Behind the Scenes with Two Baristas

Baristas: they’re the heroes of the morning.  They know your drink when you walk in the door or when they see your car coming in a drive-through. They also know the personal details of dozens of customers. Here two former baristas dish on what it’s really like to work behind the espresso bar and what the average customer might not know.

What is so fancy about pouring a cup of coffee that it requires a professional? There’s more to what they do than mix grounds and water. Leah White was a barista for six years at the Java Haus in Snohomish.

“Coffee to me is science! I can spend all day mixing things together seeing what taste good or bad,” said White.

Many coffee drinkers have taken the first sip and noticed that it’s bitter or doesn’t taste as good as yesterday’s. Kristian Rizuto, who formerly worked at Rainy Days Café in Lake Stevens said the way shots pull from the espresso machine determines how it will taste. She said you can visually tell if a shot is going to be good depending on the color. It should be dark at the bottom and fade to a light caramel on top.

“If it’s a good shot,” said Rizuto, you need to, “immediately put something in shots to preserve the flavor of the shot.” Milk or flavor will do, but if a shot sits unattended it will end up tasting bitter.

When it comes to flavor Rizuto believes the grind is more important than the particular roast of coffee. She admits, “We bought our beans from Costco and nobody noticed when we made the switch.”

On taste White said, “The same coffee will taste different to everyone. One person’s sweet is another person’s ‘Blah!’”

Making coffee isn’t usually classified as a dangerous job, but it does have some hazards. Steamed milk for lattes is usually heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If a customer requests an extra hot drink, the milk can explode splashing onto the barista. Rizuto often wore an apron to protect her clothes, but said most of the damage hit her shoes. White has been burned as well, but says it doesn’t happen often, “once you develop a rhythm.”

Another job hazard is dealing with silly questions from customers. One of Rizuto’s favorites was when people asked for a “caramel macchiato upside down.”  She explained the order of the ingredients is what makes a macchiato and an inverted caramel macchiato is simply a latte with vanilla and caramel flavors. It sounds simple, but she warned against arguing with or trying to educate customers, especially before they’ve had their coffee.

According to White the worst questions are the ones that are never asked – like when a customer never asks for flavor then complains it’s not sweet.

A big part of the job is socializing, according to White. Customers sometimes overshare, or treat their barista like a therapist.

“There are times when there is a lonely customer, someone who had a bad day, or lost a cat and they will vent to me,” said White. It “begins with, me saying ‘Hi.’ After I greet a customer they tell me all their issues but I don’t mind.”

Rizuto had a similar experience. “I knew everything about that man’s life,” she said about a customer who frequented the coffee shop.

For all the things going on behind the counter, from feisty customers to spilled milk, baristas handle it all and usually still have a smile for the next person in line.