Barista
Encyclopedia
A barista is a person, usually a coffee-house employee, who prepares and serves espresso
-based coffee
drinks.
Baristas generally operate a commercial espresso machine
, and their role is preparing the shot and pulling the shot; the degree to which this is automated or done manually varies significantly, ranging from push-button operation to an involved manual process. Machines range from manual (lever), where the pressure is applied by hand, to semi-automatic, where the pressure is applied automatically but brew time is selected by the barista, to automatic, where the brew time is also preset (but preparing the grinds is still manual), to super-automatic, where the barista need only load the beans and push a button, but is otherwise completely automated. Espresso is a notoriously finicky beverage, and thus good manual espresso making is considered a skilled task. Further, preparation of other beverages, particularly milk-based drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes, but also non-espresso coffee such as drip or press pot, requires additional work and skill for effective frothing and pouring, most spectacularly, latte art
.
Preparing the shot involves adjusting the grind of the beans, dosing (the amount of coffee used in the shot), tamping (pressing down the espresso in the basket), and often other preparation of the grounds (such as leveling, tapping, or stirring), with the goal of obtaining a desired extraction. Failures can range from slight errors (slight over or under extraction – too bitter or too weak; or uneven extraction – some parts over-extracted, some parts under-extracted) to significant errors (undrinkably harsh or watery) to complete failure (espresso does not brew successfully, water sprays everywhere, etc.), and thus good espresso-making is valued by connoisseurs. Correct procedure can vary with the beans (adjusting settings for new beans is called "dialing in") and over the course of the day (notably if humidity changes, particularly if not climate-controlled, such as outside), and there is thus often much tweaking of settings after initial setup in the morning.
The barista usually has been trained to operate the machine and to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster or shop owner, while more experienced ones may have discretion to vary preparation or experiment, and a seasoned veteran will of course need little training beyond specifics of equipment and beans used and the shop's preferences. Beyond preparation, baristas may assist customers in selecting the beverage or beans, gauging or learning a customer's preferences.
Beyond the preparation of espresso (and other beverages) and general bartending skills (interaction with customers, handling and scheduling orders, etc.), skilled baristas acquire knowledge of the entire process of coffee to effectively prepare a desired cup of coffee, similar to how a sommelier
is familiar with the entire process of wine making and consumption. This knowledge includes the correct operation, maintenance and programming of the machine, grinding and tamping methods, extraction times, water temperature and quality, micro milk frothing, free pouring, latte art
, roasting, coffee plant cultivation, drying methods, correct storage, renewable methods of disposal, recycling of the coffee and packaging used. A barista can acquire these skills by attending barista training classes, but they are more commonly learned on the job.
origin, and in Italian, a barista is a male or female "bartender
", who typically works behind a counter, serving both hot drinks (such as espresso
), and cold alcoholic
and non-alcoholic beverages, not a coffee-maker specifically.
The native plural in English is baristas, while in Italian the plural is baristi for masculine or mixed sex (baristi: "barmen", "bartenders") or bariste for feminine (bariste: "barmaids").
Formal barista competitions originated in Norway, and today the most prestigious is the World Barista Championship
s, held annually at varied international locations. Baristas worldwide compete, though they must first compete in a competition held in their own country to qualify to enter in the WBC.
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
-based coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
drinks.
Application of the title
Many coffee shops officially use the title for their coffee makers, irrespective of the degree of skill or training involved; it is not a regulated term.Espresso machine
An espresso machine is used to produce the traditional Italian coffee beverage called espresso.-History:The first machine for making espresso was built and patented by Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, who demonstrated a working example at the Turin General Exposition of 1884. He was granted patent no...
, and their role is preparing the shot and pulling the shot; the degree to which this is automated or done manually varies significantly, ranging from push-button operation to an involved manual process. Machines range from manual (lever), where the pressure is applied by hand, to semi-automatic, where the pressure is applied automatically but brew time is selected by the barista, to automatic, where the brew time is also preset (but preparing the grinds is still manual), to super-automatic, where the barista need only load the beans and push a button, but is otherwise completely automated. Espresso is a notoriously finicky beverage, and thus good manual espresso making is considered a skilled task. Further, preparation of other beverages, particularly milk-based drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes, but also non-espresso coffee such as drip or press pot, requires additional work and skill for effective frothing and pouring, most spectacularly, latte art
Latte Art
Latte art is a method of preparing coffee created by pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso and resulting in a pattern or design on the surface of the resulting latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" in the top layer of foam...
.
The barista usually has been trained to operate the machine and to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster or shop owner, while more experienced ones may have discretion to vary preparation or experiment, and a seasoned veteran will of course need little training beyond specifics of equipment and beans used and the shop's preferences. Beyond preparation, baristas may assist customers in selecting the beverage or beans, gauging or learning a customer's preferences.
Beyond the preparation of espresso (and other beverages) and general bartending skills (interaction with customers, handling and scheduling orders, etc.), skilled baristas acquire knowledge of the entire process of coffee to effectively prepare a desired cup of coffee, similar to how a sommelier
Sommelier
A sommelier , or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching...
is familiar with the entire process of wine making and consumption. This knowledge includes the correct operation, maintenance and programming of the machine, grinding and tamping methods, extraction times, water temperature and quality, micro milk frothing, free pouring, latte art
Latte Art
Latte art is a method of preparing coffee created by pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso and resulting in a pattern or design on the surface of the resulting latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" in the top layer of foam...
, roasting, coffee plant cultivation, drying methods, correct storage, renewable methods of disposal, recycling of the coffee and packaging used. A barista can acquire these skills by attending barista training classes, but they are more commonly learned on the job.
Etymology and declension
The word barista is of ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
origin, and in Italian, a barista is a male or female "bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
", who typically works behind a counter, serving both hot drinks (such as espresso
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
), and cold alcoholic
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
and non-alcoholic beverages, not a coffee-maker specifically.
The native plural in English is baristas, while in Italian the plural is baristi for masculine or mixed sex (baristi: "barmen", "bartenders") or bariste for feminine (bariste: "barmaids").
Competition
World Barista Championship
thumb|250px|[[Barista]] [[Gwilym Davies |Gwilym Davies]] at the WBC.The World Barista Championship is the current premier barista competition, with the winners of each national barista championship competing for the world title...
s, held annually at varied international locations. Baristas worldwide compete, though they must first compete in a competition held in their own country to qualify to enter in the WBC.