Top Ten List - Bad Barista Work Habits - Page 3

#21: Post by **Tolis85** » March 22nd, 2018, 4:03 am

Jake_G wrote:#1- Doser full of questionably ground coffee
#3- Steam wand caked in burnt milk

These were actually the signs that made me decide to buy my gear. I was sitting there waiting for the lady to get my sandwich, with the pf with the dose on the machine for 1 minute without the damn button being pressed (why the hell do they do that??), gazing upon that milk cake on the steam wand. It was an instant decision:
"That's it. I'm making my own espresso"

#22: Post by **Séb** » March 22nd, 2018, 8:17 am

I'm leaving today for Cuba, the place where i can easely see this top ten + list each day

#23: Post by **Tonefish** » March 22nd, 2018, 8:29 pm

chipman wrote:How about the barista asking if I want the espresso I ordered in a to go cup?

Funny you mention this. Coming back from Italy and going to Starbucks for my very first espresso shot there, they served it to me in a paper cup. I looked at them and asked if they didn't have proper cups to serve espresso in (they didn't). So I'll add:

#1 Serving an espresso shot in a paper cup.
#2 Working at Starbucks.

#24: Post by **Marshall** » March 23rd, 2018, 1:35 pm

Stanic wrote:the above plus
banging the side of PF with tamper after tamping

bluesman wrote:Wow - that's one I haven't seen yet!

10 years ago that was a nearly universal habit. It was so popular Reg Barber put Delron inlays on the tops of his tampers, so they wouldn't nick the portafilters. He still uses them, although the ritual has largely disappeared.

#25: Post by **bluesman** » March 23rd, 2018, 2:46 pm

Marshall wrote:10 years ago that was a nearly universal habit. It was so popular Reg Barber put Delron inlays on the tops of his tampers, so they wouldn't nick the portafilters. He still uses them, although the ritual has largely disappeared.

I bought a 58mm base with a rubber "knock ring" on it several years ago because I do think that a few gentle taps will even out distribution while grinding into the PF. If nothing else, it helps spread out the central mound across the basket and reduces spill-over. I wouldn't do it without that ring, though - a bare metal base must chew up the PF and itself in short order. I couldn't find a 58.5 with a knock ring, so I just tap a few times with a finger..........quickly! That sucker gets hot

#26: Post by **Abnuceals** » March 23rd, 2018, 3:05 pm

Ah ah you are right Séb. I never get to Cuba for the quality of their coffee or for the ability of their baristas.

#27: Post by **espressonut** » March 26th, 2018, 6:28 pm

I was once at a shop toward the end of the day and after they made my espresso they began backflushing the machine. The girl put the blind filter in, turned the machine on, and walked away. My inner espresso mechanic died a little.

#28: Post by **keno** » March 26th, 2018, 6:48 pm

No tamp - just dose, lock and load, and pull the shot.

Another would be scooping preground coffee out of some bin instead of grinding to order.

#29: Post by **shanewiebeftr** » March 29th, 2018, 6:11 pm

I had a barista dose into the porta filter. It was horribly uneven and then she proceeded to tamp with a plastic tamper(you know the one)without distributing at all. After that, she raised it up to her face and blew the remaining grounds off of the portafilter. WITH HER MOUTH

March 29th, 2018, 6:42 pm

No kopi luwak for you then.