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The Home Barista's Guide to EspressoThis introduction by Jim Schulman shares his passion for good coffee and expertise in home espresso. It covers a lot of ground and demystifies the key elements of espresso preparation. It is not just about techniques and equipment, but also about the reasons behind them. More... |
The Professional Barista's HandbookDespite the title, Scott Rao's handbook applies as much to the serious home barista as the professional barista. It covers the fundamental knowledge that every successful barista must know, and does so in a wonderfully succinct and thorough manner. This article is an excerpt of the opening chapter. More... |
Diagnosing Espresso Extraction ProblemsInspired by Chris Tacy's Training with the Naked Portafilter, this how-to takes a revealing look at what's happening beneath the business end of an espresso machine's bottomless portafilter. You will learn why a smart barista will intently watch the stream of espresso pour out during an extraction. While appearance alone isn't definitive proof of a good cup, it does go a long way in verifying the barista's technique. More... |
Managing the Temperature of HX Espresso MachinesWhat is all this talk about "flushing" a heat exchanger (HX)? This how-to introduces the reasons behind the need to flush a heat exchanger espresso machine before starting the extraction and answers practical questions like: How much water do you need to flush? Is it necessary before each extraction, or only if the machine has been idle? After how long an interval is the machine considered "idle"? More... |
Banish Uneven Extractions with the WDTMany grinders inflict clumps, static, and uneven distribution upon the hapless home barista, keeping them from reaching their goal of extraordinary espresso. We can hope that these design flaws will eventually be addressed in home grinders. But until then, there is a simple, inexpensive solution to grinder problems: the Weiss Distribution Technique, or WDT. More... |
FAQs and Favorites DigestIf you're new to HB, you may be thinking "I don't know where to begin, there's too much information!" To help you navigate to topics that interest you, this article contains links to the best topics all in one place, categorized by forum and subject area. A few must-read introductions and how-tos are also recommended. More... |
Espresso Machine Cleaning - Why, How, and WhenCleaning isn't glamorous, but necessary! This article explains why cleaning must be a regular part of your barista duties, how to perform them with step-by-step instructions, and when these cleaning duties need to be performed. In doing so, you remove one impediment standing between you and great espresso. More... |
An Aficionado's Guide to Espresso BlendingThere is an abundance of information on espresso blending, but despite the volumes of information, the same questions come up over and over again: I'm a beginner, how do I get started in espresso blending? What roast level? What beans? What proportions? Mike Walsh addresses these questions. More... |
Making a beautiful "naked" triple espressoHave you seen the amazing espresso extractions on espressoporn.com? Jon Rosenthal is an enthusiastic contributor of triple espresso photographs that exhibit this drippy, honey-like extractions. As guest author on HB, he offers his secrets for emphasizing the body and sweetness in lower-volume ristrettos. More... |
Improving Your EspressoHome-Barista.com is both fun and serious when it comes to exceptional espresso. So HB's SwagFest 2005 contest combined the best of both! The contest objective was to collectively create a "Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Espresso" article. Read what entries won some serious prizes. More... |
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