Upskilling your team to ensure they’re delivering exceptional coffee with every cup can feel like a daunting challenge. As the head barista, you might be the one working the most during the week. So why would you need anyone else with your skillset? Wouldn't that put you at risk of being replaced? Wouldn’t it be easier to rely on just one person to serve the perfect cup?
If you said yes to any of those questions, you should probably look up from the coffee machine more often, say good morning to the team as they clock on, and realise you’re limiting yourself to your best work.
Let’s be realistic. Eventually, you’ll find it harder to stand for hours on end, and your body will start to betray your mind. You can’t work the bar your whole life, but you can leave a legacy that lasts for generations.
By training the next wave of baristas, you’ll pass on your expertise, creating ripples throughout coffee culture.
There’s so much to unpack, and while excellent resources are available —from books by world barista champions to renowned barista courses—we hope this post gives you a good starting point for what’s essential in any barista training program.
Equipment Safety Hazards
As you introduce a trainee to the bar, you’ll walk them through each piece of equipment and explain what it does. Informing them of every safety hazard may sound pedantic, but you'd be surprised how many people aren't aware of common-sense hazards that veteran baristas keep in mind.
Espresso Machine
The espresso machine is the largest piece of equipment on the bar, containing large boilers that constantly keep water hot. This helps the machine brew espresso and steam milk. Identify the areas of the machine that usually heat up the most, such as the top and the group areas where the portafilter is inserted. Also, demonstrate how the steam wand should always be reset to a neutral position pointing into the drip tray when not in use.
Grinder
Coffee grinders can’t tell the difference between a coffee bean, a stone, or a finger. When the grinder is turned on and the burrs are spinning, they won’t stop, whether it’s a bean or flesh. Be clear about keeping fingers out of the grinder, and ensure it’s disconnected from power before cleaning.
Auto-Tamper
Many cafes are using auto-tampers to eliminate the variable pressure levels that can occur when baristas use a manual tamp. Point out where the machine presses down and emphasise that only the portafilter should be placed in the cradle while the machine is connected to power.
Essential Equipment Functions
Once you’ve covered the equipment safety hazards, there are some universal functions across espresso machines, grinders, and auto-tampers that every barista should know. It’s important to clarify that, while in training, these functions should be used in the presence or guidance of the head barista.
Espresso Machines
Espresso machines are equipped with functions that adjust boiler temperatures, steam wand pressure, water volume output, and more. If you're new to the machine, navigating menus and making adjustments can feel daunting. Of all the functions to train someone on, the water volumetric function is foundational for teaching effective dial-in practices.
Grinders
Knowing how to use grinder functions is arguably the most important skill throughout the day, as external factors such as temperature and beans can change. Demonstrating how to adjust the coffee dose and grind size, while allowing trainees plenty of time to practice, helps boost both confidence and coffee consistency throughout the day.
Auto-Tamper
Of the three pieces of equipment mentioned, the auto-tamp is the simplest and requires less frequent adjustments than the others. However, if the auto-tamp malfunctions, it’s important to show how to adjust the tamp pressure and time. More importantly, demonstrate the cleaning mode, which holds the press out for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Equipment Maintenance and Cleaning
While you should contact qualified technicians for all major maintenance on equipment, there are some minor maintenance tasks that can be demonstrated to trainees. These tasks help build good habits that reduce wear and tear on the equipment.
Espresso Machines
Chemical cleaning of the group heads should be part of every closing procedure. Since we use fine coffee grounds in espresso machines, it's easy for coffee particles to build up in every nook of the group. Untrained team members might also use too much coffee cleaning chemicals, which can cause buildup and blockage within the group head. Be clear about how often the groups need to be cleaned and how much chemical to use.
Grinders
Grinders are often the trickiest piece of equipment to clean, but cleaning them is just as necessary as chemical cleaning of espresso machines. It requires disassembling parts of the grinder, which usually means you can’t serve coffee for a period of time. Grinders should be cleaned once a month to prevent the buildup of old coffee grounds and to replenish the grease that keeps the grinder running smoothly.
Auto-Tamper
Many auto-tampers have a feature that releases the press, allowing for easy, moisture-free cleaning with a brush. This needs to be done frequently throughout the day to prevent the buildup of old coffee grounds, which can cause channelling in your extractions.
Extraction
Understanding coffee extraction is fundamental to brewing good coffee. You can memorise recipes and brew methods, but without understanding extraction, you won’t know why your coffee tastes the way it does.
Salami Shot (also known as a split shot if you’re taking the fun out of training)
A great way to display the journey of flavours during coffee extraction is by splitting the shot into four cups throughout its ideal extraction time. As the espresso pours, quickly swap out the cup that’s collecting the yield. This should leave you with four small yields of espresso, each capturing a different flavour note of the coffee’s extraction: Savoury, Sour, Sweet, and Bitter.
Demonstrating an unbalanced extraction is a great way to show trainees which tasting notes they should avoid in their coffee. You can demonstrate this by pulling an espresso shot with a shorter or longer extraction time than usual.
How Many Coffees Do Baristas Drink in a Day?
Encourage your team to taste their coffee regularly throughout the day. They don’t have to drink full cups—just a quick taste will do! How can you truly trust that your coffee tastes good unless you taste it yourself and continuously work to improve it with each cup?
Invite your team to taste not only their own work but also any new recipes you’ve recently tried with the coffee on the bar. After each tasting, have brief discussions about the coffee. Does it need improvement? Or is it already tasting excellent with the current recipe?
How to Steam Milk
A majority of coffee-based beverages ordered today contain milk—creamy, silky steamed milk. It’s crucial that whoever is operating the machine knows how to execute this perfectly with every jug. Steaming milk is a skill that requires continuous practice and improvement. Don’t skimp on training and feedback; they’re essential for helping trainees reach your level. Offer plenty of examples of perfectly steamed milk, as well as a few examples of frothed milk.
Steamed Milk vs. Frothed Milk. What’s the difference?
We refer to steamed milk when you achieve a foam that is smooth, silky, and easily incorporated with coffee. This happens when small air bubbles come together to create a texture similar to melted ice cream. On the other hand, frothed milk consists of large air bubbles, creating froth that sits on top of the beverage rather than being incorporated into the coffee. Frothed milk is best used for babycinos.
Achieving perfectly steamed milk involves understanding how the milk evolves as it is whisked by the steam wand. With the tip of the wand just beneath the milk surface, begin spinning the milk. You’re aiming to hear the short, sharp hissing of the wand inserting air. This is called stretching the milk. How long you stretch the milk depends on the level of foam in the beverage, but you generally don’t want to stretch longer than five seconds.
Once the milk has stretched for a few seconds, gently dip the tip of the wand a centimeter deeper into the spinning milk and hold it there until the milk reaches about 65°C. This process is called texturing the milk, where the microfoam created during stretching is incorporated with the rest of the milk, resulting in the velvet-like creamy texture we love in any milk-based coffee.
Clean As You Go
Cleaning as you work is a healthy habit that fosters a productive environment. A tidy station lets you work efficiently without wasting energy searching for tools or ingredients in a cluttered space. Instilling clean habits from the start can serve as a powerful foundation for developing a rockstar team member.
Working cleanly involves regularly washing milk jugs, rinsing cloths, and keeping the bench space organised, stocked, and wiped down.
Recordkeeping
Keeping records easily accessible and visible at the bar is an excellent communication tool for current coffee recipes and cleaning schedules. It’s the best way to keep team members on shift informed.
Teaching employees the importance of using dial-in sheets and cleaning schedules helps cultivate the habits that lead to an efficient and productive workplace.
While there are plenty more topics to cover when you’re training baristas, we’ve mentioned the essentials that should be on every training program. The coffee industry is dynamic so be sure your program involves relevant skills and knowledge nurtured from your own experience. Find enjoyment in a lasting legacy through your training sessions. You’d be surprised at what you’ll learn and improve about yourself by doing so.
Leave a comment