What is your position in the coffee industry?

barista, coffee enthusiast

Where are you located? ( City and Country )

New Haven CT.

How many years have you been in the industry?

3 months

If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?

maybe

Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.

I work for an awesome shop in New Haven called Blue State Coffee. I love practicing latte art (my favorite, an onion!), and also mixing our loose leaf teas to make new flavors. I can brew in a variety of ways (standard drip, pour over, french press, aeropress, plus tea!) pull a shot by sight, properly steam and foam milk for a variety of drinks, pour latte art, prepare a variety of traditional espresso drinks (cortado, cafe freddo, cappuccino, cafe latte and cafe au laite) plus mochas, hot chocolate, and tea lattes. I also have some experience preparing sandwiches and salads, training new hires, and working in a high volume, high energy coffee shop!

What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?

Everywhere! I'm still exploring New Haven though...

About Me:

I'm an MIT electrical engineering student on leave from school, enjoying work at a great cafe in New Haven. I'm a total geek, and coffee is a great forum for my geekiness to come out. I love learning about the different roasts and origins of our beans, plus the way different brewing methods affect taste. The many variables involved in a proper extraction are fun to tinker with (except when you can't get a good pull in a rush, ugh!), and I'm enjoying sipping my way through the billions of teas we have.

About My Company:

Blue State Coffee is an awesome company with 5 shops up the east coast. (One in New Haven CT, two in Providence RI, and a brand new one in Boston). We donate 5 percent of revenue to local nonprofits (usually 4 per quarter), and the relative amounts of that 5 percent is determined by customer votes. It's an awesome relaxed place to sip and read, and lots of students from Yale like to study and drink coffee late into the night.

What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?

learning, and getting to know our customers

Website:

http://bluestatecoffee.com