The Amateur Barista

11/5/2013

Well, everyone knows I love caffeine.. I mean, coffee. So it's no surprise that I went for a coffee brewing course :>

It's just a simple 2 hours barista course which costed me about 35 bucks with a voucher from deal.com.sg. A friend saw the deal online and asked if I'm interested, of course I said yes!

The course was organised by a cafe in Singapore Management University (SMU) in Dhoby Ghaut. My friends and I headed over after a short brunch in Novena. When we reached, there were already a group of people sitting in the cafe. The nice lady who works in the cafe guided us to our table after we signed our attendance on a sheet of paper :> After 15 minutes or so, a guy who I assume the owner of the cafe reached and started the class after a short introduction.

Pretty funny guy :D and I kinda like him.

We were provided with printouts on the origins of coffee beans, types of coffee and stuff like that together with a set of the equipments needed for coffee brewing.

He started with a brief introduction on coffee beans, its origins, types of coffee beans and where in the world should we go for the world's best coffee :D well, not really, I added that in.

was more interested in the baby taylor at the back :P

After the bit of history on coffee beans, he continued with the first method of coffee brewing: The Pour Over.

note: medium grind + filter + cup + hot water with the right temperature (don't really remember the theory part x.x) + right time

First, wet the filter with hot water.

 next: get the grounds in

And pour them hot water in swirling action, make sure the grounds not concentrated in the middle

let them coffee drip

done, now pour ourselves a cup each for tasting~

 my comment : acidic + mild coffee taste, first sip was nice but the later sips were not as good.

The next method was Plunger.

What you need: Medium Coarse/Coarse grind + hot water + Plunger

First: Pour them grounds in,
Next: Pour them hot water in (at the right temperature)
Then: Wait 2 ~ 4 minutes
Lastly: Plunge (once only!)

Done

Let us have a sip each

My Comment : much bitter than the pour over method, more full-bodied and less acidic? In short, I like this method more :D

The third method: The Espresso Pulling method.

What you need: Fine grind + Espresso Machine

heard that to make the best espresso, grind the coffee bean immediately before brewing. Therefore, the grinding machine.

note: coffee beans at their best within 14 days after roasting.

Single shot in each cup.

To make a cup of latte (my current fav), just add in milk with ratio of coffee : milk of 1:3

Since I'm here:
An espresso is intense small cup of after extraction
Machiatto is a shot of espresso with a layer of foamed milk
Cappuccino : single shot of espresso with milk & dry foam
Mochaccino : Cappuccino + Chocolate
Latte (my fav :> ) is 1:3 ratio of espresso : steamed milk with a layer of foam
Americano is just espresso with hot water (kopi O) XD

done!

now, hands on!


First: grind them beans

Next: press down the grounds with a tamper to make them flat and even

And fix the portafilter back to the espresso machine

 A single shot on each side.

 Or put the cup in the middle of the portafilter for a double shot.

Done! Next the milk for latte. Steam and foam them up with the machine as well. No idea what this method is called. Foaming? XD Best milk to use : Meiji

Then hit the milk on the table to remove the big bubbles formed and even out the foam.

 Then pour the milk into the cup of espresso~

Our coffee art failed :(

A way to save it:

 XDD

END!

pretty nice experience :)

I'll surely buy me an espresso machine when I own a house in the future :)

Oh! and my friend asked me a question today: What's your to do list?
Hmmm... around the world in 80 days? lol
I would love to check off all the "seven wonders of the world" on my list :>