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T he weather might be getting cold, but West Bloomfield teen Max Feber, 17, thinks the timing is hot to launch BRUW, a new cold-brewing method for making coffee, which he invented and which has a pat- ent pending. On Nov. 19, Feber launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund his invention. As of Dec. 2, BRUW enticed 87 backers con- tributing $4,195, making Feber well on his way to reaching his all-or-nothing funding goal of $9,500 by Dec. 23. If BRUW hits this milestone, Feber will pour this startup funding into the manu- facturing and distribution phase. Feber said BRUW would be made in Michigan and retail online for $30. The BRUW filter is a double-sided Mason jar lid with a filter in the center. The coffee is cold-brewed for 12-24 hours and then filtered from one jar to the other in a sealed, spill-free environ- ment. And, for those who like it hot, Feber said it could be concocted easily into a warm beverage: Just add a bit more water, heat and serve. "The recipe for cold-brewed coffee has already been invented," said Feber, who describes himself as a "self-proclaimed coffee snob." He prefers a medium grind and recommends 4 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee ratio. "I wanted to create a method that was easy, inexpensive and required no electricity. You could enjoy the cold brew coffee on a camping trip or at school." This is not the budding entrepreneur's first attempt at starting a business. There was the at-home business with imports from China, and he briefly tried his hand at creating photomontages for bar and bat mitzvahs. This time, he believes that BRUW will be a hit. Feber conceived the idea for BRUW in a dual-enrollment course in part- nership with Lawrence Technological University. Students were required to create a product prototype and pitch the idea to the class. He spent a great deal of time perfecting a prototype with both primitive and professional materials. "I created countless proto- types ranging from using a 3D printer to making one at my kitchen table with a hot glue gun," Feber said. During the Kickstarter cam- paign, Feber is busy promoting his idea through social media and get- ting as much support as possible from family and friends. Then, there is also the stuff that the typical high school junior must juggle: class, studying, a part-time job, college prep and extra- curricular activities. "Let's just say I am making great use of a color-coded calendar these days," said Feber, a junior at Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Whether or not BRUW succeeds, Feber said he has learned much from the experience, and it will certainly shape his path to choosing a college and career. "I will always be an entrepreneur; and I am going to study business, no matter what," Feber said. Starting a business may be risky busi- ness, but one thing's for sure: In his teen social circle, drinking cold-brewed coffee is hot. Still, he is chided. "Close friends joke with me and say I might fail. But really, everyone is happy and excited for me. And no one has tried to sabotage me … yet." * To contribute to Feber's Kickstarter campaign, go to www.kickstarter.com/projects/feber/ bruw-cold-brew-simplified. Max Feber's BRUW invention makes cold-brewing coffee easy. Max Feber Stacy Gittleman | Contributing Writer Cold-Brew Is Hot! Teen seeks funding for coffee-making invention. metro » 24 December 10 • 2015 Enjoying Life! Roz Cooperman marks her health milestone by joining the clown corps. S ome celebrate Thanksgiving by sleeping in. Others get up early to prepare an elaborate feast. Producer/director Roz Lullove Cooperman started a new tradition for herself. Nearly 20 years to the day of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, she decided to give thanks and celebrate life by joining the ranks of the Distinguished Clown Corps during the 2015 America's Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van. Over a career that spans 25 years, Cooperman's first company, the September Moon Production Network, produced appeal films for the United Way of Southeast Michigan and other nonprofit organizations. She also pro- duced several music videos, including one for Elton John in an airline hangar at the Oakland County Airport. And she was a catalyst for gathering community partners to help produce The Passenger, an important Holocaust opera, with the Michigan Opera Theatre last month. She also serves as a mentor to many along their own professional journeys. The last thing she sees herself as is a vic- tim or a survivor. "I did not suffer a crime or an attack or a natural disaster," Cooperman said. "Therefore, I do not like to call myself a victim or survivor." Even early into her diagnosis, Cooperman was open and eager to edu- cate other women about breast cancer. She worked with friend and filmmaker Robbie Timmins, who documented her battle with a series titled My Friend Roz Has Breast Cancer on WXYZ-TV. It encouraged women to do self-breast examinations when few were speaking openly about the topic, said Cooperman's longtime colleague and friend David Solomon of Ferndale, who accompanied her to hand out beads in the parade. "I was so very touched by the special way in which Roz chose to commemo- rate the 20 years she has enjoyed since her cancer diagnosis," Solomon said. "It sent an important message, and I was delighted to support her." Media mogul that she is, Cooperman documented each part of her transfor- mation into "Madame Glamora" the Clown on her Twitter feed — from don- ning red pompoms on her sneakers at 4:15 a.m. to walking the parade route in full makeup as one of 180 participating in this year's Distinguished Clown Corps. For three decades, more than 2,000 clowns have participated in the parade and passed out beads and smiles as they romped along the parade route. Looking back at the experience, Cooperman recalls the joy, excitement and a little bit of mischief that goes along with being a clown. "It is amazing what you can get away with when you are dressed as a clown," Cooperman said as she recalled popping red noses onto the faces of unsuspecting spectators both young and old along the parade route. Cooperman hopes that clown- ing at the parade will become a new Thanksgiving tradition for Detroit-area women battling cancer. She knows she as well as her sister, Maureen Lullove D'Agostino, who also had breast cancer, will be clowns for the day in next year's parade. "There is sheer joy in the transforma- tion that takes place as a new persona emerges when you become a clown," Cooperman said. "It was a spectacular experience bringing joy to others. I'm hooked and will be back next year!" * Roz Cooperman participated in America's Thanksgiving Parade as part of the Distinguished Clown Corps. Here she takes a break with her son, Jason. Stacy Gittleman | Contributing Writer