One of the hardest things to make consistent in the coffee shop is your espresso. There are so many variables that contribute to the final product, not to mention the number of different baristas tasked with making coffee daily. can be very overwhelming and inevitably we throw in the towel and end up with a let than optimal product. Well good news! Today we get to dive into the science of optimizing your espresso with coffee scientist Samo Smrke! Samo Smrke is a scientific associate at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in the group of prof. Yeretzian. He is involved in coffee research projects in collaboration with industry partners and in fundamental research on various topics of coffee chemistry and coffee science. He is leading a module of the Coffee Excellence continuing education course at ZHAW, and various other educational programs with partners of ZHAW. Samo is actively participating at coffee conferences, is one of the co-authors of the SCA Freshness Handbook and Water Handbook and has contributed to scientific papers and book chapters about coffee. In this episode we discuss several major factors that need to be considered and optimized in order to always have the consistent and excellent espresso you want to serve on your coffee bar. We cover: Samo's journey into coffee Ideal resting times and CO2 Aroma and taste variance in coffees What causes crema Various roast levels and decaf The grinder's role  Steps to take in addressing problematic coffee The importance of tracking and systems The science communities role in tandem with professional baristas Links: Samo's Instagram Account @samosmrke https://www.zhaw.ch/en/about-us/person/smrk/ Listen to these related episodes next! 372 : Milk Steaming Master Class: Science + Craft w/ Morten Munchow and Emilee Bryant! 350 : The Physics of Filter Coffee w/ Jonathan Gagné 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano Transcript RoR #16 : Ideal Resting Times for Roasted Coffee w/ Joey Stazzone of Cafe Kreyol 389: How to Approach Modern Coffee Processing w/ Christopher Feran Visit our awesome Sponsors! GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE! www.groundcontrol.coffee   THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET! www.Pacificfoodservice.com