Beatrice is down again

Beatrice is the espresso machine. She is a lever machine, which means she is more opinion than appliance, and this morning her opinion is no.

It happens when the air gets heavy. The group runs cool, the shots pull thin and sour, and no amount of talking to her helps. So we put a sign on the bar that says batch brew only, and we wait.

She always comes back. By early afternoon, usually, with no explanation and no apology. We do not replace her and we do not threaten to. A machine that has lasted this long has earned the right to a bad morning.

If you came in for a flat white and left with a cup of the Yirgacheffe instead, that was Beatrice’s call, not ours. Take it up with her.