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Elevate Your Office Coffee Culture With BostonbeaN’s Ultimate Taste-Testing Delight!

Let’s face it, mundane coffee breaks can dampen office productivity and team morale. If your coffee doesn’t elevate your team’s spirits, BostonbeaN has a solution. We are here to stir up your coffee experience by bringing Boston’s finest coffee right to your office.

We can lead your team on a delightful journey, discovering global coffee blends — without leaving the comfort of your office.

Unveiling the Ultimate Coffee Taste Test

Our expert BostonbeaN team is dedicated to providing the resources to guide you in an immersive way to evaluate what’s in your cup. Have some fun with your team while you get the inside scoop on some coffee facts.

We offer an array of coffees for your team to test — to reveal the aroma and sensory characteristics of a specific blend — as well as tasting to help you evaluate the coffee just as it will be served to your team.

Coffee Elevation: Why It Matters

Did you know that the altitude where coffee is grown significantly impacts your sensory experience?

Coffee from higher elevations will reveal complex characteristics from some of the brightest fruits as well as chocolate (yum!) and nuts, while mild hints of flavor are developed at medium and low altitudes.

Exploring Coffee Flavor Profiles

Tasting — the best part! At BostonbeaN, we provide coffee flavor blends from around the globe:

Colombia: This blend reveals a sweet, caramel taste with some hints of fruit.
Ethiopia: Revel in the complexity of fruity flavors, a hint of spice and even some floral notes.
Sumatra: A heavy-bodied coffee, you’ll taste aromatic wood with dark chocolate notes, earthy tones and an intense flavor.
Peru: With a mild taste, you’ll delight in the dominant herbal and milk chocolate notes with a hint of stone fruits.

Maximizing Your Tasting Opportunity

As part of the taste-testing approach, we offer these tips to maximize the experience:

Write down your impressions — grade the coffee from 1 to 5.
Taste “blind” to avoid bias.
Ask open-ended questions about the coffee.
Identify and discuss the flavors you’re tasting.

As you’re evaluating each cup, you can “sense” the flavor profiles using these five categories:

Sweetness – Do you taste or smell sugar, brown sugar or caramel?
Acidity – Is there a slight fruity, winey and bright taste?
Body – What is the weight/feel on tongue (think about the feel of skim milk vs. heavy cream)?
Flavor – Can you pinpoint any floral, berry, citrus, tobacco, nutty, cocoa, spice or smoky flavors?
Finish – What sensory categories linger with quality and length?

Experience BostonbeaN: More Than a Delivery Service

Not only do we provide convenience and an exciting new dimension to your workplace with taste-testing opportunities, but we can also be your partners in creating an exceptional office culture.

We make it easy to enjoy delicious coffee and tea, including unique blends, local roasts, hot coffee and cold brew, right at your desk.

From delivering, stocking and rotating all items in your break room to replenishing products as needed, our delivery services cover all the angles to enhance your break room and boost office productivity.

Contact us today to see how we can elevate your Boston office’s coffee experience.

How To Avoid the Top 5 Brewing Mistakes That Coffee Lovers Make

The average person has been making coffee as part of their daily routine for so long that they think they’ve got the process down pat. But even if you consider yourself a coffee-brewing guru, you’re likely making at least one of these five common brewing mistakes. Review our list and adjust your technique accordingly for an even better cup of joe.

Top 5 Common Coffee-Brewing Mistakes

1. Serving stale coffee

Although coffee never actually “goes bad,” coffee beans begin to lose their optimum flavor potential about a month after being roasted and a few weeks after ground coffee is unsealed. Always keep your coffee tightly sealed and in a dark, cool, dry place.

2. Not using enough coffee

The correct amount of coffee to use when brewing is a subjective thing as people’s tastes will differ. To produce a great cup of coffee consistently, the National Coffee Association recommends starting by following the “Golden Ratio” of one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water, then adjust for your personal taste preference.

3. Using an unclean machine

If you start to notice your coffee tasting bitter and gritty, there’s a good chance it’s because you haven’t cleaned your coffee maker lately. Brewed coffee contains natural oils and essences that give it its distinct flavor, but these oils also build up in your machine and inside your pot and eventually turn rancid, ruining the taste. Clean your machine and pot often and thoroughly.

4. Incorrect grind

Each coffee brewing method requires a specific grind size to work properly because of the differing extraction times and water temperatures used to release the flavor essences. Using the wrong type of grind for your method is the surest way to ruin your coffee. An inconsistent grind with a mixture of sizes will also produce less-than-optimal coffee.

5. Problems with your water

Coffee is mostly water, and the quality of that water will greatly influence the taste. Consider using bottled or filtered water to avoid the impurities and chemicals that can ruin your coffee’s flavor. Also, make sure you’re using the correct water temperature for your coffee brewing method.

While we didn’t add it to the list, BostonbeaN thinks the No. 1 coffee mistake Boston business owners make is not having our team deliver coffee, tea and snacks to their employees. Our machines will ensure the perfect cup of coffee for your team every time.

Beans to Brews: Your Ultimate Guide to Our Delivery Services

Here are answers to frequently asked questions we get at BostonbeaN Coffee Company.

Q: Are Employers Required to Provide Coffee to Employees?

A: While not mandatory, providing coffee, tea and water for employees is considered a standard benefit at companies of all kinds and sizes. Offering high-quality coffee and tea is a simple, affordable way to create a positive work culture, improve morale, and attract and retain staff.

Q: What Does BostonbeaN Offer?

A: At BostonbeaN, we offer a variety of coffees and teas as well as high-quality water systems. In addition, we offer:

Touchless coffee and water machines
Commercial coffee and tea options
Espresso-based beverage machines
Cold brew coffee and tea
Canned and bottled beverages
Drink mixes
Fresh food
Snacks

Q: How Does Your Service Work?

A: Route managers deliver, stock and rotate all items in your breakroom, maintaining inventory and replenishing products as needed. We help you choose the right coffee brewer and water filtration systems, and we’ll make sure there are plenty of cups, stirrers, sweeteners and creamers to keep employees satisfied.

Q: What Is Your Service Area?

A: Located in Woburn, MA, we serve all points north of Plymouth, east of Worcester and south of Concord, NH.

Q: How Much Does Your Service Cost?

A: Our coffee service depends on the machines, services and supplies you request and the size of your workforce. Contact us for a quote.

Q: What Makes a Good Breakroom?

A: Your breakroom should have a wide supply of quality coffee, tea and water, along with food and snacks. We offer our clients an excellent experience and reliable restocking service for all of your breakroom supplies, so that your employees are satisfied.

Q: How Can We Improve Our Breakroom?

A: Our pantry services keep your breakroom organized and tidy. We include all the equipment, including a snack shelf, glass-front coolers and sliding baskets.

Q: Why Should We Choose BostonbeaN?

A: BostonbeaN is a family-owned small business that’s been operating in the Boston area since the 1970s. We have more than 3,000 clients and 8,000 machines deployed. Our approach focuses on personalized customer care to help clients tailor their coffee and tea services to meet their organization’s needs.

Q: How Can We Know What Is Being Used?

A: We track and report on monthly usage, helping you fine-tune your offerings. Account representatives collaborate with you to ensure you stay within your budget and are informed of the most recent food and beverage trends.

Q: What Do Your Customers Say?

A: Don’t take our word for it. Read our customer testimonials:

“From the very beginning, BostonbeaN has been honest, helpful, professional, reliable, and courteous. Our account manager makes sure our offices are stocked with cups, tea, coffee, etc. Having this kind of service is great. If I run out of coffee or supplies and called last minute, they will swing by the office with a refill. If something goes wrong with one of our units, the service technician will be out there the same or next day to repair or replace equipment. They just really make you feel like you are genuinely important to them.”
-Mary W.

“It is all about the customer service! We have had a long-lasting partnership with BostonbeaN, and time after time they have proved that they can provide top-notch service.”
-Hannah W.

When you’re ready to deliver the coffee and tea service your employees crave, contact us to customize our delivery services to your Boston-area office.

What Do Coffee and Cherries Have in Common? Discover the Answer Every Coffee Lover Should Know

No doubt you’re all too familiar with that delectable daily delight that only coffee can deliver. But do you know how your cup of coffee came to be? Here’s its origin story.

It Starts With the Plant

A coffee bean plant is a tall shrub reminiscent of a berry bush. Like most plants, species abound, with the Arabica and the Robusta plants being the most well-known. Arabicas are the most popular and prolific; varieties grow all over the world in countries near the equator. These plants can take four years to begin to bear fruit.

Arabica vs. Robusta Beans

Most artisan coffees are made with various Arabica beans; they are considered far superior in quality and flavor. Arabica beans tend to be grown at higher elevations, and most growers give the beans longer to grow to enhance their flavor. In contrast, Robusta beans are considered lower quality and are often used for instant coffee. Their varieties are more disease-resistant and produce a higher yield. Robusta beans do, however, contain more caffeine.

“Coffee Cherries”

Coffee beans are actually the seeds that grow on coffee plants. They are called “coffee cherries.” When they turn red, they’re ready to be harvested.

Most are still picked by hand. Proficient pickers can harvest 100-200 pounds of coffee cherries daily, representing 20-40 pounds of coffee beans.

After harvesting, the coffee cherries are processed to remove the beans from their outer shell.

Each berry contains two beans enclosed in parchment. The hulling stage removes the parchment before being graded and sorted.

More Coffee Origin Fun Facts

Coffee tasters, known as cuppers, test the beans to ensure their quality before roasting.
Each cup of coffee is made of roughly 38 coffee cherries or 76 coffee beans.
Roasting unlocks the fragrant oils inside the beans, creating the flavor and aroma we love.
Although coffee shrubs can grow to 16 feet, most are trimmed to 5-7 feet for easier picking.
Coffee cherries start as blooms that flower for a month.
Arabica flowers are self-pollinating; Robusta flowers aren’t.

Understanding what it takes to get that perfect brew into your cup makes it taste that much better. Let BostonbeaN handle the last mile of the coffee bean’s journey — getting it into the coffee cups of your team.

Contact BostonbeaN today to supply your office with hassle-free solutions for your employees, including snacks and grab-and-go fresh food, cold water and beverages, and hot and cold coffee and tea options.

Help Your Office Go Green This Earth Day — and All Year Long — With BostonbeaN

It’s been 52 years since we celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970. This annual event was created so the global community could support the common cause of protecting our planet Earth — and to address the impact of industry on the environment. The event’s popularity has grown around the world, and this year, more than a billion people in 193 countries will participate on April 22.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Going green can mean something different to everyone, and everyone can still be correct. You can choose to reduce your use of limited resources like water. You can reuse products that you would normally discard, like drinking from the same coffee mug each day. And you can recycle by making more biodegradable, eco-friendly choices.

Go Green in Every Environment

Both employees and employers can implement green measures at home and in the workplace. Every conscious effort to more mindfully reduce water usage, mitigate trash build-up and conserve energy makes a difference as we work together to protect our planet.

Eco-Friendly for the Win

Did you know that BostonbeaN offers a complete line of eco-friendly supplies for your office? Our line includes:

Hot and cold cups
Plates
Bowls
Cutlery
Paper Towels
Bathroom Supplies
Cleaners

Providing Cold Beverage Choices That Eliminate Single-Serve Plastics

Employers can provide employees with options that are earth-friendly. For instance, BostonbeaN offers the touchless ION Bottleless Water Cooler system that eliminates the need for plastic water bottles. The Bevi is a more robust option for employers who want to offer employees a greater breadth of flavored cold-beverage choices.

Some Like It Hot (or Cold)

Employers and employees can even reduce waste for coffee and tea drinkers with The Fresh Cup, which freshly roasts coffee and brews tea in biodegradable pods.

It Starts With Your Culture

As environmental concerns rise in significance, use this Earth Day celebration as an opportunity to create a green culture at your office. Announce a new initiative. Get feedback and suggestions from your team on what they would like to support. Reward success. Educate. Build sustainable programs.

And finally, reach out to BostonbeaN to help implement an environmentally friendly solution in your workplace.

Say Hello to Spring and Goodbye to Seasonal Allergies by Installing an Efficient Air Purifier

New Englanders typically can’t wait for spring to arrive, especially after a long, harsh winter. But then, as the flowers bloom, the weather warms up, and we again enjoy coffee on our patio, the reality of spring hits.

We start to sneeze. Our eyes itch and our nose is stuffy or runny — or both. Allergy season has arrived.

Clear the Air

For some employees, allergies worsen in the workplace. Poorly ventilated systems, for example, can trigger pollen or dust mite allergies, or worse. That’s why BostoncleaN offers two different high-quality air purification systems to protect employees from airborne hazards, no matter the source.

AeraMax Professional Models Protect Larger Areas

These elite technology air purifiers contain HEPA filters with antibacterial treatment and cover 300-1,400 square feet. They constantly monitor the conditions in the room to self-determine how often and how rapidly the room should be purified and freed from seasonal pollen and other hazardous air particles. When the sensors stop detecting activity, they return to standby mode, saving energy.

Celios G200 Advanced Air Purification System

Perfect for smaller offices of 200-450 square feet, the Celios G200 captures and filters air particles like the spring pollen responsible for allergies, to keep offices safe from environmental toxins. These systems bring employees real protection and peace of mind as they cautiously return to offices.

Spring Cleaning

One way to rid your office of unwanted dust (and clutter) is to spring clean. In your office environment, that means:

getting rid of excess inventory
reorganizing cluttered desktops
purging digital and physical documents you don’t need
cleaning and disinfecting everything from the copiers to the sofas to the breakroom cabinets

Level Up Break Room Safety

From the pandemic to pollen, your break room can either be an epicenter for healthy precautions or a petri dish of toxins. Level up your breakroom protection with BostoncleaN’s whole host of solutions to maintain a safe environment, including PPE, touchless beverage dispensers, and more.

Celebrate National Pastry Day Dec. 9 (and Don’t Forget the Coffee!)

Who doesn’t love pastries? These delectable creations have their own special day, and that is worth celebrating!

Pastries fall into categories like tarts, pies, Danish, turnovers and more. Created with butter, eggs, flour, sugar, milk, shortening, and other ingredients, there’s just something that gets your mouth watering when you think about it, right?

Just in case you thought pastry-making was something new, pastries originated along the Mediterranean in ancient times and expanded to Northern Europe when the crusaders returned from that region. French and Italian chefs baked eclairs and cream puffs during the 17th and 18th centuries, and are credited with the creation of some of the tasty treats we love to this day.

There are many variations of pastries. Some fun facts include:

Flaky pastries are simple and expand when baking.
Shortcrust pastries are the most common.
Sweetcrust pastries are the sweeter version of shortcrust pastries.
Puff pastries are layered and puff up when baking.
Choux pastries are very light, but so good. They usually have some kind of filling.
Phyllo pastries are paper-thin and are used when layering.

One of the best ways to celebrate National Pastry Day is by making some for your coworkers. It’s the perfect way to usher in the holiday season (which always includes eating!). Another great way to celebrate this festive occasion is by inviting others over to join in the fun. What can you create with flour, eggs, and sugar in the mix? This is a great opportunity to try something new!

And don’t forget — one of the best ways to enjoy all those delicious pastries is with a great cup of coffee or tea. Just like pastries have tons of variations, so does the coffee that you can pair them with. There’s iced coffee, cold brew, and hot coffee in different flavors for every taste bud to perfectly complement your pastry choices.

BostonbeaN carries everything you need to perfectly pair your pastries with coffee and tea. Contact us to get your pantry stocked so you’ll always have the perfect drink ready.

Want to Entice Your Employees Back to the Office? Here’s How

As more science becomes available to help battle the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners are now able to open up offices to their staff again. This checklist can help employers get staff who have been working from home back into the office, while also helping those dedicated employees feel safe and excited about returning to in-person work.

1. Have Safety in Mind

Help staff feel safe by continuing to sanitize and clean high-traffic and high-touch areas. Or better yet, use touchless equipment that minimizes the spread of Covid-19.

2. Continue to Be Flexible

Working from home allowed people to spend more time with loved ones, take more mental health days, and also have a sense of balance in their personal and work life. Offer your employees that same flexibility, from little perks such as extra breaks and time to grab a cold brew coffee, to taking days off to work from home when they feel overwhelmed.

3. Listen to Staff Health Concerns

Listen to employees when they point out health and safety concerns, and fix problems immediately. For instance, aerosol transmission of viruses has become a concern for staff, so investing in air purifiers can help lower the spread of Covid-19 and other seasonal viruses as well.

4. Offer Perks Such as Extra Pay and Lunches

If possible, offering incentives such as extra pay can be enough to help staff feel valued for returning to the office. In addition, offer complementary lunches or individually wrapped snacks in the break room for staff to enjoy any time!

5. Upgrade

No one wants to return to a dull, drab office after working from home. Make some upgrades to your office space that will make employees excited about returning to work, such as new office furniture, upgraded maintenance and equipment. Swap out the old, stained coffee maker for a new Nespresso machine that offers staff the state-of-the-art brewed coffee they deserve.

Whether it’s being flexible, offering perks, or keeping safety in mind, getting staff back into the office is as simple as showing them you care. As a boss, take the first step to keeping your dedicated employees happy, healthy and safe by reaching out to BostonbeaN.

Tips for Boosting Employee Morale in 2021

There’s no denying that putting 2020 in the rearview mirror is something we all are looking forward to! As you take your business into 2021, things will be much different, whether you’re going back onsite or plan to continue online operations.

With morale likely low and employees stressed, it’s more important than ever to reward their continued efforts while placing an emphasis on their health and wellbeing.

Focusing on these goals makes them feel appreciated and uplifts morale during unprecedented times. We have some great tips that will help staff feel valued and that you care about their overall safety and health.

Reward Staff With Greater Flexibility

Allow staff to tend to their needs while staying productive with their work. Allowing for flexible hours or full-time or part-time hybrid hours remotely alleviates some of the stress of juggling everything in accordance with the pandemic changes. Stress is the No. 1 killer in the United States, so any way you can offer employees greater autonomy right now will be appreciated. Be sure to let them have days off when needed in these unpredictable times.

Establish an Online Community for Staff

Even if your team returns to work, the entire company can benefit from having a supportive and informative community. The community can be used as an online update board, as a place for staff to share successes, or as a place to share staff recognitions or achievements in business goals. You can promote a more positive environment by keeping staff in touch with each other. After all, the constraints of social distancing hinder communications, which are pivotal to ensuring greater company stability.

Offer Staff Wellness & Mental Health Programs

Provide an outlet where your team members can get mental health and wellness assistance remotely. In addition to being a supportive manager or owner, giving them a subscription to a popular wellness app is sure to be appreciated in these challenging times. You might find the program successful in boosting morale that will be useful when normal operations resume and your healthy team returns to work.

Recognize Team Members With Swag

Everyone loves free stuff, especially when it’s something they can really use. Show staff you appreciate them with thoughtful gifts that can be personally presented at the office, or deliver swag directly to their homes. Useful gift ideas include:

Self-Heating Mugs
Headphones or Earbuds
Home Office Goodie Boxes
Custom Face Masks
Gift Certificates
Entertainment Subscriptions (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)
BostonbeaN Gift Boxes filled with our coffee, tea, mugs, snacks, PPE and more!

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

For staff that have returned to work, make them feel appreciated by stocking up a safe snack zone filled with goodies like individually wrapped treats and healthy snacks, along with superior coffee and tea served with touchless systems. We can help you check all those items off your to-do list with just one call to BostonbeaN Coffee Co.

Employees Returning to the Office? Enhance the Workplace Environment With These Perks

As businesses continue to adapt alongside COVID-19, employers have to consider the best ways to draw people back to the office. Luckily, companies have so many ways they can update their workspace to make it appealing for employees and promote wellness, productivity and morale.

Vary Your Atmosphere

Different work environments suit different employees. Spaces like relaxation and social rooms give employees a choice on where they’d like to do their work. For example, an office library can help those who need a quiet space to focus, while social rooms with games, newspapers, magazines and food allow employees to relax.

Offer Healthy Food

Employers can foster a more comfortable, productive environment by providing delicious, filling food in the office or through delivery. For little pick-me-ups throughout the day, cold brew, nitro coffee and a gorgeous selection of teas hit the spot. Even the simple addition of an upgraded water system such as Bevi has the potential to revolutionize your workplace environment and employees’ attitudes.

Be Flexible

Flexible schedules could make all the difference to your employees. Depending on the business, employees can divide time between home and the office, set their own work hours or make up time if they have family commitments. Employers help their staff by establishing expectations, clearly communicating and acting with empathy.

Consider Financial Incentives

Financial incentives like stipends, reimbursements and paid time off nurture loyalty and appreciation in employees. Some companies reimburse their employees for commuting costs, while others find childcare stipends necessary for returning parents. Offering a bonus to returning employees also helps encourage people back to the workplace.

Focus on the Benefits

A comfortable, welcoming workplace will lead to improved mindsets, more creative ideas and more effective collaboration. Workplace productivity as a whole increases when employees feel valued by their employers and managers. By investing in your employees’ space and wellness, you can rest assured that your business will thrive.

Sustain Employees With BostonbeaN

Ensure you have everything you need for employees’ post-pandemic return to the office with BostonbeaN coffee and breakroom services. We have all the food, beverages and supplies your employees could want, ready for the breakroom or delivered to your workplace. Treat your team to some extra perks by reaching out to BostonbeaN at 1-800-HIT BREW or through our website.