abeautifultaste
New member
I’ll try to be brief. Here are the basics:
1. You do need the best espresso you can afford to make. The “espresso taste” can be controlled by adjusting the dose or extraction time (essentially, make a lungo).
2. The rest of the drink will depend on how well you can froth the milk. People love seeing latte art, and your customers will always remember tasting that perfect microfoam.
3. Don’t neglect the quality of your ingredients. A million-dollar espresso machine means nothing if you don’t use the purest water, freshly roasted beans, and high-quality syrups.
Okay, what do you need to make any great espresso + milk beverage?
Make sure you have really clean water running into your espresso machine. Use freshly roasted espresso blend beans (if you can partner with a local roaster, even better). Make sure you dial in the perfect grind size with a burr grinder. And finally, train your baristas to be the best milk-handlers in the city.
So what equipment do you need to make such a great drink?
You’ll need a semi-automatic machine to control how your espresso tastes. Keep in mind that you will want to learn how to pull the best standard shot possible and then adjust from there. There are a few things you can do to make the “espresso taste” less prominent.
First, note that most cafés use a double-shot (or “doppio”) in their lattes, cappuccinos, etcetera. You can make those same drinks, but with only a single-shot.
Another thing you can do is to essentially make each shot a “lungo,” which is a standard shot of espresso made with about 1.5x the volume of water. These taste a little weaker without sacrificing any caffeine your customers might be looking for.
And third, you can simply use fewer coffee grounds than usual when pulling your shot (but you will need to adjust your extraction accordingly). This is basically the same as the first point—you’re simply using less coffee.
Just like the espresso itself, the best milk will come from a well-trained, experienced barista. Any commercial semi-automatic machine will have a powerful steam wand attached to it. Anyone can learn to get really good at using it, so it’s simply a matter of practice, patience, and passion. Invest in an excellent barista, and make them feel at home behind the bar.
To finally answer your question…
Notice that most of what I’ve written has nothing to do with the machine you use. That’s because the most important features come from how you use your equipment and not necessarily which equipment you use.
Now, that doesn’t mean that you should use a $100 Mr. Coffee machine. Obviously, invest in the best machine you can afford, but don’t forget to pay equal attention to the quality of your ingredients, the excellence of your staff, and the culture of your business overall. Those are the things that people remember.
So all that being said, check out brands like Gaggia and La Marzocco. You’ll find those two brands in thousands of coffee shops around the world. Spend as much as you can afford on the best ingredients, the best staff, and an amazing grinder. After that, spend the rest on your machine.
Here are some helpful links:
Whole Latte Love – possibly the best coffee website/company in the world. They have a great store but also a ton of amazing product reviews, videos, blog posts, news stories, etcetera
How to Choose an Espresso Machine – a brief guide to things to look for when purchasing a machine (for home or commercial use)
Seattle Coffee Gear – another really awesome online store especially for commercial equipment
Prima Coffee Equipment – I always have to include Prima because they just carry some really cool stuff (“Third Wave Water,” push tampers, etc.)
1. You do need the best espresso you can afford to make. The “espresso taste” can be controlled by adjusting the dose or extraction time (essentially, make a lungo).
2. The rest of the drink will depend on how well you can froth the milk. People love seeing latte art, and your customers will always remember tasting that perfect microfoam.
3. Don’t neglect the quality of your ingredients. A million-dollar espresso machine means nothing if you don’t use the purest water, freshly roasted beans, and high-quality syrups.
Okay, what do you need to make any great espresso + milk beverage?
Make sure you have really clean water running into your espresso machine. Use freshly roasted espresso blend beans (if you can partner with a local roaster, even better). Make sure you dial in the perfect grind size with a burr grinder. And finally, train your baristas to be the best milk-handlers in the city.
So what equipment do you need to make such a great drink?
You’ll need a semi-automatic machine to control how your espresso tastes. Keep in mind that you will want to learn how to pull the best standard shot possible and then adjust from there. There are a few things you can do to make the “espresso taste” less prominent.
First, note that most cafés use a double-shot (or “doppio”) in their lattes, cappuccinos, etcetera. You can make those same drinks, but with only a single-shot.
Another thing you can do is to essentially make each shot a “lungo,” which is a standard shot of espresso made with about 1.5x the volume of water. These taste a little weaker without sacrificing any caffeine your customers might be looking for.
And third, you can simply use fewer coffee grounds than usual when pulling your shot (but you will need to adjust your extraction accordingly). This is basically the same as the first point—you’re simply using less coffee.
Just like the espresso itself, the best milk will come from a well-trained, experienced barista. Any commercial semi-automatic machine will have a powerful steam wand attached to it. Anyone can learn to get really good at using it, so it’s simply a matter of practice, patience, and passion. Invest in an excellent barista, and make them feel at home behind the bar.
To finally answer your question…
Notice that most of what I’ve written has nothing to do with the machine you use. That’s because the most important features come from how you use your equipment and not necessarily which equipment you use.
Now, that doesn’t mean that you should use a $100 Mr. Coffee machine. Obviously, invest in the best machine you can afford, but don’t forget to pay equal attention to the quality of your ingredients, the excellence of your staff, and the culture of your business overall. Those are the things that people remember.
So all that being said, check out brands like Gaggia and La Marzocco. You’ll find those two brands in thousands of coffee shops around the world. Spend as much as you can afford on the best ingredients, the best staff, and an amazing grinder. After that, spend the rest on your machine.
Here are some helpful links:
Whole Latte Love – possibly the best coffee website/company in the world. They have a great store but also a ton of amazing product reviews, videos, blog posts, news stories, etcetera
How to Choose an Espresso Machine – a brief guide to things to look for when purchasing a machine (for home or commercial use)
Seattle Coffee Gear – another really awesome online store especially for commercial equipment
Prima Coffee Equipment – I always have to include Prima because they just carry some really cool stuff (“Third Wave Water,” push tampers, etc.)
