If you’re ready to immerse yourself in the nutty, vibrant world of coffee, you probably want to do more than drink it. You can enjoy the rich history, origins, and flavours of coffee in more ways than just drinking it. So why not learn more about coffee and become a barista? You can begin a fulfilling, fast-paced career in a field that inspires you. If you just want to dabble, that’s okay too. Either way, learning more about your passion is always a fun pastime. So, let’s talk about coffee and how you can learn more about it.
Get Reading
As with anything humans can obsess over, you’ll find a wealth of information if you just look. Whether you search online or join a library, getting hold of as much reading material as you can is a brilliant first step. Think about it: you’ve already tasted coffee, but books and articles can teach you more about various types of coffee, their origins, flavour profiles, roasts, and brewing methods. The theory behind coffee is a step towards discovering what you already know and have yet to learn. This gives you a springboard to discuss coffee with other connoisseurs and glean some practical knowledge.
Attend Coffee Events
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s an annual coffee convention. Each year, fellow brew enthusiasts gather to sip and natter over the finer details and intricacies of coffee. Conventions are an excellent opportunity to meet people you may otherwise not meet and to taste a comprehensive range of coffee drinks. You’ll learn the more practical aspects of smelling, tasting, brewing, texturing and more – the things that books may not teach you. If you can’t make it to the convention, you may be able to find tours at local roasteries and brewers. Never underestimate the opportunity to learn in a relaxed environment.
Experiment at Home
You don’t have to buy the most expensive commercial coffee equipment to get started at home. You can find reviews on various machines within your price range and learn the ropes with a more hands-on approach. To start, you can consider an espresso machine, a bean grinder, and a milk frother. Remember, coffee enthusiasts often prefer traditional methods over pod machines. While you can find delicious, high-quality pods with various types of coffee, this does leave you with less room to experiment with roasts and brewing methods. Before you make a purchase, consider what functionality each piece of equipment will offer and how much space you will have for creativity.
Enrol in a Barista Course
No matter how you embark on your caffeinated journey, attending a reputable course can accelerate your learning, teaching you in a few days what might take weeks or months to learn on your own. The correct course will be accredited or nationally recognised, giving you a hands-on learning experience on incredible commercial equipment and the theory to back it up. If buying equipment isn’t an option for you, a barista course is perfect, not to mention it’s the most efficient way to secure a job as a barista.
Some of the things a barista course will teach you:
- Pulling the perfect espresso
- Texturing milk
- Learning latte art
- Appreciating coffee
- Cleaning and maintaining coffee equipment
- Practicing food safety
No matter how you learn more about coffee and use your knowledge to become a barista, your career will keep you on your toes and learning – because there’s always a new blend, roast, brew, method, and more. Why not make a beeline to the coffee industry and enrol in a master barista course today?
