When hot coffee gets low, I empty ehat little is left into a shuttle through the day, and use it as ice coffee. I never let my hot coffees sit more than 30mins.the urns have blinking light and lets me know to make fresh. And the ice coffee taste fine. However adding ice to the shuttle will water down the ice coffee. Just depend on the ice scooped into cup when making the drink.Nothing is wasted
Are you required to have hot water and dish washing sinks or anything for the pop up events? I’ve been thinking about starting doing festivals and farmers market but don’t want to get in trouble for not having certain stuff on my cart
If anything you can always have a bucket system. check with your county health department. At least for farmers market u can use the three bucket system, water, soap water and chlorine water and a separate hand washing station. Not necessarily needs to be part of your part but if you add a "sink" to your coffee cart, you will need the hand washing PLUS the three sink containers for washing everything else. Could be tricky but not so much. I would say use the buckets instead o
If you are selling to the general public you will absolutely need to figure out your hand wash/dish wash situation. In most counties you can use a hot water source/spout and dish bins for sinks. Based on your county & state if you are doing private catering/pre-paid events you don't need to follow the same rules, but then you can not serve to the public and charge on a per-drink basis. I suggest reaching out to your local health department. They can send you a list of everything required to get you started!
Love this video! Very insightful. 🖤 When you started out, what were your start up costs for each set up? if you know them. Also, did you have clients sign a contract before each event? If yes, do you mind sharing what was in them?
I would absolutely consult with a lawyer if this is something you are worried about, as I am not a legal professional, however, we ensure our cups/lids say caution hot on them. We also are very precise with our serving temperatures. None of our drinks should cause bodily harm if consumed/should never be so hot it could burn skin. Drinks are served at ready to drink temps, and if one feels hotter than normal we always verbally give customers a warning! If you are taking the right steps to ensure there is a warning/you aren't serving extremely hot beverages a case against you would be much less likely.
My concern is always this... how do I clean my shakers...my spoons, my frother in between ea drink...my drink bar is for small events but I want to expand into non alcoholic drink...thinking of how to clean my supplies between drinks is making me 2nd guess doing it
It's definitely a challenge, something that is always useful is having a hot water supply whether that be the hot water spout from espresso machine or having a mobile kettle with heater. I have so much trouble with this though so I am also looking for answers
^ we started out using the hot water from our machine and a dump bucket. Our newest bar has a built in pitcher rinser which helps a lot, but a hot water kettle and dump bucket can also do the trick!
You started your espresso business with a heat exchanger ?! I would be constantly worried if customers bombarded me lol. Worried that the machine would cool down too quickly. Looks like it’s working out for you. Nice video
Definitely not ideal for larger events! So far the events I have served have a max of 50 people over the course of 3 hours so it hasn't been too bad :) I will be bringing my trailer and fully commercial machine to larger pop-ups!
Many most powerful espresso machines are heat exchangers. It is the peak-time performance what counts, not double boiler. As she makes just 50 shots over the course of three hours, it's still msnageable if so-so.
It gets a lot simpler the more you practice. It’s all about lining up your timing (15-30 sec increments) if you keep them in order & have a timer going it’s not too bad!
Hello love everything of this video its so inspiring! A coffee cart is what i have in mind right now Ive look up a lot of things and the concept. I have some espresso machines saves but what do you recommend if Im going to do a pop up event for weeding, meetings, partys if I have a lot of people ordering espresso drinks? ♥️
It will be based on your county, but you should be able to fully prep it in your trailer! Ours allows us to do that/any form of brewing just no cooking.
I currently don't own a cart - I typically set up on tables or bars provided by the venue/space I am working at. I do own a camper, and hope to add a custom cart to the mix soon!
I typically charge per person expected at the event - even if some people don't actually drink coffee I still charge based on how many are attending. Some people will have more than one cup so it all evens out :)
Hey nice video! I have this "events coffe bar" project and I'm having troubles deciding which espresso machine should I buy (on my budget) I see that you have a "rocket appartamento"? I love this machine because is small and stetique (which I think is also important for a coffee bar) however I've been told that maybe this won't work for an event, when you say: "small scale" events, how many espressos are you talking about? I'm thinking on starting small as well :)
Hey! I have a video uploaded with a full review of using the machine both at home and for events. It is NOT ideal at all for larger events, but serving 40-50 people over the course of 3 hours or so it has been able to keep up for me. Things do get tricky if there are 3-4 people coming for drinks at a time. You really have to listen to the machine and give it time between each drink/find ways to make your workflow super efficient. This only works if people at your event aren't in a rush. If you can avoid using the machine for your business I would - but budget wise it might help you grow until you can upgrade to something commercial!
I typically bring my setup to events - I reach out to places I am interested in partnering with and then they will usually send my info to other companies or partner companies that they think would be interested in having me as well :)
If you are able to get a simple cart system - that is what I aim to have eventually. It comes with a pitcher rinser attached which is awesome! Currently I do my best to be close to a sink. If a sink is not possible at an event I bring a 5 gallon jug of water and a 5 gallon empty bucket. I will use the fresh water to rinse and dump my waste into the dump bucket. I serve in to-go cups only and all syrups go straight into the cup. The main thing I have to rinse between uses is spoons and milk pitchers. I will typically use my hot water spout from the espresso machine to rinse spoons and smaller items off.
Espresso is definitely best served fresh. If you are hoping to serve faster I suggest a cold brew or drip coffee cart. These items hold better so you can just pour and serve!
In some states you can operate as a 'private caterer' which gives you a little more freedom - in other states you will have to get your mobile cart inspected as well to ensure you are following local guidelines :)
If you are able to get a simple cart system - that is what I aim to have eventually. It comes with a pitcher rinser attached which is awesome! Currently I do my best to be close to a sink. If a sink is not possible I bring a 5 gallon jug of water and a 5 gallon empty bucket. I will use the fresh water to rinse and dump my waste into the dump bucket. Hope this helps!
You'll have to look into your state/county regulations, but you'll want to start by setting up an LLC, registering your business, and getting an EIN. Your coffee setup will have to follow code (and possibly get inspected) based on your county - you should be able to find it on your county's website under mobile food units! They'll usually have a step by step guide for you to follow to ensure everything you have is up to code!
Hello there! I had the same question actually, except I've got the LLC, EIN, state/county licenses, etc. but am wondering what it looks like to have your "mobile set up" inspected by the county? Do they come to your home and look at your equipment? Do you take them to a shared kitchen space? Thanks so much for all these details! I've been taking super detailed notes, all of your thought process here has been super inspiring! Love, from the Bay Area, CA
Before you can open a cart *in most counties* you will need insurance which helps. Connect with a local agent and they can help inform you about what you'll need specifically for coverage, but we also make sure all of our lids have a *caution contents are hot lid*. If you want to be extra cautious you can consult with a lawyer, but this all helps in the event of an accident.
Glad I found this channel. I'm in the process of starting up a mobile coffee cart.
Can you please do what permits and license you have or had to complete! I think this will help others.
When hot coffee gets low, I empty ehat little is left into a shuttle through the day, and use it as ice coffee. I never let my hot coffees sit more than 30mins.the urns have blinking light and lets me know to make fresh. And the ice coffee taste fine. However adding ice to the shuttle will water down the ice coffee. Just depend on the ice scooped into cup when making the drink.Nothing is wasted
Thank you for the work you put into this! So very helpful ❤
D
Are you required to have hot water and dish washing sinks or anything for the pop up events? I’ve been thinking about starting doing festivals and farmers market but don’t want to get in trouble for not having certain stuff on my cart
If anything you can always have a bucket system. check with your county health department. At least for farmers market u can use the three bucket system, water, soap water and chlorine water and a separate hand washing station. Not necessarily needs to be part of your part but if you add a "sink" to your coffee cart, you will need the hand washing PLUS the three sink containers for washing everything else. Could be tricky but not so much. I would say use the buckets instead o
If you are selling to the general public you will absolutely need to figure out your hand wash/dish wash situation. In most counties you can use a hot water source/spout and dish bins for sinks. Based on your county & state if you are doing private catering/pre-paid events you don't need to follow the same rules, but then you can not serve to the public and charge on a per-drink basis. I suggest reaching out to your local health department. They can send you a list of everything required to get you started!
I love this channel so far!
Love this video! Very insightful. 🖤
When you started out, what were your start up costs for each set up? if you know them.
Also, did you have clients sign a contract before each event? If yes, do you mind sharing what was in them?
This was the best video I found great job
Dumb question, but…how do you protect yourself from someone suing you because the coffee is too hot or they burned themselves?
I would absolutely consult with a lawyer if this is something you are worried about, as I am not a legal professional, however, we ensure our cups/lids say caution hot on them.
We also are very precise with our serving temperatures. None of our drinks should cause bodily harm if consumed/should never be so hot it could burn skin. Drinks are served at ready to drink temps, and if one feels hotter than normal we always verbally give customers a warning! If you are taking the right steps to ensure there is a warning/you aren't serving extremely hot beverages a case against you would be much less likely.
Do you have a video making cold brew in bulk? Or will you make one?
Amazing tips,i love the video very helpful 👏 Thanks for the great explanation🌷 😊
Thank you so much for this!! Subscribed ❤
How do you get around not having a 3 compartment sink & hand washing sink at events? My licensing says I need them :/
My concern is always this... how do I clean my shakers...my spoons, my frother in between ea drink...my drink bar is for small events but I want to expand into non alcoholic drink...thinking of how to clean my supplies between drinks is making me 2nd guess doing it
It's definitely a challenge, something that is always useful is having a hot water supply whether that be the hot water spout from espresso machine or having a mobile kettle with heater. I have so much trouble with this though so I am also looking for answers
^ we started out using the hot water from our machine and a dump bucket. Our newest bar has a built in pitcher rinser which helps a lot, but a hot water kettle and dump bucket can also do the trick!
You started your espresso business with a heat exchanger ?! I would be constantly worried if customers bombarded me lol. Worried that the machine would cool down too quickly. Looks like it’s working out for you. Nice video
Definitely not ideal for larger events! So far the events I have served have a max of 50 people over the course of 3 hours so it hasn't been too bad :) I will be bringing my trailer and fully commercial machine to larger pop-ups!
Many most powerful espresso machines are heat exchangers. It is the peak-time performance what counts, not double boiler. As she makes just 50 shots over the course of three hours, it's still msnageable if so-so.
I love watching your videos!! So now that you have been doing pop-up events.. how is it so far? :)
Thank you!! Things are moving along - I am gearing up to launch the trailer in March :)
So i'm just starting out and I guess the multiple chemex and scales are kind of scaring me. How do you manage all 3 of those brewing at the same time?
It gets a lot simpler the more you practice. It’s all about lining up your timing (15-30 sec increments) if you keep them in order & have a timer going it’s not too bad!
Hello love everything of this video its so inspiring! A coffee cart is what i have in mind right now Ive look up a lot of things and the concept. I have some espresso machines saves but what do you recommend if Im going to do a pop up event for weeding, meetings, partys if I have a lot of people ordering espresso drinks? ♥️
The LaMarzocco GS3 is a very popular option and keeps up great with events!
Do you need a commissary for the cold brew if you have a prep sink in your trailer?
It will be based on your county, but you should be able to fully prep it in your trailer! Ours allows us to do that/any form of brewing just no cooking.
Video request: must-haves for an at-home coffee bar
this is the inspo i needed !!
Great video!💕💕
Nice!!
Love it 💖
Is that machine a dual boiler? Can you steam and extract an espresso at the same time?
The rocket is not. We recently switched to a Lucca A53 and it keeps up way better.
What is the make and model espresso machine that you use?
What kind of places do you pop up at? Is there a Facebook group to discuss this?
What about the cart itself? Can we see a tour of your cart setup please? 😍
I currently don't own a cart - I typically set up on tables or bars provided by the venue/space I am working at. I do own a camper, and hope to add a custom cart to the mix soon!
May I ask how you determine the cost for cold brew events? Do you charge based on amount of customers expected at the events?
I typically charge per person expected at the event - even if some people don't actually drink coffee I still charge based on how many are attending. Some people will have more than one cup so it all evens out :)
Hey nice video! I have this "events coffe bar" project and I'm having troubles deciding which espresso machine should I buy (on my budget) I see that you have a "rocket appartamento"? I love this machine because is small and stetique (which I think is also important for a coffee bar) however I've been told that maybe this won't work for an event, when you say: "small scale" events, how many espressos are you talking about? I'm thinking on starting small as well :)
Hey! I have a video uploaded with a full review of using the machine both at home and for events.
It is NOT ideal at all for larger events, but serving 40-50 people over the course of 3 hours or so it has been able to keep up for me.
Things do get tricky if there are 3-4 people coming for drinks at a time. You really have to listen to the machine and give it time between each drink/find ways to make your workflow super efficient. This only works if people at your event aren't in a rush. If you can avoid using the machine for your business I would - but budget wise it might help you grow until you can upgrade to something commercial!
Question do you have contracts you send out before you book an event?
Absolutely! This is something I highly recommend - it helps set clear guidelines/guarantees your pricing, and accounts for late event cancellations.
Would you ever do pop up shops? How do you find pop up shops near your area?
I typically bring my setup to events - I reach out to places I am interested in partnering with and then they will usually send my info to other companies or partner companies that they think would be interested in having me as well :)
How do you suggest cleaning your mixing tins and cups while doing the pop up?
If you are able to get a simple cart system - that is what I aim to have eventually. It comes with a pitcher rinser attached which is awesome! Currently I do my best to be close to a sink. If a sink is not possible at an event I bring a 5 gallon jug of water and a 5 gallon empty bucket. I will use the fresh water to rinse and dump my waste into the dump bucket. I serve in to-go cups only and all syrups go straight into the cup. The main thing I have to rinse between uses is spoons and milk pitchers. I will typically use my hot water spout from the espresso machine to rinse spoons and smaller items off.
What is the name of the espresso machine you are talking about in this video? and grinder?
I have a rocket appartimento and an Anfim Scody ii!
Can i brew my espresso in advance so that when i have a long line up, i can serve them faster?
Espresso is definitely best served fresh. If you are hoping to serve faster I suggest a cold brew or drip coffee cart. These items hold better so you can just pour and serve!
Did you have to get a certain permit to do this since you’re not a “food truck?”
In some states you can operate as a 'private caterer' which gives you a little more freedom - in other states you will have to get your mobile cart inspected as well to ensure you are following local guidelines :)
Hey thanks so much for Video, how about the cart?
I am working to build a custom cart - for past events I just brought a small table or set up in the kitchen area at offices/complexes!
Where do you purchase your sticker from?
My favorite place to get stickers is Lilly Lama on Etsy!
They do a great job - the vinyl stickers are my favorite.
Great content! Do you have any tips for ware washing at events?
If you are able to get a simple cart system - that is what I aim to have eventually. It comes with a pitcher rinser attached which is awesome! Currently I do my best to be close to a sink. If a sink is not possible I bring a 5 gallon jug of water and a 5 gallon empty bucket. I will use the fresh water to rinse and dump my waste into the dump bucket. Hope this helps!
How do you go about with all the legal things? Lol
You'll have to look into your state/county regulations, but you'll want to start by setting up an LLC, registering your business, and getting an EIN. Your coffee setup will have to follow code (and possibly get inspected) based on your county - you should be able to find it on your county's website under mobile food units! They'll usually have a step by step guide for you to follow to ensure everything you have is up to code!
Hello there! I had the same question actually, except I've got the LLC, EIN, state/county licenses, etc. but am wondering what it looks like to have your "mobile set up" inspected by the county? Do they come to your home and look at your equipment? Do you take them to a shared kitchen space? Thanks so much for all these details! I've been taking super detailed notes, all of your thought process here has been super inspiring! Love, from the Bay Area, CA
Dumb question, but…how do you protect yourself from someone suing you because the coffee is too hot or they burned themselves?
Before you can open a cart *in most counties* you will need insurance which helps. Connect with a local agent and they can help inform you about what you'll need specifically for coverage, but we also make sure all of our lids have a *caution contents are hot lid*. If you want to be extra cautious you can consult with a lawyer, but this all helps in the event of an accident.