Welcome to a quick video tour of the Starbucks Barista Home Espresso Machine.
In the next couple of minutes, I'm going to teach you everything you need to know to create
the perfect shot of espresso and creamy steamed milk every single time, so you can enjoy Starbucks
quality espresso beverages right in your own home.
The starting point for making great espresso beverages at home is to think of this as another
form of cooking.
To be successful, you need to follow a proven recipe and use the best possible ingredients.
In the case of espresso, this is fairly easy to do.
The only ingredients are water and espresso beans.
But to get the best latte, cappuccino, or mocha possible, it's important to follow the
four fundamentals.
The four fundamentals are proportion, grind, water, and freshness.
If you understand and follow each of them, then you're on your way to brewing a great
espresso beverage every single time.
Let me show you what I mean.
Freshness.
Always start with freshly roasted beans.
Think of coffee beans as fresh produce.
Whole beans' enemies are oxygen and moisture.
To keep your beans fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you do keep them in the freezer, let your beans thaw out before you brew.
And for best results, beans should be ground fresh each time espresso is made.
Additionally, you will be reminded of the freshness as the grinder releases the aromas
inside the bean.
Grind.
Use the right grind for your method of brewing.
The amount of time that ground coffee and water spend together affects the flavor elements
that end up in your shot of espresso.
A fine grind, also known as the espresso grind, is recommended for the Starbucks barista.
Either have your beans ground at a Starbucks store or use a burr grinder at home to hit
the proper grind.
A blade grinder really can't grind fine enough for an espresso machine.
Proportion.
The ratio of ground coffee and water.
The most important step in making a great beverage is getting the proportion of ground
coffee to water correct.
The recipe for a Starbucks quality shot of espresso is seven grams for every one ounce
of water.
The hot water interacts with the coffee to extract or pull out desired flavor components.
Too much water or too little coffee results in an over extracted taste.
Water.
Always use fresh, cold water.
A cup of coffee is 98% water.
Therefore, the water you use to make beverages should taste clean, fresh, and free of all
impurities.
Avoid water from a water softener, city water that tastes like chlorine, or well water that
has an unpleasant odor.
If your local tap water tastes good, then it's likely to make a good cup of coffee.
The Starbucks barista was designed to take fresh, cold water and heat it up very quickly
to the proper temperature for either brewing or steaming.
Let the machine heat the water for you.
You just make sure the water is clean and fresh.
After you understand the four fundamentals, making espresso beverages at home requires
only two additional elements, an espresso machine and practice.
Since you already have the Starbucks barista, let's practice.
First, you're going to need to wipe down all the external parts of your new machine with
a warm, damp cloth.
Then we're going to need to fill the water tank, all 96 ounces, with fresh, cold water.
Next, you're going to need some finely ground coffee.
And we're going to recommend the perfect choice, Starbucks espresso roast.
Finally, if you're going to be making a milk-based drink, like the latte, the cappuccino, or
even a mocha, you're going to need fresh, cold milk.
You're also going to need a stainless steel frothing pitcher, and if possible, a thermometer
so you can monitor the temperature of the milk while steaming.
Other items to have handy are a scoop, a tamper, a shot glass, and a damp cloth, just in case
you make any sort of a mess.
Now when creating espresso beverages using the barista, there are four things you must
do.
You must prime the machine.
You must steam the milk.
You must prime the machine again, and then brew the coffee.
In other words, simply remember, prime steam, prime brew.
Let's show you what that means.
Let's prime the machine.
Place a cup underneath the steam one and turn the machine on, and immediately open the steam
knob to dispense about half a cup of water.
What you are doing is flushing out the old water and introducing fresh water into the
system.
This will ensure that when you create your shot of espresso, it will be with fresh water
creating a better beverage.
After dispensing about half a cup of water, stop the flow by turning the steam knob.
Your machine is now fully primed for steaming.
Now that we have primed the machine, we need to wait for the ready light to come on.
The ready light tells us when the machine reaches the proper temperature.
You'll notice that the light is green, and it's green for a reason.
Green means go, so do not pass go until the light is green.
Now if you're making an espresso beverage with milk, it's important that you steam your
milk first because the milk stays warmer much longer than a single ounce of espresso.
Like Starbucks, when we prepare a shot of espresso in our stores, we never let the shot
sit around for longer than 10 seconds because there is so little liquid that temperature
and flavor change quickly.
So let's get the machine ready to steam.
Depress the steam switch to the on position.
You'll notice that the ready light goes out, which means it's not yet at the proper steaming
temperature.
Wait for the ready light to come back on before steaming.
Now while we're waiting for the ready light to come on, fill the frothing pitcher approximately
half full of cold milk.
Starting with a chilled frothing pitcher and cold milk will make it easy for you to create
rich, creamy foam.
Once the light is back on, we can begin to steam.
Take the frothing pitcher and place it underneath the steaming wand.
Put the very tip of the steaming wand just under the surface of the milk and open up
the steam knob.
What you're doing is introducing air into the milk to create that wonderful foam.
Once you have all the foam that you desire, immerse the steam wand into the milk and place
the frothing pitcher onto the drip tray.
Using your thermometer, watch the temperature of the milk and stop steaming when your milk
reaches the desired temperature.
Now Starbucks recommends a temperature range between 150 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit, but
beware, milk scalds at 172.
Once at the proper temperature, turn the steam knob off.
Pull the frothing pitcher away from the steam wand and immediately wipe off the steam wand
with a wet, damp cloth.
Now be careful, the steam wand is still hot.
Once the steaming process is complete, depress the steam switch again to turn it to the off
position.
After pressing the steam switch off, you'll notice that the ready light is still green,
but you cannot brew yet because the water inside is too hot.
It's still at a temperature for steaming, not brewing, so we're going to need to prime
again.
To prepare to prime, you're going to need your Reporto filter system.
The Reporto filter system is a revolutionary way to brew coffee because not only can it
brew using the conventional method with ground coffee, but can also use a method of brewing
espresso called the pod, and we're going to talk more about that in a minute.
For now, as we prime, we're going to use the hot water found inside the machine to warm
up your Reporto filter system.
Place the Reporto filter system into the brew head.
Take the handle and move it all the way to the right as far as it can go and let it snap
back into place.
Place your shot glass underneath the Porta filter.
Depress the brew switch.
Once the green light goes out, stop the brewing function.
This procedure lowers the temperature from a steaming temperature to an appropriate brew
temperature.
Dispose of the water in the glass and remove the Reporto filter system from the machine.
You'll notice that your Porta filter is now nice and warm.
One tip to ensure excellent espresso beverages is to make sure everything is warm.
Warming your Porta filter and your shot glass will ensure that when you brew your shot of
espresso, it will be nice and hot.
Now we've primed the machine and we've steamed our milk and we've primed the machine again.
Now it's time to brew.
What we're going to do now is to show you how to create the perfect shot of espresso
using both ground beans and espresso pods.
First, let's look at what a shot of espresso should look like.
For the first shot of espresso, we are going to use the Reporto filter system with the
ground coffee basket.
We're going to use some freshly ground Starbucks espresso roast, our scoop, and our tamper.
Here we go.
Measuring one scoop of finely ground Starbucks espresso roast, place it inside the coffee
basket and tamp very lightly.
Next, take your Reporto filter system and place it inside the brew head, moving the
handle all the way to the right as far as it can go and then release.
The handle will automatically snap back into place.
That's how you know when the Reporto filter system is properly positioned.
Now place the shot glass underneath the Porto filter.
Make sure the ready light is on and depress the brew switch.
Stop the brewing at the one ounce line by depressing the brew switch for a second time.
Looking at this shot, notice the color variations.
The heart is thick and dark at the base of the shot.
The body of the shot billows to the surface.
The shot is topped with golden crema, full of sweetness.
All these elements are found in the perfect shot of espresso.
This is what you want to be creating.
So when you make your drink and take your first sip, you'll say, this is the taste
that I've been looking for, Starbucks quality espresso at home.
Now let's look at how to create a perfect shot of espresso in a more convenient way.
Let's brew another shot of espresso using espresso pods.
A pod is a pre-portion and pre-tamped single dose of finely ground espresso that easily
and effortlessly makes one ounce of espresso.
Inside the pod is Starbucks' famous espresso roast.
But rather than deal with the measuring and tamping the espresso, the pod does all the
work, leaving you with the perfect shot.
Before warming the reporta filter system, let's prepare it for the pod.
Remove the ground coffee basket from the portafilter and replace it with both the pod insert and
the pod basket.
Like we did earlier, use the hot water from the machine to warm the reporta filter system.
You'll notice that the portafilter is now nice and warm.
Now we're ready to brew.
Remove the pod from the flavor sealed packet and place it inside the reporta filter system.
Place the portafilter into the brew head and move the handle all the way to the right as
far as it can go.
Then release it.
It'll automatically snap back into place.
The reporta filter system is now ready.
Place in our shot glass back underneath the portafilter, make sure that the ready light
is green, and depress the brew switch.
Stop the brewing at the one ounce line by depressing the brew switch for a second time.
What you'll notice with this shot is that it has all the characteristics of a perfect
shot of espresso, especially the beautiful golden crema.
It's full of all the caramely sweetness that will allow you to create the perfect espresso
beverage.
Now let's make that beverage.
Pour your shot of espresso into your mug.
Add your warm milk with the foam on top.
You have just created the perfect cafe latte.
And you can get right to enjoying your beverage because cleaning up after using the pods is
so easy.
Remove the reporta filter system from the machine and discard the pod.
There's no mess.
That's how easy it is to use the Starbucks Barista Home Espresso Machine with the revolutionary
new reporta filter system for both ground coffee and pods.
Now if you continue to have questions on how to use this machine, or if you have questions
on which coffees to use to make your favorite drinks, please give us a call at 1-800-334-5553.
Enjoy.
Your Starbucks Barista Espresso Machine will bring you years of coffee enjoyment if treated
properly and cleaned periodically.
Using espresso and heating milk can cause a few problems that are easily avoided with
some quick and simple care and cleaning procedures.
The three areas of concern are the brew head, the portafilter, and the steam wand.
Let's start with the cleaning of the brew head.
Before you begin with any cleaning procedure, it is essential to turn off your machine and
unplug the Starbucks Barista machine and allow it to cool thoroughly before cleaning.
Once the machine is cool to the touch, you can proceed.
At least once a month you should clean the coffee grounds from the brew head using the
brew head cleaning tool included with your machine.
Insert the brew head cleaning tool into the brew head with the T side up.
Turn the cleaning tool to the left and to the right to remove any large coffee particles
from the brew head gasket.
Remove the brew head tool and then take a damp kitchen towel and insert it into the
same brew head area.
Now if you don't have your brew head tool, a damp towel will work just as well.
This will remove all the smaller, finer coffee particles that sometimes get stuck up in the
brew head.
Pull the towel around this channel area.
Continue to clean with the towel until there is no discoloration on the towel.
Bring your machine back in.
Turn on the power and depress the brew switch.
The water will come through the brew head and remove any excess coffee particles.
Now for a more advanced cleaning procedure of the brew head, consult your instruction
manual.
Now let's look at the Portafilter.
When cleaning the Portafilter system, begin by removing the coffee filter basket.
Take care to remove any remaining grounds from the basket holes.
Make sure to rinse the basket thoroughly.
If necessary, take a small pin and poke any clogged basket holes in the filter.
Place the basket back in the Portafilter and then place the Portafilter back inside the
brew head.
Turn the power on and depress the brew switch.
The water will come through the Portafilter and remove any excess coffee particles.
Perform this cleaning process with both the pod coffee basket and pod coffee insert, as
well as the ground coffee basket.
Never place any parts of the Portafilter system in the dishwasher.
Hand wash only.
Lastly, let's turn our attention to the steam wand.
Because the heating and steaming of milk requires us to completely immerse the steam wand, many
times the milk finds its way up into the steam wand.
This can cause problems for you the next time you wish to use the machine.
Remember to always clean the steam wand with a damp cloth immediately after each use.
If you notice a residue buildup or if the water flowing through the steam wand appears
to be restricted, submerge the steam wand in a tall container of hot water.
Allow the steam wand to soak overnight.
After soaking, clean the steam wand with a damp cloth.
To make sure that the inside is not blocked, turn on the power and open up the steam wand
knob.
Water will come through the steam wand, removing any milk residue that may be inside.
This simple preventative measure can reduce or eliminate the need for more intensive cleanings.
If the stream of water still seems restricted, with the machine unplugged, unfold a paper
clip and carefully poke the bottom of the steam wand to see if any dried milk is still
blocking the exit.
If you continue to have questions regarding these three procedures or if you have other
care and cleaning questions, please refer to the instruction manual that came with your
machine or call us at 1-800-334-5553.