Being a home barista is tough... at times so having some hacks (or tips) is always a plus to help save time and waste. So I decided to put together a video of my three favorite home barista hacks that have helped me and I'm sure would help you. I should also preface this with these...
Blooming espresso is all the rage... right now thanks to the outspoken coffee consultant Scott Rao and his involvement with the Decent Espresso machine. Since that machine has near endless controllability (for better or worse) he's found a way to max out extraction while also incorporating the use of Aeropress filters. So I decided to swap...
The Viennese is one... of my personal favorite specialty espresso drinks when I have a bit of a sweet tooth. As you may of gleaned from my previous posts and videos, I don't do a lot of flavored espresso drinks. Yet, the Viennese is a bit different. It's a classic, and most shops (at least here...
A rose by any other name... would smell as sweet as a delicious latte with some rose art. I think that's what Shakespear said. Either way its time for new Damn Fine Tutorial for a new (at least new to me) design. Personally I've never been huge on latte art pours that aren't symmetrical. But since...
Espresso without the tamp... seems like some kind of witchcraft to me. Since I started in my specialty coffee journey I've never heard of such a thing. The workflow and preparation was the way it is, and the way it has been for decades. With the rise of distribution tools it was only a matter of...
Dialing in is one of... the more challenging things about being a specialty coffee barista. We're dealing with a lot of factors, and it can be pretty frustrating chasing that perfect shot. Dialing in can even be more daunting as a home barista. We generally don't always have other professionals to bounce our ideas and questions...
The great portafilter debate... has raged for as long as I can remember. Or at least as long as I've been in the specialty coffee industry. Which is a paltry four years. Yet, I've had my love affair with the bottomless portafilter. It was just a fling though. It was short, passionate, and messy. It splattered...
Counter Culture is a veteran... in the specialty coffee industry. Born out of North Carolina in 1995 this wholesale juggernaut has always put a main focus on quality coffee, education, and sustainability. Their story is full of breakthroughs and pushing the industry as a whole forward. Before it was the industry standard, they put their money...
Elixir is one of those... roasters that you hear about pretty often if follow the specialty coffee industry as closely as I do. Personally and professionally I have a ton of respect for them. For a roastery that is relatively young (established in 2010) they've really managed to create a name for themselves. They're a highly...
When I get my hands on... some new coffee toys I can't help but put them to the test. So when I got the Pullman Big Step tamper I decided to see how it compares to the La Marzocco Convex tamper. When I say compares I don't mean in looks, because lets face it, that Pullman...
I love my Linea Mini... it's one of my most prized possessions, which I'm sure was obvious in my year one review. So when I sat down to write this two year update on my ownership experience, I really dug deep. Thinking about the times I was frustrated, or annoyed with the machine trying to leave...
The debate has raged on... for as long as I can remember, or at least the time I've been in specialty coffee. Which granted, isn't that long. But since I began my career I've heard, read, and contemplated all of the definitions for the differences between the beloved cappuccino, and the rising star, the flat white....
The classics are... classic for a reason. The Rosetta is an uncontested classic, and you’ll find a variation of it in nearly every craft cafe you walk into. Like all of the standard designs it’s also a building block to more complex pours. For me the Rosetta and I have a love-hate relationship. When I get...
In Los Angeles the options... for a place to grab a cup of coffee are near boundless. To become a standout cafe among hundreds of others requires more than just good coffee. A great location helps, a knowledgeable staff is of course a staple, but a unique style and culture is what pushes you past the...
Milk steaming consistently... is by far one of the skills that took me the longest to grasp. It's also a skill that I've found is somewhat challenging to teach. As a visual learner I've found videos and watching long-time baristas more helpful than anything else. With that being said practice make permanent, so prepare yourself to...
It's no surprise... that the internet is filled to the brim with opinions about the benefits, or consequences of freezing your coffee. We all know what they say about opinions, and we all know its true. Yet, when it comes to freezing coffee there are two schools of thought. Each is backed by science, but only...
I'm a sucker for cool gear... but who isn't? Every industry I've ever worked in comes with its gear, and specialty coffee has a plethora new gadgets and gear that I always love to get my hands on. Steaming pitchers are of course one of those pieces of kit. In my fridge at home I've got...
Many great companies start in garages... and Equator Coffee is one of those companies. Founded in Marin County in 1995 by Brooke MacDonnell and Helen Russell Equator started with a goal of building a coffee company focused on quality, sustainability, and social responsibility. As they've grown from a garage based roaster, to a company that touts...
Like most coffee professionals... my Instagram feed is chalk full of some of the best latte artists. There is something so oddly satisfying about watching a skillful latte pour. Thats why I am always challenging myself and trying to add new pours to my playbook. As of late I've fallen in love with the slosetta. The...
I've never been to Philadelphia... but I hear its Always Sunny, and the cheesesteaks are to die for. Yet, apparently the City of Brotherly Love is also the home of the growing coffee company La Colombe. My first experience with their coffee was visiting my sister in Chicago. It was June, it was humid, and I...
Recently I was having a conversation.. with a stranger (lets be real, it was on Bumble. I'm single ladies, come at me) and I was asked how I developed my knowledge in the coffee industry from a technical dispatcher to a Director of Coffee in a short three years time. All the while never having worked...
On espresso bars around the world... there are a variety of steaming pitchers. They are all intended for the same basic purpose, to pour steamed milk into coffee. Yet there are many differences ranging from the subtle, to the blatantly obvious. Some even have no handles if you can believe that. Having used quite a few...
This isn't my first foray with Sweet Bloom... just a few short months ago I picked up a bag at a local shop that is a multi-roaster. I was immediately drawn to the bag. There is something about the black and white coffee shrub with the colored tag that really was magnetic to me. These bags...
Dialing in espresso is a fundamental skill... for any barista, home or professional. Being able to understand how grind size effects your brew time, flavor, and consistency is hugely important. Even though coffee is very much subjective about whats good, bad, or downright undrinkable, it's important to me to do my best to recreate the flavor...
One year, and twenty-four bags of coffee later... the first year of the La Marzocco Home Espresso Subscription has come to an end. If you aren't familiar with this subscription, here are the deets. The La Marzocco Cafe in beautiful downtown Seattle has a "Roaster In Residence" every month. These residents apply with their unique story,...
The Aeropress has always been in this middle ground... between espresso and a French Press. On one hand its brewed under pressure, and on the other immersion is also part of the program. It's never been a favorite of mine, the cup just doesn't have the clarity I look for in black coffee, or the complexity...
As an industry legend, and pioneer… George Howell began the coffee company that would take on his namesake in 2004. By this time he had already been in the industry since 1974. George sold his first café, The Coffee Connection, along with its other 23 locations, to Starbucks in 1994. As a visionary in the industry of...
It's been nearly fifteen years... since I've smoked any marijuana. I did dabble in it through the first year or two of high school, but as I changed career trajectory to move into law enforcement I dropped it. I remember it fondly, and I've always liked it more than alcohol for many reasons. The main of...
There’s a colorful phrase comparing opinions… to a certain part of the human anatomy, and its not untrue. We do all have our opinions, and they are all valid. Every industry has it’s trends, and pressures to like the things other people are liking. But if we are true to ourselves, and in this case to...
Onyx is a killing the coffee game in all forms... Whether its their baristas rocking competitions, their roaster knocking out fantastic coffees on the daily, and their amazing aesthetic online and off. They really are shaping up to be one of the most prolific brands in specialty coffee today. On top of all this they remain...
Just like many other things in life starting with a solid foundation is vital... and coffee is no different. So lets start with the basics of pulling a shot of espresso like a pro. In this tutorial I'll go over the items step-by-step. As I'm doing this from home I've excluded a few of the Specialty...
Espresso is complex beast… And it’s hard to nail it down to a one-size fits all program. Of course the standard espresso extraction these days is using 18 to 21 grams of coffee, 9 bars of pressure, for 25-30 seconds. Yet, I recently read an article from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) about a survey given to...
It may not be a household name… But it’s close. Just a few short years ago I started seeing little brown bottles, and cartons of their cold brew pop up at nearly every grocery store. Stumptown Coffee Roasters has been around for quite awhile, since 1999 to be specific. They’ve been instrumental in the slow and...
Love em' or hate em', distribution tools are here to stay… It’s rare to walk into any specialty coffee shop these days and not see a distribution tool of some kind sitting on the bar. Nearly every company that produces coffee tools has come out with their own version. They vary in shape, size, and material,...
It’s been a year since the Linea Mini graced my kitchen... I threw out an entire kitchen table and chairs to make space. No regrets. Having the ability to make café quality espresso in your kitchen is every coffee enthusiasts dream. Once that dream becomes a reality, the possibilities are endless. For example, I drink a...
Balance isn’t just for tightrope walkers... It’s also an important factor in specialty coffee. What it means is no single aspect overpowers the others. Instead they help make each other better in contrast. For example, this is why salt and caramel is so good together. They are complimentary, they balance each other, and together they create...
It’s essential to all life on earth… and a proper cup of coffee. Water; it makes up a total of ninety-eight percent of your coffee beverage. Think of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into bringing those beans into your kitchen. How can you not give them a proper bath after that journey? In this...
As a coffee purist I’m not a fan alternative milks… I feel like they tend to change the coffee too much. Almond, coconut, macadamia, soy, or rice, they all take away from the unique aromas and flavors that they should be elevating. So I was skeptical when I saw a sudden, and constant stream of promotions...
A cup is just a vessel... that holds a liquid, and you drink out if it. Some are short, some are tall, some are glass, and some are ceramic. Its not until you think about it as another tool of the craft of making, and enjoying coffee, that you start seeing them in more specific terms....
As a coffee enthusiast born out of the third wave... I tend to cringe at the term “Italian Espresso”. It’s not that it can’t be good, it’s just not on the flavor spectrum that I usually go for. Generally Italian’s roast quite a bit darker for their espresso than most of the modern specialty coffee roasters...
