Sufu Barista social club

[GregoryH]

I've been a barista by trade (ok so it's what I do to make money to spend on jawnz) for a total of 4 years now. Employed at Cowboy Coffee (division of the Bean around the World coffee roasting company for all you Vancouver heads) Just wanted to see who else out there spends their 9-5 (or in my case 7-3) tamping and stretching milk, or if you're just a nerd who has an impressive home set up, let's see it, hear about it etc. post some pictures of your best free-pours (none of the etched art shit)

[chuckster]

I work in 2 bars/live music venues besides my daytime job and studying and sometimes I wanna smack customers round the head...actually most of the time..I do pour the best Guinness in town though. Approved by the Irish community

[Magsåvningsreserven]

:confused:

[GregoryH]

is a barista the same thing as a bartender where you're from?

serious question...

[mpcec]

I was a Barista for about 18 months, applied for some jobs this fall at different places when I transferred school but no luck. Really loved the job though and am hoping to do it again at some point.

[julianREE]

i'm a barista at the lowest form of artistry... corporate...

but i did learn how to free pour rosettes and hearts from another legitimate barista so customers/coworkers are quite amazed at my "skill" (which is nothing compared to any legit coffee place)

[GregoryH]

I was a Barista for about 18 months, applied for some jobs this fall at different places when I transferred school but no luck. Really loved the job though and am hoping to do it again at some point.

for sure, it's one of the most enjoyable jobs I've had, something rewarding about making a really good cup of coffee for people, and knowing you can make one for yourself at any time

[Magsåvningsreserven]

is a barista the same thing as a bartender where you're from?

serious question...

lol, no .

[american_hearts]

I worked as a barista for three years and change, a little spot in the downtown back home and in a Park Slope spot once I moved to the city. I've been over half a year out of it, but I miss it. It got to be second nature. Grind, dose, level (always an index finger smelling like coffee concept), pack, tap, tamp, spin, load...and watch that pour out like caramel honey.

[chuckster]

:confused:

I'm German..thought its the same as bartender,pardon me.

so a barista is for example at starbucks yeah? I should google this I know..

[GregoryH]

I worked as a barista for three years and change, a little spot in the downtown back home and in a Park Slope spot once I moved to the city. I've been over half a year out of it, but I miss it. It got to be second nature. Grind, dose, level (always an index finger smelling like coffee concept), pack, tap, tamp, spin, load...and watch that pour out like caramel honey.

always looking like you have stink finger concept...I know all about that one.

Do you find that you're constantly judging other coffee shops when you go in and see automatic espresso machines? or baristas that have no concept of what hand tamping even is? I've become a bit of a snob I must say, but it just doesn't measure up.

Oh and to the guy who said starbucks...

Few starbucks baristas know the skillset it takes to make authentic, traditional style coffee, from what I know most bucks run fully automatic machines that pump out 13 second shots...(as opposed to the 24 -27 it takes to pull a real shot)

[indesertum]

do you guys know how to hand drip coffee? I'm really tired of all this watered down espresso "americano coffee" they have here in korea.

i had a cup of hand dripped coffee for the first time in a obscure part in seoul and it was absolutely delicious.

[american_hearts]

I know what you're talking about but, the thing is, I know how it should be done, but I admit I don't have a palate sophisticated enough to be able to differentiate between a truly great shot and a halfway-decent shot. As long as there's even a semblance of crema and I didn't have to watch the guy behind the counter do anything goofy like running it without tamping or letting it go for 40 seconds, I'll live.

IF the milk is right. That's my real pet-peeve, and the main reason why I don't go into cafes unless I already know the score. Most of the time, I can't trust what any random coffeeshop calls a 'cappuccino.' You make it with what? POWDER? No, I don't want any goddamn cinnamon. Whipped cream? Are you fucking high?

[indesertum]

yeah i do away with milk and sugar altogether. i feel like it detracts the flavor away from really great coffee.

i don't have a really sophisticated palate either but I know if I like the coffee or not and I think that's all that really matters

[mpcec]

I actually don't drink coffee. I'm big into iced americanos and now that its getting colder I've started doing hot americanos. Definitely notice a difference in quality from the place I worked at when Im getting one from a local place on campus, but the baristas on campus treat me well and It's my best option right now.

[GregoryH]

I know what you're talking about but, the thing is, I know how it should be done, but I admit I don't have a palate sophisticated enough to be able to differentiate between a truly great shot and a halfway-decent shot. As long as there's even a semblance of crema and I didn't have to watch the guy behind the counter do anything goofy like running it without tamping or letting it go for 40 seconds, I'll live.

IF the milk is right. That's my real pet-peeve, and the main reason why I don't go into cafes unless I already know the score. Most of the time, I can't trust what any random coffeeshop calls a 'cappuccino.' You make it with what? POWDER? No, I don't want any goddamn cinnamon. Whipped cream? Are you fucking high?

properly steamed milk is key, you're right...I can't handle shots that are too bitter or pulled too quickly either though. Since I started working at my shop I find that all I drink are macchiatos and cappuccinos (aside from black drip coffee), and being that they are both short cups with little milk I find that the first thing I notice is if the shot was off. My owner is a coffee geek, super hardcore dude who wouldn't let any of his staff even touch our Synesso without a solid 4-6 months of training (which included videos, and "practice" sessions which entailed stretching the perfect milk, and free pouring into chocolate syrup to practice our artwork haha)

oh and for those who give a shit, this is the machine I get to spend 8 hours with a day:

She's a beauty!

[mpcec]

Wow that sounds intense. Out of curiosity how did you make your macchiatos/ anyone know how Starbucks makes them? I've never gotten them there but new customers always had different expectations.

I would basically pull a double shot into an 8oz cup, little bit of milk if request, then fill the cup with foam.

[LaughingBuddha]

word. good steamed milk is key for quality barista-ing. even the most uninformed vanilla peppermint mochaccino drinker can tell a good drink from bad when milk is textured nicely.

good, consistent shots are key (although not so noticable for the above)...but a good macchiato or cappuccino is so reliant on the quality of shots pulled. caramelly, smooth, and sweet when perfectly melded together with quality milk.

and I agree with you gregoryh. once properly trained or educated, it's hard to not be a snob. shit's just better when done right.

I work with dueling three group spaceship-looking mahfuckers.

[julianREE]

Wow that sounds intense. Out of curiosity how did you make your macchiatos/ anyone know how Starbucks makes them? I've never gotten them there but new customers always had different expectations.

I would basically pull a double shot into an 8oz cup, little bit of milk if request, then fill the cup with foam.

i'll admit i'm a starbucks barista. (i love coffee, but never drink anything except water and black coffee there...). macchiatos at sbux is the shots and a dallop of foam on top. the right way should be perfectly steamed milk poured into an espresso cup, but whatever it's corporate coffee and all about speed.

[GregoryH]

i'll admit i'm a starbucks barista. (i love coffee, but never drink anything except water and black coffee there...). macchiatos at sbux is the shots and a dallop of foam on top. the right way should be perfectly steamed milk poured into an espresso cup, but whatever it's corporate coffee and all about speed.

Yes, a traditional macchiato is exactly that. Nicely steamed milk, not scorching hot (130 degrees is plenty) free poured into single shots of freshly pulled espresso...

I've ordered macchiatos at bucks before and have been super disappointed, nothing like they should be and I ended up getting it handed to me in a paper cup, we don't even do macchiatos to go at our place.

Another funny mishap, any of you guys ever have folks order a macchiato, thinking they are ordering the starbucks abomination "caramel macchiato" ?

[american_hearts]

GregoryH: that Synesso is the last machine I worked on. Beautiful piece of work. I was trained on a La Marzocco Linea and worked with it for two years. Got a soft spot for that baby as well.

I've never been so thrown off as when I got hired out as a rent-a-barista for a Wall Street office party and was trying to churn out macchiatos, capps and lattes for 100 people using their office Rancilio. I had to learn quick how to plan for the milk when it took a good minute after running a shot to build up enough pressure to steam properly. The shots weren't gonna be great, no matter what, so I had to cut my losses and focus on looks.

[american_hearts]

also:

Yes, it's GQ, but this is on the money.

Big ups for slide 13 -- yeah, it's important that we keep growing coffee culture in America so that baristas can someday attain the level of respect awarded to a sommelier (and the level of tips earned by a bartender). I will always fight for this. But sometimes a cup of coffee is just a cup of coffee and you just drink the damn thing.

Every time I go on a road trip, I'll get a gas station cappuccino, watch that sludge drip out (some goofy ass flavor like 'smores') and pull it before the last spurt of hot water at the end to keep it as sweet, thick and disgusting as possible. I feel a touch of barista shame, but hey: there are reasons I don't go on a road trip every week.

[youkinorn2]

also:

Yes, it's GQ, but this is on the money.

Big ups for slide 13 -- yeah, it's important that we keep growing coffee culture in America so that baristas can someday attain the level of respect awarded to a sommelier (and the level of tips earned by a bartender). I will always fight for this. But sometimes a cup of coffee is just a cup of coffee and you just drink the damn thing.

Every time I go on a road trip, I'll get a gas station cappuccino, watch that sludge drip out (some goofy ass flavor like 'smores') and pull it before the last spurt of hot water at the end to keep it as sweet, thick and disgusting as possible. I feel a touch of barista shame, but hey: there are reasons I don't go on a road trip every week.

It's just like anything, really. High quality, artisan-level stuff has its place. But so does everything else.

I love beer. I generally drink good beer. But sometimes, you just gotta sit around with some friends and drink some miller lite.

I'd love to find a job as a barista (and am in school in a town where there are decent-to-good coffee shops all over the place), but it seems like a difficult thing to get into. Not so much from a skill perspective, but it seems like finding a job as a cook, kind of. Everywhere that would actually be decent to work (not starbucks or a coffee shop in the lobby of an office building), generally requires prior professional experience.

[polishmike]

damn you guys now i have to get dressed and get an espresso

[american_hearts]

some days, it's a corona with tabasco, dunkin' donuts coffee with cream and two sugars kind of day.

otherwise, what's your go-to drink? if i get a proper wet cappuccino in a 10 oz cup, I'm golden -- run that cuban style with the raw sugar and easy on the milk temp.

[polishmike]

Abraco is right next to me so I'm spoiled. Espresso in the morning, cortado or macchiato in the evening. Sometimes I'll get a cappuccino if I'm with someone and feel like talking.

[julianREE]

some days, it's a corona with tabasco, dunkin' donuts coffee with cream and two sugars kind of day.

otherwise, what's your go-to drink? if i get a proper wet cappuccino in a 10 oz cup, I'm golden -- run that cuban style with the raw sugar and easy on the milk temp.

go to drink at a established coffee shop is a macchiato or black coffee. If i want to sit down and hang out, a cappuccino, but that doesn't last too long either.

[american_hearts]

can someone break this down for me, because i tend to blur the lines...what are the differences between a

wet cappuccino

a cortado

a flat white

is this all pretty similar?

[LaughingBuddha]

at our shop:

wet cappuccino is textured slightly dryer than a regular latte, foam should form peaks when stirred but not hold in place

cortado is 4oz only and textured like a latte, also only served in a glass

a flat white is simply an aussie's way of saying an 8oz latte

there's been some debate over the last one, but that seems to be the consensus.

there are only a million ways to modify and each shop seems to have its own rules though. we only do 5.5oz cappuccinos. anything else is considered "a foamy latte"

and we don't cortados because we just don't have the proper glassware. it's all just a matter of vocab.

[polishmike]

just had a cortado looked just like this