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Founder and editor

Sasha Pavlovich

Barista and coffee educator · Rome, Italy

Hi, I'm Sasha. I founded CoffeeHow and edit everything we publish. I'm a former professional barista and have worked hands-on with coffee since 2011, first behind the bar in independent cafés and today through structured coffee testing and equipment reviews.

Coffee isn't a hobby for me. It's a craft I've practised, studied and refined for more than a decade.

  • Since 2011Working in coffee
  • 69Articles on CoffeeHow
  • 3Coffee certificates
  • Espresso
  • Brew methods
  • Coffee beans
  • Roasting
  • Sensory evaluation
  • Coffee gear
Read Sasha's articles Email Sasha
Sasha Pavlovich, founder of CoffeeHow, holding a cup of coffee in a café kitchen
Barista since 2011 Café service, espresso and coffee education

Experience

From the café bar to coffee education

Working behind the bar taught me how coffee and equipment behave under real pressure: consecutive extractions, high-volume service and constant small adjustments. Over time I moved beyond bar service into roasting, sensory evaluation and green coffee analysis.

Based in Rome, I work with European espresso equipment every day while reviewing products that are widely available in the United States, so our guides combine traditional espresso standards with practical advice for home brewers.

Daily work behind the bar

  • Espresso extraction and precise dialing-in
  • Milk texturing and latte art during service
  • Pour-over and alternative brewing methods
  • Workflow in busy café environments
  • Sensory calibration through repeated preparation

What I focus on today

  • Testing and reviewing specialty coffee
  • Evaluating espresso machines and grinders
  • Brewing variables and extraction behavior
  • Practical guides for home brewers
  • Turning technical coffee concepts into usable advice
  • Sasha Pavlovich pulling an espresso shot at a café espresso machine
    Espresso extraction and dialing-in
  • Sasha pouring steamed milk for latte art
    Milk texturing and latte art
  • Sasha brewing coffee with an AeroPress outdoors
    Manual brewing and sensory practice
Sasha Pavlovich tasting coffee with a cupping spoon during a sensory evaluation

How I test

Small adjustments, repeated until they're right

I'm detail-oriented, especially about grind size, extraction variables and the small changes that shape the final cup. Everything I publish is based on:

  • Personal, hands-on experience
  • Repeated testing, not a single brew
  • Structured evaluation criteria
  • Real home brewing scenarios
How we test coffee and gear

Training and certificates

Articles by Sasha

A personal note

Coffee is still a simple ritual

The smell of freshly ground beans, the quiet moment before the day begins and the satisfaction of dialing in a precise shot never lose their appeal.

I drink my coffee black, but milk texture is an essential skill in any coffee environment. Latte art, extraction balance and repeatability are crafts built through patience and repetition, and my guides follow the same mindset.

Outside coffee, I value travel and time spent exploring different cultures. Visiting coffee-producing regions and specialty cafés keeps shaping how I think about sourcing and preparation.

Books that shaped how I work

  • The World Atlas of CoffeeJames Hoffmann
  • The Professional Barista's HandbookScott Rao
  • The Craft and Science of CoffeeBritta Folmer
  • The Blue Bottle Craft of CoffeeJames Freeman
  • Craft Coffee: A ManualJessica Easto
  • Coffee ObsessionAnette Moldvaer
  • Brewing JusticeDaniel Jaffee
  • OnwardHoward Schultz

More about how we work