BYO Coffee Machine Home Barista Course
- Regular price
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$150.00 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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$150.00
Private 1:1 home barista training in Cheltenham, Melbourne
Learn to make better coffee on the machine you actually use at home
Got a coffee machine sitting on the bench that you're not quite sure how to get the best out of?
Our BYO Coffee Machine Barista Course is a personalised, private class designed around the equipment you actually use at home. Bring your coffee machine and grinder to our Cheltenham roastery and we'll work through your setup together.
Rather than learning on a commercial machine and then trying to recreate everything at home, you'll learn on your own equipment. We'll help you understand how to dial in your espresso, what grind size, dose and yield are doing in the cup, how to troubleshoot your shots and how to texture silky milk using your own steam wand.
Whether you've just bought your first espresso machine or have been making coffee at home for years, we'll tailor the class to your equipment, your experience and the things you'd most like to improve.
By the end, you'll understand your setup and know what to adjust when your coffee isn't quite tasting right, or when you change to a new bag of beans.
Location: 1 Belrose Avenue, Cheltenham VIC 3192
Duration: 1:1 class: 1.5 hours | Duet class: 2 hours
Equipment: Bring your own coffee machine and grinder (if you use a separate one)
Availability: Our coffee classes are available on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Booking: Book online, or get in touch if the available times don't quite suit you.
Thinking of gifting this coffee class?
Yes — this class makes a great gift. Simply purchase an eGift card, and the recipient can book at a time that suits them.
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Is this class right for you?
This class is designed for home baristas who want to understand their own equipment rather than simply press buttons and hope for the best.
It might be right for you if:
- you've recently bought a new espresso machine and aren't quite sure where to start
- you've invested in a good machine but aren't getting the coffee you expected
- your espresso is inconsistent
- you're struggling to dial in your grinder
- your shots regularly run too fast or too slowly
- you want to understand why your coffee tastes sour, bitter or weak
- milk texturing isn't quite going to plan
- you change coffee beans and don't know how to adjust your recipe
- you've watched plenty of videos but would rather have someone work through your particular setup with you
- you simply want to understand espresso better and make consistently good coffee at home
No previous barista experience is required.
All smiles around.
Buckle up. This is what you'll learn.
We’ll tailor the class to your coffee machine, grinder and experience, but the fundamentals of making great espresso remain the same. We’ll work through the theory together and then put it into practice on your own setup.
Understand espresso extraction
Great espresso starts with understanding what happens when hot water meets ground coffee.
We’ll look at the variables that influence how your espresso extracts and, ultimately, how it tastes. You’ll learn how dose, yield, extraction time, grind size, temperature and tamping work together, rather than treating each one in isolation.
Most importantly, you’ll start to understand what the coffee in your cup is telling you.
Build and dial in an espresso recipe
An espresso recipe gives you a starting point, but learning how to adjust it is where things get interesting.
We’ll work with the filter basket, coffee machine and grinder you use at home and show you how to:
- determine the right dose for your filter basket
- measure your espresso yield and extraction time
- understand dose, yield and extraction ratio
- adjust your grind size
- distribute and tamp your coffee consistently
- recognise and avoid channelling
- make adjustments when you change to a new coffee
If your machine allows you to adjust brewing temperature, we’ll also look at how temperature can influence what you taste in the cup.
Then we put it all together.
Extract. Taste. Analyse. Adjust. Repeat.
You’ll grind the coffee, measure your dose, prepare the basket, extract your espresso, measure the result and taste it. Then we’ll decide what to change and do it again.
Extract. Taste. Analyse. Adjust. Repeat.
You’ll grind the coffee, measure your dose, prepare the basket, extract your espresso, measure the result and, most importantly, taste it. Then we’ll decide what to change and do it again.
If time allows, we’ll also bring out the refractometer. It measures TDS, or the concentration of dissolved coffee in your espresso. From there, we can calculate the extraction yield and compare the numbers with what we’re tasting in the cup. It’s a fascinating way to see the science behind extraction and to confirm, or sometimes challenge, what our taste buds are telling us.
Learn how to troubleshoot your espresso
We don’t want to send you home with one grinder setting and one recipe that only works today.
We want you to understand what to do when something changes.
We’ll look at common home espresso problems, including what to adjust when your espresso:
- runs too fast
- runs too slowly
- tastes sour or sharp
- tastes bitter or dry
- lacks body or tastes weak
- changes when you open a new bag of coffee beans
You’ll learn how to use both taste and your extraction measurements to work out what needs adjusting, so you can confidently dial your coffee back in at home.
Texture silky milk on your own machine
Producing smooth, silky milk can be one of the trickiest parts of making coffee at home, and every steam wand behaves a little differently.
That’s another reason learning on your own machine is so useful.
We’ll work through:
- choosing the right milk jug
- how much milk to use
- positioning your steam wand
- stretching and texturing the milk
- finding the right temperature
- creating fine, stable microfoam
Then it’s your turn.
You’ll practise texturing milk with your own steam wand until you're producing the smooth, velvety texture we're looking for and can put it all together into a lovely latte.
FAQs
Can I bring my own coffee machine and grinder?
Yes. That's exactly what this class is designed for.
Bring the coffee machine and grinder you normally use at home and we'll work with your setup throughout the class. If your machine has a built in grinder, you only need to bring the machine.
Bring your portafilter, filter baskets and the accessories you normally use when making coffee at home too.
I've just bought a new espresso machine. Is this class suitable for me?
Absolutely. In fact, this is a great time to learn.
Home espresso machines often give you more control than you might initially expect. We'll help you understand your machine, work through the fundamentals of espresso extraction and show you what to adjust when your coffee isn't tasting quite right.
No previous barista experience is required.
What coffee machines can I bring?
The class is designed for home espresso machines where you prepare and extract the espresso yourself.
We've worked with all sorts of home setups, including popular Breville machines such as the Bambino, Barista Express, Barista Express Impress and Barista Pro.
Your machine certainly doesn't need to be a Breville. If you're unsure whether your particular machine is suitable, get in touch and tell us the make and model.
Can you help me dial in my grinder?
Yes. Dialling in your grinder is an important part of the class.
We'll show you how grind size affects extraction and taste, and how to make controlled adjustments rather than simply giving you one grinder setting to take home.
You'll also learn what to do when you change coffee beans and suddenly your usual setting no longer gives you the same result.
Can you help if my espresso runs too fast or too slowly?
Yes. These are some of the most common espresso problems we work through.
We'll look at your grind size, dose, yield, preparation and extraction time, taste the espresso together and work out what needs changing.
The aim is not just to fix that particular shot. We want you to understand why it happened so you'll know what to do next time.
What if my espresso tastes sour, bitter or weak?
We'll work on that too.
Taste is an important part of dialling in espresso. We'll look at what you're tasting alongside your recipe and extraction data, then make adjustments and taste again.
Extract. Taste. Analyse. Adjust. Repeat.
That's how you'll start learning what your coffee is telling you.
Do I need any previous barista experience?
No. We'll meet you wherever you're at, whether you've only just taken your machine out of the box or have been making espresso at home for years.
Can two people attend the class together?
Yes. Choose our Duet Class and you can learn together using the same coffee setup.
The duet class runs for two hours so both of you have plenty of hands on time.
Will I learn how to texture milk on my own coffee machine?
Yes. You'll learn using your own steam wand.
Steam power varies considerably between home coffee machines, so practising on the machine you'll actually use at home makes a lot of sense. We'll work through steam wand position, stretching, texturing and temperature to help you create smooth, silky milk.
Booking Changes & Cancellations
You’re welcome to reschedule or cancel your booking up to 48 hours before your course starts.
If you choose to cancel more than 48 hours before your class, a $10 cancellation fee applies to help cover the payment processing charges incurred when your booking and refund are processed.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer refunds for no-shows, cancellations made less than 48 hours before the course starts, or bookings that are rescheduled less than 48 hours before the course starts.
If you reschedule more than 48 hours before your class, your booking can be transferred to another available class date within 6 months of the original booking date, subject to availability.
If the class isn’t rebooked and attended within this six-month period, the booking will expire and will no longer be eligible for a refund.
To reschedule or cancel, please email us at enquiries@23degrees.com.au
What do I need to bring?
Bring your coffee machine and grinder, if you use a separate one, together with your portafilter, filter baskets and the accessories you normally use when making coffee at home.
We'll supply the coffee and milk for the hands on exercises.
