Craftsmanship: coffee and 911 T

Some things never change - and yet they always surprise us. A Porsche 911, for example, is now equipped with cup holders and should therefore retroactively satisfy Michael Lawrence, or rather his character in the 1995 action cult film "Bad Boys", because Detective Marcus Burnett - the name of Lawrence's character in the film - didn't like the sports car from Zuffenhausen (we'll put it mildly). Because the cup holder in the 964 generation Turbo was missing.

This would no longer happen today. If you want, you can place your coffee cup in the newer 911s without having an accident. The timeless shape and sportiness of the sports car icon have been retained anyway. Just like the manual gearbox. At least in the new 911 Carrera T. That fits. After all, good coffee and gearsticks have essential things in common: Pleasure, purism and the art of handling, which can be wonderfully celebrated as a ritual. Incidentally, this is also the opinion of coffee machine refiner Robert Burckhardt, with whom you can not only talk in depth about sports cars and the art of brewing coffee, but also about wood.

Mr Burckhardt, what is more important when drinking coffee: the effect of the coffee or the path to the end product?

I enjoy the preparation process the most. That feeling at the end when you know you've really got all the parameters right. That's the thing that just makes me happy.

So the old adage "the journey is the reward" applies?

Exactly. For me, it's about the ritual of making coffee - and that you can taste and see that it's a success in the end. No matter what direction the roast or flavour takes. It doesn't matter whether it's at lunchtime, in the morning or in the evening. It doesn't matter whether I have a lot of stress at work or not. Coffee is always good.

And what does coffee do to you? Apart from waking you up?

Coffee fulfils me. It also has this social component, which is just nice. You automatically chat about coffee - or simply talk about whether there's anything new. And: if I want to drink a coffee, I always look for a victim who has to drink with me. (laughs)

How did the personal claim then become a business?

There is an online forum, the "coffee network". There's a sub-forum about your own coffee kitchen. I shared my machine with new handles here - and the feedback was immediately extremely positive. Many people asked if I would do something similar for other people. And as a business student, I quickly realised that it would pay off. My own lathe would pay for itself in no time at all. And then the whole thing escalated a bit.

In other words, a need for coffee and a passion became your vocation?

Absolutely - and this passion for practicality and craftsmanship has always been there.

What do you mean by that?

My grandad was a carpenter and my father owned a mechanical engineering company. So I grew up with a craftsman's background and initially trained in electronics. Those were the days when everyone else was always talking about management and studying. Of course, I went on to study - but I made sure that it remained pragmatic. So I ended up studying business administration, specialising in resource efficiency and management. And this business background helps me enormously now.

In what way?

On the one hand, with regard to accounting, as I know exactly how to deal with the tax office. And, of course, because I can answer the fundamental question of whether it all pays off substantially. Unfortunately, many tradespeople don't know how to do the maths for themselves: What is my hourly rate? What does it cost me to make a certain product? This mixture of passion and business knowledge gives me a real advantage. It's the perfect combination.

So all roads led to coffee machine refinement?

Exactly. But I taught myself the whole subject of craftsmanship and wood with the help of my grandad. There's a real passion behind it. If you look at the machines that go out, 99 per cent of them are machines with wood applications. In the meantime, we're getting some really great things done and the projects are getting crazier and crazier - which is fun for me. I simply have the fire and the drive to realise it beautifully and always a little better. Of course, there's also the business person in me. But the urge to develop something perfect and unique with my own hands prevails.

You just spoke about making things yourself, the personal drive, the manual labour. What fascinates you about this "maturity"?

It's about having the parameters under control and making your own decisions. And taking responsibility if things don't work out. In that case, the problem is me, not the machine. It's like driving a car. Just like with the 911 Carrera T. If you don't manage to change gear quickly and well, then the problem isn't the car. I think you should take things into your own hands. Even with coffee: if it doesn't taste good, you know that there must be a fault somewhere in the process: Temperature, water, or another variable.

And when it's right, the satisfaction is all the greater?

Absolutely, that's the beauty of it. Determining the individual materials so that they later match the design concept of the bar or kitchen. But I also enjoy catering to the customer's special wishes: I'm about to start working on the machine for a Porsche driver. He would like to transfer the embroidery seams of his sports car interior to his machine. I told him: "Sure, I can do that. The whole thing is easy to realise and you can also give free rein to your own creativity.</p

Are such maturity and taking time for yourself the luxury of our time?

In any case. If I was employed somewhere, I wouldn't be able to take so many coffee breaks! (laughs) There's nothing better than being able to decide for yourself. It starts with work. And ends with which route you take home by car. The quickest route is the most boring for me, the other route takes longer but is nicer to drive. Sometimes I take my time. That's a luxury.

Just as a personalised coffee machine is a luxury. Are there any limits to the customisation of coffee machines?

I always try to realise everything the customer wants. That's why a really fine carbon fibre set for the machine is coming soon. Real carbon - just like in a racing car.

Aside from coffee: can you buy good flavour?

So if you don't know anything about anything, then no amount of money in the world will help and in the end it won't taste good or look bad. So no, you can't buy good flavour, in my opinion. You can get advice, but you can't just buy it.

Why do cars and coffee - in other words "cars and coffee" - go so well together, apart from the obvious potential for individualisation?

I think it's the community. This sociable get-together. In a car like this, people talk to you quickly and you strike up a conversation straight away. It's the same with coffee. You sit down - and talk to the person next to you.

What do you think of the finish of the wooden gear knob in the 911?

The gear lever is a real hand flatterer, it feels good in the hand and has a really nice finish. You can tell that it was made with love and not just for looks. And that's exactly what makes it so beautiful.

Wood as a material has recently celebrated a major comeback - and is once again synonymous with luxury, but also sustainability. Where do you think that comes from?

There was a time when everyone wanted and had to make everything out of plastic - there was just so much hype surrounding the material. Fortunately, a few people came back to wood and realised that it is more durable and feels nicer. And: the feel of wood is unique. In fact, new and further ways of processing the wood were also found. And that's the next point: wood is now simply easier to care for and people have realised that it is a very luxurious commodity after all.

When you work on wooden components such as the portafilter handles and the covers for the machines, what do you feel?

Very little, because I have to concentrate. You have to listen to the wood. It's a very, very meditative task. You're extremely focussed - and that calms me down.

So it's a flow.

Exactly - that's the only way it works.

You also just said that you have to listen to the wood. What does the wood say?

When woodturning, for example, you can hear everything. Is your lathe sharp? Are you travelling at the right speed? Do you have a branch somewhere where you need to be particularly careful when turning? Is there a splinter?

And after you've listened in on the Carrera T: Would it also be a vehicle for coffee fan Robert Burckhardt?

In any case. I think the Carrera T is a great sports car.

More information:

→ rb-crafts.de