Especially for home baristas with a semi-automatic machine

Short video modules with clear PDFs

Apply directly to your own espresso machine

Based on more than 10 years of workshop experience

Online barista course for home on your own espresso machine

An online home barista course helps you understand what really happens during espresso preparation. Espresso Under Control is designed for home baristas who work with a semi-automatic espresso machine and want to gain more control over coffee beans, taste, grind, extraction, and maintenance.

The course consists of short video modules with a summary PDF. You can follow the complete learning path, or start with the topic where you are currently stuck. For example, you will learn how roasting and freshness influence taste, why an espresso turns out sour or bitter, and which variable to adjust first.

Espresso Under Control is not a professional training or certification program. It is a practical home barista training that you complete independently and apply directly to the machine and coffee grinder you use at home.

Espresso extractie op een Sage Oracle Jet tijdens een barista workshop aan huis, waarbij espresso in een shotglas wordt gezet op de eigen espressomachine.

You have an espresso machine, but no fixed approach yet

A good espresso machine gives you a lot of influence over the result, but doesn't tell you which choice to make when. As a result, you sometimes keep adjusting settings without knowing exactly why your espresso tastes better or worse afterwards.

  • You're changing multiple settings at once

    You adjust the grind size, coffee dose, and extraction time, but afterwards, you can't determine which change made the difference. This makes it difficult to replicate a good shot.

  • You mostly choose coffee beans based on packaging or brand

    Terms like Arabica, single origin, medium roast, and freshly roasted appear on the packaging, but it's not always clear what they mean for taste and brewing.

  • Giving individual tips does not provide a complete overview

    A video about grind size or espresso ratio can offer temporary help. Without understanding the relationship between beans, freshness, grind, extraction, and maintenance, it remains difficult to make adjustments independently.
Start module 1 for free
Thuisbarista volgt een online barista cursus en oefent op de eigen halfautomatische espressomachine.

What is a good online barista course for home use?

A good online barista course not only teaches you which settings to use, but also why your espresso changes. Espresso Under Control consists of short video modules with PDFs that you follow independently and apply directly to your own semi-automatic espresso machine.

Who is this course for?

For beginners and experienced home baristas who grind, dose, tamp, and brew their own espresso, but want more structure in their bean selection, machine settings, and daily routine.

Key Details

  • Ten compact modules
  • Average of approx. ten minutes of video per module
  • PDF summary per topic
  • Independent online learning
  • Individual modules and bundles available
  • Applicable to various brands of semi-automatic espresso machines
  • No professional diploma or certification

Good espresso is about cohesion, not a single setting

The taste of espresso is not solely determined by the espresso machine or the coffee grinder settings. The coffee bean used, roast, roast date, dosage, grind size, espresso volume, extraction time, and cleaning all influence each other.

If you only follow one recipe, it might work for one bag of coffee. As soon as you use different beans or the coffee ages, the result changes, and you need to be able to reassess what's happening.

A practical barista course, therefore, doesn't just provide settings. You learn to recognize connections, adjust one variable at a time, and measure and taste the result. This way, you develop a working method that allows you to independently adjust later if your espresso tastes sour, bitter, watery, or inconsistent.

The goal is not one perfect recipe, but understanding which next adjustment makes sense.

La Pavoni espressomachine met koffiemolen, Aficionado koffiebonen en barista-accessoires in een moderne keuken.

From understanding coffee beans to mastering espresso

Start with the free introductory module to see how Espresso Under Control is structured. After that, the complete learning path goes through three substantive phases: first understanding what coffee you are buying, then learning how roasting and freshness work in your espresso machine, and finally building control over extraction, maintenance, and coffee beverages.

Start module 1 for free

Phase 1 - Understand what coffee you're buying

In modules 2 through 5, you'll learn to better assess coffee before brewing. You'll start by understanding the difference between Arabica and Robusta and discover what this means for body, bitterness, aroma, and the character of espresso. Then, you'll learn to use origin and flavor profiles as selection aids. You'll also see how harvest, sorting, and the choices made by coffee brands influence quality and predictability. Finally, you'll compare single origin with espresso blends and discover why some coffees work more easily and consistently in an espresso machine than others.

Phase 2 - Use your coffee correctly

In modules 6 and 7, you will learn why good coffee beans don't automatically result in a good espresso. First, you'll discover how light, medium, and dark roasts differ in taste, solubility, and behavior during extraction. This will help you understand why the same grind setting doesn't continue to work when you switch roasts. Then, you'll learn what happens to coffee after roasting. You'll discover why the roast date is more important than just the best-before date, and how freshness impacts crema, aroma, body, and predictability. This way, you'll be able to recognize sooner when you need to adjust your grind and when the problem lies with the coffee itself.

Phase 3 - Get a handle on espresso and coffee drinks

What to do at step 3?
Thuisbarista volgt een online barista cursus en oefent op de eigen halfautomatische espressomachine.

What this course will give you in practice

You adjust one variable more specifically

You learn not to change multiple settings at once. This allows you to better assess what makes an espresso faster, slower, more acidic, or more bitter.

Beste koffiebonen voor thuisbarista’s, ideaal als cadeau – 250 gram verpakking.

What this course will give you in practice

You choose coffee beans with more understanding

You will better understand what varietal, origin, blend, roasting, and roast date mean for taste and for adjusting your coffee grinder.

Cappuccino, latte en flat white naast een RVS melkkan en espressomachine voor thuisbarista’s die goed melkschuim willen maken

What this course will give you in practice

You learn on the machine you use at home

You don't have to translate a recipe from an espresso machine to your own kitchen. You watch the explanation and apply the principles directly to your own semi-automatic machine and grinder.

Start module 1 for free
Bundels uit de serie Espresso Onder Controle voor thuisbarista’s die betere espresso thuis willen zetten

Choose how you want to get started with Espresso Under Control

"Wat bieden wij?"

For home baristas who want control, not a diploma

Espresso Under Control is intended for people with a semi-automatic espresso machine and an integrated or separate coffee grinder. The method is suitable if you are just starting, but also if you have been making espresso for a while and your results remain inconsistent. You need to be able to influence grind, dosage, and extraction yourself. The course is not designed as a professional training for hospitality staff. You also will not receive SCA certification or other professional diploma.

Why modular learning makes sense here

Here's why you should get this offer:
Thuisbarista volgt een online barista cursus en oefent op de eigen halfautomatische espressomachine.

Free introduction or continue learning immediately

Module 1 is free and introduces you to the method. Afterwards, you can choose a single module or combine multiple modules for a better price. On each product or bundle page, you can see which topics are included and what the current price is.

View the complete basic bundle

On the product page, you can see exactly which modules are included and what the current price is.

Ten concise topics within one learning method

Video explanation with a PDF summary per module

Direct applicable to your own semi-automatic espresso machine

Individual modules, problem-based bundles, and a complete basic route
  • De complete Online Barista bundel met modules 2 t/m 9, inclusief introductiemodule. Voor maximale grip op espresso thuis, koffiedranken maken en koffiebonen kopen.
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Bundle: Complete Home Espresso Fundamentals

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Here you'll find practical answers about the skill level, the required espresso machine, the content of the modules, and the difference between online learning and a physical barista workshop.

Frequently asked questions about the online barista course

Is Espresso Under Control a complete online barista course?

Espresso Under Control is a comprehensive online barista course for home, structured into individual modules that together form a clear learning path. You will learn, among other things, how to choose coffee beans, what roasting and freshness do to the taste, and how to ensure that the water extracts the right flavors from the ground coffee. Cleaning your espresso machine and making various coffee drinks are also covered. You can follow all modules in order or start only with the topic you want to learn more about. The course is intended to teach you how to make better espresso at home and is not a vocational training or certified course.

Which espresso machines is the course suitable for?

The course is primarily designed for semi-automatic espresso machines where you grind, dose, tamp, and start the extraction yourself. This can be a machine with an integrated coffee grinder or a semi-automatic machine with a separate grinder. With a fully automatic or capsule machine, you cannot influence all steps yourself, which means some of the explanations are less directly applicable.

Is the online barista course suitable for beginners?

We're here to make things easy for you! Your first step to getting the right size is checking out our size chart. It's got all the info you need to measure yourself and find your perfect fit. We also provide extra details on each product page, like the model's size and fit descriptions. If you're still not sure, our team is always happy to help. Just send us a message!

How long does a module take?

A module contains an average of about ten minutes of video explanation, supplemented by a summary PDF. You can watch the explanation in a short session and then apply it at your own pace. The exact time you need also depends on how much you want to practice with your espresso machine.

What is the difference from a physical barista workshop?

You follow the online course independently, at your convenience. You watch the modules and apply the principles yourself to your machine. During a private workshop at your home, Geert-Jan will personally guide you, assess your settings, and provide immediate feedback. Choose the online course for flexible and independent learning. Choose a workshop if you want personal guidance on your own equipment.

I have another question...

You can contact Geert-Jan the Barista here

Learn to make espresso at home with an online barista course

An online barista course for home is especially valuable when you can directly apply the explanations to the espresso machine and coffee grinder you use daily. That's why Espresso Under Control is not built around one machine brand or one fixed recipe. You learn which components influence taste and how to assess, step by step, what needs to change.

Have you just started with a semi-automatic espresso machine? Then check out the selection guide.Just bought an espresso machine?

If you want to get acquainted with the learning method first, start with the free introductory module of Espresso Under Control.

After that, you can determine which topics match your learning goal via the overview of all online barista modules.

Do you want to follow multiple topics at once? Then check out the bundles of Espresso Under Control.

Would you prefer personal feedback on your own machine and coffee grinder? Then a private home barista workshopis probably a better fit.

This way, you don't automatically choose the longest course, but the learning path that suits your current experience, equipment, and needs.

Start module 1 for freeView all modules

Others also view

Online barista course for home: learn to make better espresso

Espresso Under Control is a practical online barista course for home baristas with their own semi-automatic espresso machine. In short video modules with a summary PDF, you will learn how coffee beans, roast, freshness, grind, extraction, and maintenance together determine the result in your cup.

Start for free with the introductory module, then follow the complete learning path or choose only the topics that match your espresso and espresso machine.