What roast beans should I use for espresso?
Espresso beans and espresso blend mean the roaster has created the blend specifically with espresso brewing in mind. We suggest medium to darker roasted coffees for espresso because they taste the most consistent. There are two reasons for this: Medium to darker coffees are more forgiving than lighter coffee. Tamping compresses the coffee grounds to create a uniform puck, which is essential for a well-extracted espresso shot. A puck should always appear perfectly flat before water is pushed through it. An uneven distribution of grounds can create air pockets in the puck.Espresso makers require a fine, consistent grind to produce a strong, rich shot. If the grind size is too coarse, the water flows through too quickly, resulting in a weak cup of espresso. This means that not enough of the coffee’s flavors and oils are being drawn out, leading to a watery espresso.With espresso, pressurized hot water is forced through finely ground coffee creating both crema and liquid. The espresso crema is comprised of microbubbles of CO2 gas that are suspended in water. The bubbles attach to the natural oils and fats present in coffee, then rise to the top of the beverage.
How freshly roasted should coffee beans be for espresso?
For any coffees prepared as an espresso, we recommend waiting at least 5 days after the roast date before using. Our internal standard is between 7-11 days before use as espresso. For drip/pour-over, we wait 4-7 days. For cold brew, 10-14 days. The Golden Rule A reliable method for judging your extraction times is by following the “Golden Rule” which states that a double shot of espresso should result in about 2-2.The 30-second extraction rule suggests that a well-balanced espresso shot should take approximately 25-30 seconds to extract when using 18-20 grams of ground coffee and yielding about 30-40 milliliters of espresso.If the espresso processing time is less than 25 seconds, the grinding level is too coarse. If it is well over 30 seconds, the mill is grinding too finely. If we are in between, the result should taste really good. Outside the 25-30 secondswe have either an under-extracted or an over-extracted espresso.The golden standard will deliver if you like drip coffee or a manual pour-over. However, other brewing methods require some tweaking. For example, an espresso uses a ratio of 1:2, an Aeropress’ ratio is 1:6, a French Press is best with 1:12, and cold brew is at its prime with a 9:40 ratio.In general, you’ll need to use a fine grind for espresso, a medium grind for drip and pour-over and a coarser grind size for French press and cold brew.
Can I buy regular coffee beans for espresso?
Absolutely! The beauty of espresso is that any coffee bean can be used to make it — from bright, fruity single origins to rich, chocolatey blends. Espresso isn’t a special kind of bean; it’s a brewing method that uses pressure to extract a small, concentrated shot of flavor-packed coffee. In Italy, coffee usually has some Robusta beans in the blend, or is roasted really dark, or both. These factors result in overly bitter-tasting coffee, but do nothing to change the strength of a standard espresso shot.Italy for example, also with a mix of arabica and robusta/low quality beans. With dark roasts the flavour is more due to the roasting rather than the nuances of the beans.If you want to achieve a bolder coffee but don’t want to invest in an espresso machine, you can try using a Moka Pot or a French Press. The result won’t be as bold as the coffee you can brew with a machine, but it can be just as delicious.Blade grinders are not suitable for espresso, or at least that’s what every barista will tell you. Every now and again, someone will show that if someone is in a pinch, you might be able to get decent espresso with a blade grinder, but consistency is a problem.According to Italians the perfect espresso is driven by what is termed the 4-M’s: Macchina: The espresso machine that one uses. Macinazione: The proper grinding of the beans—a uniform grind between fine and powdery—that is ideally created moments before brewing the drink. Miscela: The coffee blend and the roast.
What is the 2:1 rule for espresso?
It’s the ratio of ground coffee to liquid coffee. So, a 1:2 ratio means that for every gram of coffee in your basket, we’re expecting 2 grams of liquid espresso out. Is the time it takes for your target yield to enter your cup. Let’s say you are brewing a double shot espresso (1:2 ratio); you should expect the total ground coffee to equal 18 – 20 grams. Dosing your coffee also refers to correctly choosing your grind size, as your grind size will significantly impact your extraction yield and shot time.
What’s the best pressure for espresso?
While 9 bars is the sweet spot, machines in the 7-11 bar range can make excellent espresso. Don’t be swayed by ultra-high pressure claims; focus instead on consistency and control over other crucial factors like grind size, water temperature, and extraction time. Espresso is defined at around 9 bars of pressure. Some machines advertise 15–20 bar pumps, but that figure refers to maximum pump output, not the pressure used for brewing. The best espresso comes from a stable 9 bar; anything higher doesn’t improve flavour.Nine bars of pressure, which is nine times the weight of air at sea level, is the gold standard for extracting consistently great espresso in a 25- to 30-second time frame. Any higher or lower level of pressure results in imperfect extraction, typically producing espresso that is too strong or too weak.