# Oh Dear..... I'm out of control!!!



## Gadgetz (Jun 15, 2013)

I took my son swimming today and stopped at the leisure centre cafe for a hot chocolate, the lad serving offered politely 'anything for you'

I looked at the nice 2 group and grinder and asked, as politely as possible, 'do you know what your doing with the coffee' he replied hesitantly indicating that he thought he would be OK.

I watched him as he made me a cappuccino and then he asked how he did?!

I gently explained his tamp was way off and his milk was way too frothy, giving really basic hints/instruction of how to improve, he seemed to want to know more.

I then proceeded to explain a little more about getting it right, where to look online (here of course).

He then pulled another for himself with, blind leading the blind style tuition from me, considerably better than the first, with a blob on top for art, he was pleased and I felt good he'd made the first step.

Then his colleague came and ordered a latte, great timing, he thwacked a little more than the usual dose as I'd recommended, tamped with concentration, polished, pulled the shot, steamed with care and popped a heart on top, she was over the moon and he was seriously chuffed too.

I am not sure if this is me going too far or if it's a good thing for future customers of Daventry leisure centre but hey, it's done now


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Hey if your making peoples coffee better then props to you mate !


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

yeah... people will only stop getting crap when people say something.

I work for a Uk based hotel chain... albeit in IT. But I had a word with our director of standards about the coffee and she took away a long list of both decent roasters and decent shops in Edinburgh so she could get some perspective on the matter. Made it very clear just how terrible the coffee in the hotels actually is!


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## ShortShots (Oct 2, 2013)

you're making the world a better place!


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Nothing worse than coming across a place with all the gear and no idea, wish I felt more confident to say something but always fear making a fool of myself, you would think the people who sell the machines commercially would throw training in to promote good barista skills which in turn would make themselves and their machinery synonymous with great tasting coffee.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Sounds like your hankering for a job there!!


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## Gadgetz (Jun 15, 2013)

Nooooo, I'd die of boredom









Fingers crossed he looks into it a little more.

They did do training with them apparently, he said they'd taught him it was OK to leave the ground coffee for an hour or so!!


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## cobs (Dec 19, 2012)

Hi, new to the forum so probably not the right place for introductions but this thread reminded me of a recent visit to a local restaurant where I asked for an espresso and received a large mug full. When I saw it I said 'Oh!' and the girl asked if there was a problem - "no" I said, " I was just expecting something a bit smaller" - " No problem sir," she said, " I can always pour a bit out........"


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

-"I'll have a flat white please"

-"Double or single shot in that?"

...


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

All of this is what lightens up an evening - great stuff, thank you:act-up:


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

I like when I see a menu with:

Flat white - small / large

Latte - small / large

What the difference between their large flat white and a small latte?


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

I asked for a flat white in one place and it came back in a 16oz cup!


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Maybe it was a double flat white...


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## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

shrink said:


> I like when I see a menu with:
> 
> Flat white - small / large
> 
> ...


More foam









But I get the point


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

shrink said:


> I like when I see a menu with:
> 
> Flat white - small / large
> 
> ...


I hate people asking for a large flat white. I have a couple of regulars that have double flatties, but they are largely heathens.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

shrink said:


> yeah... people will only stop getting crap when people say something.
> 
> I work for a Uk based hotel chain... albeit in IT. But I had a word with our director of standards about the coffee and she took away a long list of both decent roasters and decent shops in Edinburgh so she could get some perspective on the matter. Made it very clear just how terrible the coffee in the hotels actually is!


Please change hotel regularly so eventually we can all travel safely without an Aeropress and hand grinder. I can't remember the last hotel I stayed in that served nice coffee and I have stayed in a lot of otherwise really nice hotels (mainly chains) for work.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

You are all better men than I. Some years ago I was dragged into a chain coffee shop with staff wearing shirts proclaiming themselves to be barista and senior baristi. I watched as the shot 'geysered' into a filthy cup before being transferred into another. I listened as the milk screamed then gurgled a death rattle. I winced when I tasted the acrid mildewy result. As I stood there I heard a voice say "you should be ashamed of yourselves" before realising it was me and that I had just put the cup back on the counter and walked out leaving my colleague behind. I now recuse myself from these places like a recovering alcoholic avoids pubs.


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## Gadgetz (Jun 15, 2013)

Obnic that's brilliant


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## flibble (Feb 27, 2013)

I had a coffee innovation today - a 'bubbly white'. Ordered a flat white ... purely foam, I guess the espresso was flat!


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## Taylor The Latte Boy (Dec 9, 2013)

Went to Moose Coffee in Manchester on Sunday morning for breakfast before work, my latte in a massive mug full of foam, must have been close to 90 degrees! Holy shit when I went to drink it!! Was like drinking fire. AVOID if you're looking for a coffee, food was good though, huge portions!

I never say anything to the barista if served bad coffee, maybe I should, I just don't want to appear to be an arrogant know-it-all customer.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Taylor The Latte Boy said:


> Went to Moose Coffee in Manchester on Sunday morning for breakfast before work, my latte in a massive mug full of foam, must have been close to 90 degrees! Holy shit when I went to drink it!! Was like drinking fire. AVOID if you're looking for a coffee, food was good though, huge portions!
> 
> I never say anything to the barista if served bad coffee, maybe I should, I just don't want to appear to be an arrogant know-it-all customer.


Same goes for Liverpool, drown their coffee. Place was packed tho.

Such a shame as they had a lovely lever to make the coffee with. I got some of their beans (no roast date) and they were actually really nice.


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## Taylor The Latte Boy (Dec 9, 2013)

D_Evans said:


> Same goes for Liverpool, drown their coffee. Place was packed tho.
> 
> Such a shame as they had a *lovely lever* to make the coffee with. I got some of their beans (no roast date) and they were actually really nice.


Yes! When I was applying for my current job I almost applied to Moose Coffee solely for their lever machine. Such a shame. Like someone said, all the gear no idea.


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