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If you're a new barista wannabe, you need this book I'm sorry about the four stars David, because this is an essential book and indeed it gives the reader most of what he needs to make a truly excellent cup of espresso. Buy it folks. My problem is that this is a very short book and could have been a lot shorter. There is considerably more redundancy than is necessary to get the points across. Otherwise, it's well written and illustrated, providing the insider information you need. However, in the espresso blending section David spends almost two pages avoiding telling you what coffees make good espresso blends. Sure it's subjective, but I guess I felt I was paying for his opinion (which he gives copiously on other espresso issues.) He alludes vaguely to Brazilian and low acid (Brazil has very a wide range of possibilities, only a few of which I think make good coffee of any sort) and that's about it. I'd hoped for more. But there can be no doubt that David knows espresso in every detail. He's spent a lot of time and effort collecting the unique and necessary information he imparts. Plus, he and I agree that the best espresso is made in northern Italy and that most US espresso is charcoal water. So, this is a very expensive book for it's length, but it's definitely worth the price if you want to really understand espresso. A unique look at espresso from a coffee heretic David Schomer is the owner/chief roaster at Vivace! in Seattle. His methods (particularly concerning the proper temperature for brewing) are the subject of much discussion, even derision, in the coffee community, because it is hard to get consistent results using his methods. That may be true, but his approach allows you to achieve near perfection about a third of the time, and decent results the rest of the time, while other methods will produce more consistent results, without ever equaling the best he can achieve. If you want to get artistic about your espresso, learn some of the many variables involved, and commence your search for the perfect cup, this is the book for you. Schomer has studied espresso making for decades, with a degree of attention to detail that borders on the fanatical, and his key conclusions are described here in detail. My only complaint is that Schomer doesn't even minimally discuss his techniques for producing rosettes on top of his lattes. I've taken the pilgrimage to Vivace! a few times, and watched how it's done, but after several years of trying a couple of times a day, I'm still not able to get results as good as the people at Vivace! can. I did, however, manage to coerce a few nearly-perfect cups out of my Gaggia Paros before it died, and I have this book to thank for the experience. Most Practical Espresso book in the Market I worked for a coffee shop that had about fifteen books on espresso - most of the information given in the book was either flat-out wrong or recipes. One book, I recall very well, stated an espresso shot should run from 18-23 seconds. It's commonly accepted that espresso should run anywhere from 23-30 seconds depending on the blend. I bought the Schomer book because I heard it was the most practical guide to making espresso in the market. That's an understatement. Schomer covers everything you'd need to know to have a basic knowledge, and helped me improve my technique (espresso quality and consistency) by leaps and bounds. Schomer covers distribution techniques, tamping techniques, the roast, environmental factors, and a lot of other things in a straight-forward manner that gives a quick read, but also is very helpful. In three days, my technique went from mediocre to good. taste don't read If you have tasted the coffee at Vivacci, you know this guy is serious. It's the best I've had anywhere in the known world. The book is extremely detailed, just like his training for his Baristas. Go drink. Read. Buy. Enjoy the best. THE Barista's Bible What a fantastic book for the experienced and aspiring baristi. At the coffee shop that I work at all the staff are required to read this book and for good reasons too. It goes over the essential components of what makes good espresso, such as: -Roasting methods -Proper storage of the beans -Burr grinder settings and maintenance -Espresso machine temperature -Proper dosing, distribution, and packing techniques -Machine cleanliness And that is only a hint of what Schomer has to offer as far as pulling the perfect shot of espresso goes. After reading this book through my shots have improved tremendously. The author takes his coffee very seriously so if you aren't that serious about coffee then you may be a bit intimidated or weirded out by his enthusiasm. But for fellow coffee geeks this book is golden! See also:
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