ESPRESSO BREWING GUIDE
Brewing great espresso takes some practice and finesse, but the process itself is really simple. This guide will run you through the basics and set you up with tips and tricks for dialing in your recipe and getting a perfectly balanced drink.
Though, any coffee can make a great espresso, our go-to coffee for espresso is Tres Banderas. It’s the tried and true blend we use in our cafes. This guide will produce approx 2oz. serving of espresso.
RATIO: 18 gram dose : 42 gram yield
GRIND: Slightly finer than table salt
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
- Espresso Machine (we especially love the Linea Mini and the GS3, both from La Marzocco)
- Shot Glass
- Coffee
- Scale
- Grinder
STEP 1
WEIGH & GRIND
Weigh 18 grams of coffee and grind it using a burr grinder calibrated for espresso so that it’s slightly finer than the texture of table salt.
STEP 2
LEVEL & TAMP
Level bed and tamp with roughly 30-40# of pressure or until you feel resistance from the puck. You want the coffee to be as evenly distributed as possible to ensure an even extraction.
STEP 3
BREW
Place a scale under your shot glass (or whatever clean vessel you’re brewing into), tare it to 0, and set it on the tray of your machine.
Purge hot water slightly before insertion to warm up the screen. Water temp should sit between 198-201 degrees fahrenheit. Insert the portafilter into your machine and begin extraction immediately.
Stop shot when yield is between 40-42 grams. Aim for 21-28 seconds.
STEP 4
SERVE
Sip on its own, or serve with steamed milk.
Tips and Tricks:
Grinder adjustments will most likely be needed to hit the target time. Grind finer to slow down the shot. Grind courser to speed it up.
You can further dial in your recipe by taste. You want a pleasant, balanced flavor. If your shot tastes sour or flat, it’s likely under extracted and you need a finer grind. If it’s bitter and the taste lingers too long, it’s likely over extracted and you need a coarser grind.