10 Professional Espresso Machine Tricks All Experts Recommend
10 Professional Espresso Machine Tricks All Experts Recommend
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How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine
This is an excellent choice for coffee shops and cafes that wish to attract customers who are enthusiastic about espresso and barista skills. It's the official machine of the World Barista Championships and it really shows.
The barista is able to refill the reservoir of water throughout their shift. The machine also comes with cool-touch steam wands and a hot water tap for tea.
Water
A commercial espresso machine needs to be able of producing an enormous amount of espresso-based drinks with efficiency. These machines are usually made of stainless steel, which is durable and resistant against scratches and breaks. These espresso machines are easy to maintain and clean.
Finally, a high-quality machine has a shut-off valve for the water line, to prevent the buildup of limescale. This will ensure that any repairs are limited to the affected parts of the machine and not impact the rest your operation.
Test your water and make sure it's being treated correctly. Remineralize distilled water by adding some minerals. It can improve the taste of the water and eliminate its erosive properties, however it can also damage certain machines. This is because the remineralized water will cause the boiler sensor to believe that the machine is fully stocked, but it's not. This could cause the machine to overheat and become damaged.
Grinder
The grinder is a key element in a successful espresso machine. It grinds a raw bean and turns it into finely ground coffee that can be properly placed into the filter basket for an excellent extraction.
Commercial-grade professional espresso machines usually include a built-in grinder that can be programmed to grind various drink sizes, ensuring the same results every time. Super-automatic machines go a step further and automate the entire process from brewing to grinding and dispensing. These machines are often praised during Lab tests for being easy to use.
A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement by the barista, but the quality of the end result is often worth the effort. This model won an award known as the Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 for its clever dosing mechanism that measures and dispenses the right amount of coffee each time. It also features a low pressure pre-infusion for balanced extraction, and a milk frother that made thick, rich steamed milk in our tests.
Temperature
The temperature is a crucial factor in espresso. If the water isn't at an optimal temperature, it can slow the extraction process and result in the coffee being bitter.
Espresso machines that are of high-quality come with devices that allow you to maintain the right temperature of your water. One way to do this is with PIDs, which monitors and adjusts the temperature of the water. Double boiler systems are another method to do this. This lets you use a single boiler to tea and steam and the other for heating water to brew temperature.
Carles points out that these types of systems can make a difference for large businesses as well as home baristas. They can make it much easier for beginners to dial in the perfect espresso shot because they can maintain an exact temperature and eliminate a lot of the variables that can alter the flavor profile. It's also much easier for baristas with more experience to get their shots just the way they want.
Pressure
The amount of pressure an espresso machine uses is another aspect which affects the quality of the coffee it makes. Many espresso drinkers have noticed that their drinks taste different based on the amount of pressure they use, even if all other factors are constant.
In general, most commercial-grade machines use nine bars of pressure to brew espresso. These machines are also likely to be driven by pumps rather than steam-driven. While higher-pressure machines exist but they usually require a more complex group head design that can handle the higher pressure levels.
While some espresso machines advertise 15 or 18 bars of pressure in their machines 9 bars are typically considered to be the gold standard for making consistently excellent espressos. These higher-pressure machines are typically less expensive and are intended for use at home.
To put 9 bars of pressure into perspective, it's nearly four times the amount of pressure that's exerted by the air inside your car tire. The greater the pressure an espresso maker that is professional can apply, then the better it is at extracting flavor out of the coffee beans you love. It's worth investing in a high-quality machine that can deliver the best possible results.
Barista Skills
A barista must be able to espresso machines home accept orders from customers quickly and accurately. This is particularly crucial during busy times in the coffee shop. A good understanding of customer service is also vital to establishing relationships with customers and generating more business for the shop. This includes acknowledging regular customers, working effectively to resolve issues, and remaining friendly and positive in difficult situations.
The ability to multitask is often necessary for a barista, as they may have to take orders and operate the cash counter and communicate orders to colleagues and respond to phone calls simultaneously. This ability helps keep orders moving quickly to the customer and ensures that customers have an enjoyable experience at the coffee shop.
It is vital for a barista's knowledge to be able make different types of drinks using an espresso machine. This can be gained through reading up on the different types of coffee, attempting the drinks in person and watching videos online. Baristas often find it beneficial to attend classes on the subject, which are offered by a variety of organizations.