2024.09.18

Bringing Specialty Coffee to Gainesville: Lowbar’s Journey with the Sanremo YOU

Bringing Specialty Coffee to Gainesville: Lowbar's Journey with the Sanremo YOU

Gainesville, Florida may be known for its southern charm, but Ryan Barlow, owner of Lowbar, is helping it make a mark on the specialty coffee scene. With his portable coffee bar and a Sanremo YOU ​​espresso machine in hand, he’s elevating the coffee experience for locals and visitors alike.

When asked about what makes the Sanremo YOU ​​stand out, Ryan points to its ability to visualize the extraction process. “The data collection graph really allows us to fine-tune our recipes. I have used many other machines and have a pretty strong gauge on how coffees look when reacting to extraction. However, the ability to visualize what the coffee is doing on the inside of the portafilter via feedback through the machine is surely an added bonus to control consistency.”

For Ryan, the combination of a manual paddle with advanced technological tools is another standout feature. “A manual paddle connecting to advanced tools really is another game-changer. I tend to lean into mechanical and analogous ways of life but have been more open to technology and the tools it has to offer. It’s only going to keep growing as society advances. It’s grow or shrink from a company owner’s perspective, but when you add that to your real-life philosophy, it definitely kicks you into gear!”

Ryan also highlights the portability and practicality of the YOU, which has significantly impacted Lowbar’s business model. “The portability and small footprint have allowed us to bring specialty coffee anywhere on our small bar or coffee truck. While this is possible with other single-group machines, we found the YOU to be a good fit… literally.”

Ryan Barlow - Lowbar

The YOU has also been a key tool for Ryan and his team when consulting with others in the coffee community. “We consult with companies and people at home looking to up their coffee game. When you bring in a YOU, it streamlines this learning process. Sanremo’s technology allows us to easily educate others who don’t necessarily know specialty coffee in depth.”

In Gainesville’s evolving coffee scene, Ryan and his team are working to push the boundaries of what’s expected, with the YOU as their tool of choice. “We have been working with a lot of light roasted coffees. In my hometown of Gainesville in North Florida, the coffee scene is a little more conservative. I’m really into bringing others into new experiences, and the YOU allows us to control different parameters and create a custom experience for our guests. We are working on adding many different kinds of coffee to our menu so we can give the people what they want without having to push a certain product onto them.”

Ryan also mentions how the YOU has improved their workflow: “As far as workflow goes, we really are super lucky to be such a small business and have the ability to slow espresso down. We typically pull shots at 40-45 seconds. The visual aspect of being able to find out what works best for your dial-in is great, and being able to pass that info to someone jumping on bar to help is super helpful.”

To close out the conversation, Ryan gives a shoutout to some influential figures in the coffee world. “Our friends over at The Coffee Movement in San Francisco are amazing and helped us out with learning a lot about extraction theory. Shoutout Bryan and Reef! These guys rule and have built an amazing team and two Cafes in SF. Also, if anyone is in San Francisco, check out Hi-NRG. Nate and Luis are really putting on one hell of a show and putting unexpected coffees through their basket!”

Ryan also reflects on the growth of the coffee scene in Gainesville and his local inspirations: “Afternoon and Resident coffees here in Gainesville are really doing a lot for the scene. We are all working super hard to elevate the game here and push each other to keep growing! It’s a small town turning into a small city. It feels like in a year we’re doubling the amount of cafes. Out of everyone trying, they’ve really got what it takes. Thank you to both of them for all they do!”

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