Coffee News Roundup, 1/9/2015
Our weekly roundup of coffee news from around the web. To find out more, click the section titles.
TURNS OUT THE HOPMAN CUP IS A DEMITASSE
You're not the only one who could use a cup of coffee to get through a tough day. Tennis star Serena Williams is in Perth for the Hopman Cup ahead of the Australian open. Between the heat and a nasty case of jetlag, she dropped her first set to Flavia Pennetta 0-6. After that "bagel," she decided an espresso was in order. After checking in with the chair umpire, the espresso was duly procured, and Williams came back to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-0, giving thanks for the "miracle coffee." We're counting down the days 'til a cafe somewhere introduces a Williams-inspired Hopman Cup (with bagel, naturally) of their own... we can certainly think of worse ways to start the day.
KEURIG RECALL No doubt Keurig would rather focus on black coffee than on the black eye it's gotten in the press. They're having a rough time of it lately. Their 2.0 Brewer, which was supposed to get the brand's signature coffee brewers back into patent and the company back to its customary levels of productivity, has been savaged by a number of long-term fans (read our review here). As it turns out, that brouhaha -- or, should we say, brew-ha-ha? -- is a mere tempest in a teapot compared to the company's other big news. They've had to recall more than seven million of their single-serve Keurig Mini Plus machines. The company received roughly 200 reports of hot liquid spraying from the machines, with nearly half of those reporting saying they'd suffered burn-related injuries. The company is offering a repair kit for the machines (manufactured between 2007 and 2014), and is advising users to stay at least an arm's length away from the machines while they're in use.
HOW, EXACTLY, DOES ONE BORROW A LATTE? The Guardian reports on the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport's Independent Library Report has seen the future of libraries, and it's beginning to look a lot like coffee. Alright, we're simplifying a bit, but the report does note that as technology reshapes the information landscape, it's only sensible that the library of the not-so-distant future might be a less staid environment. The report suggests -- rather sensibly, if you ask us -- wi-fi, coffee, and lavatories as a good starting point for revitalizing libraries. It would seem like a sensible move from here; as information becomes more shared and social, it seems only natural that the library should follow suit in becoming a more engaged and social experience. At the same time, we can't help but wonder if the librarians will end up wasting time shush-ing the espresso machines.
