Our training programs are targeted primarily for coffee and food-service businesses. The courses are relatively short but crammed with useful information, with emphasis on hands-on training to get you and your staff up to speed as fast as possible.

Barista Training

Your staff is instrumental to your success, and they need to be trained properly so they will delight your customers with their superior skills. We take great pride in our barista training, and you will be learning from true professionals who take their espresso skills very seriously.

Our baristas  are experts at pulling the perfect shot of espresso topped with rich, caramel crema.  Custom House Coffee has been voted Best Cappuccino in Newport County by Newport Life Magazine readers three years in a row. Your staff will gain the confidence and the skills to impress your customers with superior espresso beverages.

You will learn why espresso is such an exquisite extraction technique and what makes it stand apart from all other brewing methods.

Espresso Basics Course Outline

A. What is espresso?
B. History of espresso
C. Espresso blends
D. The espresso grind
E. The various espresso drinks
F. Hands on session

1. Selecting & Grinding beans
2. Dosing into portafilter
3. Tamping & compaction
4. Extraction
5. Steaming milk (latte vs. cappuccino)
6. Latte art basics

Class Schedule and Fees

Classes are usually held on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment only. Classes are limited to six people to allow sufficient individual hands-on training. The cost of the course is $195 per person. Group rates are available as follows:

Number of people        Cost per person
         1                              $195
         2-4                           $150
         5-6                           $100

The course fee will be waived for current wholesale customers and their staffs. Members of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and the Newport County Chamber of Commerce receive a 50% discount on the tuition.
 

Consulting

In addition to our standard courses, we are available for consulting services as you require. Our areas of expertise span a wide range of areas:

1. Site selection, evaluation, and lease negotiation.
2. Designing and laying out the store.
3. Equipment needs and specifications.
4. Staffing requirements, training, and scheduling.
5. Operational systems and checklists.
6. Marketing, advertising, and publicity.
Contact Bob Mastin for more information

How to brew perfect coffee.

Our customers–both retail and wholesale–frequently ask us how to brew coffee so it tastes as good as it does in our stores. It really isn’t difficult as long as you’re willing to duplicate what we do with every brew. We follow an exact procedure that you can duplicate for the same superb flavor:

Outstanding green beans. We source only the finest high-grown arabica beans from growers who take pride in the quality of their coffee. Every varietal we purchase is sampled and cupped before acceptance.

Fresh roasted beans. We hand roast our beans in the Middletown roastery with two state-of-the-art Diedrich roasters, following specific roast profiles for each varietal. We have limited our bean selection so that we can roast each of them frequently. The freshness of the roast is critical to achieving the best flavor—and we proudly display the roast date on every batch of beans.

Grinding just before brewing. We grind only enough coffee for each brew. Once ground, coffee stales quickly, so avoid grinding beans ahead of time.

Use good water. Brewed coffee is mostly water, so you want to make sure it tastes good. A good filtration system is recommended for most municipal water supplies.

Sufficient grounds. We use more grounds in each brew, because the result is a richer flavor, not stronger. Bitterness is actually caused by overextraction–too much water in relation to grounds. It is always better to use too much coffee than not enough. At home try one-half an ounce (two tablespoons) of coffee per eight-ounce cup, then adjust to taste. In a coffee shop use 3.5 oz. for a 64 oz. airpot or carafe.

Keeping the coffee warm. Avoid brewing into a glass carafe that sits on a hotplate unless you plan to consume the coffee immediately or transfer it to an insulated airpot or carafe. Otherwise, the brewed coffee will get “cooked” and will be ruined fairly quickly. An insulated container will not destroy the flavor, so the coffee can be used for iced coffee after it cools down. No waste!

Airtight storage. The main enemy of freshness is oxygen, so keep your beans in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place.

Follow these steps and you will consistently get outstanding coffee.