playing at barista

I’ve had a stack of fun over the last few days, pulling a few shifts as a barista.

First stop was getting to play barista with Hazel at Flint & Steel on Thursday morning. I steamed, Hazel extracted, and it was loads of fun chatting as we did so. Drank a few shots of Tanzanian Peaberry (empty demitasse had a distinctly ‘horsey’ aroma), and a pourover brew of Ethiopian Sidamo Dale (hello blueberries!). I came home with a bag of the Dale roasted for espresso as well; stoked! I broke into last night and this morning (roasted on the 14th), and the blueberries are already playing! Can’t wait to see how it develops over the next week or so!

I then pulled two nights at NiteEV’s Café del Freeo, making an enormous number of hot chocolates and a few coffees. Good fun, though it is possibly the worst steam wand in the world on that Grimac. Actually, I’m also quite certain the blasted thing was running way too hot as well, even after stupidly long flushes. Still it was a good chance to practice some latté art I guess ;) 

Other than that … This morning I cupped an El Salvadorian Pacamara that I still haven’t made up my mind about. It is, to be exact: El Salvador - Apa Llamate, Finca Santa Teresa, Bartres Family, washed with mineral water, sun patio dried, USDA Organic, RFA … what a mouthful! In the grinder I got a distinct whiff of pool chlorine, but once wet, the aromas were of sweet caramel and vanilla. I was distracted after that, but came back to it periodically and I really don’t know what I think about it. I’m quite sure I roasted it too light for espresso so will have a play brewing it in filter and syphon, and will take my next batch a bit further along. Oh, and the beans are flippin’ huuuuge!

Pretty sure I’ve had more on my mind but right now I’m sleepy. ‘Night.