Hello fellow coffee lovers!

For the holidays my wife purchased me a 2 hour private lesson with a former national level barista championship competitor. I have about a year of experience making espresso drinks with my Silvia and Mini Mazzer, and in that time have learned enough to make a pretty solid espresso and cappuccino (although my latte art is akin to saying "hey that cloud looks like a tree!", lol). So I am trying to gather ideas for what I should this person about (given my current knowledge) when I meet them. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Personally I would stay away from tech questions and ask about more advanced espresso prep. For example, adjusting by taste or dose vs grind at different weights and coarseness settings (18g at setting A, 16g at setting B, etc) to see how it plays with flavour profiles.

Either way, have fun! Sounds like a great time!

What a great gift! It'll be interesting to have a pro pull shots on your equipment and taste compare to the shots you pull. It would also be great if they brought along a "titan" / pro grinder for you try with your machine... have fun, share what you learn and have plenty of beans/ milk on hand!

chrisbodnarphoto wrote:Personally I would stay away from tech questions and ask about more advanced espresso prep. For example, adjusting by taste or dose vs grind at different weights and coarseness settings (18g at setting A, 16g at setting B, etc) to see how it plays with flavour profiles.

Either way, have fun! Sounds like a great time!

I agree. Sounds like a good gift.

I'd love to know more about adjusting things to change the flavor profile. And as part of that just taste recognition of sour and bitter, etc. That's what I'd stick to exclusively. "When my wife tells me, 'That drink wasn't so good,' what do I do?"

Let us know how if goes.

So when is the lesson? I think this is an awesome idea. Great change this in increase the taste in the cup more then even a new grinder!

I've always been interested in some latte art. I can pull a decent espresso shot but milk texturing and latte art are another chapter.
Have fun and I concur with others, great gift for the home barista types.

I would start by preparing a shot and having them watch what and how you do it. Then both taste the shot, and YOU critique it. That will give your guest a good starting point for where you are, and where you need to go for your current equipment. The comparison between your critique and theirs will be immensely helpful in honing your discriminatory skills. The subsequent discussions should fill the two hours.

Prepare to be overcaffeinated...

Sounds like a very thoughtful gift from your wife. Enjoy the time, and let us know what you learn!

b19wh33l5 wrote:Hello fellow coffee lovers!

For the holidays my wife purchased me a 2 hour private lesson with a former national level barista championship competitor. I have about a year of experience making espresso drinks with my Silvia and Mini Mazzer, and in that time have learned enough to make a pretty solid espresso and cappuccino (although my latte art is akin to saying "hey that cloud looks like a tree!", lol). So I am trying to gather ideas for what I should this person about (given my current knowledge) when I meet them. Thoughts?

Thanks!

I wuold work on taste. Sourness, bitterness, sweetness, etc... most of our hobby is about improving taste but unless we work off the same basis, we cannot make sure we are improving refore, i wuold pull shots, split them and compare tastes description and then how to modify/improve this taste.