Ten years ago, James McDonald started his first job volunteering at a small Brisbane community café which focused on giving back to the community by paying it forward. As a coffee lover, it’s obvious why he is still in the coffee scene today.
Now Café Manager and Barista at Common Ground in Browns Bay, James can’t help but get involved with the customers.
“There’s a lot to be learned from your community, and Common Ground certainly has one of the best. Browns Bay is home to some really special people working to make it better and I'm curious to see where it goes.”
At Common Ground, the staff know their people, what they like and how they like it - it’s what keeps the people coming back. Though unable to count the number of names he recalls in a single day, it’s nuances like this and Browns Bay’s community aspect that keep the job interesting, particularly when customers make the effort in return. Having been working at Common for a few years, James saw many people continue to support them through Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.
“The experience was very hopeful. You can secure the next transaction simply by waving goodbye and smiling with your eyes. Or by ensuring the daily paper is neat and ready for them.”
Latte art isn’t a focus at Common Ground, as regulars make the shift to takeout only. Good looking coffee is important but not as important as understanding why a particular customer likes a coffee the way they do.
James has found there are no favourites when it comes to coffee blend.
“Every blend has a method and it’s my job to figure out that method.”
However, James does notice a lot of favouritism around Kenyan blends when it comes to single origin. He has also noticed a favouritism towards oat milk, an interesting variable that is proving more popular as time goes by.
“We use nearly as much oat milk as we do blue top milk. People love the creaminess of oat milk without sacrificing too much of the coffee's flavours, unlike the results of using coconut or soy milk which can taste too heavily of their own product.”
James himself has a reputation for enjoying a number of beverages using milk and milk alternatives.
“I used to drink coconut flat whites on my days off, but those don't occur too often anymore so I generally stick with a blue top, flat white or long black - that way I don't spend too much time thinking about it.”
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