New Arrivals/Restock

Train your baristas to calibrate espresso, craft excellent drinks, and move with ease and flow on the espresso bar.

Capacity: 4 students
I. Barista Basics
Duration: 3 hours   

In this session folks will learn the science of espresso extraction, and which variables to manipulate in order to achieve a quality espresso consistently. We will taste an overextracted, underextracted, and a balanced shot in order to grasp how the flavor is affected by changing the grind size. Then every participant will calibrate the espresso to apply the lesson to practical experience. After the espresso lesson we will go over milk steaming fundamentals and how to manipulate the steam to achieve different foam textures. After each participant steams, we will go over latte art fundamentals. Each participant will pull their own espresso shot, steam their own milk, and pour a heart! These are the essentials for anybody approaching an espresso machine. At the end of the session we will all clean and close down the machine and grinders to ensure everyone knows how to properly clean the equipment at the end of every night.

II. Beverage Construction (Prerequisite: Barista Basics)
Duration: 2 hours

This class will answer the age-old question; what is a macchiato? We will cover all beverages served in cafes and how to construct them within 3rd wave specialty standards. Each participant will pull their own shot, steam their own milk, and pour each beverage (with a latte art attempt). Each drink will be assessed on the foam consistency and temperature. We will cover macchiatos, cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites. This is an excellent class to hone both espresso and milk steaming skills, as well as get extra feedback on latte art and how to pour with different milk textures.

III. Barflow (Prerequisite: Barista Basics & Beverage Construction)
Duration: 2 hours

We will begin this class by defining efficiency; many times we think efficiency is synonymous with speed, when in truth quality is just as important for a fast-paced environment. In this class we will lay down the groundwork of how to use the bar space effectively, only introducing speed once those movements are second nature. We will simulate a cafe environment “rush” and each drink will be judged on the espresso shot, temperature, texture, and fill line. We will be timing each “rush” to assess the current speed of each participant, with the goal to cut the amount of time it takes to create quality drinks. Latte art is encouraged but not required, as it is the cherry on top, and what we’re after in this class is a well-constructed beverage and speedy service.