Espresso

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Instructions

Ensure espresso machine and portafilter have fully warmed up. 

Dial in rested coffee with a desired espresso grind while flushing some coffee through the grinder to warm up the burrs slightly.

Get your scales ready, place portafilter on top and tare scale. Grind 18 - 18.5g of coffee.

Distribute grinds evenly and tamp lightly. You shouldn’t need to use a lot of force.

Lock the portafilter into the espresso machine. Place the scale and cup onto the driptray and tare.

Start timer and watch for the consistency of your espresso shot. At 8-10secs you should have a dark, then golden caramel trail to start with, that changes to an orange flow.

When flow turns yellow, it’s time to stop the extraction. Your shot should run for at least 25 sec for a total espresso weight of 38g. 

You should have a syrupy and rich espresso with a lot of depth. You can check the ‘legs’ on the side of the cup as you would for wine, for an indication of a good shot espresso extraction. 

Flush the group to remove any coffee residu on the showerscreen.

Pro tips

Grind size particles should feel like fine sand.

Use the right water. For the best espresso extraction and maintenance of your machine, filtered and softened water is best, especially for commercial machines.

If your brew is too slow, intense or bitter, use a coarser grind. If it’s too quick, tasting thin or sour, use a finer grind.

This espresso guide is for a medium roast development on a 9bar pressure. It should produce a sweet, well-balanced shot.