Go to the Article: Basic Espresso Theory
When brewing 1:1 vs. 1:2, are you trying to hit a similar brew time for both? In other words, are you adjusting the grind size, or are you keeping the grind size the same and just ending the extraction sooner, closer to 25 sec than 35?
The goal is to adjust the grind size in order to hit a similar brew time even though you are changing your brew ratio. Once you have identified a brew ratio that you enjoy you can start making micro adjustments to the flavors in the cup using brew time.
I actually might take issue with that. I find that when pulling beyond 1:2 you'll need to back off of extraction time to compensate for the increased extraction vis a vis the extra water. I personally won't go near a 30 sec shot that's been pulled 1:2.5
God that sounds douchey.
It's my understanding that the longer shot times are to compensate for under extracted flavors in a ristretto shot. Time is the main variable that seems to bring out those chocolatey flavors being that they're a higher molecular density. Time also seems to cut down on the perceived acidity of a shot I'm assuming because the sugars are extracted in the middle of the process.
In other words, if you aren't using water to increase your extraction percentage, you need to use more time.
I really do hope someone corrects me if i'm wrong about that. I love this stuff.
Killer videos y'all
You bring up some great points here and maybe start moving into Advanced Espresso Theory instead of Basic Espresso Theory! (that is a compliment BTW)
I will share a personal view that many might disagree with. I don't like to use under and over extracted as terms. I really want people to understand the basics and then start trying to understand what flavors they prefer with a basis for being able to make small changes to a base set of parameters. Some people actually prefer their espresso to be what many would call "under extracted" and I don't presume to tell them their taste is wrong. Extraction % and Strength as measures are only useful if you can start correlating it to taste and the ability to manipulate flavors in a positive way.
I have had some coffees at a 1:2.5 ratio that I loved at 30 seconds and ones that just didn't taste good with a 30 second extraction because they became too ashy as the main thing left to extract was solids. So I hope you don't feel I'm dodging your response, but I really do believe there is a lot of room for personal preference and interpretation. Thats one of the main reasons I walk back to the espresso machine every morning with a smile on my face.
Oh my, this particular video is a godsend. You guys manage to present & explain the brew trilogy with such clarity. Thank you so much.
Regardless of this being an espresso class, would you say the water temperature based on roast is true for other preparation methods, such as pour over?
What is the reason why lighter roasts benefit from a higher temperature and vice versa? I understand the relationship between brew ratio and brew temperature (less water through coffee means you need hotter water to get to the same effective brew temperature), but for roast level I could as easily find arguments in favour of behaving the other way around. Thanks!
You mention portafilter basket determining the amount of coffee that should be used. What is the method for doing this? Full basket untamped but leveled? Slightly over filled?
Baskets are rated for a specific gram weight. For instance La Marzocco baskets come in 7, 14, 17 and 21 gram basket sizes.
I have a question about brew time. If I'm using a 12g portafilter and brewing 1:2, should it take the same amount of time as an 18g? Does anything else need adjusting to make this happen, or will it just work out?
Hi Erin,
You should adjust your grind to hit a time of 25 - 35 seconds for a starting place. Then if you are finding that your shot is tasting over extracted (ashy or overly bitter), you can adjust the grind to be a bit coarser as a micro adjustment.
Hi! How do we define the how dark a roast is? Is there a standard or scale which we are talking about here? Thanks!
In my limited understanding it is a question of energy. The cell structure in light roasts is pretty much intact, so you need more energy (temperature) to break it down and extract what is inside. The cell structure in dark roasts is already broken down during roasting, so you need less energy to extract during brewing.
So when does one start timing the shot? As soon as the shot drops or beforehand? My espresso takes about 10 seconds to drop and I'm not sure if that is part of the brew time. Perhaps it is, since the water should be hitting the espresso during that delay? Thanks!
The timing starts as soon as you press the button/pull the lever. The coffee will start brewing as soon as you do this, so start the timer then.
Hello, your videos are absolutely terrific! I had an immediate improvement. You brew ratio makes it really much easier for beginners. Also the tips in the Latte Art Video are super efficient. My first try after watching these was 20 times better, than anything I did before. Thank you very much!
I have one question please: Could you say some words regarding the Preinfusion and how it counts in the brew time?
I just started at a cafe that uses a Slayer and the preinfusion method. I'm accustomed to lamarzoccos and using the straight profiling method. At the new cafe, they start the timer once you see the first initial drops of espresso.. but by that time, the machine has been running at low pressure for give or take 10 seconds and they run it for 28 seconds.... Essentially, this seems to me a brew time of over 38 seconds. Can someone explain whats happening here?
what is the difference in flavor, taste, body of ristretto, long and normal shots? (already considering that you might be using a different bean than someone else)
What is a good number setting on your grinder? Is it better to have the coffee ground fine or really fine. I use a dark roast espresso in my cafe
Machines utilizing preinfusion will require a longer brew time than you are used to seeing, so that's pretty normal. Personally, I tend to preinfuse for a little less time than that, but it's certainly not abnormal.
Thank you so much guys for this great article , but I don't understand one thing. Why you use grams instead of milliliters? How many grams is 1ml of espresso? is that a 1:1 ? or it's different coffee to coffee? I did it my self and the results was different time to time , although with the same coffee
For water 1 g = 1 cm^3 = 1 mL. While espresso particulate might change the specific gravity (read: density, but for liquids), I would think 1 g is basically 1 mL. This is for the final product. I don't think I really got all of your question answered, but if you could quote the part of the article you're confused on I could try to explain it.
Number settings vary by machine. You're looking for an espresso pull that takes 25 to 35 seconds. If a pull takes under 25 seconds, make the grind finer (more sandy, using the sand vs. marbles metaphor). If a pull takes over 35 seconds, make the grind bigger (more marbly).
Ignoring the difference between beans and the obvious strength factor (1:3 being like diner coffee, 1:1 being strong coffee), they mention that a pull goes from sour (acidic) to bitter. They recommend tasting one pull in 6 parts (in the video). So, using that logic, a long shot would taste a little more watered down, but bitter (as it gets more of the end of the pull), and the ristretto would be more acidic/sour.
When you buy coffee it should say the roast strength on it (light to dark).
I recently purchased a manual espresso maker called the ROK. I enjoy it quite a bit and it works fine for the price. I've watched quite a few videos online, but I'd like to know if you have any experience with something similar and can offer any tips to make better espresso with it? Thank you for sharing your insight
Hello sophie quick question. Do you start calculating the time when the coffee hits the cup or as soon as you turn you brew head on?
Hi guys. That's the best coffee training I'd ever seem. Just wondering how the amount of strengh put in the portafilter before it goes to grouphead may affect the brew time.
I think it's because grams are easier to measure. I would personally have trouble measuring out exactly 18ml or 36ml with the equipment I have, but with a gram scale, getting accurate measurements is easy.
