The neighbor who timed my pour over from his porch

Last Sunday morning I was out on my patio doing my usual pour over routine when my neighbor from three houses down walked over with his own mug. He stood there and started quietly timing me with his phone, then nodded and said my bloom phase was exactly 11 seconds too long. Turns out he used to work as a barista in Seattle for 12 years and can't help but critique anyone making coffee within eyesight. Has anyone else had a stranger try to correct their coffee making process in public?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia6851mo ago

Oh that takes me back to a trip to Portland where I was just trying to make a simple aeropress at a park picnic table and some guy walking his dog stopped to tell me my water temp was probably off by at least 5 degrees and handed me a thermometer from his pocket. He carried a thermometer around for exactly this reason apparently. I mean I get it if you care about coffee a lot but there's a line between helpful and hovering. Your neighbor timing the bloom phase though that's next level commitment to the cause.

grantschmidt1mo ago

Did he at least bring his own chair next time or what?

the_paul1mo ago

Usually hovering is annoying but I gotta ask - was this guy at least nice about it or did he come off like a coffee police officer? Because there's a big difference between "hey have you tried this" and "you're doing it wrong here's my thermometer." The Portland guy sounds like he meant well but was maybe a little too ready with that thing.