Aussie barista offers to spill the beans on expresso

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Published: 12:00am, 30 Jun 2010

You don't need to add sugar to espresso, particularly if you want to stay slim, says top Aussie barista Saxon Wright. 'Espresso should have sweetness in it if it's good coffee and made really well,' said the 33-year-old co-founder of Australian Independent Roasters. 'Coffee has a huge range of flavours same as wine, such as caramel, coconut and citrus.'

Wright is in Hong Kong this week to tell local coffee-lovers more secrets about their java, and barista skills. From tonight until Saturday he will hold two HK$400 coffee-appreciation classes for connoisseurs (July 1 and July 2, 7-9pm), and HK$750 advance training sessions for professional baristas, from 7-9pm tonight, and a HK$1,500, four-hour session from 9am on Saturday at Oscar's Espresso Bar on Wellington Street, in Central. (Inquiries: [email protected])

'Coffee appreciation is about discovering flavours and you can find an amazing range,' said Sydney-based Wright who became a part-time barista when he was 20 and then became fascinated by the flavours and blends.

Wright said he had sampled some impressive flavours as a judge at various barista championships over the past seven years. But judging can take its toll, he said, recalling how he had downed 40 coffees a day while judging. 'Yeah that's a lot of coffee. I often find it difficult to go to sleep.'