How long can coffee be stored and are there any precautions required when handling coffee – anything to be aware of that could affect the flavour or quality?
There’s almost an indefinite number of factors that could affect the flavour and quality of coffee. The most obvious one includes the origin of the beans, the region the coffee is cultivated (weather, altitude, humidity), coffee roasting procedure and conservation of the beans (shelf life).
Never store your coffee in the fridge as it will absorb all the odours. A closed pack can be stored up to one year and an open pack in a bean hopper can be used for up to two days. An open pack with beans still inside can be used up to 10 days if the pack is hermetically closed but fresh ground coffee will last only one hour.
Other parameters have to be taken into account such as the coffee machine itself, its calibration and the one of the grinder, the temperature of the milk and the pressure applied when tamping. The list could go on for much longer!
Are there any specific challenges in using coffee?
A correct calibration of the coffee machine and grinder is paramount in the quality of the coffee and is the greatest challenge.
Is being a barista in the region a viable career?
Unlike wine sommeliers, being a barista hasn’t always been taken seriously - it was more seen as an in-between job, something you would do to meet both ends while studying for instance. However, things are changing and with the coffee industry growing, the rise of specialty coffee shops and number of competitors, coupled with the emergence of numerous opportunities such as the world barista championship, baristas are now counted as fully recognised professionals. Moreover, with alcohol consumption restricted in the Middle East, one cannot help comparing them to 'a new wave of sommeliers'.
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