Acoustic Brew 20th Anniversary Season
 SPRING 2012 

SNACK TABLE VOLUNTEER

Arrive: -- see timelines on venue pages
Leave: once all cleanup is complete

SUMMARY: Your jobs are to make coffee, take care of the snack table, clean up afterwards, and help the other volunteers as you can.

At HS

Because so much coffee will be needed, three people share this job in shifts at the high school.

  • Shift one: Arrive 5:00, work through end of first break
  • Shift two: Arrive before show starts. Begin after first break, work through end of show and cleanup.

At FS
Make coffee in the kitchen. Carry the filled carafes out to the snack table. Put snack tables in the lobby away from entry doors. One table for snacks, one for drinks.

Brewing Coffee

  • Start coffee and hot water first. The coffee maker can take up to an hour to warm up so get it started right away. Note that there are two switches that turn it on, one in the front and one in back. Be sure that both switches are flipped. Directions are on the side of the coffeemaker.
  • Supplies: coffee maker, water pitcher, carafes, filters.
  • Remove the reservoir cover at the top front of the coffeemaker and fill the reservoir with one gallon water. Put the empty bottle under the coffee filter to catch the extra water that will come out. (There is some delay before it comes out).The warmer the water going into the coffee maker, the faster the water reaches brewing temperature. Hot water works the fastest, but health concerns make that a problem. The best solution (if there is time) is to draw cold water and let it come to room temperature. .
  • Use 3 to 4 ounces of coffee per carafe. (about _ 8oz Styrofoam cup)
  • To use a carafe or another pitcher to catch the coffee, you need to remove the top and pump mechanism if you use the carafe. Be careful as they break really easily.
  • Wait for the green light to come on before you brew a pot. Depending on the temperature of the water in the reservoir, it may take 20 mins to 60 mins for the water to reach brewing temperature. THE COFFEE WILL NOT BREW CORRECTLY UNLESS THE WATER IN THE RESEVOIR IS HOT AND THE GREEN LIGHT IS ON.
  • Pour in 2 quarts of water once the green light is on. Unlike home coffeemakers, this coffeemaker puts out coffee as soon as you start pouring water in so be ready! Don’t pour in more water than is needed or you’ll be sorry!
  • Once the carafe is full, replace the pump and top and label the carafe with the type of coffee.
  • Wait for the green light to come back on before making the next pot.
Before the Show
  • Set up the refreshment table with the following.
    • Table Cloth
    • Hot Chocolate and Teas
    • Cream
    • Cold drinks
    • Sugar and Nutrasweet
    • Hot and Cold Cups
    • Napkins
    • Basket for contributions
  • Do not put out paper plates. They encourage people to take too much!
  • Thank bakers as they bring stuff in. You may be their main contact with ABC, so even though you are another volunteer too, do thank and make them feel appreciated. Introduce the bakers to the show manager and any other volunteers so they can thank them too. Cut the baked goods into smaller portions if necessary.
As Show Begins
  • Make more coffee if it is needed. Sometimes we run out before the show even begins! At the HS, you sometimes need to make coffee continuously.
  • During Breaks
    • Replenish and rearrange snack table
    • Usually you need to refill the cream pitcher
    • If needed, make more coffee or hot water at end of first break. It is expected that the snack table person may need to miss part of the show in order to keep up with the coffee needs.
  • After the last break, unplug the coffeemaker so the water in the reservoir can start to cool.
  • At the high school, the snack table person needs to corral people back into the auditorium at the end of each break. It's not possible to flash the lights, so you really need to ask people to move back in.
After Show
  • Empty the coffee maker. First run cold water through it so you don't burn yourself as you empty it. Remove the small screw in front of the reservoir cover and remove the entire top of the coffeemaker. Insert the plastic drain hose down to the bottom of the reservoir and siphon the water out of the tank. Replace the top.
  • Thoroughly rinse each carafe.
  • Give money from contributions basket to manager.
  • If goodies are left over, make a care package for performers to take. Before emptying carafes, see if performers want coffee “for the road.”
  • Put things away. At UU and FS, clean the kitchen
  • Make shopping list of items needed for next time; give to manager.
Donation Basket
The assistant manager will come by now and then to skim the money off the donation basket.
At the High School
An extra job of the snack table person at the HS is to corral the folks back into the auditorium after each break. There's no way to flash the lights, so once you see the manager (or others) trying to get the audience back in the auditorium, remind folks that are still at the snack table that the show is about to start.