An accountant who was a tea drinker, became a bartender and a coffee drinker. He gradually learnt the “art of coffee” till he became the World Barista Champion in 2002! Today, Fritz Storm, from Denmark, who’s been gathering coffee gyaan for the last 20 years, runs a coffee consultancy, and is founder of The Barista Camp that hopes to create a global coffee network. A regular judge at barista championships the world over, Fritz was in India recently on a five-city tour, when MetroPlus caught up with him in Bengaluru.
Fritz was in India on invitation of Magnum Ice Creams at the launch of a new flavour — Choco-Cappuccino. Along with world-renowned pastry chef Janice Wong, Fritz conducted the “Magnum Masterclass 2.0” where participants also got a few handy tips on how to create the perfect brew at home.
“We have been so busy on this trip, I’ve only had one chance to taste a filter coffee on the street in Chennai — it was more on the sweet side and the coffee was definitely more dark-roasted than it is in Europe,” he says of his first Indian coffee experience. And then elaborates: “The thing is, coffee is not only about coffee. It’s about the atmosphere, who you are with … such factors. For this trip I’m focussing on the ice cream! I’ve not been thinking so much about coffee.” Excerpts from an interview:
What does a barista really do?
Barista is actually an Italian word for a bartender, not just a coffee person. But in 2000, we took the word into the speciality coffee world when the competitions began and in the beginning it became a word related to espresso brewing only. It’s only in the last five to 10 years that lots of new brewing techniques have come in. AeroPress is a new word (it’s a new kind of coffee maker). Barista do all these things. Overall, a barista is a coffee maker — it’s not just about latte art. The art makes the drink look good, but you still need to make good coffee!
What makes a good coffee?
That’s a good question, because we’ve been drinking coffee for centuries, but as a speciality, it’s relatively new — about 17 years, compared to say wine. The coffee world is just beginning to realise they can try different coffees. Coffees are coming really fast to Asia. Single-origin coffees are growing, specially those from Kenya, Guatemala. Flavours can be very different and you cannot make a good coffee without a good bean.
Which are the best beans?
It really depends on the purpose and he time of day you are having the coffee — African coffees are fruity, Central American coffees can be complex…
How do you have your coffee? Milk or no milk?
Both. I start my day with a cappuccino but the rest of the day it’s all espressos.
How many cups do you drink in a day?
About 10 cups on a normal day, but when I am training baristas it can easily go up to 20 cups!
How much coffee is too much coffee?
That is when you begin to shake! It’s not about too much. But I have problems not having coffee.
You mean to say coffee is addictive.
Addictive sounds negative (he makes a face) . But in a sense you’re right. I do get a headache if I don’t drink my coffee!
Coffee with sugar, or without?
Sugar’s fine. Ultimately it’s just about how people enjoy it.
Are coffee-lovers essentially tea-haters?
I’m not! I was a tea drinker first, before I became a coffee drinker. I still drink my green and white tea.
What is the idea of The Barista Camp?
The idea came to me while training baristas and I realised they have no chance to talk to each other. So I thought, let’s put these people together — competitors meeting, sharing information, showing each other what you do, how to make coffee machines etc. Now we also include coffee growers, and roasters in the camp. It’s all about sharing knowledge.
