Learn Coffee with Gwilym: #5 Handling the Cup
Improve your barista skills in 2015. We are releasing a new video every week. Don't miss it and subscribe today: http://europeancoffeetrip.com/gwilym
#5 HANDLING THE CUP:
I am sure barista’s who took time to watch this series of videos are aware that handling the top of the cup and putting their fingers inside the cup is not acceptable but we made the video anyway, as a personal vent for our disappointment whenever we see it in cafes, websites and promotional material.
About the project:
The knowledge of baristas is improving quickly but we need a strong foundation, if we get the basics right we will progress faster and better. The goal of the project is to explain the techniques of the modern barista in an easy to understand, inclusive and forward thinking manner. It's a mutual project of European Coffee Trip and Gwilym Davies.
Gwilym Davies is a World Barista Champion from 2009 in Atlanta, World Coffee Events Head Judge and Certified SCAE Trainer. Gwilym is also well know for being a co-founder and director at Prufrock Coffee.
About Gwilym Davies:
– World Coffee Events Head Judge
– World Coffee Events Representative
– 2009 World Barista Champion
– Certified SCAE Trainer (AST)
Our dear sponsors:
Nuova Simonelli – http://www.nuovasimonelli.it/
Gill's Coffee – http://www.gills.cz/
Subtitles created by:
ENGLISH: Lucie Marková (Kávové Listy)
CZECH: Lucie Marková / Adéla Demlová
ITALIAN: Cristina Caroli (SCAE Italia)
POLISH: Ana Wolsztajn
HUNGARIAN: Enikő Takács
GREEK: Despina Santorineou
TRADITIONAL CHINESE: Victor Chih Kai Yeh
VIETNAMESE: Vincent Tran
JAPANESE: Emi Fukahori
ESTONIAN: Pille Lõhmus
RUSSIAN: Nicholas Chistyakov
THAI: NutRada Kunavivattananon
GERMAN: Daniel Koening
KOREAN: Jay Roh (BWIssue)
BULGARIAN: Krasimir Kovachev
SPANISH: Fabiola Solano J. (Soy Barista)
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From now on I’ll be keeping an eye open on mug/cup handling 🙂
Improve your barista skills in 2015. We are releasing a new video every week. Don’t miss it and subscribe today: http://europeancoffeetrip.com/gwilym
#1 COFFEE DISTRIBUTION:
The first video is about the effective distribution of coffee from the grinder into the filter basket before tamping. To have a consistently even extraction without ‘channelling’ you need an effective and consistent technique for distributing the coffee evenly throughout the filter basket, leaving a flat and level surface before tamping.
This video looks at what Distribution is and how to do it effectively and consistently.
#2 TAMPING MISTAKES:
The second video in our series looks at Tamping, an area of barista technique that has been over complicated and had far too much attention paid to it. Tamping is simply the applying of pressure to the coffee grinds to expel pockets of air and leave a level flat surface, the only requirements in achieving this are that you are consistent, quick, clean and do not damage yourself, the portafilter or the tamper.
#3 DOSING MISTAKES:
A major influence in the strength and flavour of espresso is the relationship between the amount dosed into the portafilter and the amount of water used to brew the espresso. Not being consistent with the amount dosed into the portafilter is a common dosing mistake and not knowing the amount of water used is a common brewing mistake, without this consistency and knowledge it is much harder to get the best from your coffee.
#4 INSERTING HANDLE INTO THE GROUP:
The journey of the coffee after tamping and before being brewed is never talked about but this journey is where mistakes are often made. The journey has to be quick but it also has to be done carefully, the video looks at flushing, inserting the portafilter and when to start the brewing process.
#5 HANDLING THE CUP:
I am sure barista’s who took time to watch this series of videos are aware that handling the top of the cup and putting their fingers inside the cup is not acceptable but we made the video anyway, as a personal vent for our disappointment whenever we see it in cafes, websites and promotional material.
#6 CLEANING THE MACHINE (February 15)
About the project:
The knowledge of baristas is improving quickly but we need a strong foundation, if we get the basics right we will progress faster and better. The goal of the project is to explain the techniques of the modern barista in an easy to understand, inclusive and forward thinking manner. It’s a mutual project of European Coffee Trip and Gwilym Davies.
Gwilym Davies is a World Barista Champion from 2009 in Atlanta, World Coffee Events Head Judge and Certified SCAE Trainer. Gwilym is also well know for being a co-founder and director at Prufrock Coffee.
About Gwilym Davies:
– World Coffee Events Head Judge
– World Coffee Events Representative
– 2009 World Barista Champion
– Certified SCAE Trainer (AST)
Our dear sponsors:
Nuova Simonelli – http://www.nuovasimonelli.it/
Gill’s Coffee – http://www.gills.cz/
Find out more at:
http://www.europeancoffeetrip.com
http://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCoffeeTrip
http://twitter.com/EuroCoffeeTrip
http://instagram.com/EuropeanCoffeeTrip
I want put my finger on your rim, I promise! 😉
best one ever lol
THANK YOU!! I’ve been making espresso for only 8 months but I used to be a bartender and people putting fingers in cups/glasses/bowls is also one of my pet peeves. Love all your videos, learned a lot. Thanks.
You get taught this at one of the big chains!
hah, great stuff!
Especially if the waitress/waiter is picking up dirty glasses from tables and not washing their hands before picking up the fresh ones!
+L' Sanderson I agree!!! and it happens all the time
very true ! many coffee shops just care about how cool their espresso machines are, how beautiful their latte art are, but they miss the most important thing ; cleanliness and hygienic standard.
Lighten up a bit. You can just imagine this guy as the worst, most patronising, paternal, smug boss. Unbearable sanctimony. These waiters are getting minimum wage quite often. If they want to have their fingers near the top of my cup, so be it. I’m sure I’ll survive. Get a grip people.
As someone who works minimum wage in a coffee shop, I profoundly disagree. It’s less about germs and more just about providing a good and professional customer experience. It’s also an incredibly small thing to adjust as a server. You want to give your customers zero reason to criticize your shop. If it means simply avoiding touching the rim of the cup, than do it. I don’t think it’s that the servers want to do it, they just don’t think about it. With as many customers as I see a day, most probably don’t care. However, there are always some that will and will throw a fit about it. Trust me, I’ve seen customers throw a fit about smaller issues than this. It’s just a simple step to show the customer that you care about them and the product you’re serving.
“Don’t put your finger on my rim”
Such a good point about service.