Don’t Throw Away Your Shot: What Actors & Coaches Can Learn From Coffee

Hey Friends!

Let’s talk about making coffee – specifically espresso.

I’m going to oversimplify this, as I know not everyone knows all the ins and outs of coffee.

When you pull an espresso shot, there is a set ratio of coffee grounds to water. If you have too much coffee, the shot will be way too strong – over extracted. If you have too much water, the water will come through the grounds too fast and it will be weak – under extracted. 

The size of the grind matters. Too fine, the water can’t get through the space between the grind to extract the flavor. Too big, the water will go through too fast and not extract any flavor. 

There is also pressure. You have to press down on a little thing called a “tamper” which presses the grounds into the basket. The goal is to press them just tight enough that the water runs through at the right speed – roughly 2 oz in 30 secs. Too tight, it’s too slow and too strong – over extracted. Too loose, it’s too fast and too weak. Too much one way or the other can lead to bitter (too strong) or sour (too weak) coffee. 

The goal is to find the balance. The exact balance of water, grounds, and pressure that works for the taste profile you want. 

OH, and this all changes depending on what type of coffee you use. Each origin / brand / roast type will require different amounts of each to get exactly the right flavor out of the grounds and into your cup. 

You can know exactly how to do the steps. You can have a process and do them exactly the same and each coffee will turn out differently. It will be good on some coffees and terrible on others. 

You can know everything about coffee – exact measures, water pressures, tamping pressure, aging, flavor profiles, grind settings, etc. You can do everything exactly the way you were taught and studied, and you can still pull a terrible tasting shot. You can know nothing at all. You can throw everything together and luck into a great shot. It could be the best tasting coffee anyone has ever had. At the end of the day, it requires trial and error.

There are lots of ideas here:

1)    Extracting is a tricky process. Too little it will be weak. Too much and it can be too strong. You can’t do anything with either. You have to find the balance – what works for you. My shot preference maybe different than yours. But, at the end of the day, it’s usually part of everything else in the drink and so every little thing doesn’t matter. Close enough can be fine, when it’s part of the whole. By itself, you can only focus on the shot. Use what you know to dial it in as close as you can – the best you currently know how to do.

2)    Your tastes will change the more you know. The more you try coffees the more you will be able to taste a good shot from a bad shot. You will learn what coffees you prefer and what coffees you don’t. You know more. That’s it. As your palette refines you will find things that don’t work for you. Things you might have skipped over before. BUT you will also learn new techniques that will make things better. If you don’t do them, you can still get a decent shot. It will only make the shot better if you do them. It won’t make it worse if you don’t.

3)    Your process is fluid. You will have to adjust your process to each individual coffee. The more you know about the coffee, the smarter your adjustments will be. Not every coffee will be great at a courser grind or at a hotter water temperature. You’ll learn that certain types of coffee tend to do better with a slightly stronger tamp or a slightly smaller grind. You will have to play with your process and adjust as you go. You’ll learn to play within the perimeters to get the exact extraction and profile you want.

Things don’t always work every time. You can do it perfectly and it still not go according to plan. You can know everything, and it still not work. You have to adjust and adapt as you go. Keep learning. Keep refining. Never lose sight of that with each refinement you are developing NEW skills. It doesn’t mean what you were doing before was bad. You are making it better. 

Remember that each person will want things a different way. Everyone will have their preferences. You may love something but that doesn’t mean others will love it. If you’re the barista, it doesn’t matter if you love the flavor of the shot. It only matters if your customer loves the shot. You’re not the one drinking their drink. If it’s your drink, you can make it the way you want, otherwise it has to be what they want out of their drink. It’s about serving your customer.

Set your parameters to meet at the intersection of your quality product serving the desires of your customer and your business will thrive. 

Oh, by the way…This wasn’t about coffee. 

Acting, singing, auditioning or even coaching - I’ll let you decide what this metaphor means to you. Just like with your coffee or drink of choice, you will find whatever you want out of this and make it work for your specific needs. 

You’re Awesome. Be Awesome. I’ll See You Soon.

Best Wishes!

-       Nate