Are you Ready for it?
by Chris, Chino Hills Manager and upcoming USCC competitor
Growing up, my mom would wake me up early on a Saturday morning to the smell of bacon & eggs, pancakes, and fresh squeezed orange juice, only to surprise me at the table with, “Today is Spring Cleaning Day”. This dreadful day meant cleaning the house top to bottom, and also purging things we didn’t have any real use for.
Well congratulations, that same day has arrived for you.
Having good spro isn’t just about having the right beans, it’s about what you do with the right stuff.
Here’s a list of things you’ll want to start the process:
- 12oz-2lbs of beans
- If it’s your first time being intentional about your espresso, I recommend our Belle Espresso beans. It’s a Klatch fan favorite, and has commonly appreciated berry and chocolate flavor notes that pair well with milk. It’s also pretty delicious coffee a la carte.
- Scale
- Preferably one that weighs both grams and ounces
- Shot glasses
- Dry towel
- for wiping out your portafilters
- Demitasse spoon
- (that tiny spoon that gets served alongside your espresso)
- An espresso machine
- For home espresso, Breville gets my recommendation every time
- Timer
- (if it’s not built into your espresso machine)
- Espresso grinder
- (if it’s not built into your espresso machine)
Insider Barista Tip
Something to note here is that an espresso grinder is different from your typical coffee grinder in that is calibrated to grind finer and with a range of finer so that you can manipulate your espresso for better quality; whereas a coffee grinder will only give you 1-3 espresso settings that are typically still too coarse for good espresso extraction.
Recommendations
A great option for an all-in-one machine and grinder is the Breville Barista Pro. It’s the first at home machine that (in my humble opinion) makes coffee superheroes and the at home brewer equal in power… “and when everyone is special, no one will be” ....Just kidding, you’re here to become a Starrista and that's what we want to make you!
If you already have an espresso machine at home, then something like the Baratza Sette 270i espresso grinder or the Breville Dose Control Pro are great additions.
Where to Find Home Brewing Espresso Equipment
Viable options for all of this espresso coffee equipment can be found in the merchandise section at Klatchcoffee.com, or if you’re out and about, the majority of this coffee gear is available at your local Kohl’s or Target in the kitchen section.
Either way, you have your marching orders. Once you’ve assembled all the components to this superstar espresso team, we can get to the fun part: dialing in!
Up Next: What’s Love Got to Do With It?
I’m excited to meet you in the next chapter of this book, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” where we will talk about getting to an espresso shot that you’ll love. It’s time to take action, now that we’ve got the right stuff to do so. Are you ready for it?
Want Curated Espresso Delivered to Your Doorstep, Every Month?
2X US Barista Champion and Klatch CEO Heather Perry curates our Klatch Club Espresso Coffee Subscription, so if you’re looking for variety, flexibility, free shipping, and high quality, award-winning espresso, look no further!