Middle East perspective: to be an excellent barista

My name is Ahmed. I’m a barista from the Middle East. Coffee is my life. 

Have you ever heard that coffee in some communities is drank not only in the morning, but also in the evening?

Yes, morning or night, to coffee lovers it is like a drug.

If one day you visit the Middle East, you might find that coffee shops are in fact closed at 3 AM, but there are some shops that do not close at all. 

However, you will find that peak hours are usually in the morning from 7 AM to 9 AM and at night from 9 PM until 12 AM.

On average, people will drink 6 to 8 cups of coffee a day, especially Arabica coffee. Coffee is a more popular choice of beverage than most, even water in the middle east!

When the Middle Eastern barista finds an espresso machine, a proper grinder, and sees a crowd of coffee-thirsty people flocking to him, he will soon come to find that there is tremendous power in the ability to craft a quality cup of coffee.

It is a lovely and confusing feeling; at one time, he feels that he possesses the key to happiness for the people he serves, but at the same time, it is hard work to make a single cup of great coffee.

When a barista comes to master his skill, there is a harmony within and a feeling that he is the master of the place where he stands. At that moment, he begins to enter into another world; one where he is the distributor of happiness and the means of this joy is coffee. 

To understand coffee and the effort and skill that is required to carefully craft each cup, one must understand who holds the power in making this product and what it takes to be excellent.

So I grew up in this strong coffee lover environment that makes me more want to be a better barista, and here is how I understand to be an excellent barista.

Definition of a barista:

One who prepares coffee and espresso style beverages, normally in a cafe setting.

Origin of the word: 

Barista is an Italian word meaning my legs or the person standing behind the bar and preparing drinks, juices and some pastries.

The task of a barista in the cafe can be limited to several basic tasks, such as checking and calibrating the tools and equipment used to make the coffee.

In doing so, they are making sure of all the correct standards are being met to ensure the best quality, including ensuring the appropriate temperatures for the type of coffee used, water quality, the size of the coffee grounds, the appropriate dose, and the amount and time of extraction. 

Not only is the quality of coffee essential for a quality beverage, the provision of suitable milk to blend with coffee must be available in any cafe.

While ensuring the application of high standards in each milk-based product, factors must be considered such as the ideal degree of evaporation, type of pitcher used, and the amount of steam and the temperature of the milk in order to add latte art on the surface of the drink.

In doing so, you are working to ensure the happiness of everyone who enters the cafe, both barista and customer. 

What makes you a specialty barista?

When striving to be an expert in coffee preparation, excellence should be one of your goals. You should work to make a perfect cup of coffee in a distinguished way that delights your customers and improves their mood at anytime of the day.

A great barista will work to help their customers love coffee more and inspire others who work in the coffee industry as well.

The fact is, finding excellence is not easy, but how can you distinguish it from the mundane? This question can not be answered with a simple statement, so we will talk about the 5 most important points to distinguish an average barista from an excellent one. 

Feeling confident

The barista is confident to be able to brew a cup of coffee with a great taste and beautiful shape that is a delight to their customers. Most baristas find happiness in their work. Furthermore, they are eager to share their talents and wisdom in preparing coffee.

When you bring coffee to your customers, they may simply expect a simple cup of coffee, but an excellent barista will make them a masterpiece that they can be proud of. 

Passion

Passion is the irresistible feeling that motivates you to do your job well. Look for something that will not only make you happy in the world of coffee, but also something that motivates you to develop your skills and abilities to perform your work to the fullest.

Always look for what fuels your passion.

Details

There is no doubt that one of the secrets of success is the attention to detail, and one of the most important details of coffee is the joy of a quality product.

You must pay attention to all the figures and standards through which you can reach your ideal product, such as heat, the amount of doses and weight, the amount of extraction and time, and also ensuring that your customer receives something they are happy with.

Consistency

You can always experiment with the drink you are creating, try new ways and standards, and become a successful recipe designer, but it is important when you offer coffee to your customers, make sure to be consistent in your work and maintain your signature in the preparation of coffee.

In other words, aim to repeat the same smell, the same taste, and the same texture in every cup of the same recipe in order to maintain the level of quality you want to achieve.

Knowledge

 The coffee industry is large and constantly evolving, and also has an important position in the world of commerce.

In order to achieve the goal of becoming a professional barista, you must to keep up to date with the latest developments, research, and knowledge in the coffee world.

You must always be aware of the new tools and equipment and the latest methods of preparation in order to then apply what you discover to your own style and practice. 

You cannot use only the information you have, but deepen and expand your knowledge, develop sensory skills, learn about roasting coffee, read about the cultivation and processing of coffee and the factors that affect them.

This deeper understanding of the cycle of coffee will mold you into a well-informed barista on your way to excellence.

In the end, ask yourself: What sets you apart from the other baristas? If you can not answer this question, know that the journey of discovery is long, but it is enjoyable in the world of coffee.

Take a deep breath, cherish yourself, and embark toward your goal with passion, maintain consistency and accuracy in your work.

Remember :

Coffee from the beginning of the stages of cultivation through processing, shipment, receipt, roasting, and packaging must be handled with extreme care until at last it arrives in the hands of the customer. You must understand the effort behind each cup of coffee as not to waste all the hard work and passion that is required to create it.?

Quality Processing Ensures Quality Coffee: How Processing Methods Alter The Taste of Coffee

 For hundreds of years, coffee growers have been processing their coffees in mechanical ways, choosing options that are efficient and practical, however, they do not always understand the effect they are having on their product.

Many of the processing practices they use create a quality product, hence why the specialty coffee market is quickly growing, but imagine the positive outcome that could occur if coffee farmers had the resources to care for and understand all the key aspects that are needed for quality processing.

The result: more beans would be treated well and higher quality coffees would be more abundant.

Quality of coffee can be altered based factors such as altitude, latitude, and the soil chemical make-up. Growing coffee outside the correct perimeters will drastically change the quality of the final outcome.

Generally, the best crops are produced at higher altitudes with rich soil, filled with phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, and with temperate weather patterns. Without a quality bean, the hope of processing good coffee is impossible.

With all of these variables, a quality coffee crop is 80% a gift of God and 20% effort. The effort comes from the management of the plantation, fertilization of the soil, attention to details, planning for the surrounding environment, and then finally processing the matured cherries.

Each of these components are crucial and overlooking any of them could jeopardize the quality of the entire harvest.

The growth of a good crop is the most important factor when producing specialty coffee, but even the best beans can be ruined by poor processing. When using any grade of bean, good processing will only help to create the best cup of coffee possible.

When talking about different processing methods, there are three that hold the majority of the market: natural, washed, and honey process. There are other more experimental or hybrid ways to treat the coffee cherry depending where it originates from, but most coffee professionals stay true to the common three.

Natural process is the most common and the oldest version of processing in coffee world. Because of the fruity and sweeter notes that often indicate natural processing, it is currently the most popular in the specialty market. It is relatively simple in execution, but produces a complex flavor.

The order of operation begins with picking and sorting out the ripe and healthy cherries. They are then typically deposited on a raised bed to be raked and dried out. Once the cherry has been sufficiently dehydrated, without killing the embryo, they are taken to hulling for the skin and parchment to be removed.

The result is an outstanding bean that will have a complex profile of fruity and sweet notes with a round or creamy body. This combination is almost guaranteed to please any customer.

Washed process has been ruling the market for years. It consists of incredibly hard work, but has been known to produce worthwhile results.

Because of the water incorporated in the washed process, the coffee tends to have a cleaner and brighter taste than it’s natural counterpart. It begins the same way, by picking ripe cherries and sorting out the defects. After the cherries are sorted, they are mechanically depulped and fermented by sitting in water for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The batch is then washed and put out to dry on patios or raised beds.

Many people prefer a washed coffee because of it is a reliably smooth cup of coffee with clean flavors and good acidity.

The final and least common processing method of the three is honey process. It is comparable to a half natural and half washed process, which results in an interesting and complex profile.

It is a relatively simple process that begins the same way. Ripe cherries are picked and sorted, depulped, and then are immediately taken out to dry. This allows for part of the cherry mucilage to remain on the bean until they are finally removed in hulling.

This results in a specific sweetness, a fruitiness of a natural, but the clean and stable acidic flavors of a washed coffee.

The world of coffee is expansive and complex, and there is much to learn and enjoy about this field. With more understanding of the coffee chain and the essential factors that go into creating a quality cup of coffee, the more likely it is that there will be a higher quality of execution and in the finished product.  

 Don’t stop drinking coffee and enjoy your moment.