Do I need to have a degree to make espresso?
So, you want to make espresso! Do you really think you have what it takes? Do you have proprietary knowledge? The computerized WiFi enabled equipment to keep your mortal hands in check? Only the dedicated, meticulous and naturally gifted in the sciences need apply.
Wait, wait, WAIT! We’re talking about making espresso, not space capsules. We’ll leave that to NASA. Making espresso is a simple process with a simple formula that produces a simply delicious drink. It’s an equation that has many solutions to make a drink that you like. First, we’ll discuss the “formula” then we’ll look at how to balance your formula to make an enjoyable espresso. The process to make espresso will help to define the equipment we need as well as a prioritized work flow.
The Formula: DOSE x GRIND + WATER +TIME= ESPRESSO
Your espresso formula ultimately has one purpose, developing a repeatable process. Since we are going to be dealing with relatively small quantities, we’ll need to be more precise than when brewing a pot of coffee. Let’s break down the formula.
Dose: The amount of coffee used in your portafilter, typically between 15 and 20 grams. A coffee scale is almost a necessity for repeatable results, but if you do not have a scale, fill and level your portafilter before tamping and you will get reasonable results. In fact, most espresso was portioned that way before the advent of inexpensive scales.
Grind: An espresso grind is almost a powdery consistency; it provides a filter bed that will control water flow through the coffee to allow for even extraction. A uniform grind is crucial to consistent results. Most coffee people will insist that coffee be ground to order with a burr grinder. I agree completely with that, but if you don’t have a burr grinder to assure a uniform grind, please don’t use a press and hold whirly grinder with an inherently inconsistent grind. If you can’t justify a burr grinder yet, I’d recommend instead purchasing a week’s worth of coffee from a small batch roaster (hi!) and have them grind it properly for you.
Water: Filtered water (ideally), heated to 195-202 degrees and pressurized to around 9 bars. Fortunately, most of these water goals are controlled by your espresso machine so for our formula we’ll consider them a constant. More critical to your espresso is that the shot ends up very close to twice the dose you have used. For example, if your dose is 20 grams then your goal will be a 40 gram (ml) shot.
Time: This is the time that the hot, pressurized water flows through your espresso puck. If you are using a scale with a timer, timing will start when the brewed espresso leaves the portafilter and lands in your cup on the scale. That is typically 8-10 seconds quicker than timing from when you start the brew process (hit the button!), or more precisely, when the water begins entering the puck. Either method is valid but not interchangeable. A balanced formula using a scale timer will become over extracted or bitter if you add enough water or grinds to lengthen your shot time to equal a start button timed shot. That leads us to the important part of this blog.
How to balance an espresso recipe?
As with any formula, our espresso formula remains balanced as you adjust variables. If you add coffee or increase dose, then to remain balanced time will increase. With that increase your shot may become too sour or acidic. Understanding that balance and inter connectivity is the strength of using a formula. The primary variables in our equation are DOSE/WATER and GRIND. Dose and water are treated as ratio that effects bitterness and flavor extraction. Grind has the greatest effect on mouth feel and clarity of a shot. All the variables are interconnected so it will take some experimentation to perfect your formula. But when you do, you’ll be able to use it to quickly achieve the best flavors out of new coffees and styles of roast.
(Diagram from Pete Licata)
Before you start to panic over the talk of balancing equations and measuring things to a tenth of a gram, no sweaty palmed flash backs to high school algebra needed. Your formula is just a way for you to consistently make an enjoyable cup of espresso. You can get as precise and intricate as you would like: for some people, it is a consuming hobby, but for most, it’s a fun way to get a little barista time.
I hope this discussion has given you some tools to confidently make your morning cup, consistently, and with a little less need for luck and more of a process for success.
