Setting up your Home Barista corner
Thursday 12 march 2020 16:33:00 Europe/brusselsLife’s most wonderful pleasures is sitting at a café, entertaining yourself in a freshly brewed espresso drink. Whether you like espresso, cappuccino, cortado or a latte machiatto, you will enjoy something highly qualified. A freshly brewed coffee with the right technique can rise your inner spirit towards a new stage of satisfaction.
For all our home barista's out there... Every person has his own visions, preferences and tastes. So if we are talking about a home barista set up there is also a difference of taste, vision and preference.
So where do we start? Start with picking out your favorite coffee! Buy fresh coffee beans from your local roaster directly. If u have a specific taste preference you can ask your local roaster which coffee compares to your taste profile.
After buying your coffee at your local roaster you can check which grinder suits your brew method. If your favorite coffee brew is a double espresso shot you can buy a grinder that is suitable for espresso grind. On our online shop we recommend the baratza sette all purpose as a grinder that suits perfectly for slow coffee and espresso. The youtube video underneath guides you towards the perfect grinder for your needs.
Next step is your coffee scale! Most baristas will tell you that precision is what makes a good espresso. Without a scale, you can measure the amount of espresso compared with the volume of your basket, or attempt to use other methods but you’ll have a nearly impossible time getting a consistent product. Measuring will be the key to replicating your ideal espresso every time. Typically, starting between 18 to 21 grams for a double shot (don’t forget to tare the weight of the portafilter!) is a great place to start.
Once you have grinded and measured your chosen coffee, the tamper is the device that will help pack the grounds into your filter. A good tamp pressure helps your process! The idea here is that by applying equitable pressure across the surface, the shot you’re able to pull will be evenly extracted. Tampers can vary in price and design, and deciding what you need will depend on budget, size and other factors! The bottom line is that it’s an indispensable part of your daily coffee workflow and that means you are going to use it a lot! So the tamper choice is an important facet in your daily coffee fix routine. A coffee distribution tool also helps a better extracted espresso. More info HERE.
A stainless steel steam pitcher—which is easy to clean and conducts heat effectively—is necessary to helping you achieve optimal temperature for your desired milk or milk alternatives. And this isn’t just any old metal pitcher—believe it or not, they are specially designed to encourage the kind of swirling which creates creamy microfoam critical to a smooth, perfectly poured latte—or whatever your heart desires. Having a substantial heft and weight along with the pointed spout are part of what makes your latte art possible.
A knock box is a box in which you can throw the espresso “puck” after brewing. Although its an optional item, you can certainly go straight to the trash can in your kitchen... it helps to keep a tidy area around your machine particularly if you’re making multiple shots, as well to maintain a more sanitary working setup. It can be a simple design of high quality stainless steel, or even something that can be a showpiece all on its own, but the knock box is a serious tool for home stations that once you start using, you’ll wonder how you went without.
A small elegant sledding of top quality and beautifully finished with a handle of walnut wood, ideal to place a small mill on such as the Mignon , F4 fiorenzato, ...
HOME BARISTA DRAWER SMALL BLACK WITH WALNUT HANDLEEspresso Machine and Maintenance Cleaning Tools
The last step after you have chosen your prefered espressomachine as an home barista investor:
An espresso machine, even at the home level, has a lot of moving parts, which also means a lot of places in which bacterium and residue can hide. Having a reliable cleaning solution will not only ensure that you have a safe and sanitary experience, but also that you will have the best tasting coffee. Maintenance Kits will make that your home machine will always operate at peak performance. Taking good care of your machine not only means you’ve got a better shot at great taste, but also improves the durability of your equipment, and protects your investment.
All pictures underneath are featured Home Barista Lovers.
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