Coffee Culture.

I am a coffee-holic. I've worked as a Barista since 2010 and I enjoy every aspect of my time spent with both the customer and the coffee I serve. Coffee is an incredible medium that projects the spirit of an artisan. When made properly, you get to see the warmth of a smile on a customers face and that alone makes the job worth the effort. Even if you aren't a people person, you get to work with an amazing set of tools that allows you to really be involved and you get to use your brain at the workplace. When I began my journey as a Barista I worked with Starbucks and there were a lot of things I enjoyed and a handful of things I think could be improved upon. First off, Starbucks does a wonderful job at marketing. They are a global company and they know their market. Coffee already speaks for itself, but Starbucks really is something unique. Before I worked for Starbucks I hated coffee. I couldn't stand the smell nor the taste. I couldn't understand why people wanted to drink this on a daily basis. On top of getting body sweats, I was lost in a new world. There was a lot I needed to understand about this coffee thing.

Like some Barista's, I got the job out of necessity while I was in college. It was a fun and easy way to make money. With flexible hours and amazing benefits, how could I turn the position down? After about a year and a half of working at Starbucks I began to see why so many people were involved. I wouldn't say that I became addicted, but coffee was officially apart of my daily routine. Jitters and all! It took me a long while to develop a palate. Little did I know at the time, my journey had just begun.

Fast forward to 2015, I had 5 years experience under my belt both at a chain coffee shop and with independent coffee sellers. I became an avid home brewer and after I discovered coffee outside of Starbucks, I felt like I was back where I started before I became a Barista. I remember the first coffee I had that wasn't Starbucks and it changed my life forever. It was 2012 and I discovered this small place across the street from the Starbucks I worked at named Zenzero's (Italian for: Ginger). I remember meeting a co-worker of mine there and I treated him to a $12.00 2 cup French press. I thought it was ridiculous and that there had to be a reason as to why it was so damn expensive. I asked the Barista working at the time why it was $12.00 and she said that, "it was a Geisha", and that the 12oz bag was $200.00. My mind was blown away. I thought, "why the hell would coffee be this expensive". Once it was served and I took my first sip, I found out why. It was as if I was drinking the highest quality black tea, but in fact it was coffee. There were floral notes flowing out of the coffee and it was the first time I drank a cup of coffee without cream or sugar. I was so tempted to buy a bag, but I had no idea how to really prepare coffee like this.

Here is where I began to investigate independent coffee. The next day I tried to drink Starbucks and I just couldn't. All I wanted was another $12.00 French press from Zenzero's. I remember going home that day and Googling coffee shops for hours. I made a list of places to try and each and every one of them had something unique to offer. The floodgates to coffee were open and I discovered an entire culture that I hadn't even known. It was like that mental phenomenon of seeing something for the first time then you just see it everywhere all the time.

I remember feeling increasingly disappointed every time I would clock in for work. I just felt like I was just another worker pressing buttons at a fast food joint. I found out that I didn't have a lot of skills outside of Starbucks. Quite literally I was a small fish in a big pond that I finally realized existed. I continued to work for Starbucks for another 3 years and all I could do is pick out aspects of my job that just weren't up to par with other great places that were successful in a flooded market. Let's face it. There is a Starbucks everywhere. You just type the word coffee into a Google search box and I guarantee you that there is a Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of where you are. Before I left Starbucks, my boss had asked me why I was quitting and...in a nutshell I told him that I felt like I was working at a Walmart but only shopping at Whole Foods. Of course he didn't understand it but my mind was set on a bigger goal than I originally planned.

Now, I work at that coffee shop across the street and I love it. I can tell the difference between a good shot and a bad shot and make adjustments according to the flavors I taste. I create hand-crafted beverages that i'm actually proud of. I'm surrounded by like minded people and I look forward to clocking in every shift. It's 2016 and i'm still a Barista. I know there is still a lot to learn and I look forward to everything I have ahead of me.