Barista training is now available in Galway, So what is a Barista? the dictionary says it is a person who makes and serves coffee ( as espresso ) to the public. That is it in a nutshell, however it is easier said than done.
Did you know that every time a barista takes ground coffee from the grinder it will be 17 grams for a double shot and half that for a single shot? Each shot of liquid espresso is 30 ml and it must come through the espresso machine in 25 seconds + or - 5 seconds. These are just a few of the facts that any barista has to know and to check each day on their equipment to make sure you get a really good coffee.
In fact a really good barista will know as much about coffee as a sommelier does about wine. Where its grown, how it is picked, how it is washed, how it is dried and how it is roasted are the kind of things barista professionals learn about.
In fact it is becoming a career choice for many people and not just a fill- in job while in college. It is also a career which will allow you to work in any corner of the world. There is pour over coffee, filter coffee, single estate coffee, single varietal coffee, latte art, the art of cupping (coffee tasting ) and lots lots more to learn about.
The retail coffee business in Ireland is about 100 million Euro per annum while the spending in coffee shops is about three times that.Last year Ireland hosted the World Barista championships and just a week or two ago we had the Irish latte Art championship in Belfast with the winner going on to represent Ireland at the world championships in Budapest.
We have come a long way in the last few years and Dublin is now ranked in the top five places to imbibe your favourite coffee. All of this expertise has to be learned and there is now a facility in Galway that teaches both complete novices and people who have been serving coffee for years.
It is in Briarhill in Ballybrit and is called Rosta Coffee Galway. Details of the courses are available by email from [email protected].
The course lets the students work on the exact type of equipment in any good cafe/restaurant/pub and allows loads of hands-on time pulling shots and steaming milk.
The courses are small three or maximum four people to allow for the practical elements. The demand seems to be from students who would like to have a certificate and some training to help them get a summer or part time job, however the course is equally suite to all coffee enthusiasts.
If travelling to Australia you would not be considered for a job in a coffee place without previous training.
