin'.   

Lead a horse to water, pearls before swine -- it's like a grand personification of all the cliches. Who can contend with that?   

[grinderz]

I have noticed that to be the case. Ever notice how a box of doughnuts left out in a common area where people can see go uneaten while the same box left in a secluded kitchen area magically disappears?

[Tex]

I have noticed that to be the case. Ever notice how a box of doughnuts left out in a common area where people can see go uneaten while the same box left in a secluded kitchen area magically disappears?

Not anyplace I've worked. You put a box of donuts around a bunch of engineering/software types and you'll get trampled in the feeding frenzy!

[Ascholten]

You leave food out around us and it's fair game.  Donuts, oh now you are asking to lose a limb if you are not careful when they are discovered.
Saying help yourselves is the same as, oh that's ok, don't leave ONE for me, even though I brought them in, that's ok, just eat them ALL, I don't mind.  heh..

Aaron

[Tex]

Where I work, the company provides snacks but not donuts.  Every once in a while, someone will bring in a couple boxes of donuts and they'll go quick.

I've taken and I've brought.

Also when a tin of cookies is brought in, it's gone in a flash.  I even see some people building hoards of the goods in their cubes.

'Course I don't live in the midwest.  It must be a different ethic out here in Cali.

One of my reasons for leaving Seattle was the general lack of donuts. You'd go to meetings and there'd be bran muffins - BRAN BLEEPIN' MUFFINS for crying out loud! I'm telling you, the place was uncivilized!

[Ascholten]

Well Tex,  everyone knows that seattle runs off sunshine and unicorn farts right?    What part of the natural bran do you not understand?

Aaron

[Tex]

Well Tex,  everyone knows that seattle runs off sunshine and unicorn farts right?    What part of the natural bran do you not understand?

Aaron

They might be full of it, but they're never constipated.

[rasqual]

Ugh. My wife used to love bran muffins. We picked one up near Ocean Beach (San Diego) one time -- I swear it was made of sawdust.

I always thought "fiber" was supposed to be "soluble." This stuff? Not a chance.

Maybe they confused the bran and the chaff bins.   

[rasqual]

Well, we're changing out machines at the corporate office first. See how things go.

This environment not only has the problem of an initial rush in the morning followed by rare single cups needed during the day, it also suffers from having a lot of people here for training some days, and other days where it seems like it's a skeleton crew while admin folk are scattered to the four winds (we have over a dozen schools, so it can be a revolving door here and everywhere).

Call us a showcase for "demand inconsistency".

Anyway, a Craigslist seller took $160 for one of these with a couple months of light use. I sure do love Craigslist.   

Did a manual pourover this morning (our guys will plumb it sometime this week). Looks like I'll need to tweak the temp a bit, but works great.