Key takeaways
- Pre-batched espresso is extracted in advance, chilled, and poured to order.
- The practice allows baristas to serve milk drinks in as little as ten seconds.
- But it directly contradicts the science-backed theories behind espresso freshness.
- Some embrace the push for innovation, while others view it as at odds with the values of specialty coffee.
Pre-batching espresso appears to be a simple yet revolutionary idea: Pull shots ahead of time, store them in a chilled container, and serve to order.
Kirk Pearson, the owner of Melbourne’s Project Zero Coffee and host of The Coffee Show with Kirk, has been serving pre-batched espresso (exclusively for milk drinks) at the original King Street location for over a year and, more recently, at the new Flinders Street Station shop.
“Here, we prepare espresso manually on a La Marzocco Linea PB and then bottle it,” he says. “We use Thermos containers to keep it cool, and serve it from the free pour Six Simple Machines.”
Baristas batch espresso in advance, dispense shots to order, pour latte art (using milk from an automatic dispensing system), and, in some cases, serve drinks in 10 to 20 seconds.
The setup seems effective and straightforward, but it’s generating mixed responses. To some in specialty coffee, pre-preparing espresso – a complex, delicate drink that degrades within seconds – is sacrilegious. For others, it’s a welcome innovation that has the potential to improve beverage consistency, optimise workflow, manage costs, and keep the coffee industry on its toes.
You may also like our article on whether espresso is changing.
The case for pre-batching espresso
Allegedly, the practice of pre-batching espresso isn’t new. Some assert that brands such as Blue Bottle did it years ago, while other Australian and US coffee shops have also laid claim to the technique. The controversy surrounding pre-batched espresso, however, is more recent.
“This goes against everything good about the coffee experience,” commented one individual on an Instagram post. Critics also voiced concerns over the lack of crema, the loss of the “art” of making espresso, and potential oxidation, which can degrade quality and flavour.
Kirk acknowledges the scepticism, but emphasises that context is key to understanding his decision to serve pre-batched espresso.
“I firmly believe we need to find simpler ways of serving coffee,” he says. “Cafés in Australia are often high volume, and we have some of the lowest coffee prices in the economically developed world. Our cafés are struggling.”
Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters found that the average price of a small takeaway flat white in major Australian cities was AU$4.78. But in other major international cities, including Athens, Dubai, and Basel, the average price is more than double, even after adjusting for local purchasing power parity. Net profits for Australian cafés also hover around 7.6%, well below the national average business profit margin of roughly 13.3%.
But profitability issues aren’t unique to Australia. Coffee shops worldwide, many operating on tight margins, are facing mounting pressure, particularly amid high staff turnover. Even with advanced equipment and skilled baristas, there’s a limit to how quickly traditional espresso setups can function.
Much like batch brew, pre-batching espresso removes the bottlenecks at the source. The small tasks that collectively take up much of a barista’s time – grinding, weighing doses, distributing, and tamping – are eliminated during service.
Intentional, not universal, application
Espresso is characterised by its complexity, intensity, and signature crema – an easily recognisable sign of freshness. However, when espresso is pre-batched, crema largely disappears, altering its appearance, flavour, and texture.
Additionally, pre-batched espresso is much more concentrated, meaning it’s too intense and syrupy to be served as a long black, americano, or straight espresso. Project Zero uses a 12-13% TDS (total dissolved solids) level, compared to 8-12% for traditional espresso, optimising it for milk-based drinks.
“If you taste pre-batched espresso blind in a milk drink, it’s very difficult to distinguish it from freshly made espresso,” Kirk says. “One general observation is that when pre-batched, the coffee tastes the same from the first sip to the last. With freshly made espresso, I find the first sip is usually more intense.”
Ultimately, it’s clear that pre-batching isn’t suitable for every coffee or café. “I chose to offer a new style of service, and it’s not something everyone should feel like they need to do to survive or be part of a trend,” Kirk says.
Alongside its house blend, Project Zero also uses co-fermented blends for pre-batched espresso, allowing the sweeter, more prominent fruit-forward flavours to cut through. For coffees with more nuanced tasting notes, acidity, and sweetness – a washed Panama Gesha, for example – pre-batching is likely a wasted effort.
Why pre-batched espresso is still so polarising
Despite the benefits it can offer busy coffee shops, pre-batching espresso is still met with resistance, most of which centres around the issue of freshness.
Specialty coffee advocates that freshness at every stage of the supply chain is one of the most important factors in cup quality. Espresso is particularly vulnerable to flavour and quality degradation; highly volatile aromatic compounds can oxidise in seconds.
Pre-batching increases this risk, especially if baristas don’t follow the proper preparation and storage protocols. Kirk emphasises the importance of refrigerating pre-batched espresso between 3-5°C (37-40°F) to preserve its delicate flavour and aroma compounds.
There is also the issue of latte art. With less crema, baristas don’t have the same “canvas” as freshly extracted espresso. “If you’re a skilled barista, the latte art will look very similar,” Kirk explains. “But it’s harder to pour more complex patterns with pre-batched espresso.”
For some, the concern is not purely about flavour or visuals. Espresso extraction is a skilled practice; dialling in a coffee, reading how a shot is running, and intuitively adjusting grind size are factors that define a great barista. While these skills are used to extract pre-batched espresso, the technique effectively removes them during service – changing both the barista and customer experience and, arguably, minimising the human element. Whether this is worth the operational gain is a matter of personal opinion.
Kirk is then careful not to present pre-batching as a universal application: “Just try it first and see if you and your team enjoy the process, but don’t feel compelled to do it. If you like it, then make it a regular menu item.”
What do customers think?
At Project Zero, Kirk says the customer response to pre-batched espresso has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“No one has said it tastes any worse than freshly extracted espresso,” he tells me. “Seeing people be so curious about it, and then having a good flavour experience, has been really rewarding. I’ve taken a huge risk doing this, so when people enjoy the coffee, it encourages me to go further.”
Even veteran coffee professionals, including Scott Rao, claim pre-batched espresso tastes “very good”, signalling its potential for success.
The practice appears to be spreading, though adoption remains thin. “I know that Beta Coffee in Sydney is doing it,” Kirk says. “I’ve also been told about coffee shops in China and the US that are pre-batching espresso, but I don’t have confirmation.”
The debate about pre-batched espresso remains open. “It’s been an interesting few months,” Kirk says. “So many people have a diverse array of opinions about it. On the whole, I’m very encouraged and excited for what the future holds.”
Will pre-batching become standard practice at most cafés? It’s unlikely. But for now, it signals how ambitious efforts to innovate can directly challenge the status quo. And in an industry grappling with an ever-growing number of challenges, these efforts should be celebrated.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the “dirty” coffee.
Photo credits: Project Zero Coffee
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