Perfect Extraction – How To Make Espresso

Espresso… We have a lot to thank our Italian friends for! As well as a short shot of heaven, it’s also the building block to your favourite milk drinks. Getting the perfect extraction and taste can be tricky work. Grind your beans too finely and your coffee will be over-extracted, taking too long to come through your machine and a more bitter drink. Too coarse and the coffee will fly through your machine, being under-extracted and producing a more sour or acidic taste.

So naturally, it may take a few attempts to get it just right for your taste – we know, we go through this ritual of checking our grind every morning at our Espresso Bar in Amsterdam!

Let us guide you through the basics, and help you craft the perfect espresso 😊

What you’ll need:

• Espresso machine with portafilter – also known as a piston!
• Grinder of your choice- we recommend an electric one such as the Baratza Encore
• Tamper
• Your favourite Jones Brothers Coffee Beans!
• Timer
• Weighing scale
• Knock box – or somewhere to dispose of your coffee after each drink

Total Preparation Time: 1-2 Minutes

How to make it?

1. Remove the portafilter, wipe it clean and dry out the basket. Zero out the scale and grind about 18g of coffee to a fine consistency (similar to powdered sugar) directly into the portafilter. Tap it once or twice to settle it and distribute the coffee evenly with your finger.

2. Tamp the portafilter until it feels like the coffee is pushing back. Make sure your coffee bed is level.

3. Purge (or ‘flush’) water through the grouphead of the espresso machine to make sure everything is hot, then lock the portafilter into place.

4. Engage the grouphead and start the timer. Place a cup under the portafilter and watch the espresso for a steady stream that should look like little mouse tails (smooth and uninterrupted).

5. The entire extraction should take about 25-27 seconds to brew about 38g-40g of espresso. If it takes too much longer or is pulling too slowly, try a coarser grind. If it brews too quickly, try a finer grind. If you need more help, we’ve dedicated an entire post to explaining the complexities of this process! Read it here.

Happy Drinking!

The Bean Team