Office Coffee Service in Alexandria, VA

Alexandria, VA, Do You Know What the Secret Ingredient in Coffee Is?

Office Coffee Service in Alexandria, VA

Making great coffee while protecting the brewing equipment requires Alexandria, VA employees to constantly perform a balancing act. They must choose the best type of water to find the sweet spot between preventing damage to the brewing equipment and brewing the perfect cup of coffee.

Why is the type of water so important? A cup of coffee consists of 98 percent water. That means that the beans only represents two percent of the beverage. The quality or type of water can range anywhere from “hard” (full of minerals like magnesium) to “soft” (distilled water falls into this category).

To understand the impact of hard and soft water on brewing equipment, consider the following:  

  • many maintenance issues are caused by water because the water comes into contact with almost every part of the machine
  • for example, some compounds found in hard water are sticky and seek out specific compounds in the coffee grounds impeding the brewing process
  • the more minerals the water contains (or the harder the water), the more damaging the water can be to the brewing equipment
  • minerals cause scale buildup (or coat) the inner workings (pumps, boilers, and valves) of the brewing machine, causing corrosion, leaks, and ultimately, the destruction of the machine.

If too many minerals in hard water damage the brewing system, why not use soft or distilled water? The answer to this question is why balancing the water selection is so important. The right balance of minerals in the water improves the taste of an Alexandria, VA cup of coffee.

Office Coffee Service in Alexandria, VA

To understand how hard and soft water changes the taste, consider the following:

  • minerals found in water carry coffee’s body and aroma to the palate
  • a high mineral content contributes to a decrease in the quality
    • too much alkalinity in the water can cause a soapy taste or residue in the brewed coffee
    • water that is too hard can give a bitter or chalky taste
    • very little mineral content is also a problem at it causes strange extractions and off-flavors
  • soft water can create a bland cup of coffee   

If Alexandria, VA individuals are interested in monitoring the water that goes into their coffee, the following table from the Specialty Coffee Association’s Water for Brewing Standards lists the acceptable characteristics for the best brewing water.

Characteristic Target Acceptable Range
Odor 1 Clean/Fresh, Odor free n/a
Color 2 Clear color n/a
Total Chlorine 0 mg/L n/a
TDS 3 150 mg/L 75 – 250 mg/L
Calcium Hardness 4 grains or 68 mg/L 1-5 grains or 17 mg/L – 85 mg/L
Total Alkalinity 40 mg/L At or near 40 mg/L
pH 7.0 (neutral) 6.5 – 7.5
Sodium 10 mg/L At or near 10 mg/L

However, not everyone has the time or desire to check the mineral content and quality of their water. When that’s the case, there are several options to explore. The first is to reconsider your source for coffee beans. A local roaster will likely test their beans with local water increasing the likelihood that your Alexandria, VA employees will brew great tasting coffee. On the other hand, nationally recognized brands often use pure water, which can be found almost everywhere, to test their beans as they strive to create a consistent flavor nationwide. A second option is to use water that tastes good on its own. If water tastes and smells good and is clean straight from the tap, the end result will likely be tasty.

As a side note—avoid pure distilled or reverse osmosis water. While they are often recommended, they are too pure to brew coffee and will leave a lot of flavor behind. A better option is to consider installing a water filtration system in your office break room. Employees can relax knowing they don’t have to worry about the water quality, and Alexandria, VA employers will know the chemical makeup of the water running through their coffee brewers.

Whether your Alexandria, VA organization is looking for a new office coffee service or just wants to update the office break room, SunDun Office Refreshments can help. We offer a wide variety of customizable vending solutions including healthy vending. To take the first step, call us at 800.466.2731. We look forward to hearing from you.

Break Room Snacks in Arlington, VA

Snacks in Arlington, VA Play Multiple Roles

Break Room Snacks in Arlington, VA

The definition of a snack is expanding. It no longer refers only to a small amount of sweet or salty food eaten between meals. A snack can also be a healthy meal replacement that helps Arlington, VA employees meet their daily caloric and hydration needs. All snacks, independent of their role, fall into one or more of three primary needs: nourishment, optimization, and pleasure.

Accurate and clearly written product labels play an important part before snacks and beverages are even consumed. For 39 percent of U.S. consumers, inaccurate or confusing information on a product label will trigger a switch to a product that has clearer and more accurate product information. Additionally, 68 percent of the participants in a Nielson study said they would pay more for snacks, beverages, and prepared food items that weren’t made with “bad” ingredients. Fresh, organic, clean, and Fair Trade are just a few of the terms Arlington, VA employees are looking for in the office break room.

Sweet or Salty Treat

I have some good news for you. Traditional sweet and salty snacks are not going anywhere. In 2017, the sale of chocolate-based treats produced over $1.8 billion in revenue, or 74.9 percent of the total sales for candy. On the salty side of the aisle, $2.9 billion in revenue came from the sale of chips. That’s 46.6 percent of sales in its category. Clean, organic, and “better”  ingredients play an influence here too. While sweet and salty snacks are most often consumed as a reward or indulgence, many Arlington, VA employees also use a trip to the office break room vending machine as an opportunity to enjoy new flavors and textures.

Certain snacks have always and will continue to play the role of a sweet or salty treat, but in 2018, many snacks have a new purpose.

Break Room Snacks in Arlington, VA

Healthy Meal Replacement

According to the NPD Group’s tracking of U.S. consumers’ snacking attitudes and behaviors, “snack foods eaten at main meals now represent 24 percent of all snack food eatings, which is up from 21 percent five years ago.”  Not only are Arlington, VA employees looking for nourishment and optimization (a mental or physical energy boost), they have high expectations about the quality of product labels and the ingredients that they put in their bodies. A snack with healthy ingredients that fulfills nutritional needs, keeps an employee hydrated, and improves mental focus positively impacts that individual’s health as well as increases creativity and productivity. It’s a win-win for everyone.

A vending machine in your office break room offers your Arlington, VA employees a wide range of healthy, sweet and salty snacks, and beverages that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Not only is the office break room a place to grab a bite to eat, but it is also a relaxing environment to catch up with colleagues during the workday. To learn more about updating your vending selections or adding a new vending solution, contact SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.