AMA Ask a barista anything. <3

[Gold]

Maybe this'll be a good introduction for me. My job is my passion and I'd love to answer whatever it is you have for me.

 

[OmegaPunch's icon OmegaPunch OmegaPunch]

Not to sound intrusive, but:
Are you a man or a woman?
Also, how was your day?

 

[Gold]

Not to sound intrusive, but:
Are you a man or a woman?
Also, how was your day?

I'm a man, and my day was productive.

 

[OmegaPunch's icon OmegaPunch OmegaPunch]

Another Question:
What's your favorite movie/show?

 

[Gold]

Another Question:
What's your favorite movie/show?

If you count animated short films it's Chuck Jones' Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

 

[Antihero]

---

Let's begin:
1. As written in the thread, do you work as a barista?
2. Are you from Philippines? If not, then where?
3. What do you like to do in your free time?

 

[Antilocal123]

Wagwan Booster Gold—would you rather your breath smell like Wolverine every time you burp or yawn or have a realistic fart sound effect play each time you laughed and or chuckled?

 

[Gold]

---

Let's begin:
1. As written in the thread, do you work as a barista?
2. Are you from Philippines? If not, then where?
3. What do you like to do in your free time?

1. Yes, I'm a barista at a local coffee shop I would one day like to purchase and run with my husband.
2. I was born in Aswan, Egypt and moved to the North American midwest when I was very young.
3. I really enjoy cooking and I'm an avid reader. As long as it's hot out I love to swim, sunbathe, and go for boat rides.

Wagwan Booster Gold—would you rather your breath smell like Wolverine every time you burp or yawn or have a realistic fart sound effect play each time you laughed and or chuckled?

That's a troubling question that has no right answer, but I guess the second option could make people laugh? Will gum or breath mints help with the first?

 

[Antihero]

1. Yes, I'm a barista at a local coffee shop I would one day like to purchase and run with my husband.
2. I was born in Aswan, Egypt and moved to the North American midwest when I was very young.
3. I really enjoy cooking and I'm an avid reader. As long as it's hot out I love to swim, sunbathe, and go for boat rides.

Thanks for answering! so your egyptian eh! Then you must surely know Mohamed Salah!?

 

[Gold]

Thanks for answering! so your egyptian eh! Then you must surely know Mohamed Salah!?

I know the name and the face but I never followed sports too closely.

 

[PrismRed]

Does some people really order an outrageous mumbo jumbo coffee?
Like half caffe decaff mint mocha latte, foam on the bottom, served in a flower vase and throw in a green food coloring type of thing?

 

[RyougiShiki66]

Hi Gold ,

My first question obviously is , which systems do you game on the most ?
Second Question , Since you are a Barista , which is your favorite Coffee Blend to drink/serve ?

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

What’s your favorite coffee bean?

 

[Gold]

Does some people really order an outrageous mumbo jumbo coffee?
Like half caffe decaff mint mocha latte, foam on the bottom, served in a flower vase and throw in a green food coloring type of thing?

Maybe not that wild, but yes people do get fairly specific. I've had more than my share ask for blends of things that really do not belong together and I was forced to suppress my distaste for making it. Some people are very finnicky about the layering order too.

Hi Gold ,

My first question obviously is , which systems do you game on the most ?
Second Question , Since you are a Barista , which is your favorite Coffee Blend to drink/serve ?

I've always been partial to Nintendo systems but I dabble with others. I play my Switch quite often.
I'm partial to Onyx and Black & White brands, with Onyx and the Natural being favorites. I like trying new things though and I try to explore as many flavors as possible. I typically favor fruitier medium-dark blends.

Not here to ask just to share my condolences of having to sometimes suffer the the wrath of coffee addicts I feel your pain from my time in the hospitality/food industry. Unsung heroes handling the rage some display.

I use to think I had an addiction problem, but then I realized it was only a problem because people told me it was. Sure I need it to feel normal and not grouchy or sad, and yes I use it as both a crutch and a security blanket, but I absolutely don't have a problem! Nope, I'm in total control.

What’s your favorite coffee bean?

I always find myself swaying towards unwashed Ethiopian beans.

 

[Zooey]

I worked as a barista for about 5-6 years, made coffee for Jessica Alba, Jack Black, and Alan Covert. And heres the things that pissed me off:

1. Customers that have strange orders, such as, "A mocha with no espresso", essentially a hot chocolate.
2. Customers from Seattle. They want you to know they are from Seattle, and they're a coffee expert.
3. Customers who stand over the bar watching you like a hawk, scrutinizing your every move.
4. Customers with extremely elaborate orders, but dont tip.

Theres probably a bunch of other stuff im forgetting. Sometimes i miss the job, but other times i dont. Some people take it way too seriously and act like a total snob, others are just quick and easy, "ill take a nonfat latte".

 

[Gold]

I worked as a barista for about 5-6 years, made coffee for Jessica Alba, Jack Black, and Alan Covert. And heres the things that pissed me off:

1. Customers that have strange orders, such as, "A mocha with no espresso", essentially a hot chocolate.
2. Customers from Seattle. They want you to know they are from Seattle, and they're a coffee expert.
3. Customers who stand over the bar watching you like a hawk, scrutinizing your every move.
4. Customers with extremely elaborate orders, but dont tip.

Theres probably a bunch of other stuff im forgetting. Sometimes i miss the job, but other times i dont. Some people take it way too seriously and act like a total snob, others are just quick and easy, "ill take a nonfat latte".

That #4 can be a real bummer that you never get used to. I don't usually mind strange orders if they're clear about what they want even if it's silly like your first point, but it's the ones who are super vague or don't really know what they want, or when they just ask for something impossible or too demanding. I take some pride in my work so I enjoy when people watch me work, but if you mean what I think you do and you're talking about the ones who are doing it to backseat and judge or coach you then yeah, blegh.

My least favorite type of customers though are the ones who get creepy or pervy, making uncomfortable comments or getting friendlier than they should. I'm sure you can get that in any service job but it comes up too often for me. I have an old man regular who I thought was really sweet and nice because he really is sweet and nice to your face, but over time I started getting stranger danger vibes with him, like saying he likes how much """love""" I put into my drinks and co-workers telling me he started only coming in when certain people (like me) are working.

 

[Gorse]

Hey, Gold! Glad to have you on the forum! As a matter of fact, I’m not going to ask you a coffee question, I’ll be asking some other ones:

• What are some books that you’ve really enjoyed, and why? Extra points for obscurity.
• What’s something special that you value in video games? Again, points for answers outside of the typical gameplay/graphics/music/story spread.
• I lied earlier, I actually am going to ask you a coffee question. What’s something that you, a coffee professional, would recommend to us java novices?

Look forward to hearing back from you! ?

 

[Gold]

Hey, Gold! Glad to have you on the forum! As a matter of fact, I’m not going to ask you a coffee question, I’ll be asking some other ones:

• What are some books that you’ve really enjoyed, and why? Extra points for obscurity.
• What’s something special that you value in video games? Again, points for answers outside of the typical gameplay/graphics/music/story spread.
• I lied earlier, I actually am going to ask you a coffee question. What’s something that you, a coffee professional, would recommend to us java novices?

Look forward to hearing back from you! ?

Hello, Gorse. <3 Glad to meet you, and everyone here.

1. I'm a little boring if I'm honest, and my favorite novel is Treasure Island. It's one of the first books I ever read and it made me fall in love with reading. I also really love a lot of works by H.P. Lovecraft, Robert W. Chambers, and Octavia Butler because they changed what I thought fiction was and opened my mind to all kinds of bizarre and outside ideas. I fancy myself a bit of a mystery geek too, so I'm big on the likes of A.C.D., Agatha Christie, and Ann Cleeves (fascinating they're all A names.)

2. I really enjoy games that do something different in a really natural feeling way. Like you know what I mean? Those games that you play for hours before you even think about how unique it really is instead of making its whole identity that thing. Have you played Folklore for the PS3? I think that's a good example.

3. You dirty fibber. It depends what you already discovered you like and what you have interest in. Are you interested in strength? Pungency? Milky or not milky? Sometimes the best you can do is go into a reputable coffee house and ask them what they like, or to even make you their favorite drink. My favorites are medium-dark cinnamon lattes with extra foam and a little hint of some kind of berry syrup, like black currant or raspberry.

 

[Zooey]

That #4 can be a real bummer that you never get used to. I don't usually mind strange orders if they're clear about what they want even if it's silly like your first point, but it's the ones who are super vague or don't really know what they want, or when they just ask for something impossible or too demanding. I take some pride in my work so I enjoy when people watch me work, but if you mean what I think you do and you're talking about the ones who are doing it to backseat and judge or coach you then yeah, blegh.

My least favorite type of customers though are the ones who get creepy or pervy, making uncomfortable comments or getting friendlier than they should. I'm sure you can get that in any service job but it comes up too often for me. I have an old man regular who I thought was really sweet and nice because he really is sweet and nice to your face, but over time I started getting stranger danger vibes with him, like saying he likes how much """love""" I put into my drinks and co-workers telling me he started only coming in when certain people (like me) are working.

The number 4 i've had stuff like:
- 1/3rd soy, 1/3rd nonfat, 1/3rd whole (ok, not too crazy)
- with french vanilla, but made with sugarfree hazelnut + regular vanilla (ok, maybe they don't like sugar free vanilla)
- heated upto 160 degrees, then cooled down with 2 ice cubes both cut in half
And the order just goes on and on, no tip, super elaborate, like its a designer drug.

The first point, i've had, "iced mocha with no espresso", i've also had, "iced latte with no espresso". And its like, ok so a iced mocha is milk, espresso, and chocolate sauce. If you remove the espresso, its literally a cup of chocolate milk. But obviously you cant tell the customer that, you have to go thru with the order and present it to them how they asked, even though they just ordered a cup of chocolate milk.

Most of the time i wouldn't mind a customer standing over me watching, maybe they're curious, maybe they're entertained by the rhythm (id work one of those large LaMarzocco machines). But occasionally you'd get someone who would watch intensely. They might groan a little, or they might ask you to repour a shot, "let it run a little longer so the shots watered down", etc etc, like a backseat driver. Usually they're from Seattle. Love the customers from Portland, but the ones from Seattle were the bane of my existence.

I dont miss the job, its like 20 years since i did it, and my wrists still have carpal tunnel from working the portafilters. It requires a special amount of patience, some chill customers, some high maintenance.

 

[Darth Vader]

Are you loyal to the empire, and will you serve as my personal barista? Are you familiar with space brews?

 

[Gold]

Are you loyal to the empire, and will you serve as my personal barista? Are you familiar with space brews?

I would never support or serve the empire.

 

[Taukyrie]

If you could play any game for the first time again, what game would that be and why?

What is your opinion on tea?

 

[trickybus]

Hi Gold! I like your Discowing pfp

Do you have a preferred pour over method?

Do you remember anything about your birthplace?

Since you enjoy cooking, is there a specific cuisine/flavor profile you like the most?

 

[Gold]

If you could play any game for the first time again, what game would that be and why?

What is your opinion on tea?

I think maybe it would be a Final Fantasy or Pokemon game. I enjoy some tea.

 

[Karnik 2.0: reboot]

Hello and welcome. I have asked this question to others, but maybe you can answer me better. Why has the cost of coffee increased so much in recent years (at the supermarket and especially in bars)? I am referring mainly to Europe, but I think it depends on America. Regards.