This article is dedicated to introducing you to the important brewing variables, the tools required, and the process for making your own exceptional espresso, all capped off with some troubleshooting tips for easily diagnosing common problems with your shots.
Before we get into espresso prep there are some important variables to address. Similar to brewing drip coffee, these variables will determine the overall quality of our beverage by controlling the amount of strength and extraction achieved in the final cup; some of those variables are shared directly with drip coffee, but a couple of them will be specific to espresso preparation.
Water: Your espresso can only taste as good as the water you start with. Espresso requires a finer grind consistency than almost any other preparation method, with particles typically ending up quite a bit finer than table salt. For the consistency and fine particle size necessary to brew espresso, we recommend only using a burr grinder and never a blade grinder. If you're unsure what grinder is right for you, check out our blog that lays out the features of all our espresso grinders. Check the sides of your basket for a printed mass measurement and try to stay within 1g of that number for the best results.
Tamp: Compacting ground coffee with a tamper restricts the flow of water, forcing coffee and water to interact with appropriate pressure. Yield: When brewing drip coffee we measure coffee input and water input to refer to our brewing ratio, but for espresso brewing ratios we measure coffee input and beverage output. Typically, modern espresso is brewed around a ratio, meaning that if you start with 20g of ground coffee in your basket you should aim for something like 40g of brewed espresso in your cup.
Note: Measuring your beverage output in grams on an accurate scale is best practice for espresso and will be immeasurably more consistent than relying on volumetric measurement. Getting an accurate volumetric reading of such a small amount of liquid presents challenges of its own, but making it even more challenging is the variable density of brewed espresso from coffee to coffee and even from day to day. Crema—that classic indicator of fresh and properly brewed espresso—is an emulsion of gasses trapped in coffee oils; as roasted coffee ages it off-gasses releasing CO2 trapped in the bean fibers , decreasing the amount of gas available to become crema.
As this happens, you end up with less and less crema over time, until eventually the coffee becomes stable once it has off-gassed all it can. This means that the volume of crema will decrease from day to day, leaving your beverage more dense as that happens.
Time: Time measures the total contact time between your espresso puck and brew water, beginning from the time that you engage the pump or you begin preinfusion and the time that you turn the pump off.
The proper grind is crucial to a balanced, delicious shot of espresso. It might be necessary to adjust its fineness a bit. In general, the grind ought to be quite fine. Distribute the coffee by drawing a finger across it in a series of alternating swipes. It is most effective to alternate sides in a series of 90 degree increments top to bottom, then left to right, and so on.
Place your portafilter on a clean, flat surface and position your tamper level on top of the grounds. Twenty to 30 pounds of pressure should do it. Give the tamper a gentle spin. Position the portafilter in the grouphead and start your shot. We recommend pulling it into a pre-heated ceramic demitasse. The shot should start with a slow drip, then develop into a gentle, even stream. Stop the shot just as this process begins.
Some semiautomatic machines like the Breville Infuser come with preset times for both single and double shots, but you can also start and stop them manually. If everything looks visually okay at first—a nice volume of viscous liquid, with a caramel-colored crema on top of the shot—taste it, and go from there.
Just remember: Nothing you can read will train you to produce good espresso more than training your palate by tasting, tasting, tasting, and adjusting, adjusting, adjusting. Want to add milk? Before plunging the steam wand in, make sure to purge any condensation first by turning it on for a moment. Though some instruction manuals say to swirl the milk while steaming, Castillo recommends holding the steam wand just off-center, to allow the force of the steam to create a whirlpool effect by itself.
You can always coax the bubbles out a little bit by swirling the pitcher and thunking it on the countertop. And with coffee having the renaissance that it is, local coffee companies in many major and some minor cities offer barista classes that can give the hands-on experience that no amount of reading will provide.
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