If you want to make espresso with the best flavor, it is important to understand how the flavor develops throughout the process.
People have a lot of different ideas about how to make coffee, and I’ll share my thoughts on those in this blog. But making coffee is both a science and an art, so sometimes you have to be creative and experiment within the guidelines.
I’ll explain how to get the best flavor from an espresso machine in a way that is easy to understand. Although there may be some unfamiliar words, please bear with me.
It all starts with the very first step of the coffee making process.
1. Beans
Beans, glorious beans! If you start with poor quality beans, the flavor will be poor as well. Don’t expect the beans you buy from your local supermarket to taste great. Its hard to tell how long the coffee has been sitting on the shelf.
This is also true for beans. If you want beans that are full of flavor, you will have to pay more for them. Luckily we sell the best flavored beans right here. We can provide you with coffee.
Although cheap beans are not the only type of beans that can taste bad, old or poorly stored beans can also taste terrible. If beans are not good, how can you tell?
If you are unsure of how long the beans have been sitting there, you can tell by looking at the bean. If it is quite oily or shiny, then it has been sitting there for a while.
The oils should be located on the inner side of the bean. If it looks like Mr Olympia 2014 right before he walks on stage, then it is most likely a has-bean and should be thrown in the garbage.
check the pour to see if the bean is not great. But having good beans is just the first step. If you want to avoid having to buy beans every day, you need to take good care of them. That’s why storage is key.
2. Storage
While the bean quality is important, storage is just as important. Coffee is very sensitive to changes in its environment, such as oxygen, moisture, heat, cold, humidity, and sunlight.
The best place to store coffee is in a cool, dark cupboard in an airtight container.
Coffee generally only lasts for a month before it starts to go bad. However, some coffees may last longer than others. If you want to drink it at peak freshness, you should drink it within a week, but this is often not practical.
Put the beans in a place that’s cool and dark, in a container that won’t let air get in. The best place to store wine is in a wine fridge. If you don’t have a wine fridge, store the wine in a dark cupboard. You should buy fresh beans every week, but if that’s not possible, aim for at least once a month.
It’s best not to grind the beans until you use them, as this release the beans’ flavors into the air instead of into your coffee.
3. Grinding
Most people find grinding to be a scary thing to do. I remember working in a cafe where only the manager was allowed to TOUCH the grinder. How do you think the rule affected the coffees?
The quality of coffee varies depending on the weather conditions. On hot, humid days, the coffee is not as good as on cooler, dry days. On which days did I call in sick to work?
You should never fix your grinder at just one spot. This will scare anyone into never touching it again. Whether you are in a controlled environment or not, coffee beans will never be exactly the same. As a result, you will always have to make adjustments.
Instead of becoming fixated on one particular brand of coffee grinder, it’s more important to understand how the device works and how to adjust the grind size to produce a better product. There are two types of grinders: Blade grinders and conical grinders. It’s important to know which one to use and which one to avoid.
A conical grinder is significantly better than a blade grinder because it produces a more consistent grind, and it is easier to control the grind size.
If you’re serious about your coffee, it’s worth spending extra on a conical grinder.
4. Tamping
Water will always take the path of least resistance. So, if you tamp the grinds so they are level with each other, the water will have to work harder to get through the grinds. This allows the water to pick up more flavors from the coffee beans.
There is a wide variety of tampers on the market, making it difficult to choose one.
The plastic that ships with most home machines is not good to use. A piece of string would be just as good. Choose a metal flask that feels good in your hand and is the right size for your needs.
Start with a heaped filter basket of coffee grind, and use the back of your little finger to scrape away the heaped coffee until the basket is level.
With the portafilter head on a flat surface, use the tamper to apply pressure to the coffee in a clockwise direction.
If you’re unsure of how to apply 14KGs of pressure, don’t worry–neither do I. So here’s the trick that will help you get somewhere close to that:
This is very important as it’s this small detail that will help ensure a good seal once the lid is in place: The filter basket has a small ridge or indentation around the circumference that helps ensure a good seal when the lid is in place.
If you have ground the coffee correctly, the compacted coffee should be even with the ridge when you apply pressure to the basket.
When using the tamper, make sure to rotate it clockwise. This will interlock the grind, making it more resistant to water.
If you find that the ground coffee is squished to the sides of the basket above the ridge, you should lightly tap the side of the basket to knock the grind off. Then, retamp the coffee lightly to “polish” it.
Don’t knock the sides of the machine too hard, because this can make the coffee “puck” come loose from the sides of the basket. This allows the water to go straight down instead of forcing its way through the coffee grounds.
If your puck is not level, then remove it from the basket and start again.
If you try to run water through an uneven tamp, you may get unexpected flavors.
Making perfect Espresso at home
Even though you have all the equipment you need, you might still be unsure of how to pull an espresso shot. Your espresso maker’s settings and features will determine the exact details.
Most semi-automatic espresso machines have similar basic instructions.
We will explain the best method for dialing in to brew the optimum espresso shot. We use the term “dialing in” to describe the process of tweaking the variables in the brewing process to produce the espresso flavor you desire.
1. Pre-heat the machine and portafilter
Start by turning on your espresso machine and attaching the portafilter to the group head. You should wait for between 10 and 15 minutes for the espresso maker to reach the optimum water temperature.
Some espresso makers, such as the Breville Barista Pro, use the ThermoJet heating system, which allows for much faster heating times. Although not necessary, pre-heating the portafilter and group head will produce better results.
Pre-heat your machine by pulling a few shots of hot water. This will help speed up the process.
2. Measure your dose
The amount of coffee you’ll need to fill the filter basket is the dose. To make the perfect cup of coffee, you’ll need to use a scale to measure the amount of beans needed for your filter basket.
Most espresso makers have baskets that can accommodate both single and double shots. We recommend using between 7 and 10 grams of coffee for a single espresso shot and 18 grams for a double espresso shot.
If you’re not sure if you’re using too much or too little coffee, a good rule of thumb is to start with two tablespoons of grounds per cup. From there, you can adjust the amount up or down based on your personal preferences. Simple! After you brew a shot, observe the puck to see if there is an imprint. If there is, you need fewer grounds.
3. Grind the coffee beans
It is essential to have the correct grind size for a perfect shot of espresso. You need to find the perfect setting on your grinder. The grind size for espresso should be fine, like table salt.
You’ll have to experiment a bit to find the perfect grind size for your coffee. You will also need to adjust the grind setting if you change the type of beans you are using. Different freshness also requires some minor adjustment.
4. Distribute the coffee grounds evenly
We made a few errors when we started this process, so hopefully our experience can help you avoid making similar mistakes.
After you have measured the number of beans to be ground for most home coffee brewers, add the coffee straight to the portafilter. To complete this level, you would use your finger to make the surface level.
This isn’t an efficient way to do this because some of the coffee grounds will be lost. It is an inexact means of measuring the amount of grounds you need and can create a mess.
It is better to use a dosing cup rather than grinding straight into the portafilter. The dosing cup that you will need will have an identical 54mm filter basket size.
After adding the grounds to the cup, invert the portafilter on top of it. This gives an accurate measure and prevents mess.
If you’d rather put the coffee straight into the portafilter, you can buy a dosing funnel to make the process easy and mess-free too.
We usually tap the filter basket a few times to help the coffee grounds settle. Doing this also helps remove air gaps and clumps. You can make the procedure of measuring coffee grounds easier and more efficient by using a coffee leveler.
5. Tamp the grounds
The best way to learn how to correctly tamp coffee is by trying it yourself. Most beginners tend to press unevenly and too hard.
Fortunately, there are ways to make it easier.
The tampers have been calibrated to stop at a certain pressure, so that the coffee beans are not exposed to too much force. This leads to consistent tamping.
The depth of the tamp can be adjusted with a palm tamper, so you can tamp at the level you want. It stops when it hits the ridges. This is the best way to get perfect tamping every time.
Three secret weapons
We use a two-in-one tamper and coffee distributor, as well as a dosing funnel or dosing cup that guarantees the correct amount of coffee every time. If you use the right tools, your grounds will be prepared correctly for the filter basket.
Even though these tools may not be required, they will definitely help you make a great espresso. Many of the factors that can make or break an espresso are taken away, leaving you to adjust the grind size.
This will make it easier for you to dial in the optimal espresso shot. We explained how to make use of these espresso tools in another article.
6. Pull a shot of Espresso
To make coffee using a portafilter, first attach the portafilter to the brew head. Next, place a mug on a scale and tare it. Set the timer. The espresso coffee to water ratio should be 1:2. If you want to make a double shot using 18 grams of coffee, you will need 36 grams of water.
You should allow around 25 to 30 seconds for this. The timer should start when the espresso maker begins to pre-infuse the grounds.
7. Make adjustments and repeat
If the time it takes to brew 36 grams of coffee is more than the ideal minimum of 25 seconds, the grind setting is too fine and needs to be adjusted to be coarser. If it takes more than 30 seconds, make it more coarse.
Use the same method to measure out 18 grams of coffee grounds and tamp them evenly.
Then time the shot to 36 grams. You should continue this process, making changes as you go, until you get the desired 25-30 seconds timing.
The espresso will still be drinkable, but it probably won’t be great. We have not yet considered the roast level of the grounds or your personal preferences.
If you have a grinder that allows you to adjust the settings, feel free to experiment with different settings. If your espresso maker has different temperature settings, try different ones until you find the one you like best.
8. Milk-based Espresso coffees
Most espresso machines include a milk steaming wand. After making your espresso, you can steam some milk to produce a cappuccino, a latte, or a similar milk-based coffee drink.
Although practice is required to perfect this, it will not be covered in this guide.
Conclusion
You can make an espresso or espresso-style coffee at home without an espresso machine.
It is more expensive to make authentic espresso than to use other coffee brewing methods. As you improve your skills, you may experience some frustration and failures.
Even though making a great espresso takes some skill, it is also enjoyable and provides a feeling of accomplishment.