A great espresso is the basis of any great coffee – it’s as simple as that!
However, pulling the perfect espresso isn’t as simple as it might seem – it’s an art form in itself, taking time, skill and the right equipment. This month, we teach you everything you need to know to pour a perfect, great tasting espresso, every single time.
The right equipment
They say a bad workman blames his tools – but you’re never going to be able to make the perfect espresso without the right, high quality equipment.
Top of the list is your espresso machine. This is your “money maker”, so it’s sensible to go for a high quality machine from a reputable (usually Italian!) manufacturer (we’ll show you what to look for in an espresso machine in a future post).
You’ll also want to invest in a quality grinder. In our experience, a slow rotating conical burr grinder will produce the best, most consistent results.
Keeping your machinery clean and in tip-top condition is essential. It doesn’t take long for coffee residue to start building up in your machine’s heads, portafilters and baskets, and this will affect the taste of the finished espresso. You should clean your machine at regular intervals throughout the day, and when you finish.
Quality beans = quality espresso
It should go without saying that the quality and freshness of your beans will have a huge effect on the taste of your finished espresso.
Choosing and blending coffee beans for a perfect espresso is a complex process, and ultimately, a lot of the decisions you have to make (countries/estate/the blend itself) come down to preference.
However, all coffee beans come graded for quality, and choosing premium grade beans is a good place to start. All countries use a different grading system, so take time to learn the system for each different area, and make sure you only go for the best.
You’ll also need to make sure that your roasted beans are properly stored, in a cool, dry place in an airtight, opaque container. This will prevent the delicate compounds within the coffee (which give coffee its great taste) breaking down from exposure to heat, light, oxygen and sunlight.
Don’t leave beans in your grinder for too long, and always use fresh grounds when making your espresso.
Water
Espresso is 95% water, so it stands to reason that the quality of the water you use to make your coffee will have a big impact on the finished espresso.
In the UK, mains tap water often has chemicals like chlorine added to it to make it safe to drink, and this can impact on the flavour. Using a water filter (and a softener in extremely hard water areas) will help to eliminate the taste of these chemicals, allowing the natural flavours of the coffee to shine.
The perfect pull
Learning how to pull the perfect espresso takes time and patience. Every espresso machine has its own idiosyncrasies, and practice makes perfect. By fine-tuning the settings you’ll soon be making consistently great-tasting espressos.
Here are some tips to get you started:
The cup
Unless you’re using the espresso as a base for another coffee, it’s best to pull the espresso directly into the cup it’s going to be drunk from. A pre-warmed demitasse is the ideal cup.
Warm the portafilter
Having a cold portafilter can impact on the optimum brewing temperatures of the coffee, preventing it from extracting properly. Run yours under some hot water before you start (unless your machine automatically does this for you).
Filling and tamping
For a double shot, you’ll want to use between 14 -18g of fresh coffee grounds. Use an even twisting motion when tamping, to polish and compact the grounds to ensure even extraction.
The right pressure
The pressure at which the water is pumped through the portafilter is really important – it should be just enough to get through without stalling the machine. There are a lot of variables here, from the pressure settings to the compactness of the grounds, so experiment until you get it just right.
Your espresso should start by dripping into the cup, approximately 3 – 5 seconds after you push the button, before building up to a small stream.
Timings
Brew an espresso too long, and it will be bitter and acidic, but finish the extraction process prematurely, and you’ll be missing out on loads of flavour.
A typical espresso should take between 20-30 seconds to brew – but this will depend on your equipment. The trick is to recognise the point at which the process is complete. One easy way is to remove the cup just at the moment the extraction changes colour from dark caramel to a light straw.
How Big Coffee can help
So there you have it – the perfect espresso!
At Big Coffee, we’re here to help passionate people establish and run their own successful coffee businesses.
From providing you with a superb, handcrafted coffee cart packed with high quality equipment, to supporting you with your business plan and providing you with the right barista skills and advice, we’ll help you turn your coffee dreams into a reality.
For further information, call our friendly team of coffee experts today on 01482655020.
