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Espresso
The deep end — worth the swim
Espresso is less a recipe than a dialing-in process: you fix the dose and the target yield, then move only the grind until the shot tastes right. Give a new bag a day or two of rest and expect to sacrifice a couple of shots finding the sweet spot — that’s normal even in cafés.
- Ratio
- 1:2 — 18 g in, 36 g out
- Grind
- Fine (powdered sugar, but not powder)
- Water
- ~200°F (9 bar)
- Time
- 25–30 second shot
Best for: Medium and dark roasts as straight shots; our medium single origins shine in milk drinks.
The method
- 1
Dose 18 g into the basket
Weigh it — eyeballing espresso is how sink-shots happen. Distribute the grounds evenly (a few taps or a distribution tool).
- 2
Tamp level
Firm and level matters more than hard. An uneven bed channels water and sours the shot.
- 3
Pull to 36 g
Start the shot and the scale together. Aim for 36 g of espresso in 25–30 seconds from first drip.
- 4
Taste and adjust the grind only
Ran fast and sour → grind finer. Ran slow, ashy and bitter → grind coarser. Change one variable at a time.
- 5
Wipe and repeat
Knock the puck, rinse the basket, and pull the next one. Espresso rewards rhythm.
Roaster's notes
- Fresh matters most here: use beans 5–21 days off roast. Older beans lose crema and sweetness.
- For lattes and cappuccinos, a medium roast holds up to milk without going roasty.
- No machine? Our AeroPress recipe at 1:5 makes a strong "espresso-style" base for milk drinks.