How to Prepare the Perfect Espresso

For those who want to enjoy an espresso at home there are a few key points to follow to achieve the best results. You will need:

• Good quality espresso machine
• Freshly ground coffee to suit machine- preferably on your own grinder adjusted
specifically for your own machine.
• Use filtered water in espresso machine for best results
• Tamper to suit basket size
• Espresso cups.

Getting Started

Use filtered water in your machine as tap water contains chemicals and metals which affect the flavour of the espresso. Many machines have built in filters.Turn machine on until correct pressure is achieved.

The Coffee

The next thing to consider is the coffee itself. First of all, freshness is of paramount concern. For this reason, buy your coffee from a roaster who will ship within a day or two from the roasting in whole bean form.

Also make sure the coffee is of a blend and roast that is especially for espresso. We also need to use the right amount of coffee per shot.

The Grind

The grind is probably the most important component of a great shot. It needs to be so fine that it has the consistency of a slightly gritty powder. The time that water is in contact with the grounds is critical.

The coarseness of the grind will determine how fast the water passes through during brewing. The finer the grind, the more time it takes the water to be forced through the grounds. Think of water flowing through a layer of sand as opposed to rocks

The Time and Temperature

If the shot brews too quickly, the espresso will be under-extracted resulting in a weak and bodiless coffee. Too slow, and it will be over-extracted, bitter, and well, nasty.

Espresso Brewing Process - The Dose and the Tamp

The dose is the amount of ground coffee deposited into the portafilter. Typically, about 8 grams (approx. 2 tablespoons) is used for a single shot and around 16 grams for a double. Most portafilters have a fill line which indicates the proper amount (after compaction) to use.

The compaction of the grounds is known as the tamp. This is accomplished with a round, weighted tool that is flat on the bottom and is also referred to as a tamper. First, run hot water through the portafilter so the cold metal will not cause the brewing temperature to be lowered.

Fill the portafilter with the ground coffee and tamp the grounds with an even, downward, twisting motion. Then tap the sides of the portafilter causing the coffee on the sides of the portafilter to fall off of the side wall. Tamp again until an even, level and firm compaction is accomplished.