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1. Ken
   Member Profile

   

   I recently acquired an espresso machine that coffee heads call a "starter" machine. It is a starbucks "Barista" from 2004 which seems to be a Starbucks branded version of a Saeco Via Venezia
   http://www.amazon.com/Saeco-Via-Venezia-Espresso-Machine/dp/B0026BZLBE/ref=pd_sbs_k_2

   I have owned a couple of cheap machines that made strong coffee with a lot of assembly, disassembly and danger of steam burns and explosions, but this is the first one that seems actually designed to make espresso.

   This online tutorial seems to be correct as far as I can tell:
   http://www.ineedcoffee.com/00/barista/

   And yet the original shipping manual
   http://www.starbucks.com/ourcoffees/Barista_Final_011305.pdf
   has statements like:

   The Rapporto™ filter (O) uses water pressure to pack your coffee to the correct point for optimal
   flavor. There is no need to pack your coffee, unless you are using a coarse ground coffee.

   and yet has several step by step idiot proof procedural walk throughs that seem very well made.

   While the manual for the current generation is a minimalist CYA legal document.

   http://www.starbucks.com/retail/ViaVenezia%20Manual.pdf

   What coffee wisdom can the ex- baristas (Baristi?bariste?) or espresso lovers shed on this process from personal experience?

   Do you tamp? How important is it? Is it ok to keep using a plastic red pepper jar as a tamper since it fits to millimeter tolerance in the basket?

   The only way I can get the pull to look and taste normal is to tamp it, disregarding the original manual. What is strange is I recognize the Americano I make without tamping as the same weak tasting stuff I get at the grocery store SB stands.

   Is there a current no tamp manual at Starbucks that the trained employees at the company stores are ignoring?

   How important is a burr grinder really. I have had them in the past and they always jam, get out of alignment or take heroic measures to clean. Maybe they were just cheap but that is usually what I can afford.

   Looking at the results of my rotary grinder under a microscope shows that while the fine particles are not as uniform as a burr grinder (when it works) there is not as much variation in particle size as the web self proclaimed coffee nuts seem to imply. (That could be another feature of a cheap burr grinder...)

   It makes a mighty fine high powered double quad cuppa coffee as good as any I got at Monorail espresso, with deceptive smoothness that can lead to posting long winded rambles on local blogs before dawn.

   :)

   Posted 2 years ago #         

2. ellenater
   Member Profile

   

   lol!

   I think tamping is a personal preference. I will say, I've never seen anyone pulling my shots skip it entirely. My fav. barista (George at C and P) has innate tamping talent.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

3. JenV
   Member Profile

   

   Former Barista here. Tamp away. Just don't "overtamp". It sounds like you've got it right with the pepper jar.

   George is also my #1 top fave barista. The things that man can do with soy milk. ;) Holy cow, now I need coffee.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

4. Cait
   Member Profile

   

   Tamping is such a huge deal with the espresso community you could drown yourself in tamping tutorials. There are many schools of thought, but 30 lbs of pressure is usually standard. Get out the bathroom scale OR you can get an Espro click tamp that clicks at that weight (available at Visions Espresso in SODO.) http://www.visionsespresso.com - the sales folk there will also make you some awesome espresso and show you how they did it.

   The gadgets are half the fun - burgeoning baristas are the EASIEST people to shop for for Christmas...

   Also I assume you've done the coffeegeek.com thing? Those folks are a hoot and most of the time know their stuff (or have interesting advice that is worth trying at least once.)

   Posted 2 years ago #         

5. ellenater
   Member Profile

   

   Jen,

   I KNOW. That man has skills!

   Posted 2 years ago #         

6. miws
   Member Profile

   

   "...OR you can get an Espro click tamp that clicks at that weight...."

   Ooooooh!

   The torque wrench of espresso tampers! ;-)

   Man, the art of espresso making has sure become more complex than when I used to make it as a busboy, at Rosellini's Other Place restaurant, 30 years ago.

   This was before the coffee craze in Seattle, and we didn't have any fancy flavors, or 37 different options. ;-) Just three choices; plain espresso, latte, or cafe au lait.

   I remember the boss complimenting me one day on how good the steamed milk foam looked on a latte. I didn't really think I had any great talent, just followed my training of putting the pitcher up to the nozzle, just under the surface of the milk. I watch in awe nowadays, at how the Baristas create fancy designs on top, with the milk.

   Our tamper, was a simple flat disc, with a little handle at the top, that was mounted on the front of the bean grinder.

   Besides bussing tables in the afternoon during lunch, I started my days of my last year there as the delivery driver, driving the van between the three restaurants, and various vendors. One of them, was the still relatively young Starbucks, and I would regularly visit their roasting plant on Airport Way, to pick up our espresso beans, 80/20 drip, and other supplies.

   Mike

   Posted 2 years ago #         

7. PlaneGuy
   Member Profile

   

   Have no idea what to answer you, Ken. But since you asked for barista lore, let me tell you that I HATED that summer when I was a barista in college.

   I HATED all customers. Skinny bettys who asked for non-fat automatically got WHOLE MILK. Most customers got DECAF from me, and vice versa, if you asked for decaf. I know, I know, it was wrong, mean, stupid. People have heart conditions, there are pregnant women, etc., etc. I know, but I just HATED the position. You want that latte extra hot? How about 200+ degrees according to the thermometer wand.

   So glad to be done with the service industry. I am the nicest customer now because I know what those hard-working people are put through -and for not much money. Let the attacks begin.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

8. Ken
   Member Profile

   

   I got nuttin.

   The bottom end of the food and beverage industry is fraught with frustrations, irritations and petty power games and I suspect we are both glad to be out of it.

   I never abused customers but that does not mean I did not have the urge...

   It takes a special personality to do a good job in most of those positions so tip those who can do it right and hope all those who hate it can get out.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

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