Espresso Brew Guide

RECIPE: 18g fine coffee > 36g yield. This is known as the 1:2 ratio.

Espresso is a popular choice but can be challenging at home. The market is filled with gadgets, yet we focus on traditional tools to make consistently delicious espresso. Achieving the right resistance requires a grinder that produces a fine, uniform grind.

Step 1
Preheat your espresso machine or run some hot water through the portafilter. The aim here is to have everything hot so that when we pull our shot of espresso the heat contributes to the brewing process.

Step 2
Remove the portafilter and dry the basket with a clean cloth to stop your freshly ground coffee from extracting when it hits the basket.

Step 3
Tare the scale and grind coffee into the portafilter. Add or gently spoon out grounds to achieve your 18g dose.

Step 4
Tap the portafilter to level the grounds before tamping. You can buy tools to help make this stage more consistent, but they are not a necessity.

Step 5
Place your portafilter on a flat surface use a tamper to apply even pressure until you feel resistance, ensuring a level surface. You don’t need to tamp incredibly hard – we're aiming to remove any air that is between the ground coffee. After tamping you can run your fingers across the top of the tamper to see if it is level with the top of the basket. Make sure you have no coffee on the rim of the basket before moving on to the next stage.

Step 6
Position your cup and scale under the portafilter. Lock it in and start extraction. Aim for 36g in 25-30 seconds, starting a timer when the pump engages.

Step 7
Dispose of the old puck, clean the basket, and purge the group head after each shot.

BREW TIPS
If your coffee tastes sour/hollow it is likely to be under-extracted and you need to grind finer to extract more coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter, you'll benefit from a coarser grind size to allow water through more easily. When you make a change to your grinder, you’ll need to purge some coffee from between the burrs.

The 1:2 ratio in 25-30 seconds is a good starting point, but coffee preference is subjective. Experiment with ratios, temperature, and brew times as you develop your taste.