How many times have you been to a coffee shop and are greeted with an inordinate amount of marketing, yet the finished result just doesn't quite hit the mark?

This page was put together to help you identify just what's happening to those little coffee beans before you drink your beverage. Maybe, in some way, we'll help the British public identify what to expect and therefore demand better quality coffee from the UK's 'coffee-professionals'...

I decided to put together a few tips for spotting when a barista is creating a deathspresso (killing the poor little beans!!) These are benchmarks we use to train our Baristas. (Our competitors are free to take notes!!)

Our espresso takes between 21 and 25 seconds to filter through the machine. Less and the drink will taste weak and light. Much longer and the drink will taste burnt and bitter. If you want to make sure you're coffee is going to be nice it makes sense to start with a good espresso. Ask the barista to run you an espresso and the look for the following:
The espresso should have a golden 'crema'. If you blow it, it should reform quickly.
If the crema is thin, then either the espresso was too quick or has been standing too long.
Basically it's like getting a crappy car and adding loads of go-faster stuff to it. It may look better but really, it's still a crappy car...

Milk is a dairy product and as such is liable to carry bacteria. Strangely, the general coffee establishment seem to promote a 'no waste' policy. Many coffee bars do not waste milk. Rather, they steam a jug of milk. Pour the milk for that order. Then add more cold milk to the jug and re-heat it to make the next drink. So by the time you get your, how old is your milk?? Tasty...
Our way is to pour fresh milk into a clean jug for EVERY order. Yes, this adds a few seconds to the time it takes us to make your drink - but we think it's the right thing to do.

No, we're not talking about farmers who practise magic!! Ever noticed the steam wand on your local coffee bar's espresso machine? No, that's not cauliflower - it's dried milk caked all over the end of the nozzle used to heat your milk.
YES, milk does get stuck to the steam wand throughout the day. Part of a Stray's Barista's drink routine is to clean the steam wand with non-tainting antiseptic wipes between each order. Over the top? Hey, when you care about what you do, nothing is too much trouble...

Ever gone to bed on a cold winter's night? Ever tried using a water bottle to heat the bed before you get in it? Great isn't it??
Why then, do so many coffee bars pour hot coffee into cold cups?
We believe in keeping things simple at Stray's and most of our customers agree that coffee is meant be served hot. So, we heat every cup before we pour any hot drink into it. It's not rocket science...

For more secrets on coffee, why not visit the Daddie's of espresso roasting at Matthew Algie» . They supply our beans and know a thing or two about the small dark bean...