Espresso Recipe

Warm up machine

Turn on the espresso machine and allow it to fully heat for 15–30 minutes so the group head, portafilter, and boiler reach stable temperature. Flush the group head for 5–10 seconds to clear residual water and stabilize temperature.

Prepare and preheat portafilter and cup

Lock an empty portafilter into the group head and run water through it for 5–10 seconds to heat the metal. Preheat your shot glass or espresso cup by rinsing with hot water from the group head, then empty it.

Grind the beans

Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted espresso beans. Grind to a fine, consistent texture suitable for espresso (similar to table salt but slightly finer). Adjust grind so that extraction time (next step) falls in the target window.

Dose and distribute

Place the portafilter on the scale, tare it, and dose the 18 g of ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Use a distribution technique (e.g., tap, Weiss distribution, or WDT) to level the grounds and remove large air pockets.

Tamp

Use a tamper to apply even, level pressure to the puck. Aim for a firm, level tamp and about 30–40 lbs (13–18 kg) of force. Polish the tamp with a slight clockwise twist to create a smooth surface. Wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim.

Brew

Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the shot immediately. Start a timer when water first emerges from the spout. Target brew yield is 36 ml in 25–30 seconds (from first drip to end) for an 18 g dose (approximate 1:2 ratio). Observe the stream: it should be steady and syrupy with a golden color and a thin layer of crema forming on top.

Adjust if necessary

If extraction is faster than 20 seconds (under-extracted), make the grind finer or tamp slightly firmer, or increase dose. If extraction is slower than 35 seconds (over-extracted), make the grind coarser or reduce tamp pressure slightly. Adjust in small steps and repeat.

Finish and serve

When the desired yield and timing are reached, stop the shot. Serve espresso immediately in the pre-warmed cup. Optionally swirl gently to integrate crema before presenting.

Clean up

Knock out the used puck into the knock box, wipe and purge the group head with a short flush to clear residual grounds and pressure. Rinse and dry the portafilter and any accessories as needed.

Keep the machine reservoir topped with fresh filtered water. Periodically backflush with appropriate detergent according to the manufacturer's schedule and descale if needed to maintain consistent water flow and temperature.