Espresso

/ Bean Shot/
 

Definition:  

Espresso is a concentrated coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure. It serves as the base for many coffee drinks, such as lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos. The key elements in making espresso are time, dose (amount of ground coffee), and yield (amount of espresso produced), which together determine the flavour and strength of the coffee. 

Basic Brew Recipe: 

Ratio: 18: 36 (1:2) 

Brew time: 25-30 seconds 

To make your espresso: 

  1. Preheat the Machine: Turn on your espresso machine and allow it to heat up, ensuring that the portafilter is also preheated. 

  2. Grind the Coffee: Use 18g of finely ground coffee. 

  3. Prepare the Portafilter: 

  • Place the portafilter on scales and tare. 

  • Add the ground coffee to the portafilter and distribute it evenly. 

  • Use a tamper to compress the coffee grounds with consistent pressure, ensuring an even surface.

    4. Brew the Espresso: 

  • Insert the portafilter into the machine’s group head. 

  • Start the extraction and begin timing immediately. 

  • Aim for a brew time of 25-30 seconds to yield 36g of espresso. 

    5. Monitor Yield: The yield (amount of espresso produced) for a 1:2 recipe should be approximately twice the dose (ground coffee used). For example, 18g of coffee should yield 36g of espresso. 

    6. Evaluate and Adjust: 

  • If the espresso flows too quickly, the grind is too coarse. Grind Finer 

  • If the espresso flows too slowly, the grind is too fine. Grind Coarser 

    7. Serve and Enjoy: Once the desired yield is reached, stop the extraction. 

Extra tip:  

The relationship between time, dose, and yield is crucial in making a perfect espresso 

  • Time: Affects the extraction level. Too short (under-extracted) can taste sour, too long (over-extracted) can taste bitter. 

  • Dose: Increasing or decreasing the dose will only affect the resulting amount of espresso made when you stick to a desired ratio. 

  • Yield: The amount of espresso made. A higher yield dilutes the coffee, while a lower yield makes it more concentrated. (Ristretto vs Lungo) 

Adjust Yield and Time to find the balance that suits your taste. 1:2 ratio is a standard when making espresso. Currently the general consensus in speciality coffee is to aim for a 1:2.5 - 1:3 ratio for espresso (sometimes even 1:4). This extends the espresso, allowing more flavours but less intensity to come through. Once you’ve found your personal sweet spot, you can repeat your recipe, maintaining consistency for great tasting espresso every time. 

For more detail surrounding making espresso, consider attending a Barista Course.