Back to Basics

Welcome back to barista training school! 

Today we are going to be diving into the Barista 101: Crash Course, where I am going to channel my inner Hank Green. 

To start off, What is coffee?

Coffee comes from… you guessed it… the Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica). This is an easy-care house plant that produces coffee beans. These beans look like small red or green berries. 

These berries are then processed through a series of steps including fermentation, drying, and roasting. Once the berries have been roasted, they are then ready for consumption. Cover them in chocolate, and you have a sophisticated sweet treat, or grind them up to create unlimited possibilities (this is where I come in). 

The goal of this blog is not to make you an expert in coffee, because frankly I could write a novel, but more so to make ordering at a coffee shop less intimidating. 

The Basics: 

Brewed or “Drip” Coffee - Hot beverage made by steeping ground coffee beans in hot water. This is what you make at home with the average coffee maker. 

Iced Coffee - Brewed or “drip” coffee that has been chilled and then served over ice. 

Cold Brew - Coarse ground coffee, steeped in room temperature water for 10-24 hours, resulting in a stronger, more complex tasting coffee. This is going to have higher caffeine content

Espresso - Concentrated coffee brewed through a process of forcing high pressure, hot water through finely ground coffee beans. Note that one “shot” of espresso is equivalent to 1 ounce of espresso. 

Now that you know the basic terminology, let's get into my formula for understanding cafe menus. Most, if not all menu items at a coffee shop are different combinations of water, milk, and espresso. 

The Formulas:  

Latte = Espresso + Milk

• Served hot or iced

• Mild tasting coffee flavor, with a thin layer of frothed milk on top

Mocha = Espresso + Milk + Chocolate

• Served hot or iced

• Basically a chocolate latte but with a fancier name

Cappuccino =  Espresso + Milk + Foam

• Served hot

• Relatively stronger coffee flavor compared to a latte, and has a thick layer of foam on top.

Americano = Espresso + Water

• Served hot or iced

• Similar to a brewed or “drip” coffee, but with a less powerful taste

Breve = Espresso + Half & Half

• Served hot or iced

• Essentially a latte but richer and creamier texture

These are the basic formulas, but you can customize your choice based on your preferences. The default milk for most coffee shops is whole, but if you prefer something different, or cannot drink cows milk- ask your barista what alternative milks they have. Similarly, if you prefer something flavored and/or sweetened, try customizing your drink with a syrup. 

So, when you find yourself at the front of the line of a 7AM rush and you don’t know what to order, think back to this barista boot-camp :)

Until next time!