Shots die. Whether it’s just our shots or all shots, idk. Customers who drink them fresh out the machine are drinking stale shots if they added nothing to it, yes. Some don’t mind the stale flavor, some drink it so fast it doesn’t matter, some customers take the shots to add them to something later (like a personal protein shake). Water saves because it’s hot like the shots or cold to cool off the shots. Shots die if they’re just sitting there unattended. They are HOT and they essentially burn themselves. They have to be swirled into a splash of something to cool them down or keep them hot like milk, ice, water, or sauce. If it’s a sauce they have to be SWIRLED or MIXED in because if they just sit there they will die because it’s still just a concentrated shot sitting on the syrup burning itself. Also, pulling shots directly into a caramel macchiato (as opposed to shot glasses or a pitcher first) burns them every time because the shot isn’t mingling with the milk correctly and it just. Sits there. And burns itself. On top of the drink. Shots die. I have tasted the difference many a time.

When I first started in ‘07 I was trained by a SSV and SM who told me that espresso is saved in water, ice, milk, and sauces. When we’d make any signature espresso drink (other than mochas or white mochas), we’d splash in a bit of hot/cold water/milk in between shot pulls. Nowadays it seems to have changed.

From what I was taught, it’s not just because it’s in a cup that the shots won’t die. Like how you mentioned the water for the Americanos, I was told as long as there is another substance in the cup with the espresso shots (like flavored syrup, water, milk, sugar packet, etc.) then the shots won’t die. Think about it, when you poor espresso shots into a macchiato, they don’t die right? Or when you make an iced quad espresso they don’t die... so as long as the espresso is in a substance it’s all good. So I’ve been taught.... could be wrong.

Yes, espresso is inherently a nasty, disgusting, expired, dead, foul thing unless you add something to it or gulp it down in less than 10 seconds. The Italian dudes that invented the first espresso machines were actually just trolling people. They would make espresso and pretend it was this really delicious coffee, but they knew it tasted like burnt rubber. They would serve it to their friends and watch them pretend to like it, and then scurry off to the drawing room when they could no longer contain their laughter. I think it was Luigi Bezzera who was quoted as coining the phrase, "Espresso: This shit sucks" and tried to use it as a marketing slogan. But that didn't work out too well, which is why Pavoni had more success with his machine. He used the slogan, "Espresso: Doesn't taste like farts if you add something to it." And that's how the first latte was invented. This is all true, just research it.

Shots “die” in “10 seconds” according to Sbux training so that baristas make drinks faster.

First of all, i believe the terminology we’re supposed to use is shots “develop” but yes, the flavor does noticeably change after 30-45 seconds. Also, like most people have said, adding anything else to the drink “saves” the shots, so adding water, ice, milk, etc. prevents them from developing