Puck prep: WDT and distribution
What happens between the grinder and the group head decides the shot. Clumps, distribution tools, the WDT needle, and which steps are worth the time.
Techniques
Distribution, puck prep, pouring and the habits that make them repeatable.
Articles
Latte art starts in the jug
Most failed patterns were lost during steaming, not pouring. Here is the texture to aim for, the kit that helps, and how to pour a heart.
Tamping: level matters, pressure barely does
Where the 30 lb rule came from, why a level puck beats a hard one, and what to do before the tamper ever touches the coffee.
The barista kit worth buying, and the kit that is not
Six pieces of kit change what comes out of your machine, and a long list of accessories does not. Here is the order to buy in and what each one actually fixes.
Which milk foams best
Protein builds the foam, fat softens it and sugar makes it taste sweet. What that means for whole, skimmed, oat and the rest at the steam wand.
Why your latte tastes thin
A weak latte is usually arithmetic, not a weak machine. Check the ratio, then the shot, then the milk temperature, then the cup, in that order.
Why your milk foam collapses
Foam that splits from the milk has one of four causes. Work through them in this order: air, whirlpool, temperature, and the wait before you pour.