Why do some shops insist on pulling shots in two stainless pitchers and then pouring them into the cup?

Kurt

Bad training? That's exactly what the barista I blogged about did last week. I can only assume they were taught that. There's no rational reason because the double pour spout was narrow enough to pull directly into the demitasse.

Or more likely there isn't enough clearance for the 20 ounce latte cups their customers expect, so they developed a habit of transferring from a teenie pitcher into the "bucket of milk" to go cup.

...I hesitate to call them pro... they do it for a living, doesn't mean they're pro at it.

And if they're pulling from super-automatic machines, they know about as much as the average person.... n00bs

Sincerely,

Namson Pham

PhaetonFalling wrote:...I hesitate to call them pro... they do it for a living, doesn't mean they're pro at it.

Guess it depends on which definition of the word you're using. Most people use it to mean "following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain". Now... not all professionals are experts at their job...

PhaetonFalling wrote:...I hesitate to call them pro...

That's why I put "(pro)".
Perhaps this can evolve into a discussion of inexplicable things even true pros do.

I will chime in here from personal experience. In the shop I work in we were trained to do this. (though new people are not trained like this since a new training program was instituted) Once I had some experience with tasting my shots though, this ended for me, at least for straight espressos or cappas. As far as lattes above 12 oz go though, most machines simply do not have the space to fit the cups beneath them. In my opinion this is the only time that such cups should be used. In the shop we don't pull into two separate cups for doubles, we pull into 5 oz cups set below both spouts. It is obviously a major trade off between speed and beautiful unbroken crema.

Lynn

Guess it depends on which definition of the word you're using. Most people use it to mean "following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain". Now... not all professionals are experts at their job...

I've been playing computer games again.. so.. I'm using pro in the l337/n00bs sense...

As far as lattes above 12 oz go though, most machines simply do not have the space to fit the cups beneath them. In my opinion this is the only time that such cups should be used. In the shop we don't pull into two separate cups for doubles, we pull into 5 oz cups set below both spouts.

The 5 oz cup is a much better alternative to the double shot glass/metal containers.


Something inexplicable that expert baristas do: When I was in italy, I had some fantastic shots.... I mean just beautiful gorgeous tasty tasty shots... they just ground, dosed into the basket/pf, and then just stuck it in the machine.... no tamp at all... and it was delicious.. I can't figure it out... but hey, taste is what counts!

Sincerely,

Namson

Something inexplicable that expert baristas do: When I was in italy, I had some fantastic shots.... I mean just beautiful gorgeous tasty tasty shots... they just ground, dosed into the basket/pf, and then just stuck it in the machine.... no tamp at all... and it was delicious.. I can't figure it out... but hey, taste is what counts!

When they did this, did it seem that they dosed more than a normal amount into the pf? Did the barista flatten the dose into the portafilter or just dose and jam it into the group?
Lynn

When they did this, did it seem that they dosed more than a normal amount into the pf? Did the barista flatten the dose into the portafilter or just dose and jam it into the group?

I don't remember the specifics, I wasn't as much of a coffee nut (or is it bean?) those days. I just explicitly remember that they didn't tamp.

I also remember that they were very aggressive with the doser, rotating the portafilter, also aggressively.

Sincerely,

Namson Pham

Funny this topic should come up today, because today I went to pick up my weekly beans from a place here in Christchurch, New Zealand, by the name of Hummingbird coffee. I've always been very impressed with their coffees, and they also sell commercial and home equipment and run barista training courses.

They also have a small cafe, and I was there standing waiting to pay for my coffee, watching the barista at work. Dosing I couldn't see, the tamp was quick but firm with just a brief twist to polish. She locked in the portafilter and hit the button. After about 30 seconds we got the first drip, then another drip, and another. This went on for what must have been a full two minutes of drip, drip, drip. I didn't bother to watch the rest.

I'm glad I wasn't going to be drinking it, and I thought this place was one of the best in town.