So, you’ve finally decided to join the espresso world. Although it might appear daunting at first, there is no need to overcomplicate things when it comes to coffee beans. There are many resources available that can help you improve the quality of your coffee beans, but you don’t need to use all of them.
Here’s what you need to know to make espresso, according to our beginner’s guide. Before we start, there are a few things you should know. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Yes! Coffee beans, which are beloved around the world, are actually the seeds of coffee cherries. Coffee cherries are grown in over 50 countries, with Brazil and Vietnam being the most productive coffee growers, producing millions of pounds of coffee each year.
After picking the seeds, they are washed to remove any excess bits of fruit and then spread out to dry. This is what we call unroasted coffee beans, which have the potential to become great coffee.
Coffee roasts can be broadly classified into four categories: green, light, medium, and dark. How long a bean is roasted has a big impact on its caffeine content and flavor.
If you like coffee from popular chain brands, you probably drink dark roasts. They are common in commercial and cafe settings.
We suggest trying a medium or light roast, as dark roasts are sometimes used to cover up a bean’s imperfections.
A coffee bean that has been lightly roasted will still have a lot of its original flavors and the highest caffeine content. A medium roast is a great combination of the flavors of the bean and the roast.
A medium roast coffee will have sweeter flavors than a dark roast, and will not have the bitter flavors that are associated with darker beans.
Espresso
Well, coffee brewed under pressure, to be specific. High pressure, high temperature water passes through a puck of finely ground coffee to create a highly concentrated beverage.
Espresso is a recipe that is made up of different parts. Espresso is a coffee that is made by balancing all the variables, which results in a drink that is stronger and more flavorful than the average coffee.
To make a good espresso, you need to be patient and practice a lot. The most important thing is to follow instructions.
The golden rule of espresso
You should pour 2 ounces of espresso in a 25 second period. This is your extraction time. If the 2 oz. extracts in less time than it is supposed to, then the grind is too coarse and needs to be adjusted to a finer grind size.
If the espresso is coming out too slowly, the grind needs to be more coarse. If you are close to the ideal shot time, make a small adjustment to the grind size.
This is called “dialing in the grind” or just “dialing in.” It will improve your espresso if you become comfortable with it.
The brewing guide
1. Choose your coffee
The quality of the coffee beans is the most important factor in brewing any coffee. A skilled barista can not make a bad coffee taste good. The coffee you choose for your espresso is quite important.
. It might take a little while to learn how different coffees behave when brewed as an espresso, but here are a few guidelines to help you out when you’re just getting started.
The best way to start with espresso is to find a favorite roaster and try their espresso blend. These beans are easy to work with and produce a well-balanced espresso.
The best way to become familiar with these coffees would be to experiment with them before moving on to single origins.
If you are looking toBrewing coffee for espresso will usually result in a more acidic taste. If you are brewing coffee that is already acidic, it can be more difficult to get a well balanced cup, and you may find yourself struggling to make shots that are not sour-tasting.
2. Dose and grind
Some people argue that the grinder is the most important element of any brewing setup. However, that is something that could be discussed another time.
A double espresso should have 18g of ground coffee. If you have a smaller portafilter, you might need to use less coffee, but we’ll talk about how to adjust for that later in the post.
We recommend weighing your ground coffee in order to ensure consistency. If you are not weighing your coffee, we still recommend taking steps to ensure consistency.
Some easy ways to make sure you’re using the same amount of coffee each time include using a scoop to measure it out or filling the espresso basket and then scraping the top off so that it’s level with the edge.
To make your coffee, you need to grind the beans into a powder that is as fine as sugar.
It will take time and practice to find your grind settings, and they will change more often than you would like.
Choose your grind settings carefully, keeping in mind that factors such as the density and freshness of your coffee beans as well as temperature and humidity can affect them.
3. Tamp
If you tamp correctly, it can greatly improve the quality of your espresso. The goal of tamping is to compress the grounds evenly within the portafilter so that the water can evenly filter through them. The aim is to have a flat and smooth bed of coffee.
When tamping coffee, you quickly reach maximum density. If you are not sure what that means, read the article “How hard should you tamp” on Barista Hustle.
This means you don’t need to tamp down the coffee too hard, and the extra effort becomes unnecessary quickly.
The most important thing to remember when tamping is to keep the surface level. If you don’t tamp your coffee evenly, the entire extraction will be uneven, with some parts under-extracted and others over-extracted, resulting in a poor cup of coffee.
4. Pull the shot
The last step is to pull the shot. Insert the portafilter, make sure it is locked in place, place your cup below the spouts, start your timer and press the button (or pull the lever) to start pouring your shot
The measurements and variables are important in this case. A starting point for a good espresso is a 2:1 ratio of ground coffee to brewed espresso.
This means that you should use 18 grams of ground coffee to get 36 grams of black coffee. A brew scale should be used to weigh the espresso, but if that is too much of a hassle, then using a measured espresso glass will work just as well.
If you can’t do that, try weighing the first few shots you brew and use those to get a rough idea of how much espresso 36g is. That way, you can eyeball a similar amount each time.
If you are using a smaller basket and can’t use 18g of espresso, you can still use the 2:1 coffee to espresso ratio by using less coffee grounds. For example, you could use 15g ground coffee to 30g liquid espresso or 16g ground coffee to 32g liquid espresso.
The second variable is time. If you are using a medium roast coffee, you should aim for an espresso shot that is extracted for 25 to 30 seconds for the best flavor. A darker roast coffee might taste better if the shot is extracted a little faster, and a lighter roast coffee might taste better if the shot is extracted a little slower.
If you find your shots are taking less time than usual, the first thing you should try is grinding the coffee beans a little finer. If the first method doesn’t work, you can also try adding more coffee.
5. Enjoy
And there you have it. You should have a rich, sweet and delectable espresso. This is by far the most important step in this journey. After you finish brewing your beer, all you have left to do is relax in your favorite spot and drink it slowly. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
The more you learn about coffee, the more you will be able to taste and identify different flavors. James Hoffman’s coffee vlog is the perfect place to learn about taste and flavor.
Espresso troubleshooting
Even though it may seem easy, making espresso can be complicated and involved. Sometimes, things don’t quite go according to plan. We’ve put together a quick guide to some of the most common espresso problems and how to solve them.
Sour taste
A sour tasting shot is a common issue when brewing espresso with lighter roasted coffee. This is caused by under extraction.
In order to fix this, you want to increase the amount of time that your shot is active. If needed, don’t be afraid to extend the time beyond the guidelines mentioned above. In order to make your shot pour for a longer period of time, you need to grind it more finely.
Weak or thin espresso
If your espresso is weak, it might be because you used too little coffee or too much water. If you mix the coffee and espresso in a 1:2 ratio, you shouldn’t have this problem.
This means that sometimes making your espresso shot a little longer can help to bring out more complex flavors.
Bitter or astringent espresso
Bitterness in coffee is typically caused by over-extraction, while astringency is usually the result of channeling. Channeling occurs when water creates a pathway through the coffee puck, leading to uneven extraction.
If you grind your coffee a little coarser, and let your shots run a little faster, you can fix both of these problems.
Helpful things to keep in mind
1. Coffee brewing temperature
According to the Specialty Coffee Association, the perfect temperature for brewing coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees. This should produce a coffee that is 160-165 degrees when it reaches the cup. Your drink should be slightly hot to the touch, but it shouldn’t be too hot to the point where it would scald you.
If the heat exchanger has been on but not in use for a while, you should perform a cooling flush. To remove any overheated water from the system, run brew water out of the group head for a few seconds.
Other prosumer equipment, especially those with PIDs or Dual Boilers, should maintain stable temperatures as long as the machine has fully heated up.
To ensure that no heat is lost while brewing, be sure to leave the portafilter locked in while the machine is heating up. Before you make your coffee, steam or hot water to the cups to keep the coffee hot.
2. Brewing equipment
The big choice. When looking at purchasing a machine, the type of boiler is the easiest way to help make a decision. You’ll find single boilers, heat exchangers, and dual boilers.
Single Boiler Dual-Use
The most basic semi-automatic espresso machine is the single boiler dual-use model. The machines have a boiler that can be used for brewing espresso and steaming milk.
Small size and low cost make it easy to start home brewing. There are also machines with single boilers that have PID temperature controllers, which are more expensive.
People who purchase these machines are typically more interested in having precise temperature control, rather than steamed milk.
Heat Exchanger
The following espresso machines are some of the most commonly found machines in the Prosumer category. The boilers in these machines are designed with heat exchange technology that allows them to brew and steam simultaneously by maintaining a constant supply of both steam and brew water.
The main idea is that the water for brewing is in a small tube that is constantly supplied with fresh water. The tube mentioned goes into the boiler and is heated by the boiling water surrounding it as the water passes through.
Heat exchange machines are devices that are used to transfer heat from one object to another. These devices are commonly used in brewing to help regulate the temperature of the wort (the liquid that is extracted from the mash during the brewing process). Their products offer better temperature stability, higher capacity, and more professional grade components.
Although these machines can be learned to brew at consistent temperatures, they are not generally known for this, especially when compared to a double boiler machine.
Two boiler espresso machines are the best at maintaining a consistent temperature.
Dual-Boiler
The dual boiler espresso machine is designed with two boilers instead of one. This design is intended to provide greater flexibility and control over the espresso-making process. Each boiler has its own specific use, either for brewing or steaming, and in most cases the steam boiler can be turned off when it’s not needed.
Dual Boiler machines have many of the same benefits and design features as Heat Exchange models, such as high capacity, water line adaptability, rotary pumps, and E61 Groups. They also have the ability to brew and steam simultaneously.
Supercomputers are usually found on the most advanced and powerful machines.
Using milk in espresso beverages
Espresso is a powerful beverage with a strong flavor. A delicious shot of espresso is amazing on its own, but it also pairs well with steamed milk.
The intense flavor of espresso is mitigated by the light sweetness of steamed and frothed milk, making for some great cafe-style drinks.
Whole milk is the most popular choice for frothing and steaming because it has a higher fat content and fuller flavor. However, the world of milk is becoming more diverse with the options of soy, almond, cashew, coconut, pecan, rice, and pea milk.
Frothing technique is an art form that is best seen and experienced rather than read about. Our blog contains 5 tips for beginners who want to learn how to froth milk.