The Brew Bayou is now serving coffee from Milwaukee-based Alterra Roasting, replacing Superior Coffee Co. of Bensenville, Ill. The changeover took place June 18, according to Cathy Heidke, Alumni Memorial Union supervisor of all Brew locations.

Last semester, Jesuit University Students Concerned with Empowerment conducted a poll finding that students were willing to pay five to 10 cents more for a cup of Fair Trade coffee.

Senior Chris Petrauskis, a member of JUSTICE, brought the issue to AMU directors and school administrators, insisting it was the duty of a Jesuit university to support the fair trade coffee industry and helping to discourage exploitation of coffee farmers, Petrauskis said.

Alterra is a purveyor of specialty coffees. Al Liu, director of communication and culture for Alterra, explained that Alterra roasts smaller batches of beans more frequently, and since Alterra is right here in Milwaukee, beans are fresher upon delivery.

According to Tod Hemphill, director of services for Sodexho, Marquette was Superior Coffee's largest account in Milwaukee. Superior Coffee is still used for catered events at the AMU, the Union Sports Annex and the residence halls.

"It makes sense (to switch)," said Brew Bayou employee Megan Rooney. "All these years, the Bayou has been hanging on by a prayer with the quality of their coffee."

Changing the coffee supplier meant altering products as well, like the cappuccino from a gas-station-style that was replaced by a drink called "Café Au Lait," made with coffee, milk and choice of flavor shot. Without pre-flavored cappuccino, new combinations of coffee have emerged to fill the gap. Heidke found French vanilla is equal flavor shots of vanilla and hazelnut; English toffee contains caramel and hazelnut.

Heidke likes the new drinks because they are made from scratch.

"The other stuff was just adding water to powder that had been sitting in the machine for a week," Heidke said.

Marilyn Bugenhagen, director of the AMU, likes the change, but said that the Brew Bayou is still its own entity and not an Alterra location; it just happens to feature Alterra brand coffee.

A second change that has taken place is the opening of Brew Raynor, otherwise known as "Brew on the Bridge," and located on the skywalk between the Raynor and Memorial libraries. This new location is now the fourth of the Brew locations and has brought in roughly 20 new employees.

Library administrators decided there was need for a coffee shop on-site when planning for the new building, Heidke said.

Brew on the Bridge is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

Alterra coffee is available at the Brew Bayou, Brew Straz, Brew Cudahy and Brew Raynor locations.