Hi all! We got this fantastic question from a community member and wanted to post it and the answer here for everyone to benefit from!
Q: When pulling a ristretto compared to a normale I've read that the time should be 25-30 seconds. That being said what is the factor that makes the same brew time when pulling shots that have different brew ratios? If I have been pulling normale shots would I make the grind size finer and a harder tamp to pull a ristretto in the same brew time? Is this the goal to have the 25-30 second brew time for all shots?
A: The answer is the grind. If you're looking to brew a smaller shot - a ristretto - then you have a little less water to do your extraction with. Therefore you need to make the grind finer to expose more of the surface area, and to slow the flow of water through the puck. In your brew time window of 25-30 seconds (which is a good window to aim for when brewing any style of espresso - though just a guideline, not a hard rule) you'll get less liquid, but it will have picked up more coffee flavour so will be much stronger.
