Those simple pleasures, like perfectly ground coffee and cream espresso, help us get through the hard times of winter. These cold monthsWith so many of us cooped up at home, it’s as good a time as any to brush up on your home barista skills.
We have discussed the nuances of drip coffeeand I hope you are using the the golden ratio really nail it. For espresso drinkers, the measurements are equally important, although they differ slightly from those used for American-style drip.
The good news is that when it comes to making espresso, you don’t need a fancy, commercial-grade machine as espresso is all about the process. If you sharpen your measurements and brewing skills, you can pull off high-quality shots, even with basic model.
As a budding coffee connoisseur looking to expand my skills, I asked an expert about the dos and don’ts of brewing espresso at home. Kaleena Teoh, founder of Coffee Project New York, shared her thoughts, tips and common mistakes to consider when packing pucks and making espresso.
Espresso basics
Spilled on the espresso machine? Make sure you get the most out of it with these valuable tips.
“The word ‘espresso’ itself is not just a drink, it’s actually a brewing method that involves pushing hot water through a brewed coffee pod,” said Teoh, which can be accomplished with a machine with a boiler, or by hand, as in a stovetop espresso pot. It requires some pressure and temperature measurement, but a sophisticated machine is not required.
“The two most important things are the ability of the machine to maintain pressure and temperature while pulling the gun,” he said. On most models for home use, you may not be able to make any adjustments, but gauges or displays that show pressure and temperature can be reassuring.
Read more: I tried a $140 Espresso machine that pulls creamy shots and is Smaller than a Blender
Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely, which can preheat the water before boiling. Ensuring that your espresso machine is clean is also important for quality control, as regular brushing of the surfaces from the portafilter loading area and occasional hot water flushing are important steps to maintain efficiency.
1. Be aware of the size of the mill
A well-ground coffee bean is essential for making the right espresso.
Because espresso is a process, not a drink, there is really no such thing as an espresso bean, and you can choose the provenance and roast that suits the espresso, even a simple one. The grind of any bean you choose greatly affects the outcome of the shot you pull.
“The size of the grind should be around the range of fine sand,” said Teoh, smaller than that used for drip coffee, French press or pour over, but not as fine as the powder used for unfiltered coffee such as Turkish coffee. This feature makes it very important to have a grinder that allows you to fine-tune the size of the grind with a dial, rather than just a few predetermined settings that may not provide the necessary difference.
More than the coffee machine itself, Teoh recommends another essential accessory for the best home-brewed espresso. “If you have a basic machine that can maintain pressure and temperature, that’s good enough, but if I have more budget, I can spend it on a grinder,” said Teoh. “Having a good grinder, especially a good burr grinder, is very important for espresso.”
Teoh also naturally recommends the freshest coffee beans for the best espresso. Grinding to order is great, but you also want beans that are as freshly roasted as possible, within a matter of weeks.
2. Nail the coffee-to-water ratio
Like drip coffee, espresso has its golden ratio.
The “golden standard” differs in espresso compared to drip coffee, French press or pour-over, as you can usually control the amount of water that goes into the drink. Instead, you want a certain ratio between the amount of grounds and the amount of liquid coffee that comes out at the end, and yes, professional baristas weigh the finished espresso to ensure quality.
Despite what marketing language you would like to believe, there is no difference between coffee and espresso beans.
“The ratio of coffee to water is between 1 to 1.5 and 1 to 2.5, which means, for every gram of ground coffee we put in there, we want to produce between one and a half to two and a half grams of liquid espresso in a cup,” said Teoh. “That ratio usually gives you the best, what we call ‘power.’ It couldn’t be more intense. And there won’t be too much water.”
Because of the simple math when trying these ratios, 1-to-2 is the average range you should aim for. The smaller the ratio between the base and the espresso liquid, the stronger the coffee.
Espresso: A mixture of coffee and water
| Water | Coffee |
|---|---|
| 2 oz. | 1 oz. |
| 3 oz. | 1.5 oz. |
| 4 oz. | 2 oz. (double shot) |
If your espresso machine has controls to adjust the strength of the coffee, check them. If not, other factors that you can control, which can affect the result in the right amount, are the size of the grind, the consistency, and the pressure of the puck.
3. Adjust the puck properly
Use your finger to evenly measure the grinds.
After measuring your grounds on the pot filter, based on its size and the manufacturer’s recommended ratio of single or double shot, it is level before you are stuffed. “Use your fingers to make sure it’s evenly distributed before you press down,” says Teoh, so you don’t end up with an uneven puck.
He said that water will always find a path of least resistance between the tank and your cup, so if there is an area in the pot that contains less volume or is less compressed because it wasn’t equal in the first place, that’s where the water will primarily go, resulting in improper discharge.
A heavy duty, high quality stamp should be used, the right size for your pot filter. Portafilters come in a variety of sizes, usually 51 or 54 millimeters in diameter for home espresso machines. You’ll want to upgrade if your machine doesn’t include a tamper or go with lightweight plastic.
Your puck should be level and smooth before pulling the shot.
Pushing the puck doesn’t involve using a lot of force, but “you’ll want to get down to the point where you feel it bounce back,” Teoh said. “You’re not using your whole body weight on it, but it’s also not like stamping a card. You want to push down and create a dense, tightly packed puck.”
If you want to be precise about the pressure, some guidelines suggest using between 20 and 30 pounds. Teoh also notes that tampers are spring loaded are available, making it easy and convenient to apply adequate pressure.
4. Taste and adjust
The golden ratio is a good place to start, but don’t be afraid to adjust if the flavor doesn’t suit your taste.
It’s your espresso, and therefore your palate that is most important to the outcome. Small differences in coffee roast and roast, grind size, surface measurement, pressure and consistency, and temperature — to a degree you can’t control — will all affect different results.
Experiment with the above adjustments to achieve a balanced drink with a good mouthfeel and length to your taste, until it suits you.
“You may not have experience making espresso, but you have experience as a consumer,” says Teoh, “so you know what you should taste in your cup, and if it’s not right for you, then you know something needs to be fixed.”
Given all the possible variables above, hopefully it’s just a matter of tweaking a few things rather than requiring a whole new system.
How important is crema?
Crema is less about flavor and more about mouthfeel.
A crema, or layer of foam on top of your gun, may be desirable. Still, it’s not really an indicator of a well-pulled gun, and it doesn’t really affect the taste.
Teoh said carbon dioxide is trapped in the coffee beans during roasting, and then released during brewing, creating a foamy crema. However, it is not the density of the puck that determines whether it appears during brewing.
“Your crema isn’t just CO2, it’s oil and things that don’t dissolve in the coffee,” Teoh said. “There are a lot of aromatic compounds out there, but the flavor of your coffee lies in the dark liquid below. The crema doesn’t really have much flavor, but it helps with the mouthfeel.”
The absence of crema may have less to do with shot engineering and more to do with the roast itself. “The sweetness of the coffee makes a difference,” said Teoh, “and the coffee, if it’s lightly roasted, won’t have much crema either.”
To increase the power of your crema, you want beans from a dark roast that have been roasted recently.
