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  • Dragunov21
    replied
    Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
    FWIW, I suspect it's unlikely a barista would be keen to dial "out" for your lungo and then dial back for espresso. Too time consuming and wasteful.
    This is what I'm thinking.

    As for the attitude, not acceptable if it's objectively as-described, but on the other hand, you never know what's going on in the other bloke's head, and it could well be that he cops requests for off-menu drinks often enough for it to be a pain (as a presumably busy person) to explain to everyone why they won't do xyz.

    Leave a comment:


  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    The poster in question is just another of the recent wave of Ray-clones it appears. Whatever gets one through the night I guess.....

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Originally posted by Dimal View Post
    Well, don't drink them then...

    Mal.
    Thanks Mal,

    Was going to respond, then thought, it simply ain't worth the effort.

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Originally posted by JavaBeanery View Post
    Well, I think lungos are featuring way too much of the ass end... the blond end in espresso...
    Well, don't drink them then...

    Mal.

    Leave a comment:


  • JavaBeanery
    replied
    Well, I think lungos are featuring way too much of the ass end... the blond end in espresso...

    Leave a comment:


  • BangalowBarista
    replied
    With all due respect there are also a couple of different definitions of Lungo on the net. A couple I read did not mention a coarser grind, merely extracting for longer. Not surprised the Barista didn't make it. However, rudeness is never ok in customer service and the service you received was not good enough.

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    G'day Yelta,

    FWIW, I suspect it's unlikely a barista would be keen to dial "out" for your lungo and then dial back for espresso. Too time consuming and wasteful.

    Perhaps a long black would suffice? Double over water is still a great drink when expertly pulled.

    I think you may have to bend a little when you're out mate.... and when home, you get to roll your own!

    Cheers

    Chris

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Originally posted by GrahamK View Post
    I'm curious why the grinder settings need changing, all the descriptions of "lungo" I have seen are basically a std Espresso but with the extraction continued to around 90ml, so weakening it and extracting more of the bitter elements?
    Not quite Graham, a lungo needs a slightly coarser grind than a standard espresso, lungo extraction = approx 90ml in 30 seconds, running a shot of espresso to 90ml would take over a minute and would be well and truly over extracted.

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Originally posted by Bosco_Lever View Post
    A good business knows and promotes that it cannot be everything to everyone.
    The establishment in question (for those who do not know it) is owned by a very passionate coffee roaster who knows his stuff, and hires good staff. They are a former sponsor.
    This is not a question of a barista not knowing his products, simply a case of him choosing to refuse to serve an off the menu item. It makes great business sense, and he must be commended for it, and not derided.
    To make the Lungo, he would need to adjust the grinder whilst grinding and waste at least two doses. One dose for the lungo, and another two doses to dial the grinder back to espresso setting. About 100g of coffee. At $30/kg (approx wholesale value of coffee, even if they roast their own), cost is $3, plus time. For a lungo that would sell for no more than $4, it is clear the establishment would lose money.
    As there was no offer of paying extra for an off the menu product, the barista is in the right.
    Whilst competition is fierce today, pandering to the free babychino, free extra shot, etc etc crowd, is not good business sense. Yelta is free to go elsewhere, but sorry to say, I know there is not much in the vicinity, and certainly not a place able to produce a good lungo.
    In the past the said establishment has always provided excellent service and the proprietor has gone over the top sometimes with what he has offered or given away. It is an establishment that I have, and will continue to visit frequently.

    I am pretty sure that though this one time, you did not get exactly what you wanted, in the past the service and product was above standard and hence why you "were" a regular.

    On another note, given that 90% of beverages served in cafes etc are espresso based milk beverages, asking for something such as a lungo, you must expect that it is a tall order, especially for Adelaide, and in that neck of the woods.
    Agree with most of what you say here Bosco, my issue was with the unnecessary attitude.

    Leave a comment:


  • Barry_Duncan
    replied
    While baristas and wait staff should try to remain pleasant, dealing with the public is not always easy.

    While serving coffee to my friends they have told me I should open a café. I say NO. I don’t mind making coffee for friends and being pleasant to them for about an hour at a time but to do it all day would be impossible for me.

    Barry

    Leave a comment:


  • speleomike
    replied
    Hi all

    Many years ago my wife and I (or was she my girlfriend then? it was quite a while ago ) asked at the bar in Jenolan Caves House for a cappuccino and the waiter there said "Oh do I have to make one of those, their so complicated.". Yes please :-)
    And she did make it OK.

    Mike

    Leave a comment:


  • TOK
    replied
    Originally posted by EspressoAdventurer View Post
    .......
    IMO some of the responsibility could to be sheeted home to the fresh coffee industry (some suppliers.... note). That is that
    the training given to the cafe is lacking. In general the training by suppliers of the beans ( and then often machine and grinder)
    It appears they only train how / what's required to serve a cup / this is how you do iut etc ertc rote form
    In general the operator cannot answer basic questions regarding the cup they serve.
    - Do you serve a single or dble shot? What size basket / amt of grnd coffee is in your shot? What temp do you serve the cup? (flat white) Etc etc.
    ......!
    Agreed, these days Australia generally has a higher standard of cafe "espresso" coffee than many other countries.

    However, with regard to the passage quoted, I am afraid this is another Yes and No scenario, and I am glad you wrote "...SOME of the responsibility could be sheeted home to the fresh coffee industry (some suppliers...note)..."

    Most roaster/suppliers really are over people telling them that if some galloot in a cafe makes a bad coffee, that its their (the suppliers) problem, if its an observation that is made "carte blanche" (and as I said at the beginning, I know it wasnt)....just saying.... If we were to apply that sentiment to all industry, that would for example, make General Motors responsible for the driving habits of and ongoing training to, everyone driving their commodores

    When can we expect that people working in cafes are going to take enough interest in their professions, to take some responsibility for gaining the expertise they require to do their job properly?

    My vote is for all roaster suppliers to withdraw all branding, and for all people that want to own, or manage, or work in cafes, to take some responsibility for all the products they purvey especially those they remanufacture (coffee being only one of them...).

    And so to add to the quoted passage, SOME of the responsibility should be taken by cafe owners and managers that are employing people who lack expertise OR who wont train (or obtain training) or supervise their staff....

    Now what was the original topic...oh yeah surly barista. The type of coffee requested has nothing to do with anything. Its nothing more than an attitude problem, and with the attitude displayed, I wouldnt go back. You can handle almost any scenario, if you do it with diplomacy and with regard to the fact that the person you are interacting with is a client and represents dollar signs. A bad attitude problem in a cafe means the axons and dendrites floating around in someones head havent yet made the connection, that bad attitude ultimately means lower revenue in the back pocket, coupled to the fact that people talk leading to even less revenue, and that = stoopid.
    Last edited by TOK; 4 November 2014, 07:49 AM.

    Leave a comment:


  • herzog
    replied
    Originally posted by Bosco_Lever View Post
    On another note, given that 90% of beverages served in cafes etc are espresso based milk beverages, asking for something such as a lungo, you must expect that it is a tall order, especially for Adelaide, and in that neck of the woods.
    I guess that raises the other issue.

    On a board like this, we are enthusiasts and hobbyists. Not everyone working behind a coffee machine is as "into it" as us however.

    If you've ever seen George Constanza and "Eric" The Clown, you'll get what I'm saying.

    George v Bozo the Clown on Youtube

    A lungo is a very obscure version of coffee, and when you order something like this, in some cases the person making the coffee may interpret it as an attempt to humiliate them. (Not saying it was the case in this instance).

    Leave a comment:


  • Bosco_Lever
    replied
    Originally posted by Yelta View Post
    Called into one of the better known and well rated coffee places on the Main North road in Adelaide a few days ago, ordered a cappuccino for my wife obviously without any drama, then instead of ordering my usual doppio espresso when out and about thought I would test the water by asking for something different.

    I asked the young lady behind the counter for a lungo, and the response was, whats that, I explained that if she told the barista what I wanted he would understand, which she did, I could see their interaction, it ended with mr barista shaking his head, she came back and said no can do.

    Soooo, I had the temerity to approach the barista and plead my case, and was told in a surly manner that their beans are not suited to that type of drink, when I attempted to explain that what I wanted was not a long black or an Americano but a slightly courser grind with an extraction of approx 90ml in 30 seconds he shook his head and went on with his work.

    My wife enjoyed her coffee, I ended up not ordering anything.

    No, they were not busy, I suspect the guy didn't know what a lungo was and was certainly not prepared to listen to my explanation or even attempt to make what I requested, regardless, his attitude has cost them a regular customer, I won't return.
    A good business knows and promotes that it cannot be everything to everyone.
    The establishment in question (for those who do not know it) is owned by a very passionate coffee roaster who knows his stuff, and hires good staff. They are a former sponsor.
    This is not a question of a barista not knowing his products, simply a case of him choosing to refuse to serve an off the menu item. It makes great business sense, and he must be commended for it, and not derided.
    To make the Lungo, he would need to adjust the grinder whilst grinding and waste at least two doses. One dose for the lungo, and another two doses to dial the grinder back to espresso setting. About 100g of coffee. At $30/kg (approx wholesale value of coffee, even if they roast their own), cost is $3, plus time. For a lungo that would sell for no more than $4, it is clear the establishment would lose money.
    As there was no offer of paying extra for an off the menu product, the barista is in the right.
    Whilst competition is fierce today, pandering to the free babychino, free extra shot, etc etc crowd, is not good business sense. Yelta is free to go elsewhere, but sorry to say, I know there is not much in the vicinity, and certainly not a place able to produce a good lungo.
    In the past the said establishment has always provided excellent service and the proprietor has gone over the top sometimes with what he has offered or given away. It is an establishment that I have, and will continue to visit frequently.

    I am pretty sure that though this one time, you did not get exactly what you wanted, in the past the service and product was above standard and hence why you "were" a regular.

    On another note, given that 90% of beverages served in cafes etc are espresso based milk beverages, asking for something such as a lungo, you must expect that it is a tall order, especially for Adelaide, and in that neck of the woods.

    Leave a comment:


  • GrahamK
    replied
    I'm curious why the grinder settings need changing, all the descriptions of "lungo" I have seen are basically a std Espresso but with the extraction continued to around 90ml, so weakening it and extracting more of the bitter elements?

    Leave a comment:

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