When it comes to quality espresso, the importance of a good barista cannot be understated. A skilled barista makes a substantial difference to the result in the cup and ranks with fresh coffee and good equipment as one of the essential elements of espresso making.
The barista must know how to grind, dose and pack coffee consistently to ensure an even extraction of flavours.
Knowing how to adjust the grinder to speed up or slow down the flow of espresso is a crucial skill. The speed at which the espresso flows from the group head of the machine determines the resultant flavours from the ground coffee.
When I conduct barista training sessions, students are often amazed at the difference in taste a slight adjustment of the grinder makes.
Each time an adjustment is made to grind finer or coarser, the barista must taste a shot of espresso produced at the new grind setting to determine the quality. This must be done regularly since coffee changes in character as it ages. The perfect grind setting for today may not be perfect tomorrow.
Espresso is often served with steamed milk in the form of cafe latte, cappuccino, and macchiato. Once the barista has prepared a shot of espresso their attention turns to steaming milk to the correct temperature and consistency. The desired result is smooth, creamy and sweet with no visible bubbles. This is known as microfoam. Steaming and artistically pouring the microfoam takes a lot of skill and practice.
The barista performs these skills consistently and often under pressure in busy times. Machine maintenance and cleanliness become never ending tasks during slow times.
In my consultancy work I have often seen coffee machines caked with old milk or old coffee grinds. It’s the same as cooking fresh food in a dirty fry pan and affects the taste greatly.
Since 2000, the annual World Barista Championships have been held and many countries including Thailand have their own local competitions.
Good baristas attract loyal customers so there is a clear incentive for cafe owners to train them well. Thailand has produced some very good baristas while Asian baristas are currently performing well on the world stage.
Sadly, the standard in Phuket is low due to a lack of proper training, but I see this improving in time as coffee culture develops and consumers become accustomed to a good quality espresso.
Danny Hyams is a professional coffee roaster and barista trainer. He conducts intensive training sessions for individuals and small groups. For bookings and more information contact Danny on 080-534-5512 or by emailing dannyhyams@gmail.com