Need some Barista help! why does a shot go bad?!
Need some Barista help! why does a shot go bad?
I drink just straight esspresso, when ordering it many times they will ask if i want anything to prevent the shots from going bad (usaully because i order several at a time in one cup). They offer milk to water, but if esspresso is made with water, why would water change anything and prevent it from turning bad?
Also what is the term used when making espresso? you brew/or percalate coffee, whats the process called for espresso? Thanks!
Answers:
Where do you get your espresso at? In all my time working as a barista, I never had to "prevent shots from going bad." Of course, a shot can go bad if just left sitting for too long, as the natural crema that is formed on top will die out. The process for making espresso is "pulling," as in "pull a shot of espresso." They might also be referring to the fact that an espresso shot is at its finest within 20 seconds of being pulled. After that, the crema begins to fade and the taste can begin to turn bitter... sometimes when you add milk or water, it changes the makeup of the drink and might make it less bitter―but again, I never had that customers that wanted me to add anything to straight espresso. They would often drink it as is.
Oh, thinking about it, that you order several shots in a cup may be the reason... in the sense that espresso is meant to be enjoyed in a small cup, 1-2 shots max, and in that time the taste is usually still good. If you're having a cup of several, then quite possibly toward the end the espresso will begin to turn bitter. In that case, what milk or water would do is balance the chemical content in such a way that would prevent that. Water can surpsingly do so because by watering the drink down, it turns it into almost a strong regular coffee.
In any case, I've never had espresso with that many shots, nor have I had anyone order it that way, so I am only taking a guess. Do you really drink several shots at a time? If so, I hope you don't do it often―that can be dangerous!