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Espresso

Espresso fundamentals

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Espresso forces hot water through finely ground coffee under pressure, making a small, concentrated shot. It has a steeper learning curve and usually needs a capable machine and a good burr grinder.
A common starting recipe is 18 g of ground coffee producing about 36 g of espresso in roughly 25 to 30 seconds. If the shot runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it runs slow and tastes bitter, grind coarser.

Quick takeaways

  • Dose, yield and time are the three variables.
  • Weigh everything.
  • Use fresh beans and a grinder with fine adjustments.

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