Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques

By David C. Schomer

Espresso Coffee Professional Techniques has been called the Baristas Bible and for good reason. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0897166159
• ISBN13: 9780897166157
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Espresso Vivace Roasteria
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.5" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

THE Barista's Bible

What a fantastic book for the experienced and aspiring baristi. At the coffee shop that I work at all the staff are required to read this book and for good reasons too. It goes over the essential components of what makes good espresso, such as: -Roasting methods -Proper storage of the beans -Burr grinder settings and maintenance -Espresso machine temperature -Proper dosing, distribution, and packing techniques -Machine cleanliness And that is only a hint of what Schomer has to offer as far as pulling the perfect shot of espresso goes. After reading this book through my shots have improved tremendously. The author takes his coffee very seriously so if you aren't that serious about coffee then you may be a bit intimidated or weirded out by his enthusiasm. But for fellow coffee geeks this book is golden!

Most Practical Espresso book in the Market

I worked for a coffee shop that had about fifteen books on espresso - most of the information given in the book was either flat-out wrong or recipes. One book, I recall very well, stated an espresso shot should run from 18-23 seconds. It's commonly accepted that espresso should run anywhere from 23-30 seconds depending on the blend. I bought the Schomer book because I heard it was the most practical guide to making espresso in the market. That's an understatement. Schomer covers everything you'd need to know to have a basic knowledge, and helped me improve my technique (espresso quality and consistency) by leaps and bounds. Schomer covers distribution techniques, tamping techniques, the roast, environmental factors, and a lot of other things in a straight-forward manner that gives a quick read, but also is very helpful. In three days, my technique went from mediocre to good.

A unique look at espresso from a coffee heretic

David Schomer is the owner/chief roaster at Vivace! in Seattle. His methods (particularly concerning the proper temperature for brewing) are the subject of much discussion, even derision, in the coffee community, because it is hard to get consistent results using his methods. That may be true, but his approach allows you to achieve near perfection about a third of the time, and decent results the rest of the time, while other methods will produce more consistent results, without ever equaling the best he can achieve.If you want to get artistic about your espresso, learn some of the many variables involved, and commence your search for the perfect cup, this is the book for you. Schomer has studied espresso making for decades, with a degree of attention to detail that borders on the fanatical, and his key conclusions are described here in detail.My only complaint is that Schomer doesn't even minimally discuss his techniques for producing rosettes on top of his lattes. I've taken the pilgrimage to Vivace! a few times, and watched how it's done, but after several years of trying a couple of times a day, I'm still not able to get results as good as the people at Vivace! can.I did, however, manage to coerce a few nearly-perfect cups out of my Gaggia Paros before it died, and I have this book to thank for the experience.

Excellent resource for coffee professionals and beginners.

This book is the "bible" for espresso techniques. The author has extensively researched his material and communicates clearly and concisely. Coffee professionals, baristas and those who love the art of coffee will find this book a resource they will return to over and over again. It will also serve as a tremendous training tool for those just starting out in the industry. The author also goes further than simply improving espresso techniques but also includes the importance of perfect milk frothing and steaming which directly influences the total espresso experience. Palates will not be the same after this book!

a very excellent and detail book

This is a must-see book. The author explain the technique and factors in detail and easy way which make you quickly get all the information you need to make a deceant cup of espresso. Writing style is very concise without any redundancies. Two thumps up