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  • Training

    Has anyone had any experiences with training courses? Are they worth it or are you better off experimenting with your own machine? Can anyone recommend a good course in Sydney for a complete novice??

  • #2
    Re: Training

    think you will find that a well structured basic course run by a professional will be interesting and entertaining and will save you so much time in terms of working out how to make a good cuppa with your machine, that yes it is well worth it.

    Unless you know a few basic principles, experimenting blind will only be a source of frustration and unnecessary wasting of time. You buy a machine, you want to use it **now** to make good coffee...or I think that is how I would see it.

    The emphasis however is in finding a professional rather than a charlatan to take your money and spend time with you. Student groups MUST be small, this helps with everyone getting to play "hands on" with the equipment, or nobody learns anything.

    I know a good trainer in Sydney, his name is John, contact number 9531 2394.


    Regardez,
    FC.

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    • #3
      Re: Training

      Thanks FC,

      I have spoken to John and he was extremely helpful!!

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      • #4
        Re: Training

        Any suggestions for Melbourne? Im currently looking at a 3 hr course at the William Agliss TAFE aerly in the new year.

        Mind you, with the amount of people weve had over the last few days, I pretty much got the milk down pat, and even got the chocolate smile faces happening. ;D
        I had to roast some Northern River this morning, or the mob were going to destroy last bag of Alans special blend. ( I need that to get me through next week! :P)

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        • #5
          Re: Training

          Boris- I teach many of the coffee courses at Angliss. FYI, the 3 hour ABC course is an introduction for those with limited or no experience on espresso machines- it includes an orientation and then basic espresso making and milk texturing techniques. If you you have these basic skills- and it sounds as if you do, Id recommend Advanced Espresso which is a more advanced full day course. It includes coffee culture, roasting, much discussion and the full espresso and milk coffee menus. Drop me a line if youd like further information.....

          Chris

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          • #6
            Re: Training

            So at what stage would you recommend skipping the basic and jumping into the advanced course?

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            • #7
              Re: Training

              If you have the basics- you can make espresso and texture milk adequately- i.e youve used an espresso machine and are familiar with it, you might consider advanced. My recommendation to speak with Jill Adams (who runs the academy) when you enrol... Suggest you have a look at http://shortcourses.angliss.vic.edu.au/training/coffee_f.html

              Chris

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              • #8
                Re: Training

                New members (Melbourne) considering training should seriously consider the courses offered at the William Angliss Tafe Coffee Academy. I completed the Advanced Espresso unit today and I reckon I could have saved a dozen litres of milk and 50kgs of beans if Id done it earlier. Having said that, I still picked up some good tips.

                Chris is an excellent teacher and I would recommend the course to anyone who is looking to progress their training to gain certification at a national competency.

                The down side is, I can no longer accept the stuff that is passed off as coffee by my local service provider!!. Any advice on how to tell a cafe their product is not up to the mark, and yes, I probably could do better?

                Cheers,

                Boris.

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                • #9
                  Re: Training

                  Thanks so much Boris! There is nothing like a pat on the back to put a smile on a face  ;D. Id love to see more coffeesnobs at the academy and I have chatted to Ed re the possibility of some Coffeesnobs gatherings using the venue for guest speakers, demos or coffee training.

                  As for the swill at your local....tell all of your friends and send the dodgy cafes broke....then a person who really cares can take over ;-)

                  Glad you had an enjoyable day..

                  Chris

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                  • #10
                    Re: Training

                    When it comes to getting bad coffee at a cafe, I remember reading an article online somewhere that made the valid point that you get what you ask for when it comes to commercial coffee. The gist of it was that by not mentioning bad coffee you were, by omission, giving their coffee the thumbs up. Whilst I havent come up with a safe and tactful way of mentioning how bad a coffee may have been, I now make sure that if I get even a half way decent coffee that whoever made it knows about it. They appreciate the compliment and it opens up the channels of discussion. Hopefully in the future if they dont get a compliment from me they will check their output for flaws.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Training

                      I used to drink coffee on a regular basis at a cafe in Canberra called Louis which made very good coffee. The owner (and barista) and I talked coffee a lot and he would always ask me what I thought of my cup when I was leaving.

                      Probably unreasonable to expect that kind of relationship in general, but gee it was nice while it lasted! ;D

                      Another place that was one of the best places for coffee I have tasted was a cafe called Red Belly Black situated on Mt Stromlo in Canberra. This was where I did my first coffee appreciation course and got to play with a commercial machine.

                      They had their own blend when they first opened and it was wonderfully fullbodied with good bite. Sadly they discontinued the blend after a while and switched to one of the more generic blends which lacked the same oomph.

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