# ☕️ ESPRESSO NOTES Coffee in, espresso out by weight. Shot times. Dial in for taste. A standard dose is between 18 to 21g of ground coffee for a double espresso shot. The ideal weight of a double shot of espresso is generally considered to be between 28 and 30 gram ## Best Advice * [How I Make Espresso: Tools and Techniques - James Hoffman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb3IxAr4RCo) * [A Beginner's Guide To Fixing Bad Espresso - James Hoffman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbTD42FvMVU) ## Levers for good espresso Solid advice from [Stop Buying Expensive Espresso Machines (And Other Unsolicited Advice) by Rupaj Soni | Medium](https://medium.com/@rupaj.soni/stop-buying-expensive-espresso-machines-and-other-unsolicited-advice-4e8782e12909) — fancy equipment only gets you so far * **The Non-Negotiables (The 10x Levers)**: This is your Grind and your Dose. If these are random, your coffee is a lottery. You need a Burr Grinder — not because it’s a status symbol, but because it makes every grain the same size. Toss in a basic scale to measure your dose, and you’ve just removed 90% of the guesswork. * **The Practice (The 5x Levers)**: This is your technique. It’s the only part of the equation where you are the variable. It’s really just about preparing your puck, so the water flows through it evenly without finding any “shortcuts.” Honestly, this is the part that brings me back to my machine every morning. What’s the fun if you’re already a master? We thrive on chasing those tiny, incremental goals — the fun is in the game, not the finish line. * **The Force Multipliers (The 2x Levers)**: These are the tiny upgrades you do to tweak little parts of the equation. This is not a “must-have” to get started, but more like ways to remediate the pain points in your setup. I’d put the puck screen, bean sprayer (RDT), and a bottomless portafilter in this bucket. Again, you don’t need these to get started, but they help you refine the process. * **The Gear Chasing (The 1.5x Levers)**: This is the shiny $2,000 machine. Sure, it looks cool, but it won’t fix a bad grind. So is it useless that they charge you so much for it? Not really, it can work (What a hypocrite!). Then is it not for me? See, that’s a good question to ask — High-end machines offer things like thermal stability and flow control: the ability to keep water at a precise temperature shot after shot. However, there’s no point spending $2,000 unless you’ve hit the ceiling with your current “inexpensive” $750 gear. Well sorry folks, inexpensive coffee gear isn’t that inexpensive either, but it gives you immense bang for the buck. ## Fixing spraying What to look for when your portafilter is spraying coffee: * **Distribution**: Coffee grounds need to be distributed evenly across the basket. Clumping can cause water to channel through the puck unevenly. * **Tamping Pressure**: Uneven or insufficient tamping can create pockets of different densities in the coffee puck, leading to water channeling and spraying. * **Dose**: Too much or too little coffee in the basket can affect the puck’s resistance to water flow. An improper dose may result in channeling. * **Basket & Portafilter Condition**: Damaged baskets, or those with blocked holes, and dirty portafilters can disrupt the flow of water and cause spraying. ## Sour vs Bitter Is it sour or bitter? are you sure sour = green apple (lovely acidity) to lemon (violent/unpleasant) sourness is the experience of bitterness in an unpleasant way; bitter = is in the finish Sour vs Bitter fixing goes in different directions **Grind Size** Sour espresso: Grind finer Bitter espresso: Grind coarser **Bean** Sour espresso: Try medium or darker roast instead of light Bitter espresso: Try lighter and medium roast instead of dark **Coffee-to-Water Ratio** Sour espresso: Try a higher brew ratio (more water) Bitter espresso: Try a lower brew ratio (more coffee) **Water Temperature** Sour espresso: Try higher water temperature Bitter espresso: Try lower water temperature ## Crema Crema is a flavorful, aromatic, reddish-brown froth that rests on top of a shot of espresso. “crema is just trapped CO2” The thin layer of foam on espresso is called crema. It is a reddish-brown, aromatic foam made of tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide and oils that form a natural emulsion on top of the coffee. Crema is important because it contributes to the espresso's flavor and aroma and is a visual indicator of its quality and freshness. Thin, pale crema: Grind might be too coarse, or dose is too low. ## Liquid Flow water = too coarse honey = perfect slug = too fine ## Liquid Tim 18 grams 25-30 second window ## Drink Basics An espresso cup, also known as a demitasse, is a small cup designed to serve espresso, typically holding about 60 to 90 ml. A standard espresso shot is 1 ounce (30ml), while a double shot (doppio) is 2 ounces (60ml). Undertow = “John Wayne” = “Breve Blast" Coffee Espresso Doppio double epresso Americano 1 shot of espresso 3 oz hot water Long Black (reverse americano) 3 oz hot water 1 shot of espresso Latte one part espresso two parts steamed milk small layer of milk foam Cappuccino one part espresso one part steamed milk one part milk foam topped w/ powdered chocolate or cinnamon Flat White one shot of espresso 4oz steamed milk no milk foam Macchiato shot of espresso topped with a small amount of milk or milk foam Cortado (cut) one shot of espresso one part steamed milk no foam Gibraltar two shot of espresso one part steamed milk Espresso Romano lemon slice one shot of espresso Ristretto (restrained) regular espresso but with half the amount of water Lungo (diluted espresso) espresso that is pulled for a longer amount of time Red Eye one shot of espresso drip coffee Black Eye two shot of espresso drip coffee Dead Eye three shot of espresso drip coffee Marocchino shot of espresso a layer of cocoa powder on top, a layer of milk froth topped with a layer of sprinkled cocoa powder Flat White is the least frothy, with about ¼ inch microfoam at the top. The steamed milk is stretched 20-25%. Latte is medium frothy, with about ⅜ inch microfoam at top. The steamed milk is stretched 25-35%. Cappuccino is frothy but not foamy, with about ½ inch microfoam at top. The steamed milk is stretched the most of the three, at about 30-50%. Gibraltar vs Cortardo; very similar; difference is proportions and serving styles Espresso and steamed milk ## Weiss Distribution Technique Tool A WDT tool, or Weiss Distribution Technique tool, is used in espresso preparation to evenly distribute coffee grounds in the portafilter, which helps improve extraction quality and flavor. It typically features thin needles that break up clumps and ensure a uniform coffee bed before tamping WDT tool using wine bottle corks and acupuncture needles 1:2 in 30 seconds “rule” 18 grams (16-20 grams) ## Baskets Baskets can be single or double shot. They can also be single or double wall. So there are 4 possible baskets: single shot, single wall single shot, double wall double shot, single wall double shot, double wall “If a lot of CO2 is coming out of the grounds, then it is harder for the water to extract the coffee” ## Roasting for espresso “If you’re brewing coffee as espresso, I would recommend waiting at least 7–8 days after roasting before starting to brew the coffee” 7 days + 2 (14) weeks roast date + 7 days - 21 days = espresso roast date + 4 days couple of weeks from open ## Reset Breville Baminbo Turn the machine off, by pressing the 1 CUP and STEAM buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds. Press and hold the 1 CUP and 2 CUP buttons for 5 seconds. Buttons will illuminate. Press the 1 CUP or 2 CUP buttons and the light will flash 3 times to indicate that all volumes have been reset. Changed the default 30/60ml defaults. lean towards dark roasts for espresso because espresso uses a higher ratio of coffee and brews quickly, which means it’s inherently less extracted than regular coffee. Irish Coffee two shot of espresso 30ml shiskey cream The Carajillo has fiery roots—legend says Spanish soldiers mixed coffee with brandy for courage (“coraje”) before battle, giving rise to the name Carajillo! In Mexico, it’s been reimagined with a sweet twist using Kahlúa, turning this bold coffee cocktail into the perfect after-dinner treat. ESPRESSO MARTINI 1 part Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur 1 part Absolut Vodka 1 part Espresso 3 Whole Coffee Beans WHITE RUSSIAN 1 part Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur 1 part Absolut Vodka 1 part Heavy Cream Ice Cubes 4 oz 1884 when Angelo Moriondo patented an espresso machine. ## Milk Whole Milk Best for Lattes - In milk frothing, whole milk will be the easiest dairy to froth 3oz of milk for a macchiato or cappuccino, and about 6oz of milk for a latte or mocha. non-pressurized (i.e. single wall) baskets, not pressurized (i.e. double wall bottomless portafilter Libbey 15248 4.5 ounce The Normcore bottomless portafilter twinned with an 18g IMS basket Normcore 54mm Bottomless Portafilter distribution / distributing needle distributors wedge distributors manual distributors tamping / tampors needles volumetric measurements Gaggia hot water pressure disbursed