Our barista blog

Advice, tips, and tutorials from our specialists

Coffee Knowledge

Coffee: A Short Origin Story

This featured article is a short introduction to the origin of coffee and how we source our quality coffee beans for your enjoyment. Like lots of things, coffee was discovered by mistake. And we can thank an Ethiopian goat shepherd named Kaldi.

Video Comparisons

Comparing the Breville Barista Series of Espresso Machines

Video Tutorials

How to Plumb-in a Home Espresso Machine Using a BWT Filter

Editors' Picks

Video Tutorials

How to Plumb-in a Home Espresso Machine Using a BWT Filter

A guide on how to plumb in a home espresso machine using a BWT filter like the Best Max, or Best Protect. There is also a discussion about the differences between the BSPT (British Standard Pipe Thread) and the North American NPT (National Pipe Thread). This video will show you everything you need to know to plumb in your espresso machine in Canada or the USA.

Video Comparisons

Comparison of the Rocket Fausto and Rocket Faustino Espresso Grinders

A quick comparison to help you choose which one may be suitable for your home or business.

Video Tutorials

See more videos

How to clean a Breville Barista Express when the Clean Me light comes on

In this tutorial we show you how to run the cleaning cycle on a Breville Barista Express 870XL Espresso machine. This method also works on the Breville Infuser 840XL

How to drain a heat exchanger boiler

In this tutorial we go over how to drain a heat exchanger boiler. We show two methods. It is important to drain a boiler if you need to ship or transport your machine (especially in the winter) or if you want to store your machine. The machine shown is a Rocket Giotto but this method will work with any machine

How to dial in and calibrate a Eureka Espresso Grinder

This video demonstrates the basic principles of dialing in an espresso shot using a Eureka espresso grinder. The grinder that is used is a Eureka Silenzio but the same principals apply to other models such as the Atom, the Zenith, the Olympus, The Mythos or the Rocket Fausto or any other stepless grinder.

See more videos

Video Comparisons

See more videos

Comparison of the Rocket Fausto and Rocket Faustino Espresso Grinders

A quick comparison to help you choose which one may be suitable for your home or business.

Comparing the Breville Barista Series of Espresso Machines

Comparing the Breville Barista Express, the Barista Pro and the Barista Touch. A overview of the features and differences between these three machines to help you make a decision which one is right for you.

Comparing the different ways of controlling temperature inside an espresso machine

An overview of the three main methods of controlling temperature inside an espresso machine. Including a mechanical thermostat, a pressurestat and a PID.

See more videos

Coffee Knowledge

See more articles

Coffee: A Short Origin Story

Acidity & Bitterness

Acidity and bitterness are easily confused. Acidity is perceived as negative. Acidity is actually a desirable attribute in a coffee’s flavour that is the result of naturally occurring acids.

The Flavour Wheel

It’s fair to say most of us don’t know that much about coffee. When you get to that lineup of drip coffee options, and you have no idea how to differentiate these flavours, you take the medium roast and call it a day.

See more articles

Brew Guide

See more articles

Brew Guide: Espresso

Brewing espresso isn’t terribly complex, but a skill many of us don’t have unless we spent some of our formative years working at a coffee shop. So if you just splurged on a machine (investment piece, am I right?), it’s time to learn. Naturally.

Brew Guide: Aeropress

Alan Adler invented the Aeropress in his garage a little over a decade ago. Now there’s even World Aeropress Championships. The Aeropress is enticing in large part because it may be the most forgiving brewing method ever.

Brew Guide: The French Press

The French Press is a classic brew. It’s also one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make a cup of coffee. Sometimes called a cafetiere, plunger pot, coffee plunger, or coffee press, the French Press originated in France in the 19th Century.

See more articles

1-312 Alliance Rd, Milton, Ontario, L9T2V2, Canada