What You Learn on a One-Day Barista Workshop
People often ask us what actually happens on a barista course. Is it mostly talking? Will I get to use the machine? What if I've never made an espresso in my life? This post walks through a day on our Barista Workshop in Bandon, so you know what you're signing up for.
The basics: when, where and who
The Barista Workshop runs on Saturdays from 10:30 to 16:00 at 9-11 Pearse Street, Bandon, Co. Cork. There are six people in each class and it costs €159, with everything you use on the day included. We ask people to arrive ten minutes before the start. You don't need to bring anything.
The class is usually a mix. Some people have never touched an espresso machine. Some have a machine at home and want better results from it. Some are about to start in a café, and some own or manage one. The course works for all of them because the foundations are the same.
Theory first
We split the day into theory and practical, so we can focus on each and on what every student needs. The theory isn't a lecture for the sake of it. Each topic explains something you'll do with your hands later.
We cover:
- The history of coffee, briefly, so the drinks on a café menu make sense.
- Green beans and processing: what happens to coffee before it's roasted, and why it affects the cup.
- The roasting process.
- How espresso is made: what the machine is doing, and why grind, dose and time matter.
- Milk chemistry: why milk textures the way it does, and why it sometimes won't behave.
- Café and coffee shop menus: the drinks specialty coffee shops serve and how they're built.
- An introduction to barista station management: keeping your space organised so you can work cleanly and quickly.
- An introduction to customer service.
We also talk about the competitions and opportunities in coffee today, which surprises a lot of people who thought of it as a stopgap job.
Then the machine
Most of the day is practical, and this is where you'll spend most of your energy. There's coffee and milk for 70+ lattes between a class of six, so everyone gets plenty of goes.
Equipment and set-up
We start with an introduction to the equipment, then set up the espresso machine and grinder. Understanding set-up is what lets you fix a bad shot later, instead of guessing.
Perfecting espresso
Espresso is the base of almost every coffee shop drink, so we spend real time on it. You'll grind, dose, tamp and pull shots, then taste them and adjust. You'll learn to recognise what a shot that ran too fast tastes like, and what one that ran too slow tastes like, and which way to move the grinder for each.
Steaming milk
Good milk is smooth, glossy and free of big bubbles. We show you where to put the steam wand, how to stretch the milk and then roll it, and when to stop. You'll also learn how to troubleshoot bad milk, because on a busy morning it happens to everyone.
Latte art
Once your milk is right, we move to pouring. Everyone starts with the heart, rosetta and tulip. Depending on how you're getting on, we go further: the inverse tulip, elephant, wave heart and peacock. Not everyone pours a peacock on their first day, but you'll understand how each design is built and what to practise.
End-of-day procedures
Cleaning down properly is part of the job, so we finish with the end-of-day barista procedures we'd expect in any café.
The assessment
The day ends with a barista assessment and feedback. It isn't there to catch you out. It's a chance for a trainer to watch you work from start to finish and tell you what you're doing well and what to work on next. You get your results, along with a Barista School Ireland certificate.
What you take home
- Your course notes
- Your results and certificate
- Four weeks of email support
That last one matters. The questions that come up at your own machine a week later usually need a proper answer, and you can email us for one.
Is one day enough?
One day gives you a solid foundation and the know-how to keep improving on your own. It won't replace hundreds of hours behind a bar, and we don't pretend it will.
If you want to go further, there are a few next steps:
- Latte Art Masterclass (€75, two hours): almost all of it on the machine, perfecting your milk and then your pour.
- Barista Level 2 (€150, one day): processing and flavour, brew ratios, cupping and advanced espresso. We recommend at least 100 hours on an espresso machine first.
- BSI/QBA (€395 online, €495 standard): our most complete course, with two classroom days and a day of work experience in a busy specialty coffee shop.
If a full day is too much, Barista Workshop Express (€129) covers the essentials of espresso, milk and your first latte art in three hours. It's popular with TY students.
Booking
You can book online and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and you'll see how many places are left on each date. If your Saturday is sold out, join the waiting list. When a place comes free we email everyone waiting, and the first person to book gets it.
See dates and book the Barista Workshop, or read more on the Barista Workshop page.
