Espresso
Espresso
The shot every other drink on this list is built on.
- Ratio
- 1:2
- Coffee
- 17-20 g
- Yield
- 34-40 g
- Time
- 25-32s
- Water temp
- 90-96 °C
- Pressure
- 8-10 bar
- Grind
- Fine
A starting point - adjust to your beans.
Roast level moves this more than anything else. A dark roast runs faster and wants a finer grind; a light roast resists and often wants more heat.
Made differently elsewhere
Italian tradition
The certified Italian espresso is a single, not a double, and it is defined by fixed amounts rather than a ratio. It is the only set of numbers in this guide that a body actually certifies.
- Coffee
- 6.5-7.5 g
- Yield
- 22.5-27.5 g
- Time
- 20-30s
- Water temp
- 86-90 °C
- Pressure
- 8-10 bar
How to go about it
Grind fresh, straight into the basket, and level the bed before you tamp.
Tamp flat. Even pressure matters more than hard pressure.
Start the shot and the clock together. Weigh what comes out, do not judge by eye.
Too fast and sour: grind finer. Too slow and bitter: grind coarser. Change one thing, then taste again.
Where these numbers come from
Istituto Espresso Italiano, Specialty Coffee Association, and La Marzocco.