Jan 13 2011
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Barista Thoughts

Barista Memory – a little bit of psychology

In an effort to blog a little more often I have been talking to a few people, non-industry and industry, about potential topics they would like to see. A very intelligent friend of mine Harry Key (www.harrykey.com/blog check his blog out, it’s always entertaining and provocative) sparked one particular idea that has been whirling around my mind ever since. So here it is.

Barista Memory

I worked as a barista for around six and a half years, a mere percentage to some baristas I know, and during that time I developed quite a skill. I’m not the only one either! I know a lot of baristas that have this ability to remember a persons coffee preference. Latte, caramel latte, ½ strength decaf with extra hot, extra frothy milk cappuccino, I could remember so many and enjoyed seeing that person walking towards my cafe, having it made before they had even paid for it. I would estimate at my peak that I probably could remember roughly two hundred regular guests’ orders. Even when I worked in a cafe, left for eight months then came back; I would remember some of the regulars. What is it that makes a barista remember a person’s coffee? What is memory and is there a certain type of memory that helps a barista remember all this stuff?

Over the next couple of blogs I am going to delve into a subject that I am by no means an expert in, psychology. So if you are a psychologist or studying psychology, I’d love your comments and feedback. If you’re not, I’d still love your comments. I’m going to let you help me indulge in a study for myself. Procedural Memory, Memory Retrieval, Improving Memory and Types of Memory, the list will probably grow. I’m a bit excited, just ‘a little bit.’

I ask you the question, and please don’t use it as rhetorical, cause I’d love to read your thoughts. What do you think it is that makes a barista remember so many, often very similar and regularly quirky coffee orders?

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Dec 23 2010
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random thoughts

2010 was good – 2011 will be great!

Cliche much?!?!?

I have to ponder at this time of year and think about all the good, bad and potentially ugly things that have happened. I’m going to spare you all the pain of the bad stuff but good stuff…

1. Getting a multi-national company to re-think their freshness standards and espresso machine and grinder choice

2. Securing a brilliant new role in at Grinders Coffee as their national training manager

3. Challenging old espresso drinkers to look at other brew methods, try different origins and cup!

4. Learning that blogging regularly is not an easy thing to do

5. Discovering coffee; again and again and again

 

So in 2011 I really hope there are more great things ahead. I really think that it is going to be a defining year. In fact, I just turned the big 30 and this should be a profound year… shouldn’t it?

Top 5 things I would like to achieve in 2011

1. Launch a range of filter roast coffees

2. launch a national accredited training academy to match, rival and be the best

3. Take a trip to another country and discover coffee in a new light, maybe even tack on a trip to origin

4. Do this blog thing a bit better. Smaller, structured blogs… A little more interesting too!

5. Learn…

So thank you for a good 2010. I’m looking forward to 2011 and the goals to kick. For those that read this blog, I would love your thoughts in the comments below. What would you like to read? What will make you come back for more and more?

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Oct 26 2010
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espresso, random thoughts

Who really cares?

In my day-to-day job as a barista trainer I often wonder how many people really do care about coffee? Think of it this way. When I first started in coffee I thought I knew everything. I had been making coffee for about a year, I took the fact that the coffee company set the grinder as a given and I was to work around it. Come to think of it, there was never anything really passed on to me in the likes of training or education. When I moved to GJC I learnt a lot more about the variables in coffee, different options in origin, roast levels… Lavazza never taught me this. Cappuccinos and cafe lattes became different and I could cater to customer needs a lot more. I was in a good place, top of my game, I was the best!?!?!

I competed in the GJC national barista champs, made it to the national final and didn’t place. I wasn’t the best, in fact, people knew a little more than me. I was still pretty damn good. This humbling experience was a good I got more training, coffee freshness was important and the variables really mattered. Plungers could be made well and tasting things in coffee wasn’t about adding sweet things to it. Did I put a lot of it to use? Not really!

I was extremely lucky to get an opportunity to move into training and I then saw a new world of coffee. I started to learn a lot more about my palate but one of the most important learnings at this stage; everything I learnt in coffee made me realise, I knew little. It seemed the more I learnt, the less I knew. I still think that to this day and I know that I will probably be in that situation forever. So I question; do 95% of the people I train just not know what is in store for them? Do they not know where to find that information? Or do they not care? I’m sure there is some that fit into all areas! You see there is a lack of cross-pollination from the specialty coffee world and the coffee world, and even to the consumer. You know, even some people who work in coffee, and i’m not just talking baristas, but salespeople, marketing etc, still haven’t come across that upper band that is specialty coffee. Probably even fewer consumers. It’s fair to say this is a random rant of my thoughts.

I do know one thing. I’m not the best barista, I’m no where near it. I reckon even Mike Phillips, crowned the best barista in 2010, probably doesn’t even think he is the best. Do people who work in coffee love the product? Mostly! I genuinely think that. I’m learning this everyday. I get to talk to people, inspire people and work with people who genuinely love coffee… and here’s the thing; coffee is personal. Even if I don’t agree, what they taste is right, what they make is right and what they like is right. Do they care? I think so!

Comment… interested in your thoughts!

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Sep 23 2010
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espresso, random thoughts

Espresso

I’m currently toying around with espresso and all the variables in making that really great shot. Yesterday, I looked at a pour and thought to myself, “no way, that’s too fast!” You know what? It was perfect. I tried it again, again another good shot. What did I change to make this such a great espresso? This is the problem!

At the time, I was just mucking around so I don’t really know what variable I changed to pull this super sweet shot. I’ll figure it out but it does make me wonder. How many times have we said, “this is how you make a good shot” and ended up with something that is not so perfect? If I had Mojo and was getting yields and stuff, then I would probably be able to do the percentage and be really on it but for now, I have to make do with the original mojo, my tongue!

On other espresso related notes. I have been using blends with robusta. To be honest, when I first started, that was all I could smell, but now, I finally see why it has played such a prominent part in so many blends. Given the right balance, a good quality bean, I’m finding it has a place.

So now I wonder. What am I going to do to make my competition roast? Another post maybe?

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Jul 23 2010
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Brewing, history bits

Coffee and Milk

So much has been said about the negative impact milk has on coffee. How it takes away from the true nuances, how it makes a great beverage average. If that is so, why do so many people like milk with their coffee? Why is it that 95% of coffee in Australia, and probably a very high percentage around the world, are supplemented with milk? What is it about us that made us get coffee so wrong? Or right?

Lets look at the history pages a little. It is believed that in 1675 The Turkish Army surrounded Vienna. Franz Georg Kolschitzky, a Viennese who had lived in Turkey, sliped through the enemy lines to lead relief forces to the city. The fleeing Turks leave behind sacks of “dry black fodder” that Kolschitzky recognizes as coffee. He claims it as his reward and opens central Europe’s first coffee house. He also establishes the habit of refining the brew by filtering out the grounds, sweetening it, and adding a dash of milk.

Was Kolschitzky on to something. Or did he get it all wrong? It’s a proven fact that milk in coffee doesn’t affect antioxidants but it also believed that it slows the effects of caffeine in the system too, not that we really care.

What I want to know is people’s impression of milk in coffee. Let’s face it, most people just care about the taste. I think that milk certainly has its place. Each year a bunch of baristas and roasters create blends specifically to go with milk as a cappuccino for barista comps or competitions like ‘Golden Bean’ and really, these are great tasting coffees with milk. You look for a blend that is going to balance out with the body of the milk, create some sweetness and maybe some toasty overtones. When it’s right, its right!

The of course there is latte art. Without the milk, we would have none of this and may make for some boring visuals. There is a whole world championship based around the addition of milk to coffee. This can’t be wrong. Saying this, put a drop of milk anywhere near my Yirgercheffe filter and I will hurt you! I know there are even some people out there that don’t believe milk should go anywhere near coffee.
The truth is, I drink more coffee without milk than I do with milk at the moment. It’s what I have started to really love. It helps that I’ve had some great filter and siphon brews lately, with coffee that doesn’t belong anywhere near milk.

I do have a soft spot for the cappuccino though!

I think there is a place for both, but please comment below. Are you a pro milk, anti milk, fence sitter or what? I am interested in hearing it.

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Jul 11 2010
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Brewing, history bits

new blog coming soon

I’m working on a milk one… it’s taking longer than i thought it would… feel free to suggest some other topics!

May 26 2010
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Brewing

to filter or not to filter…

… or should that read to pour over or not to pour over?!?!?!

One of my favourite brew methods is my little ceramic pour over. Nothing fancy, all it takes is a filter paper, some ground coffee and then some ‘hot’ water. What defines all of this though? What makes a good or a bad brew?

I like the mild, acidic and fruity notes that I can get out of some of the coffees I brew and then alternatively, I like a sweet and balanced brew. A work colleague of mine Ben Irvine (Product Development, Gloria Jean’s Coffees) is more of a scientist when it comes to these things and often challenges ideals, which for me is a really good thing, so I am left wondering, what do I really like?

Scott Rao, author of ‘Everything but Espresso’ simply doesn’t like the pour over. Convinced that the brew is never hot enough to extract the right flavours, and in some way he probably is right, but what about your personal preference? Or is personal preference learned from a bunch of badly brewed coffee?

It is hard to get the right temperature water, something brewing at above 90 degrees c, so you are then left with an underbrewed coffee. To really get a full temp brew you need to have something that keeps the water super hot, pours it just as hot, have a filter that is hot… see where I am headed here? It’s almost impossible!

I do however, love my technique and the results it gets. May not be right, but they are often interesting and enjoying. It’s as simple as this:

1. Pre-wet the filter and paper (i use excellent quality papers but i am really aiming at pre warming the ceramic)
2. Pour fresh ground coffee in
3. Pour a small amount of hot water over the grinds to allow for bloom (20ml sprinkled to wet the whole bed)
4. Wait 20-30 seconds
5. Gradually pour the remaining water over the coffee never getting past half way up the filter.

This very rarely produces a lot of sweet flavours because the brew temp isn’t going to get about 85!

Be interested to hear what other people think of this infamous brew device. Is it good, bad or just plain ugly? Comment below.

Mar 12 2010
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Championships

What’s the point?

So firstly… I may qualify as the worst blogger ever. I promised to write a blog, what was it, sometimes, not never! Well welcome to sometimes!

I have just come off the back of a great round of barista championships. It started late January where I was lucky enough to be pouring piccolo lattes for hundreds of people, made from some beautiful, syrupy Nicaraguan Santa Anna shots, whilst watch the 2010 AASCA championships. I saw some fantastic things that once again inspired me to, well, to try to be different. J.P’s black board with tasting notes, Tim Adam’s (2009 Aussie Barista Champion) two bean choice for the judges and Scottie Calaghan’s “look at the way it pours judges,” a great engaging tool where he got the sensory judges to squat like a tech judge and watch the shot pour into his signature drink. That was pretty cool. Watching the finals was outstanding, not to mention Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits and Cupping, this was an ultimate coffee geeks dream place to be.

I guess the thing that I learnt to most there is don’t think conventional. Don’t think in the box and use what inspires you most about coffee to your advantage. I think each competitor did this and that’s why they were ultimately on the top. Barista Championships are not a safe ground for skill… its about improving specialty coffee.

Gloria Jean’s Coffees have just finished the round of heats for its Australian Barista Championship and I was lucky enough to be a judge. The thing about a barista championship, when you do around 80 people, you will see a contrast. I was impressed by new comers and disappointed by some people that I thought would do a lot better. That’s competition really. I even got to compete in out Support Office Barista Championship and well, I was even disappointed in myself. Problem is where you look at these rules sheets and score sheets so much, you know exactly where you lost points as soon as you finish competing – even when you went 23 seconds over!

This brings me to my next point. What is the point? Look at all of the great competitors around the world and where winning a competition has got them. Maybe a trip to Hawaii (the prize for ours) and eventually a trip to Disneyland (also a prize for ours), street cred in the world that is specialty coffee and maybe a few appearances on local TV and some pop culture magazine. So what is the point?

To me the point is being, becoming and living specialty coffee. You can work in a little café, a coffee house with a roaster or a coffee chain and never actually be specialty coffee. Sure there are a lot of people out there that are, but there are also a lot of fakes. It is true to say however, the barista championship competitor that takes it seriously (there are so many at all levels that don’t) is specialty coffee. They are the ones practicing hours and hours, relentless scrutinising their dosing technique, the precision of every movement they will make on a machine or their comp station and the passion to which they throw into the competition so they are so focussed on the detail. Competition can for the right person, be a driver to completely over hauling your skill.

When I look at the times I have competed, I can see the definitive areas of growth for me, when my skill has gotten better and as I prepare for more competition this year, I can definitely say I am going to get better again.

My top five tips for preparing for comp (by no means the rules – haven’t won yet)

  1. Practice – goes without saying really
  2. write a list – all the things that need work and you want to improve
  3. time plan – how many hours are you going to dedicate
  4. taste coffee – taste lots of coffee. It will help you in understating the flavour a lot more
  5. talk to other competitors – could actually be the top one. This will help you and the other person grow into better baristas.
Oct 06 2009
3 Comments
Uncategorized

let me introduce myself

Hi There readers of this my first ever blog experience. I recently registered this cool, somewhat geeky domain, and figured i should do something with it… so here goes. I will do my best to write all things coffee, especially what is going on in my brain at the time, but also hopefully cover off anything that is cool and happening in the world of coffee. First though, let me intoduce myself.

Name: Paul Asquith
Age: 28 (soon to add another 1 to that)
Hometown: Newcaslte NSW Australia
Current Residence: Marrickville NSW Australia
Work: Barista Trainer, Gloria Jean’s Coffees Australia

I have been making coffee for around 8 years now, a barista for 6. I think there is a big difference between making coffee and the art form that is a barista. I thought i was one way back when i first started but once shown what a real barista was, i quickly changed my mind and worked to become one. I have enjoyed the learning curve and will continue to enjoy the larning experience that is coffee.

Favourite Coffee: Probably and Ethiopean Yirgacheffe. Gives a great sweetness with a nice floral acidity.
Favourite Brew: At the moment, my Cona Siphon, followed closely by my pour over then espresso
Favourite Espresso Beverage: a latte with a double ristretto

The thing i like most about being a barista is that coffee just makes people happy. You can improve a persons day just by making the perfect cup, maybe with a little bit of latte art on top and a smile. I make my own day when i pour myself a cup!

Accolades: 2nd NSW heat of AASCA Barista Championship 2009
Goals: World Barista Champion… isn’t it most baristas?

So that is me in a really small nutshell. Comment if you want to comment. ask questions if you want to ask questions.

Thanks for reading!

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