Espresso Explained - The Ristretto Extraction 

tl;dr: not changing your grind size means the ristretto is less extracted than your normale, which generally changes the flavor profile (instead of just producing a more concentrated version of your normale). Whether this is a problem depends on your preferences and the coffee you are using. If you pull a ristretto like you guys do, by only lowering your ratio from 1:2 to 1:1, you are essentially trading some extraction (in terms of how much of your dry coffee dissolved into your drink) for concentration of flavor (how much of the actual beverage is dissolved coffee solids). What some people in the comments are suggesting is that this means that the drink cannot taste good anymore, because if your 1:2 ratio tasted good, and you are now stopping your shot early, then the resulting 1:1 shot is missing some (or many) of the things that made the 1:2 shot so tasty. Herein lies the reason many people think you should grind finer to pull ristrettos, because by grinding finer, you can extract more efficiently, allowing you to to extract all the same flavors that you did in a 1:2 ratio shot, using half the amount of water. Although espresso is an incredibly complex drink in terms of the science behind it, to my knowledge this is basically correct. If you want the same flavor profile in your ristretto as you have in your normale, only more concentrated, you will have to grind finer for your ristrettos. However, I think two things are of note here. First, just because the flavor profile changes from a 1:2 to a 1:1 ratio, this does not necessarily mean one of the two is not tasty. There needn't be only a single tasty flavor profile for any given coffee. Many coffees can taste good at various different level of extraction and concentration. A single coffee can be presented both as a concentrated ristretto, with punchy acidity, sweetness, and syrupy texture; or as a more balanced normale, focusing on clarity and balance of flavor. Second, the first half of a 1:2 shot already contains most of the flavors of the final shot, the second half serves a somewhat different role. While cutting a shot short undeniably results in a lower extraction, it's been shown that most of the extraction within a shot (or pour-over for that matter) happens at the start. The tail-end of a shot (or brew) serves to pull out to final couple of flavor notes for complexity, pull out some enjoyable bitterness for balance, and to dilute the brew to the desired consistency, which serves to adjust the intensity of the beverage to the desired level and to provide clarity of flavor. Thus, it seems to me like you should just evaluate what works and what doesn't for the coffee that you are using. If it tastes good at both ratios without changing your grind, no worries. If your coffee is a bit more picky about when it does and does not want to taste good, maybe adjust your grind for one of the two ratios so that the flavor profile differs a little less between them.

P. S. Thanks so much for offering these videos for free. A few things are different in my part of the US but they have been invaluable as I try to expand my knowledge 👍

This is a great video, thanks for the information.

I think in a ristretto you can grind finer because you will cut your shot earlier, and with less water involved in the extraction, so to achieve the same extraction in less liquid you can grind finer, without getting an overextracted shot. I understand as basically offseting variables.

You guys are great! Love your down-to-earth, very sensible style of explaining everything!! I finally understood the reasons why I generally don't like ristrettos: because I like bitter!

When you brewed your example, are you performing a preinfusion, then performing a main extraction at a higher pressure? I'm not very familiar with ristrettos but accidentally brewed one when my machine ran out of water. I added water to make an Americano and was very pleasantly surprised. It was balanced, a bit brighter, but very enjoyable. Also, are you shooting towards an specific brew time for your ristrettos?

This is an amazing video. I've always had issues with weak coffee so maybe a 1:1 ristretto flat white might work. It seems like it's essentially a less diluted version of an espresso/normale

hi, I would to know if It is a good an idea use pre- wetting and also if this is different to pre- infusion ?. you are the best in Australia keep it up

Please make a video about best coffee beans types, for daily use .

Thanks for this new video, really helpful once again guys! I've just wanted to ask a question please, if we consider around 25-30 seconds for a great espresso shots on this La Marzocco, what can be the right time for a ristretto? I'm not sure I'm clear but did I have to use same adjustment I've made on my grinder for an espresso and stop my shot to get a 1:1 ratio? So maybe around 15 seconds on my Linea Mini. Or did I have to grind thinner to get more around 20-25 seconds for a ristretto? Thanks for your help.

Thanks for creating and sharing this informative content, bery useful indeed! However, I've questioning what is the real defintion a "double" ristretto? I saw an example when someone extracted a dose of 20g input for a 20g output and called it a "double ristretto" which is a bit odd since it was still a perfect 1:1 ratio. Is there a standard definition of a "single ristretto" has to be within 8-10g of input or output?

Technically speaking...the extraction time (24s-32s) should be the same for different brew ratios ristretto (1:1), normale (1:2), and lungo (1:3). Adjust the grind to match the ratio and brew time. Generally speaking darker roasts for a ristretto/normale and lighter roasts for a lungo, due to bean density. I don't think you can extract a normale and spit it, then call it two ristretto's. It's just a split normale, different flavor profile to ristretto.

22gr in, +\- 22ml out (ratio 1:1-1:5) is double ristretto??if split porta 11ml is single ristretto??

Ristretto can only be made in Naples, stood in the street, eating a sfogliatella. Everything else comes up short of the mark.

I'm so confused. My espresso machine doesn't have a ristretto setting. I assume most people's machines don't. Am I supposed to fill my double shot portafilter, but push the single shot button?

If you are dialled in on a tasty 1:2 normale and you cut it short to a 1:1 ristretto, wouldn't that mean the ristretto is likely under extracted? The sharper, punchier flavours will definitely help cut through milk or water, but I think people might be grinding finer to get a more balanced flavour profile for sipping straight.

Enjoyed this video very much, but, how do you actually pull a "double Ristretto" in one cup? keeping the 1:1 ratio even with a big basket yields a very small drink. Personally, I don't add any kind of milk in coffees. Thanks.

please how many gram of basket are you Using?

Does that mean the ristretto run time is half the normale: given the grind settings are the same? Assuming 32 sec for a 45g extraction (normale) vs 16 sec for 22.5g extraction (ristretto); or are the grind settings different to keep this 32 sec?

I found this interesting. So when we're talking about double ristreto, is it basically a normale in a single cup? Say i'm using a 17g dose, if i want to get a double ristreto, shouldn't I do 17g x 2 rather than fully extracting the 17g and making it a 34g normale in a single cup?

Help me please! At work we say we pull double ristretto by default.. Let's say the dose is 18g The yield is 32g Extraction time aiming for 27 to 30 seconds Is this ristretto?? I've thought for a while that this isn't ristretto, but closer to a normale..

Very good video. I use 18 grams to make double. Is not 22.5 grams too much and make the extraction more difficult?

What coffee grinder you have

is the time for your extraction the same on a ristretto as it would be on a normal espresso shot?

When changing from ristretto to normale, do you change the grind size? If yes hoe do you make it at a cafe with alot of order

so if we making ristretto with 22.5 dose, the yield will be 22.5 ml right? how about a double ristretto? how much yield we have to take?

Thank you for this informative video!! I am just wondering - ristretto is 1:1 ratio, which makes a single shot of risretto, correct? So when you split into two cups, total weight should be 22.5g as dose is 22.5g, however, it means each cups have the half shot of ristretto(11.25g)? If so, double ristretto should be made by two different shots of 22.5g yield?? I am easily confused by the meaning of "single/double shot". If someone can help me to understand this, it would be great :)

What would be the extraction time for a ristretto vs normal 1:2 ratio in your version where you don't change the grinder settings?

So okay how do you get this roast to eight ounces do you just keep brewing the coffee until it finally drips there because I want to try eight ounces of this stuff

Does double ristretto mean having a shot that is 45 grams as an end result? And if possible could you please tell me the difference between single and double shots in a normal shot not talking about ristretto? And do use the same amount of ground coffee for either ristretto and espresso shot? I'm a bit confused to be honest, would love to get a general understanding on how they are different.

One viscous the other is thicker ??? Is there any difference between the two words ??? 🤔

What size grind?

Do you guys use pre-infusion for your coffees?

归纳下是这个意思吗：8盎司卡布奇诺外卖杯或者12盎司拿铁外卖杯都可以用22.5克的ristretto？12盎司拿铁用22.5的ristretto会不会太淡呢？

Is a normale 44ml? And Double Espresso 60ml?

How do you prevent it having sour underextracted flavors?

You mentioned a double ristretto latte - Is that another name for a ‘magic’?

Ok wait. Why change the grind size. Can you do a ristretto at have the time of a normal with the same grind size?

I’m a bit confused… so it sounds like you’re saying brewing a double ristretto would be the same recipe as a normale just brewed into 2 cups? (You didn’t change the dose from 22.5g?) But then you mentioned about brewing a double ristretto into one cup, so wouldn’t that be the same as a normale?

Surely you can't do a double ristretto from one basket? That'd need 45g of coffee. Splitting a single basket will just give 2 single shots of espresso

I’m turning 34 and I’d love to have a few princesses at my party

This's really down to logic and preference, if your normale recipe is perfect, why the same dose same grind same basket same temp same bars but different yield as ristretto suddenly become more complex/richness and flavour? If that ristretto recipe is superior in those particular ways, why not using that as your default shots and base for any milk coffee? The only reason I can think of at the moment is operational, if I'm the barista at that scene, I'll only reserve this kind of treatment for single dose micro lot/ rare SOE, I'm not going to change grind size of the main grinder every time I have takeaway orders when you look at your pile of dockets.

Cool video, but you do realise we can't see flavour?

I'm soo upset I keeping getting sour shots when trying to do a ristretto 😖

Why are you pulling 39 sec for a normal? It'a over extracted this way

I like ristretto but not with all coffees Ristretto is made for dark Italian roast

First 🙈

So a double ristretto is two ristretto shots???? when you say the basket has a double spout therefore is a double ristretto it’s very confusing

why not a 6oz take away for a single?

The video you created makes many people in confusion.. It’s not a good video marking people to get confused instead of Help.

Ugh the camera is moving too much!

If you want your coffee to taste like an ash tray, order a ristretto… or even better, a magic