sco_tt wrote:Lots of tea on the wall is an (somewhat mean spirited) red flag for me. If they're focusing so much on tea they can't be that focused on the coffee! Same with food; if they're making sandwiches they're not thinking about coffee.

lol this can so be true, of course there are exceptions.. but let's be honest what good shops do you go to (unless it's also a bakery) do you see sandwiches being made?

One of the better places to get an espresso in Milwaukee is not actually a coffee shop at all, it's a small Italian deli in the Third Ward run by a couple of Sicilian brothers. It's obviously not any knock your socks off Third Wave fare, but its a great example of Italian espresso done well, which I'd take any day over third wave done poorly.

Add me to the "once I start a conversation, I'm ordering a drink and leaving a tip no matter what" group.
Got to.

Some places don't know any better. Some people have not been well trained, and maybe don't have that extra initiative to make the coffee better. I solve this: if it's awful, I just won't go back. If I ask someone to do work, and they do their job hoping for a tip, they're getting a tip from me.

There's a place in the midwest that I won't name, that has an awesome vintage Probat and decent espresso gear... everything is on display. Well, the coffee was just plain awful. When I had to explain what a cortado was (to be fair, lots of places just use another name) and eventually explained "small cup, double shot of espresso, equal part steamed milk. Tiny small latte" and then went out of my way to disarm the nervous barista (wife and I were the only customers at the time... near close on a Sunday) what I received was a warm smile, and a drink that openly invited me to avoid that place like the plague. But honestly, the shop EXISTS, and I know it does business--so I chalk it up as me being the weirdo for wanting something different than what the regulars must ask for.

"Don't bother"
Attitude. I take no points off for someone not being conversational. But if you make me feel unwelcome, I WILL never be back. If I pick up on it while I'm in line, I leave. Not a fragile little snowflake, here. You have to actually be uncool to cause that.

All espresso roasts are shiny. Can't do it. Some people WANT this for sure. There can be no denying. We've had customers explain that our espresso isn't real espresso because it's not oily and doesn't smell a little fishy (barf)

All coffee is shiny. I will order hot tea and GTFO.

All coffee comes out of a bin that is either not reasonably airtight or is clear. I will give a pass for this at major metro area coffee shops that will truly burn through 5-10lbs of a given coffee per day. Asado in Chicago keeps it in big pasta pots with metal lids. Sorta cracks me up. But I've had great coffee there almost every time.

Crusty milk on an espresso wand will IMMEDIATELY turn me from a customer to "Oh, I was walking by, and just wanted to see what this place was! Maybe I'll come back in the morning for some coffee." That's a sign that even the owners don't care, or that the place gets its espresso gear from a roaster who doesn't educate its clients and failed to get the point across. It's the simplest thing, and I am still SHOCKED when I see brown rocky outcroppings climbing a steam wand. What a horror.

gr2020 wrote:I'm not sure this one is fair. For example, in Denver there is a shop called Amethyst, which serves something like 6 different coffees prepared any way you like, including espresso. I haven't been there yet, but I've heard good things about them, and never heard anything bad related to the coffee quality.

My guess is they are single-dosing, and can thus make adjustments if necessary for their different beans.

I was at Amethyst in September, actually we went 3 times in a week becuase it is some of the best espresso I've had, anywhere. She pulls 1:3ish ratio EK shots on a KvD Mirage 2 group. She does single dose and I had the most amazing Kenya Kieni from Heart Roasters from them.

There are a couple other stellar places between Denver, Colorado springs, and fort Collins I could mention. (I spend about 20 days a year Denver)

- they offer more than 2 espresso selections and have only one grinder or actually they offer more than 2 espresso choices, period.

I guess Ma Station Café in Quebec City would qualify as a counter example for this rule:



They serve 7 different types of espresso from the microroaster Barista (talk about a non-search engine friendly name on this site!) and each has its dedicated grinder.

Best classic, italian-style espresso in my hometown, by the way.

I went into a roaster locally, I walked in just before closing and the employee was grinding coffee for bulk. Well it was for the morning shift. The ground coffee sits in the filters overnight so the morning shift can start brewing. I wont even get into the doser being packed with coffee 15 minutes before closing.

LukeFlynn wrote:lol this can so be true, of course there are exceptions.. but let's be honest what good shops do you go to (unless it's also a bakery) do you see sandwiches being made?

I have a local shop that is quite good and they run a full lunch menu. The owners wife runs the kitchen and he runs the cafe but you know when you walk in that the coffee will be good. Nice shop, clean, good equipment, local roaster and a proper coffee menu. You order a macchiato you get a proper macchiato.

I travel a lot and tend to use Yelp. I put little into the reviews themselves. I do focus on pics, what machine do they have and what do the drinks look like? Next I checkout the menu, if the macchiato, cappuccino and late have small, medium and large offerings, I just move along to the next shop.


Brandon

TxHr wrote:I travel a lot and tend to use Yelp. I put little into the reviews themselves. I do focus on pics, what machine do they have and what do the drinks look like? Next I checkout the menu, if the macchiato, cappuccino and late have small, medium and large offerings, I just move along to the next shop.

Sadly, the choice of machine has misled me more often than not. There are even 2 shops in Philly (one half a block from my office) with gorgeous Synessos turning out very poor espresso. I recently dragged my wife and another couple far from home because I saw a vintage Faema through a shop window.............big letdown - bitter espressos without real flavor or aroma!

Watching the baristas at work is most helpful, as attention to detail, consistency, and cleanliness are essentials. Seeing what they're making is also critical - watery shots, stiff foam spooned into a cap, etc scream "No!" And I haven't yet found a good shop that had no china available on request.

This is a bit OT, but when I moved to my current house I found a roaster in my local downtown. I of course was ecstatic at first. Then I walked in and there were walls of coffee in clear bins, all roasted shiny and dark, and a couple of teenagers behind the counter. I purchased a pound of moca-java against my better judgement, and they apparently used the same scoop for all coffees including flavored coffee! My mocajava was more moca-java/hazelnut/etc.

Somehow, it's still operational five years later.