Start to make espresso by taking a scientific approach. Use the rules to get a good result and the as you make progress manipulate and refine the process to create the perfect espresso. At this point it will begin to grow into an art.
Always use freshly roasted beans to make espresso. Stale beans will produce a poor brew even with great techniques.
Choose the appropriate roast for your espresso. Roasts that are very light just don't contain sufficient oils to make espresso that is satisfying. A darker roast is preferred for espresso because of its higher oil content but we recommend experimenting with a variety of roasts and blends.
Medium and dark roasts are ideal for making great espresso but varying techniques will ensure the best extraction from each kind of roast.
The grind of the coffee beans will always vary relative to the bean and how it is roasted. A dark roast needs a coarser grind than a medium roast to achieve the right brewing time and volume.
The level of consistency of the will also influence brewing results. Invest in a good coffee bean grinder to make sure to get the balance correct. There are two types of grinders namely: Burr grinders and blade grinders.
A blade grinder chops coffee beans with a whirling blade and work well for making coffee, however, they are not really suitable when you make espresso. They don't give a consistent grind, and also tend to produce heat which affects flavor.
Burr grinders use two opposing grinding cylinders and can crush beans to a consistent size. How far the cylinders are away from each other will determine how coarse or fine the grind. These grinders are slower than a blade grinder so less heat is generated.
The lower the grinder setting the finer the grind will be. If you want a coarser grind choose a higher setting. To make espresso we suggest using a setting in the three to eight range.
Pressure consistency is vital when tamping your coffee. Use the tool that came with the machine or portafilter. Don't use tamping pressure that is too great as this will mean a longer brewing time since water is unable to pass through dense coffee. If you use too little brew time will be shorter and your espresso will be inferior.
Tamp the coffee with 30 pounds of pressure to create the 'puck' for a good extraction on a standard machine. Other machines require a light tamp, since they are designed with pressurized filter handles. These allow a buffer for tamping error to help you to make espresso of the ideal quality.
