Espresso brew guide

Become a hero home barista with this espresso brew guide and learn to sling shots like a pro

Serves 1

1. Grind

Weigh, then fine-grind the coffee into the portafilter. You’ll need to adjust the grind size to reach your desired extraction time – aim for 25-30 seconds.

Once the coffee is in the portafilter, give the side of the basket a couple of taps to level the coffee. If any grinds are sitting on the rim, use a clean, dry finger to wipe them off.

2. Vertical tamp

Place the portafilter against the edge of a sturdy work surface so the spouts overhang the edge. Insert the tamper onto the coffee bed, pressing down as flatly and evenly as possible. Stop pressing when you feel the puck can no longer be compressed.

3. Prep

Lock the portafilter into the machine and place a cup under the spouts, on top of scales. Set a timer to zero and tare the scales.

4. Brew

Press the brew button on the machine at the same time as you start the timer. Keep an eye on the weight and stop the timer/brewing 2-3g early to compensate for drips – finishing close to your desired brew weight.

5. Adjust

With the desired weight reached, check the timer. If it’s under the desired time, the coffee is under-extracted and will taste sour. If the timer is over, the coffee is over-extracted and will taste bitter.

Repeat the process with a finer grind if the timer was short or a coarser grind if it took too long. Make the tamping method as consistent as possible to remove unnecessary variables.

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