Coffee & barista FAQs: answers from behind the bar

Jennifer Baccanello is a Hong Kong barista with more than 12 years behind the bar. She won her local barista championship in 2017 and uses this site to share practical coffee tips, honest lessons from café life and reviews of the Hong Kong cafés she rates.

More than 12 years. Her career in coffee began over a decade ago, and year after year of pulling shots, refining technique and getting to know regulars has shaped everything she shares here. Read her full story.

Yes — she won her local barista championship in 2017. In her words, it felt “like your Tuesday morning routine suddenly has a trophy.” But she’s the first to say that the everyday connections behind the bar have taught her more than any competition.

Hong Kong. Her café reviews cover spots across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, from Sheung Wan and Central to Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui.

She’s a self-described wannabe photographer, usually trying to wrangle her two chaotic rescue cats into a photoshoot — a very unwilling portfolio of feline models.

No. The grinder matters more than the machine. You can make great coffee with a basic machine and a great grinder, but you’ll struggle with a premium machine and a poor grinder. If your budget is tight, spend more on the grinder.

A burr grinder. It creates consistent particles, which is the non-negotiable first step for even extraction. A blade grinder smashes beans into uneven chunks, which can give you bitter and sour flavours in the same cup.

Forget the freezer and the clear canister on the counter. The real enemies of your beans are air, light, heat and moisture. Keep them in the bag they came in — most quality roasters use bags with a one-way valve — squeeze the air out, roll the top down tightly and store it in a cupboard. Buy only what you’ll use in a week or two.

Yes. Water makes up around 98% of your brew, so if your tap water tastes of chlorine or minerals, your coffee will too. Very hard water prevents proper extraction, while very soft water can taste flat. A simple activated carbon filter is the cheapest upgrade you can make to your whole setup.

Sour and sharp usually means the grind is too coarse and the shot is under-extracted — grind finer. Bitter and hollow usually means the grind is too fine and the shot is over-extracted — grind coarser. Recipes such as 18g in, 36g out in 28 seconds are a starting point, not a finish line; taste everything and let your palate be the final judge.

Sometimes. For a sour, under-extracted shot, try a tiny pinch of salt on your tongue before the next sip — salt can mute sour and bitter notes and reveal hidden sweetness. A bitter, over-extracted shot can sometimes be balanced with a tiny drop of cold water. It won’t make it perfect, but it can make it drinkable.

It’s not just the expensive machine — it’s the whole ecosystem. Café machines pull shots back-to-back, so the group head stays at a stable temperature. Cafés go through kilos of beans a day, so their coffee is always fresh, and many use in-line water filtration. Aim for your best, not an exact replica.

Keep a folded, dry paper towel or bar towel next to the machine. Wipe the steam wand before you steam, then purge it with a quick burst of steam and wipe it again while it’s still hot. Milk residue bakes onto a cold wand like cement; this five-second habit keeps it spotless and extends the life of your equipment.

Not always. Beans release CO2 for days after roasting, and using them within one to three days can cause erratic extraction — especially for espresso. Espresso beans are often at their best five to ten days after roasting, and filter coffee around four to seven days. Check for a roast date, not just a “best by” date.

It depends on the roast. Water just off the boil works well for dark roasts, but it can cook away the delicate floral or tea-like notes of a light roast. Try letting boiled water sit for about 60 seconds — bringing it down to roughly 90–93°C — to coax out sweetness and clarity from lighter coffees.

When hot water hits ground coffee, it releases CO2 that repels water and blocks extraction. To bloom, add just enough water to saturate the grounds — about twice the weight of the coffee — and wait 30 to 45 seconds while the grounds bubble and rise. Then continue with your main pour.

A WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique) tool breaks up clumps of grounds in the portafilter so water can’t find a weak path through the puck. You can buy one or make one by pushing a few thin needles into a wine cork. Gently stir the grounds before you tamp — it’s a nearly free step that dramatically improves consistency.

Not at all. A well-executed dark roast develops deep chocolatey, nutty or caramelised notes with a smooth, rounded body — without tasting burnt or ashy. If you like a classic, robust cup, look for a specialty roaster who does a deliberate dark roast rather than a default burnt one.

It’s about purpose, not superiority. Single origins highlight the unique flavours of one farm or region — great for a tasting experience. Blends are built for balance and consistency, and a good espresso blend tastes great as espresso, with milk and even as filter coffee — a reliable daily driver. See all 19 coffee tips.

Jennifer’s favourites include The Cupping Room in Sheung Wan, Central and Wan Chai for competition-level precision, Barista Jam in Sheung Wan for filter coffee, NOC Coffee Co. for a design-forward all-day café, and Knockbox Coffee Company in Mong Kok and Central for direct-trade beans. Read all the Hong Kong café reviews.

Barista Jam in Sheung Wan is a dedicated filter coffee workshop, often with around ten single-origin options for hand drip. Knockbox Coffee Company makes ordering easy with a “fruity” or “nutty” bean choice, and The Cupping Room’s featured pour-over shows off real precision.

Yes. Craft Coffee Roaster on Tai Kok Tsui Road is a small, quiet spot for a focused coffee, Zombie Specialty Coffee in Tsim Sha Tsui has a relaxed, communal feel around a shared table, and Knockbox Coffee Company has a cosy, exposed-brick café in Mong Kok.

No. The Sheung Wan café, known for its precise approach and original blends, has permanently closed and the space has since become a wine bar.

Use the form on the Contact page. Coffee questions, feedback on a tip you’ve tried and Hong Kong café recommendations are all welcome — Jennifer would love to hear from you.