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Espresso
Espresso is the foundation of almost every coffee served in a café - the base for lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, and more. It's also one of the most technically demanding brewing methods out there. Humidity, water quality, roast level, and even how old your coffee is can all shift the result, which is what makes pulling a great shot so rewarding when you get it right.
What you'll need
- 15g coffee (approximately 2.5 teaspoons), ground for espresso
- Espresso machine with portafilter
- Cup
- Scales if you have them, otherwise eyeballing is fine
How to brew
1
Lock the portafilter into the machine and start the extraction. Brew for 35 seconds.
2
Add your coffee to the portafilter and tamp down firmly and evenly to create a level, compact bed of grounds.
3
Fill the water tank of your espresso machine.
A few tips to get the best from your cup
If your espresso tastes sour, the coffee is under-extracted - try grinding finer or applying more pressure when tamping. If it tastes bitter or astringent, ease up on the tamp or go slightly coarser with your grind.
Water temperature and pressure make a significant difference. If your machine allows it, aim for an extraction temperature of 94–96°C.
For lighter roasts, a slightly higher dose can help achieve fuller extraction. For darker roasts, pulling back on the dose keeps the cup balanced and prevents it from tipping into bitterness.
Tamp level every time. Uneven tamping creates channels in the coffee bed where water finds the path of least resistance, resulting in an inconsistent and often poor shot.
Watch the extraction as it pulls. The first third should be a thin, dark stream; the middle third a steady caramel flow; and the final third slightly lighter and faster. If the light stream dominates too early, the shot will taste bitter and woody.
