The Working Barista
Like Duolingo, but for The Working Barista. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
A short one: 11 levels across 2 sections, about 22 minutes end to end, roughly 4 days at five minutes a day. It moves through The Perfect Extraction and Milk and Workflow. It assumes you already know the basics.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in The Working Barista
- The golden ratio is a starting point
- Under-extraction sensory cues
- Sensory evaluation overrides the scale
- Over-extraction sensory cues
- Identifying extraction levels by sensory cues
- Finer grinds increase surface area and slow water flow to extract more flavor
- Whether the golden ratio is a strict rule or a starting point
- Coarser grinds allow water to pass through quickly, resulting in lower extraction
- Yield (the weight of liquid in the cup) is the primary driver of flavor concentration
- Stopping a shot based on time alone ignores the actual amount of coffee solids dissolved
- Using grind size to manipulate extraction
- Grinders retain old grounds in the chute
- Failing to purge creates a mix of grind sizes
- Prioritizing yield over time for flavor balance
- Understanding the necessity of purging for setting accuracy
- Water seeks the path of least resistance through the thinner side of a tilted puck
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives The Working Barista the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
You take a sip and notice an aggressive, puckering sourness. What is likely happening with your extraction?
Get it right to open this lesson and 10 more in the app.
Where The Working Barista takes you
Move beyond the home kitchen and learn the high-speed precision of a professional coffee bar. Master the sensory science of dialing in and the muscle memory required for perfect microfoam.
- 1
The Perfect Extraction
- The Dial-In Ritual
- Precision Puck Prep
- 2
Milk and Workflow
- Microfoam Mastery
- The Barista's Flow
2 sections · 4 units · 11 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
The Working Barista is taught in the The Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Food & Drink on Tomo
Espresso: Dialing in the Perfect Shot
Move beyond the basic 'double shot' and learn to manipulate extraction variables like a professional barista. Master the art of dialing in to balance acidity, sweetness, and body in every cup.
The Professional Barista's Craft
Move beyond basic brewing to master the precision, chemistry, and workflow of a professional espresso bar. Learn to manipulate extraction variables and perfect your microfoam for world-class drinks.
Professional Barista Techniques
Move beyond the basics of espresso and milk. Learn to manipulate extraction variables, master water chemistry, and refine your sensory palate for professional-grade coffee service.
Espresso: Dialing in the Perfect Shot
Move beyond the basic 'push-button' espresso and learn to manipulate variables like a professional barista. Master the physics of the puck, the chemistry of water, and the sensory skills required to diagnose any shot.
Espresso: The Perfect Shot
Master the art of the god shot using your ECM Classika and Eureka Zero. From PID temperature management to stepless grind precision, learn to diagnose and perfect every extraction.
Espresso Extraction and Service
Master the science of the perfect shot, from the physics of puck resistance to the nuances of water chemistry and high-volume workflow.
Start The Working Barista today.
Download Tomo, search The Working Barista, and play your first lesson in under a minute.