“Count me as one of the guilty who goes into a restaurant and finds something wrong,”

Guilty. After 17 years in restaurant and having served in some 4-star ones, the service is always the one that get me. I’ve been to some where the server is pleasant, prompt with what we need and impressively enough takes the order without a pad and gets it right through several changes. Now, whether it’s with/without a pad, you’re always going to start somewhere on the table. So why, when the runners bring the food to the table, do they “auction off” the food. God that is annoying. Were they even paying attention?

I think they can enjoy a great cup like Esmeralda, just not to the intimate level as someone who know might. But unless they REALLY believe about the uber quality, it definitely will affect the price we can charge.

That is the inability to actually enjoy something as it is versus just looking to pick it apart? I think our customers are lucky in that they may get more satisfaction out of a great cup than we do

Though when it comes to coffees that require some level of intellectual connection (high price stuff like Esmeralda and all that) does the customer miss out because they don’t quite get what is so amazing about it? Does this restrict how far we can realistically push coffee and price in the next 3-5 years? Perhaps another topic.

Brad: Your point about fresh coffee blonding makes sense. If there is more gas in the brew then there would be more foam which would create a lighter looking colour, probably throughout most of the pour.

As “professionals” I think we need to step away and see the experience for its’ entirety and not micro-focus on just the espresso, ’cause we’re missing the boat. It’s too easy for us to get fixated on the minute bad of what may otherwise be a wonderful experience.

The other weekend, I had dinner at Eleven Madison Park in NYC. To be honest, the food was good, delicious even, but it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had – it didn’t blow me away. If I had only focused on that aspect, it would have been a nice experience. But the reality is that the experience encompasses so much more: from the decor but, more importantly, to the way we were taken care of by the staff (exquisite), and that made for a wonderful experience that propelled that dinner to one of the most memorable.

We have to remember that the customer experience is more than just the coffee.

> the longer the paler pour continues the more increased the bitterness
> in the cup. However for me it is all about balance I struggle to
> find balance in super short shots

The often-espressed gospel that longer pours are bitter is very exaggerated, IMHO. Sure the latter pour contains bitters, but they are very dilute. Longer pours are more often simply more dilute, less acidic pours. And those dilute pours allow flavors to “open,” and allow shots to become refreshing beverages rather than hammer blow ultra-ristrettos.

Sometimes we want a hammer blow, sometimes a love tap — everything has a place and a time, no?

A thought provoking post and thanks for that.