This video has properly explained these concepts without assuming the person knows a lot already or that they don’t know anything either. A real good explanation of science and yet also being palpable for the common person.
I have an entry level machine (with pressurized portafilter only) and grinder at home. I grind at the finest so I play around with dose and how much water passes through the coffee to dial in to my taste. I don't have that much control on my espresso in the end, but I still enjoy it :P
this is a very nice guide for peopel like me who don't want essays and just want a nice cup of coffee each morning :D it's short but also very detailed without nonsense. thanks :) tho I do recommend people to learn about ratios, but for most people with the same amount of pre-set coffee being pulled i think dose makes more sense!
great video! heavy yet informative! at home, i've found the ballpark for the grind size, usable for almost all kinds of coffee, and adjust only on the dose.
Personally, as a home barista, I believe that you gave me the best information for a perfect espresso. I have been dealing with espresso coffee at home for ten years. I have read hundreds of information and instructions as well as watched hundreds of RU-vid videos on the best way to make coffee. However, nothing about how to understand the taste of coffee as you explained. But just yesterday I saw your video, I did some calculations and tests and I can say that today I have tried with my hands the best espresso I have ever drunk in my life. Thank you and congratulations. Keep going.
This video was perfect but I would say that your first variable is better described as grind instead of it being a change in time. Although the time will be indirectly affected you are directly adjusting your grind. I only specify this because there’s a misconception that time is one the most important things in a recipe.
Hi, great video thank you for all those tips, can you please explain how the espresso tastes sandy, it is like the liquid contains small particles of coffee making it that way thank you
Hey guys, love the videos. Really helpful. Just wondering, if you do lower the dose. Would you then also lower the yield as well? Or is this something that just comes with practice. As in some coffees you might others you might not? Thanks in advance!
It's generally best to adjust one variable (dose, yield, grind size) at a time, then you can taste the impact of each change. The more you get used to a particular coffee, then you can speed up the process by adjusting multiple at the same time.
That was an excellent explanation. Very easy to understand. One question that comes up for me is do you count the pre-infusion as part of the shot? I tend to Allow more pre-infusion time and overall time for a double shot than a single shot.
yes, we measure from when the button is pressed. We don't really go into the impact of pressure / pre-infusion in this video, but it certainly has an impact.
Great advice, a question though. Will tamp pressure have an effect on this also? I upped my dose and extraction was way to slow. Could I have used too much pressure? Or do I need to grind courser? Cheers, Mark.
I'm only repeating what I've heard, but settling the grinds and giving it a good tamp will slow the shot speed up to a certain amount, but there's no benefit in further crushing it. Just give it a good tamp, and ifits too long, grind coarser
Hey mate good video. What about if you have a coffee that is quite fresh? How would you change your parameters to get better extraction? I find I get little to no Crema and it feels like the group head is choking up (harder to push the water through). Thanks
Yes, very fresh coffee will affect the extraction due to the added resistance created by the Co2 degassing. We recommend allowing the coffee to rest for a few days. If that's not an option, you can compensate by reducing the dose, grinding coarser or both. More on ideal freshness here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RGUbCGxQsHs.html
Useful but you’ve simplified it with the four properties but then you talk about all these other things like dryness and astringency in the actual method... I think it would help to develop this in detail from first principles
Hi, I owned a Breville bambino plus, and a Breville smart grinder machine. I am just hopping into the learning of espresso. Currently, I am using a pressurized basket (will be getting non-pressurized basket in the next 1-2 weeks later): 1. I noticed that the brewing pressure starts "avalanche" after about 12 seconds from the 1st drip. Avalanche means, the flow rate has increased significantly fast. Since I have no control over the pressure from the machine, should I reduce the amount from 18g to 16g of dose? 2. Based in this scenario, if lowering the dosage doesn't help, should I increase the grind size to finer? Currently I am setting at 10 (1 is the finest, 60 is the coarsest). Thank you
Hi Callum, my guess is the 'avalanche' might be due to the pressurised basket. if it's gushing out when this happens, then I would suggest trying a finer grind size.
Seven Miles Coffee Roasters, today. I had tried setting the grinder from 10 to 5, I had managed to increase the brew time from 12 to 23 seconds (excluding the pre-infusion time). The taste is much much better than before! Wow!! I had finally made it! Thank you for your advise and guidance. Cheers!
If your espresso is a blend it's hard to achieve cup to cup consistency because you wouldn't know what beans get ground. With single estate and single region it is easier. My dose remains at 18 g and my grind remains fairly consistent but my extraction time varies to obtain a certain weight (36g)
In theory, yes. In practice, changing the dose affects the height of the coffee 'puck' (i.e. the gap between the top of the tamped coffee bed and the shower screen), this affects the way the water flows through the coffee. Also, changing the dose will have an impact on strength if you're making a milk drink, like a flat white or cap
We're linking extraction time to grind size. Pump pressure is certainly another factor (along with temperature & a few others) that we're doing some work on shortly...
This is a great video, thank you! However i am confused that at the middle of the video (4:59) you mentioned that by adding 1 more gram to the dose we can get more sweetness and more body. But at the end of the video (6:53) you said if the coffee is too sharp and sour we can reduce the coffee from the basket in order to bring out more sweetness. So if I am adjusting the sweetness of my espresso, should I add or reduce the amount of coffee? Thanks!
From my humble experience. bitterness comes with more sweetness. acidity comes with less body. it might differ from different type of beans though. So adding 1 gram will give more sweetness but removing 1 gram will have less sweetness. believe me, dont take anyone words for granted, taste it your self (This what i do from experimenting with my taste buds). have a great day.
Over extraction, bump up your dose. Under extraction, lower your dose. Sweetness, that is a good extraction, happens somewhere in between. It kinda goes both ways but it’s a good place to start when you can tell whether you’re under or over extracting your coffee
I just used this video to dial in a shot of new coffee I purchased. It really helped to know that making the grind coarser removed the ashy taste. Then adding more coffee from 19g then up to 21g increased the body and flavour. Thank you for your knowledge.
Really glad I found this video. There are several great teachers for making espresso (James Hoffman, Lance Hendrick, and others). But somehow this video really helped me narrow down the variables in terms of desired outcomes. I justed dialed in a sweeter, more balanced shot thanks to this video. Many thanks!!
In addition to what you mention in the video, another variable I use is temperature. I tend to pull my shots hotter the lighter the bean is roasted, and inversely I pull slightly cooler for beans that are a bit more dark.
So clear! I’ve been reading volumes and watching dozens of videos and this one lays out the basics better than any. More please! It would be great to have videos of you trying out different roasts and differently processed beans. Thanks so much for this one!
Great video. I was concentrating so much on the grind that I wasn't thinking about adjusting the dose and time. I'm drinking now, ~40g out in 27ish seconds with my 18g dose gives me a much better shot than did 36g out.This blend needed a bit more extraction. Thanks. I feel less incompetent.
I have only just started making my own espresso and even though the brewing parameters do not seem overly complicated in theory they somehow end up being a real challenge when trying to brew a decent tasting espresso in reality. That said this video sort of rearranged things a little bit in my brain and I am looking forward to having another go tomorrow, when my caffeine levels are somewhat back down to something resembling normal. Thanks for sharing.
great info! I use time as a relative variable, I've found that if the bean has high density, grinding finer and adding more seconds results in a better espresso. That's the beauty of coffee, there is no absolute recipe to make it yummy, you can adjust everything to achieve different notes.
Its one off the best video that i se thanks for youre time.one think that i wond to tell our taste on the palate is also variable.😉 because in the end we will talk about the cup and the only Cretan will be our taste
It really seems that the Aussies have taken the lead in all things espresso…they capture my attention not only through their knowledge and execution, but also through their charming accents and demeanor!👍
Hey I have a question. I’m having 16g in and 32g out in 28-30secs but still it’s very sour. Should I increase the water out? Or I should add more coffee to my dose. Thanks
Hello and thank you for this video , couple of questions, first af all I have a manual lever spring espresso machine , can't find the perfect coffee beans that give a nice coffee taste with body and sweetness . I'm using light roast beans ( 30 % robusta - 70 arabica). Qty is around 6.8 gr ( my filter basket is 45.5 mm smaller than average) brewing time is around 30 sec , coffe puck is not too dry and not too wet , I think I've got perfect balance between grind/dose qty BUT my coffee still taste to bitter and can't find the way to fix it , different beans maybe? thank you
What's the difference between acidity and sour? You explained that you can affect the quality of the acidity by adding 1 g of coffee grinds more, resulting in a sour brew.
That is probably the modt helpful video on the topic i have seen. He talks about every component of the espresso and does not only talk about a single one.
- finer = sweeter, dryer and more astringent, too fine = bitterness (over extraction) - coarser = more acidity, too coarse = watery and weak - higher dose = more body, more sweetness, too high = lower quality acidity (sharp/sour) - lower dose = less body, less/better quality acidity, too low = dryness and overextraction - more water = more aromatics, more sweetness, more dryness, less body - less water = more concentrated body, more fruity acidity
Well on you tube people usually show a movie or so and not just talk. Talking is for radio... Even if this was done very good I don't think we need to watch movie of you while you talking. So because of it I have to put my thumbs down..
Great video! Just purchased cat in pyjamas whole beans and am I trying to dial in. Can you please advise if pre infusion time is taken into account when dialing in espresso
This was really helpful. I just got a machine and have been struggling to balance my shots due to not having a reference point and there being so many variables with slight changes causing drastic taste differences.
I don't know how to adjust anything because I don't know what the words you use mean. How can I learn the difference between 'acidic' and 'bitter' and 'sour'. What does 'sweet' mean in relation to coffee?
I'm confused. At 4:44 it shows "add coffee for more sweetness and body" and at 6:50 it says "take out coffee for more sweetness and aroma". I checked thrice that I'm not mistaken but that's what it says. What am I missing?
GOOD DAY, JUST WANNA ASK YOUR OPINION REGARDING SOME BARISTAS SAYING THAT, YOU SHOULD NOT JUDGE THE ESPRESSO SHOT IF ITS MIX WITH MILK? WHY THEY SAY THAT AND AND IS IT TRUE?
Makes sense to a point, but what most baristas are completely ignoring is few and far between people are drinking straight espresso that's unsweetened or otherwise unflavored with milk or other flavors; in other words, ignoring the interaction with those other added ingredients. What I mean by that is how these flavors and milk interact with either sweeter or slightly bitter or acidic espresso.
Honestly i am a beginner but i intrinsically know what i like and dont like, and that Starbucks taste so burnt! And this is how i learn what to do by what i like!!! Great video!
Confused. You said the first variable you adjust is “Time”. Then you showed changing the grind setting. How is that a time adjustment? You mean the finer grind for same “in” weight will take longer to reach same “out” volume?
Apologies for the confusion 🙏 We control the extraction time by adjusting the grind coarser or finer. If we grind finer, but keep the amount of ground coffee the same (the "in"), then the shot will take longer to pour.
Thank you very much for this well-detailed video explanation. My wife and I just bought a new Calphalon iQ espresso machine and I've been dubbed the house barista. I clearly have found the perfect channel for information, guidance, technique, and tips. Cheers
Yes, temperature has an impact. However in most modern espresso machines, the variation is typically only a degree or two. In an Aeropress (or any other small brewer), the possible variation in brew temperature is much larger. Personally, with espresso I focus on the 3 big factors first (time, dose 'in' & the amount of water 'out') and then look at variables like temperature & pump pressure after that.
Agh why is this so hard 😆 Been trying to pull a good shot for 6 months now and just when I think I have it dialled it in I try a shot from a proper barista and discover mine is terrible 😆
I miss one point : Italian espresso is typically 14/15g for a double basket (see Illy coffee or Lelit machines). So why here they talk about 20g which is...a lot?
Different parts of the world dose espresso differently. It's true, traditional Italian espresso is ~14g, but many countries use much more. In the US most shops use 18-20g, but in Japan some shops use as high as 25g. Specialty coffee shops like to use local beans; different beans have different flavors, and therefore must be dosed differently for optimal taste
Something isn't right, there are some contradicting things in this video... 1. Extraction time: + grinding finer extracts more, increases sweetness, dryness and astringency. - grinding coarser extracts less, increases quality of acidity, "wateryness" and weakness. 2. Dose: + removing 1 gram develops the coffee more, extracts more, increases fruity acidity but thinner body. - adding 1 gram develops the coffee less, reduces extraction, increases sweetness and body. 3. Output: + extracting +2g develops/extracts more, increases sweetness, aromatics and dryness. - extracting -2g develops/extracts less, increases body and fruity acidity From the above, tweaking the input dose has the opposite effect in terms of extraction which doesn't make much sense. I mean I agree with what each tweak should do to the end result, what doesn't make sense is his use of "extraction". What would be a better way to describe what happens with each change?
When i use my espresso machine, i dont taste sweet. I either taste not sour or sweet, or bitter our sour. I haven’t made it to the stages of apples and lemons. Etc i use fresh roasted beans. But i can say when i add milk and sugar its like heaven nice and smooth and i taste chocolate.
Awesome video thanks! I was wondering how do I brew a consistent beverage regardless of my coffee mug size being 6oz, 8oz or 12oz? So I've being pulling one shot for the 6oz and a double shot for the 12oz and that has been working fine. But when it comes to the 8oz with one coffee shot, I've noticed it tasted a lot more milky. I was wondering if there was possibly solution for this. Thanks
yes, it is difficult to get a consistent balance with milk drinks in 6, 8 & 12oz cups. There's no simple solution. In our espresso bar, we only serve 6 & 12 for this reason. Some people get around it by using a double ristretto in the 8, this fixed the strength problem, but it changes the flavour balance. Another option is to use a different size basket for the 8, but this isn't particularly practical in a busy bar.
Im using 18gram and getting back 36g in 24 sec but feel the taste is not balanced. Iv a very fine grind and feel if i go course it will run through to fast. Any suggestions
Hi, to answer your questions: 1) Salty could be a few possibilities: really fresh coffee, extraction is too short (i.e. not enough water 'out') or water quality.... 2) Bubbles are Co2, if these are excessive, it's most likely because the coffee is very fresh
