Mastering espresso needs trials. It is not a traditional method of preparing coffee rather a particular coffee brew style. For the art of espresso beverages, we have some tips, so you feel an expert hand on each process.
Fresh coffee beans are always a prime requirement. Coffee experts recommend to roast beans at home for espresso preparation. Poor quality and long time roasted beans will produce bad espresso. If you buy roasted beans be sure to watch on the date on the pack. Four/five days to two weeks of roasted bean is preferred. Many people have a choice for dark roasted beans to make their favorite espresso drink. Next, grind coffee beans just before espresso shots. The shorter the time between grind and brew, the better the espresso. And it is conferred every time you grind coffee beans for each espresso shot you pull. Burr coffee grinder mainly conical burr is right, or you can also purchase high-quality espresso grinder for the best outcome.
Coffee grind size largely controls the rate of extraction and flavour. So it is an essential part. The perfect texture for espresso is to grind like flour with a little sand through it. Just feel like that when you rub ground coffee in your hand.
What other requirements we need for preparing espresso:
- Coffee Grinder
- Portafilter
- Tamper
- espresso coffee maker
How to Make an Espresso Shot
- After grinding coffee beans rightly (Using a high-quality espresso grinder will give you the best result. We recommend Rancilio Rocky coffee grinder doserless), dispel the ground coffee into the portafilter. Be careful that the portafilter is clean and dry enough because contact with moisture could start early extracting. Now dosing ground coffee on the filter should be mounted but not overdose…It is what the Americans say “up dosing” method.
- Use your fingertip over the filter basket but do not give any pressure while you are doing it. Simply remove remaining mounted coffee ground with your finger to flatten with the basket.
- Next, it turns to tamping. Serious coffee baristas take tamping importantly as good tamping requires experience and it is an art. Most of the coffee novices ignore this part carelessly. First, position the portafilter on a flat place. Then hold the portafilter tightly in the right hand and use your left hand to hold tamper. Place the tamper to the parallel to the portafilter surface and press it down with 40 pounds pressure. In case of pump less automatic and stovetop espresso maker, tamping should be harder. Now exempt the pressure and tamp the second time but do not tap to the side of the filter as it creates uneven grounds. Within 30 seconds, the tamping process should be over. Remember to maintain the time as perfect espresso also depends on the time of the whole process.
- Now tie the portafilter to the group head of the espresso machine(Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine is our pick for best espresso maker). Lock it in the right position. Before making espresso, run some hot water through it to warm up the machine and for a good shot. However, after setting the portafilter to the group head, run the machine to send pressurized water to the grounds. Take a stopwatch and count the time. Coffee will extract through the filter like a mouse tail and observe the color- the best espresso shot is deep brown/reddish brown, beautiful crema looks like tiny bubbles on the top. If you do not see crema, then check your coffee beans if it is fresh, adequately roasted and ground.
- After extracting espresso coffee, unlock the portafilter and remove all the grounds from it. Clean it with hot water, wipe it and now it is prepared for the next shot.
So this is the base of making espresso. If you wish you can add milk to this coffee to prepare other popular espresso drinks like cappuccinos, caffe latte, macchiatos.