About this Event
Advanced Espresso
Taste, Adjust, Refine: Finding Balance in Every Shot
Building on the foundational skills introduced in our “Intro to Espresso” course, this building block class takes a more critical look at dialing in espresso through the use of our palette, personal evaluation, and intentional recipe adjustments in response to those evaluations. Students explore how acidity, sweetness, and body contribute to a balanced shot while using these sensory characteristics to guide adjustments to grind size, yield, and brew time.
Through a guided but hands off teaching approach, guests apply their understanding and ability to detect strength, extraction, and balance with recipe manipulation all while learning to use industry tools such as dial-in charts and the SCA Sensory Flavor Wheel to evaluate espresso more systematically.
Throughout the session, participants taste, adjust, and refine multiple shots as a team whilst developing their palate as the primary tool for making informed brewing decisions. By dialing in two different coffees from the ground up (Penrose & A Guest Single Origin), students gain practical experience adapting recipes to different coffees while building greater confidence, consistency, and a more thoughtful approach to espresso preparation.
Prior espresso experience is required: participants should arrive with a working knowledge of espresso preparation, including the ability to independently prepare and pull shots.
Required prerequisite course Recommendations:
- Intro to espresso (Click here to see the course!)
Event venue & nearby stays
1600 S 39th St, 1600 South 39th Street, St. Louis, United States
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