One Day Barista Training at the New Jersey Coffee School

Such a special experience and a reminder that most of the time, it’s later than you think.  New Jersey Coffee School at the Monroe Center is closing in Hoboken after a 3-year run. They are now offering on-site training to their hospitality clientele, still a successful business, but no longer serving as a stand-alone training space. I enrolled in Day One of their 3-Day Barista training just before the closing was announced.

I have probably done “the 10,000 hours” in food but my experience in beverages is limited.  Specifically, I am looking to purchase an at home espresso maker and taking the class provided me with an overview of the equipment. Coffee’s definitely got its fix on us.  I gained a better understanding of the history of coffee, farming, and the coffee production process, from bean to first sip.

Matcha and Chai have reached a tipping point in the States with the class also exploring these relatively newer entries to the U.S. beverage scene.  We made the standard espresso, latte and cappuccino drinks.  I left the class percolating with ideas, wired but happy, out of my comfort zone, but knowing what next steps to take.  Who knows, I may have even found a business idea or two to explore.

The coffee making process is persnickety, learning to tamp, balancing ratios of coffee to water, coffee and milk, steaming and cleaning the equipment.  A shout out to the baristas who handle shots, pumps, refreshers, pour overs, not to mention drips, during their shifts. With its approximately 33 coffee shops, Hoboken is sure to miss the energy this school provided.

This class did not focus on latte art, as you can see from the below.



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