Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
What began over a cup of coffee ended in a bid for a Guinness Book World of World Records largest cappuccino.
Alpha Beta Java's David Sommer and Glamour Pools & Spas' Bruce Stichter began brewing 30 pounds of espresso beans early Saturday morning and ended with a gigantic cup of cappuccino by noon at the Detroit Street spa showroom.
According to Stichter, there are no current record-holding cups of cappuccino. He and Sommer are entering under the food guidelines set by Guinness in creating this category.
"The ingredients have to be real," he said. "And the container has to look like a cup."
Only a giant could lift the 245-gallon tub to its lips. The round spa used is wood paneled and a makeshift wooden handle was added for authenticity.
The ingredients, 80 gallons of milk and 80 gallons of espresso, were hand-poured into the spa and, when the jets were turned on, the foam bubbled up to make the cappuccino - 30 percent milk, 30 percent espresso and 30 percent foam - just like the real thing. The heating controls were tweaked a bit to bypass the 104-degree temperature safety limit for consumers, pushing the heat up to 140 degrees.
Some onlookers thought the drink looked good enough to sit in - including Warsaw's Mayor Ernie Wiggins.
Stichter and Sommer will forward documentation for the world's largest cup of cappuccino to Guinness soon.
Other sponsors of Saturday's event include Balboa, Rabb/Kinetico Water Systems, Northern Lakes Comfort Specialties, Grace College, GPM Great Lakes Spas and Schenkel's Dairy.
Alpha Beta Java is a coffeehouse in Westminster Hall at Grace College in Winona Lake.
