4 Tips for recognizing a good coffee at the bar

A good coffee must be prepared with care and attention by the barista, using high quality beans and a well-maintained coffee machine. Drinking a good coffee at a bar is not a given, here are some tips to understand if the coffee you are drinking is really good.

CLEANING

The first thing to note is the cleanliness of the bar station, in particular the coffee machine and the steam wand for frothing the milk.
The grinder bell must not have traces of grease on the edges. The latter normally makes the coffee rancid and is not good.
It is very important to clean the filter, or the filter holder and arm, using a special brush or rag. Furthermore, before inserting the filter to make coffee into the machine, the barista must activate the purge, i.e. let the water flow from the appropriate shower head in order to eliminate the residues of previous extractions.

THE GRINDING

It is important to grind the right dose of blend for the espresso and the correct pressing always carried out from top to bottom.

THE SERVICE

All accessories such as the cup, saucer and spoon must always be perfectly clean.
In particular, the barista will always and only touch the handle of the cup.

TASTE THE COFFEE

Once served it is very important to smell the coffee to capture its aromas.
The coffee should have an intense aroma and characteristic of roasting and it is important that the cream is a hazelnut color with streaks. In the case of a well-made coffee, the cream must be thick, homogeneous and compact.

A poorly made coffee can be a coffee " under-extracted” with the typical evanescent cream.