Clover Coffee Drips into Boston

By JamieGranoff on Mon, Sep 8, 2008 1:10 pm be gentle with the warm turtleLeave it to Starbucks to once again renew interest in the way coffee is ordered, brewed and served. Tomorrow, Starbucks will debut an innovative new brewing system, Clover, in 30 locations in and around Boston.  I know close to nothing about coffee other then its necessity in waking me anytime before noon. My palate is as unsophisticated as they come, all coffees taste the same. I soon came to understand that all coffees and coffee makers are not created equal. Clover seems to go above and beyond your regular old brewer, eliminating the need for a filter and replacing it with a fine metal grate. This insures that all the flavor is kept in your cup. Along with Clover, there will be new coffees designed specifically for this machine (but you can still brew them in the same old way, unless you have one of these $11,000 machines sitting pretty on your kitchen counter). Clover is designed to meet your desired mood and taste. Melinda Tam, store manager and trained coffee master at the 1 Charles Street Starbucks, believes the Clover is a great way to connect with customers because it allows baristas to brew by the cup, clover, somehow, makes your wildest dreams come truecatering exactly to your individual flavor. Tam, who is more then excited about this new brewing system, says, "Clover is a unique experience and has reinvigorated coffee conversation." Um ... right. She went on to explain how Starbucks will be supporting smaller farms with Clover, now that fewer beans are necessary. New flavors will be coming to different stores all the time. Brian Fisher, store manager and trained coffee master at the Starbucks located at 874 Commonwealth Ave, took me step by step through the Clover brewing process and, frankly, I was a little surprised. A lot of thought and detail has gone into creating a new way to enjoy coffee. Whether you are a seasoned coffee drinker or new like me, you will see and taste the difference. I left Starbucks with my hands shaking and tongue slightly singed from all the drinks I sampled, but also with a newfound interest in the coffee world.