Page 90 - #53 English

CTI Class

Article and Photos by Matt Perger from Barista Hustle
Measuring Brewing Extraction

with Refractometer

From time to time I present a lecture called ‘VST:WTF?’. smart-charger for Li-Ion, Li-Polymer, NiMH and many other
It’s a two hour long foray into the science of measuring coffee advanced battery and storage related peripherals. Later on VST
with a refractometer. More than a thousand Baristas have sat developed a Level 3 high resolution fingerprint imaging scanner
through it, and now I’d like to share portions of the presentation and software for the FBI.
with you as well. Each week I’ll be taking a couple slides from JSYK: Level 1 fingerprinting looks at simple pattern,
the VST:WTF? lecture and explaining them in detail. or ridge flow. Level 2 uses features like ridge ends, bifurcations,
(Props to Mark Free of Everyday Coffee for the lecture dots etc. Level 3 is kind of insane, mapping the fingerprint ridge
name!) width/shape and even your pores, and can be as accurate as a
If you’ve never used a refractometer, don’t know what DNA test.
VST is, or just have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t fret!
You’ll be a master on the topic in no time. Needless to say, VST isn’t mucking around.
Lucky for us, in 2008 VST started releasing products
Let’s start at the beginning. aimed squarely at the coffee industry, releasing the world’s first
VST stands for Voice Systems Technology. It’s a coffee refractometer and related software designed specifically
company founded 25 years ago and operated by Vince Fedele. for coffee and espresso. At this very moment, the coffee indus-
Vince is one of the most intelligent and pragmatic humans I try was thrust out of the stone age and into the 21st century.
know, and is pretty much always right. Over the years VST, in Now would be a good time to remind you that I’m not paid
its various incarnations, has invented and sold a lot of really by VST for anything. Sensory Lab and St Ali sell their products, but
cool things, some of which you’ve probably used. As an Apple so does everyone else, because they’re the best. Thanks go to Vince
Developer & Partner in the Jobsian era VST made the first USB for helping me with the lecture over the years, and for fact-checking
product (floppy drive!), the first firewire hard drive, the first this particular post.
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