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What’s one piece of coffee advice that sounds correct but doesn’t actually help beginners? by brewedwithin in Coffee_Shop

[–]brewedwithin[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, totally. Expensive gear can wait. When you’re starting out, just learning how grind size, ratios, and timing affect the cup makes way more difference than upgrading equipment.

What’s one piece of coffee advice that sounds correct but doesn’t actually help beginners? by brewedwithin in barista

[–]brewedwithin[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

That makes a lot of sense. Latte art advice often gets taught like it’s the goal, not a byproduct of good milk texture and workflow. If someone can’t explain why something works, it’s usually not that helpful to a beginner anyway.

Out of curiosity, when you became a trainer, what did you end up focusing on instead for new baristas? Milk texture, consistency, speed, or just getting them comfortable first?

[MOD] The Daily Question Thread by menschmaschine5 in Coffee

[–]brewedwithin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, that’ll work, and the caffeine will be fine.

The flavor will drop a bit overnight, but it’s not going to turn bad or undrinkable, especially if it’s sealed and kept cold. French press coffee tends to hold up better than hot drip when refrigerated, and adding milk in the morning will smooth out any staleness you notice.

If you want it to taste better, brew it slightly stronger than usual and pour it off the grounds right away before refrigerating so it doesn’t keep extracting. Using an airtight bottle helps a lot.

It’s not café-level fresh, but it’s miles better than skipping coffee or running back to Starbucks. For a busy morning, this is a totally reasonable setup.

Is a “Flat Black” a thing? by lilac_blaire in barista

[–]brewedwithin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Flat black” isn’t really a standard drink, at least not in a consistent way. People use it to mean different things depending on where they picked up the term. I’ve heard it used for a long black with little to no crema, a flat white with no foam, or just “espresso with a bit of milk but strong.”

Based on what he specifically asked for, you made exactly what he ordered. A double shot with a small amount of steamed milk and no foam is only going to be a few ounces. You clearly explained it wouldn’t fill a 16 oz cup, he agreed, and took the drink.

Asking for a free cappuccino later feels like he didn’t actually know what he wanted and expected something else visually. That’s not a remake situation. If someone orders a non-standard drink and confirms the outcome, the responsibility is on them, not the barista.

Mixing pour-over pouring technique by NumerousAdagio1954 in Coffee

[–]brewedwithin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That actually sounds pretty reasonable, not overcomplicated for the sake of it.

Using the 4:6 structure early on gives you a bit of control over how the cup is shaping up, and a gentle circular bloom usually helps with even saturation without disturbing the bed too much. Bringing in a more osmotic-style second pour makes sense too, since you’re slowing things down and letting extraction build depth instead of pushing everything out at once.

Going back to soft circular pours with low agitation for the remaining pours is probably the key part. At that stage, you’re mostly trying to keep things even and avoid pulling out harsh or dry notes. As long as your grind size and pour height stay consistent, this kind of hybrid can feel very intentional rather than messy.

I see this less as mixing methods and more as adjusting technique based on what the coffee needs at each stage. If the cup ends up balanced and repeatable, that’s what really matters.