Get the 411 on how to make the best coffee

Daniel Erasmas, a 22-year-old Durbanite, has taken the local coffee scene by the horns. Already featured in numerous publications, this bearded barista is no stranger to questions on the art of making a decent cuppa.

We sat down with him (over coffee, of course) and asked him a few questions about his job, his passions and what coffee habits people actually need to kick.

Tell us how your coffee journey began?

It started at a wedding where I was thrown behind an espresso machine, only to pull probably the worst shots in espresso history. Shortly after that I got a job at The Factory Cafe. As my passion and skill grew, I was hired by Colombo (Coffee and Tea Co) as a barista trainer, travelling from Durban to Joburg and Italy to learn more.

How can the average person improve their coffee making skills at home?

Firstly, grind your beans fresh – as in, right before you use them. Secondly, weigh and time everything – you wouldn’t guess the quantities of ingredients for a cake because it would probably fail, and coffee is no different. Thirdly, don't use boiling water because it burns the brew.

What bad coffee habit irks you the most?

People often ask for their coffee hot and then tend to leave it on the table untouched while they talk for five minutes. It obviously gets cold and needs to be reheated. If you do this, please do some self-reflection.

Coffee competitions are becoming quite popular. Have you ever entered into one?

I competed for the first and only time in 2013. I made it to nationals in all categories and took first place in the SA Aeropress Champs. This gave me the opportunity to compete at Worlds in Rimini, Italy, which was an incredible experience.

Tell us a bit more about Firebird Coffee Works.

Firebird Coffee Works is a Durban-based microroastery and cafe. We’re highly dedicated to the quality of coffee we serve, starting with the green bean. We’re also super focused on our customers and serving them what they want whilst educating them a little more about coffee and what it is that we do.

• Find out what Dan and the rest of the Firebird crew are up to by following @danthorerasmus, on Instragram or checking out their Facebook. Call 079-817-9589.

• This article was originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.