Full Spectrum of Coffee Drinks Taught in Espressotec’s Newest Class

(Newswire.net — October 9, 2017) Vancouver, BC — By night, the bartender carries the mixology torch. But by day, the barista takes over, whipping up a full menu of coffee and tea libations — perhaps to revive the bartender’s patrons. And now, with the right equipment and a lesson in Barista Mixology from Espressotec Sales & Service, coffee-lovers can emulate the professional barista and sling specialty coffees at home.

The course, taught by highly-experienced barista trainer, Crispin Bryce, aims to help coffee-lovers decode the increasingly specialized coffee menus of today’s cafés and make a range of drinks at home. “It’s about helping them get the most out of their espresso machines and other coffee-making equipment,” explains Espressotec event coordinator Alison Ensworth. “They’ve invested in the gear and learned how to use it — now it’s time to test its potential with a full barista repertoire.”

Beginning with an introduction to espresso fundamentals, class participants learn the makeup and method for simple drinks like espresso luongo and Americano, basic favourites like macchiato, latte and mocha, and specialties like cortado, affogato, flat white, Spanish latte, and more. A few tea-based drinks like chai and London fog make appearances in the lesson, too. Of course, this involves lots of tasting along the way! There are quality syrups aplenty, like the ones used in specialty cafés, along with whipped cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other tasty toppings. Participants also learn the various techniques used to steam and texturize foam specifically for cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites, and for steaming non-dairy milks like soy and almond.

“This is where making coffee gets really fun,” says Ensworth. “Once they’ve got the skills mastered, participants can experiment at home and tweak the recipes to suit their personal taste. Then when they go out for coffee, they have a lot more knowledge and experience to draw from — and hopefully that means they hold café baristas to a higher standard.”

Barista Mixology, currently scheduled on Saturday mornings once each month and held in the Barista Lab at Espressotec, is designed for home baristas and coffee-lovers, but may one day branch into a specialized course for café training. Coffee (freshly-roasted espresso from Caffê D’arte Coffee Roasters), milk, syrups & toppings are included in the enrollment fee. All equipment is provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own steaming pitchers and tampers to practice with. Registration and further information about this and other Barista Skills classes can be found at espressotec.com.