Espresso is the least forgiving way to make coffee. Everything happens in half a minute and under pressure, so a small change in grind or dose arrives in the cup loudly. That is also what makes it worth learning. Fix the recipe, change one thing at a time, and taste.
What you need
- 18g of coffee, ground fine
- 36g of espresso in the cup
- 25 to 30 seconds, from the moment the pump starts
- Water at 93°C
- A scale that reads to 0.1g
The method
- Bring the machine up to temperature and leave the portafilter in the group while it heats.
- Run a short flush, then wipe the basket dry.
- Grind straight into the basket, settle the bed and level it.
- Tamp flat and firm. Even matters more than hard.
- Lock in and start the shot immediately.
- Stop at 36g, and note the time it took.
Reading the shot
If the shot runs quickly and tastes sour or thin, the water found a way through too easily. Grind finer. If it crawls and finishes bitter and drying, grind coarser. Adjust the grind first and leave the dose where it is — change one variable at a time, or you will not know which one worked.
Freshness moves the target. Coffee rested a week behind roast runs faster than the same coffee at three weeks, so expect to adjust across the life of a bag.
Milk
Steam to 60°C, no hotter. Keep the tip just under the surface for the first two seconds to draw air in, then submerge it and let the milk turn. You are after something glossy and even, with no visible bubbles.
A note on the grinder
The grinder does more for espresso than the machine does. If you are deciding where to spend, spend there.