How to Make Barista Style Coffee From the Comfort of your Home

Many believe that to prepare a perfect coffee it is enough to have a well-functioning coffee machine. In reality this is not the case: making coffee is also a matter of experience , there are little secrets you need to know. That's why we've put them all together in this article!

The truth is that making a barista style coffee at home requires the right coffee machines, the perfect grind, and freshly roasted coffee beans.

If you have just purchased your first barista style coffee machine like NEW Gaggia Classic Pro, this article will help you.

Step 1: Get the Quality Coffee Beans

Selecting the right coffee beans is vital to make a tasty barista coffee. You can buy quality beans such as Calima that is the perfect single-origin Colombian coffee or Bravo to bring the European coffee taste to your home. Cafe Moda and The Smuggler will bring you a unique aroma and distinctive rich flavour that no other bean can deliver.

 All the mentioned coffee beans are excellent options to start brewing if you're unsure what type of coffee to use. They are freshly roasted and are rich in flavours as well!

Using quality coffee beans will be the first and one of the most important steps!

Step 2: Use the Coffee Grinder Wisely  

Grinding coffee beans is another very important step in the process of making a barista like coffee. If you grind the beans too coarse it will over-extract the flavour, resulting in a sour taste. On the other hand, grinding too fine will give coffee a bitter taste.

You need to grind carefully so that you can get the exact flavour similar to barista coffee.

Firstly, you need to know how much coffee beans you’re going to use to make the perfect cup.

A scale will help you to achieve the right balance and strength.

For perfect grinding, we can suggest a few from our product line such as Eureka Mignon Manuale and Obel- Mito Touch. Or, you can go for a complete home barista kit to make the barista coffee at home in no time.

Step 3: Store Coffee In A Ceramic Canister

Coffee should be stored in an air-tight canister that is protected from the sun once it has been opened. In addition, coffee should always be stored in a dark-colored ceramic or glass container to keep it fresh.

Coffee storage containers like Airscape® Classic, Airscape® Kilo, and Airscape® Ceramic are best to store all types of coffee.

Step 4: Use Filtered Water

When it comes to brewing coffee, it's all about the water. That's why most coffee and espresso drinks are made with filtered water. You can keep a pitcher of filtered water in the fridge. And brewing coffee with filtered water heated between 195°F and 250°F at home.

Step 5: A Brewing Method

Because not all brewing methods are created equal, you'll want to pick one that fits your lifestyle the best. For example, an automatic drip coffeemaker is your best bet for a consistent, mild cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, if you want a bolder, darker brew, the French Press is a great, low-maintenance option. On the other hand, an excellent pour-over might suffice if you just want a smooth cup for one.

Whatever method you choose, keep in mind that you'll need to adjust the coarseness of your coffee grind. Not sure how to grind your coffee beans? We offer complementary grinding based on your machine selected prior to shipping!

Step 6: Clean Your Coffeemaker Often

Oil is found in coffee beans. If you don't clean your coffee pot, the oil will remain in it. You'll brew more coffee the next day, and the oil will impact the flavor.

Most cafes clean their coffee and espresso machines daily for this reason. If you don't clean your coffeemaker frequently, the coffee will taste burnt due to the oil accumulated in the pot. For a better and cleaner coffee experience, go ahead and check out all the different coffee cleaning products we have on display to suit your particular coffee machine.

Step 7: Steam Your Milk

Did you know you can make your own steamed milk at home? If you enjoy lattes and cappuccinos in the morning, then you can invest in an electric milk frother. Alternatively, you can sign up to our Advanced Latte Art Course that will transform your coffee skills!

1. Fill the correct size milk jug with fresh cold milk, to at least 1/3 full.

2. Before use, open the steam valve to clear any water from the steam wand – this is called “purging”. This prevents diluting the milk.

3.  To stretch the milk, lower the jug so the steam tip is just below the surface of the milk. If you hold the jug too low, it will make large bubbles which is not ideal. Hold the milk jug so the steam wand is off centre, to spin the milk creating a whirlpool motion.
4. To heat the milk, hold the milk jug so the steam tip is nearer to the bottom of the jug, then fully open the steam valve. This process should be reasonably quiet – if there is a high-pitched sound, then the steam wand is too low in the jug. Be careful not to steam/heat too long, as it will burn the milk. You should use a thermometer to prevent under/overheating the milk. A rough guide is the “3 second rule” – once the milk is up to temperature, which should be 65 – 68C for full cream milk, you shouldn’t be able to comfortably hold the outside of the jug for more than 3 seconds.

5. Turn the steam valve off.

6.  Wipe the milk off the steam wand with a soft, damp cloth and purge.

7.  Tap the jug on the bench once to remove any large bubbles, if necessary.

The Bottom line

In short, what are the optimal parameters that a barista must take into consideration to serve the best coffee? How do you make coffee as good as a barista?

• Coffee quality, understood as the chosen brand and blend
• Grinding, the more humid the air, the finer it must be
• Quantity of ground beans for each coffee, from 7 to 8 grams
• Pressing the coffee into the arm, a force of 12 kg should be applied
• Machine working pressure, between 8.5 and 9.5 bar, the ideal one must be around 9 atmospheres
• Water temperature, ideally it should be around 88/90 ° C
• Coffee brewing time, the water must flow inside the powder, with a process called percolation, from 23 to 25 seconds
• Daily cleaning of the filter holder

As simple as it may seem, the job of the barista is quite delicate and sometimes complex! Knowing how to regulate the grinding of the coffee, correctly setting up the coffee machine and above all knowing how to recognize a good coffee from a lesser one is a task that not even all baristas know how to do. Precisely for this reason there are professional coffee courses which, even for those who already carry out this profession, could be very useful for improving skills and competences during service.