10,000 shots & counting
Nothing great, but we have Linea Classic S now
We don’t change
Cafes are popping all around. We are in the peak of a coffee boom. While cafes are expanding, going to cities, we are doing the opposite. Shack is getting an upgrade.
Small, but there
Thanks to the ever supporting cast of bootstrappers, team and friends, we could build a small cafe. We may have roasted more than 2,000 kilograms of coffee beans. We grounded more than 1,000 kilograms of coffee in the cafe. We may have pressed more than 5,000 panini. I did not even count how many toasts we have toasted. We definitely worn out two OTGs till date. Yet, we have started.
We double down
While the cafes with the most expensive machines, decor and locations open all around us, we will double down on what we already have. It’s you the bootstrappers. We will strive to pull the tastiest shots and press the most delicious panini. We have worked hard for more than three years to be able to afford the new espresso machine and the panini grill. You will notice two things.
Mercedes of espresso world
After pulling more than 10,000 espresso shots on the old machine, we got a new espresso machine. If our oldie lever machine ( Profitec 800 Pro) was Fiat 500, our current one ( Linea Classic S) is a Mercedes E Class (not A, not C, not S).
You will be able to get your coffees faster. The Line Classic S has been the workhorse of the specialty coffee machine. Starbucks made it popular in the USA. It can pump out several hundred shots, without breaking a sweat. At the same time, the taste will be consistent. During rush hours and long days Ravi, Sunil, Kapil and I would get tired pulling the lever. Now, we focus on the precise recipes. Ask Ravi to make you taste espressos with the new machine.
Only swaad, baki sab bakwaas
We got a new panini grill. We started with a run down and broken second hand panini grill. We had to use all the jugaad to make panini. We used heat guns and water spray to regulate the temperature. We used timers so that we did not overcook the panini. Also, we had to patient for it to cool down for the next impatient panini lover. Now, we have Toastmaster, one of the better panini grills in the world. Every time you will get the same crunch and taste. It also has the classic grill marks. Now, on to new panini. We are bringing back our Tuna Panina to celebrate.
Thank you comrades
Last, but not the least, you. Without you, this would not have been possible. I did not expect to be able to survive more than six months. I had set up the bareshell cafe with Neha’s help and furniture. Sunil helped me get the machines to start pulling shots. My mothership, whom I call Mama Panda pushed me to reboot Shack again, and made jams for us.
Sukh was amongst the first to encourage us. Then our neighbours from Zuru Navika and Hitein helped us to set up this version of cafe. They designed the kitchen and helped me think like a cook. We proudly claim that we are the only cafe, which runs like a restaurant.
Theertha mentioned us in her most beautiful newsletter. Then came more bootstrappers. Leesha was our first coffee customer. Nabi was our first panini customer. He patiently waited for an hour, while we arranged the ingredients. Anirudh got his entire office hooked to our coffees. Nikhil has been our cheerleader from the day he found Shack. Anand observed us and created the most beautiful comics for Shack. Thanks comrades of Shack. It’s because of you that we are dreaming. What are we dreaming?
Same as old, but + 1
Our oldie will pave the way for us to open the next location. We are again focusing on the bootstrappers. We will start with a small cart and the old machine, as we did here. I will update about it soon.
We are participating in Merry Makers Market next Sunday. We will be making coffees with the fellow bootstrappers there. I will share more information on Friday.
Expect more stories about bootstrappers. We have already rebooted The Bootstrappers. What better way to celebrate bootstrapping than telling the stories about grit and perseverance.
Abh to kal try karte hai coffee!
Congratulations on the new machine!! Can’t wait to have more of Shack Coffee Co pop up across Delhi 🤩🤩🤩