Espresso Recipe

Prepare machine and equipment

Fill the espresso machine reservoir with the filtered water (use the 500 ml listed) and turn the machine on. Allow it to fully heat until it reaches brew temperature (typically 90–96°C) and the group head is stable; this usually takes 15–30 minutes depending on the machine.

Preheat portafilter and cup

Lock the empty portafilter into the group head and run a short blank shot (2–3 seconds) to flush hot water through the group and warm the portafilter. Also warm your espresso cup by running a small amount of hot water into it, then discard the water.

Weigh and grind coffee

Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted espresso beans using the dose scale. Grind the beans on a quality burr grinder to a fine espresso grind — the texture should be fine, slightly dry, and consistent. The exact grind setting will depend on your grinder and beans; you will adjust it based on extraction time and yield.

Dose and distribute

Place the portafilter on the scale, tare it, and dump the ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Use a distribution tool or a gentle palm tap and level with your finger to create an even coffee bed. Ensure there are no large clumps and the grounds are level across the basket.

Tamp

Using a tamper with the correct diameter, apply firm, even pressure (about 20–30 lb / 9–14 kg force) to create a flat, level puck. Polish the tamp with a slight clockwise twist to smooth the surface. Wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim.

Brew

Insert the portafilter into the group head and start the shot immediately. Aim for a 36 ml (liquid) yield in approximately 25–30 seconds of extraction time (from the moment you start the pump). A typical ratio here is 1:2 (18 g dose → 36 ml yield). Watch the stream: it should start dark, become a steady thin honey-like flow, and finish with a golden crema.

Adjust if necessary

If extraction time is too short (<20 s) and yield is too fast, make the grind finer by one step. If extraction is too long (>35 s) or flow is very slow, make the grind coarser by one step. Also check dose and tamp consistency. Repeat dosing and brewing until the target time and yield are achieved.

Serve

Once the shot reaches ~36 ml and has a rich crema, stop the shot, remove the cup, and serve immediately. Espresso is best enjoyed within a minute of brewing.

Clean up

Purge the group head briefly, knock out the used puck into the knock box, rinse and wipe the portafilter, and brush any grounds from the group and surrounding area. Keep the machine ready for the next shot.