How to make an espresso shot-The Best Way
How to make an espresso shot

craig mckay p3dGOGBFbP4 unsplash 1

In this article you will learn how to make an espresso shot. Coffees are available in various flavors and taste across the world today. While there are many innovative ways to brew coffee in the modern scenario today, there is still an old-world charm about the espresso that attracts millions of coffee lovers. The espresso is the authentic, strong, black cup of coffee that has its origin in Italy. When the right amount of pressure is applied to the hot water through the ground coffee beans, you get a delicious cup of espresso. The original Italian espresso is a cup of hot, black and strong coffee. If you want to brew similar-tasting espresso right from the comfort of your home, this article will be quite helpful for you.

How to make an espresso shot

In this article, we are going to give you a detailed step-by-step process of brewing the perfect cup of espresso with and without a coffee maker, some tips to help you in better brewing and our recommendation of a coffee maker that supports you well in your work.

Pulling the perfect espresso shot

To brew a tasteful cup of espresso, you will need the following things. The first item mentioned in the list below is a good coffee maker. Yes, a good coffee maker will help you get a flavorful cup of espresso. However, that doesn’t mean it is a mandatory item. You can make an espresso even without the coffee maker. We will see about that in the later sections of this article.

  1. Espresso machine

Choose the right coffee maker for making the perfect cup of espresso. As we saw earlier, applying the right amount of pressure on the hot water to flow through the coffee grinds is very important to give you the right quality of espresso. Hence, you need to invest in a coffee maker with a pump that allows you to apply the required pressure levels. Keurig, the world leader in manufacturing brewing systems, makes awesome coffee makers and you can try its Elite model for brewing espresso. We will tell you more about this model in the last section of this article.

 

  1. Grinder

The consistency in which you grind the coffee beans plays an important role in the quality of the espresso that you brew. The coffee should neither be too coarse nor too soft. As a newbie, it might be difficult for you to get the right consistency of grinding. However, with experience, you are sure to strike a balance between coarseness and softness while grinding. To ensure that all the coffee beans are uniformly ground in the right consistency, you will need a burr grinder.

  1. Measuring scale

The quantity of coffee grinds that you use and the temperature settings of water are very important for getting the desired flavor, fragrance and taste of espresso. So, you will need a measuring scale for dosing.  Dosing is the step where you measure the coffee grinds first before putting them inside the portafilter. You will also need this digital scale for setting up the portafilter. You have to set the filter on the scale and make it zero before you start using it for brewing your espresso.

  1. Portafilter

The portafilter is an important part of the coffee maker. This is also known as the brew basket because this is the area that you need to fill with the coffee grinds. After heating up the portafilter in the machine, take it out and put it on a digital scale until it registers zero. Then put the desired amount of coffee grinds into it. For a single shot espresso, you will need around 7grams of coffee grinds, and for a double shot espresso, you will need around 14 to 18 grams of coffee grinds, based on the brew boldness you prefer.

  1. Tamp

A tamp is used for pushing the coffee grinds well into the portafilter. The process is known as tamping, and you need to apply the right amount of pressure to ensure you get good quality espresso. During tamping, you need to apply around 30 pounds of pressure on the coffee grinds as this is the ideal level. When you put more pressure than this, you will find traces of coffee grinds in your coffee, making your coffee taste very bitter.

  1. Water

You have to use only filtered water for brewing your cup of espresso. Unfiltered water contains minerals like chlorine which can affect the quality and taste of the coffee. Bottled water can also be used if you want, but ensure that you don’t use tap water under any circumstance.

  1. Espresso Cup

 

You will need a cup to hold the espresso that drips from the brewer once the coffee grinds have been brewed well. You can also use a shot-glass for this purpose, based on your preferences. Ensure that you read the instruction manual well to understand that you only use those metals that are compatible with the machine.

  1. Timer

 

If you have just begun to brew espressos, you will need a timer to know the time that the machine takes to pull the espresso shot and drip it into the cup placed below. If you have enough experience in brewing espressos, you will have a fair idea of the time levels, and you can plan accordingly.

 

Have you got all the items mentioned above ready? Now, let’s move on to the detailed step-by-step process of brewing a cup of espresso:

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Choose the right quality of coffee beans

This is the most important step in brewing an authentic cup of espresso. If your coffee beans are not up to the desired quality, it doesn’t make any sense even if you invest a huge sum in a premium coffee maker. Choose your coffee beans wisely. If you love to drink the espresso directly, beans that are lightly roasted are a great choice for you. However, if you want to use some of the espressos that you have brewed as a base for other caffeine drinks, you need to buy coffee beans that are deep-roasted and dark in color.

  1. Freshly roasted beans? Not good for your coffee

Yes, we always love fresh foods like fruits and vegetables. Coffee beans, though, work slightly differently. When coffee beans have been roasted recently, they release a lot of gas (carbon dioxide) and can alter the quality and taste of the espresso to a great extent. For this reason, you should always use only those beans that haven’t been roasted recently. Check for this date in the pack when you buy roasted coffee beans from retail shops.

  1. Grind the coffee beans to the right consistency

As we already saw, it is very important to grind the coffee beans to the right consistency. So, use your burr grinder so that your coffee beans are neither too coarse nor too soft. The consistency of the ground coffee beans should resemble the size and consistency of sugar granules. To pull a single-shot espresso, you will need around 7 to 8 grams of espresso. This will help you pull a 30ml shot. For double-shot espresso, you will need around 14 to 18grams of espresso.

  1. Setting up the coffee maker

Now that you have readied the coffee grinds, it is time to set up the coffee maker. Never brew the coffee in the machine directly. First, you need to heat the coffee maker and the portafilter inside it for better brew quality. Half an hour before you use the machine, heat it along with the portafilter in it. Pull a blank shot for heating purposes. This will help the machine perform smoothly during the actual brewing process. Needless to say, when you are heating up the machine, check if there is water in its tank. Discard this water before you fill the water tank again with fresh water for brewing. You must heat water at a temperature between 92 and 96 degrees Celsius for getting a good cup of espresso.

  1. Setting the portafilter

The portafilter is the part where you will fill in the coffee beans. Therefore, you need to prepare it well before using it for brewing espresso. Remove the portafilter from the coffee maker carefully and wipe it with a clean cloth. Put it on a digital scale and wait until it registers zero. This is an indication that the filter is ready to be dosed. Put it back into the coffee maker.

  1. Dosing process

Dosing is the process in which you fill the coffee grinds into the portafilter in the correct amount. Place around 7 to 8 and 14 to 18 grams of espresso in the portafilter for a single-shot and a double-shot respectively. Ensure that the portafilter is absolutely dry when you place the grinds into it.

  1. Tamping process

Tamping is the process in which you use a tamp to apply the right amount of pressure to push the coffee grinds through the portafilter to enable uniform passage of water through them.  Keep the portafilter on a flat surface and tamp evenly by applying a 30-pound pressure on the coffee. Hold the tamp’s handle firmly while you are doing this process.

  1. Preparing the brew head

After you have filled the portafilter, it is time to clean the brew head of your coffee maker. Switch on the brew head for a few seconds to ensure that previous grinds (if any) are rinsed away thoroughly. Leftover grinds from a previous brew can make your fresh espresso dirty when pucked if they are not cleaned away.

  1. Pulling the espresso shot

Insert the tamped portafilter into the brew head and switch on your coffee maker immediately. Place your espresso cup or shot glass (you can use either of them) under the machine to catch the liquid that is going to drip. You can use a timer at this stage to know how long the machine takes to send out the first drip. After several seconds of brewing, you will notice the thick and creamy liquid dripping into your cup. This is known as crema.

  1. Stopping the machine

For a single-shot espresso, you can switch off the machine 20 seconds after the coffee started dripping into your mug. For a double-shot espresso, you can switch off after 30 seconds of beverage extraction. When the thick and creamy liquid starts turning blonde, it is an indication for you to stop pulling the shot.

  1. Drink or serve immediately

You need to drink/serve the extracted espresso immediately. If you allow it to remain for a while, the beverage starts tasting quite bitter. Once you are done with drinking/serving, you need to clean the machine thoroughly. Remove the portafilter, clean it and wipe it with a dry cloth. Now, run the brew head in water for a few seconds to remove all traces of previous grinds. Put the portafilter back in it after cleaning.

These steps are fairly simple, aren’t they? If you are a beginner, you need to keep some important points in mind if you want to brew a perfect cup of espresso. You can perfect the art of espresso brewing through experience.

Important points to remember at each of these stages

  1. When the water runs through the filter very quickly, it means that the grinding consistency of the coffee beans is very coarse. When water flows through quickly, the flavours of the coffee beans are not infused into it properly. Therefore, you will be left with a cup of beverage that tastes like water.
  2. When the water takes a long time to flow through the filter, it means the coffee beans are too finely ground. When it takes a long time to pull the shot, you will get a cup of hot beverage that tastes bitter. The water must pass through the coffee at a reasonable pace if you want your espresso to taste perfect. Use a burr grinder and not a blade grinder for this purpose.
  3. If there is any leftover ground espresso, after you have taken the desired quantity for brewing, store it in an air-tight box and try to use it as quickly as possible. The longer they are stored for, the thinner their flavour. Never store the ground coffee in a refrigerator as the moisture from the fridge can spoil the coffee.
  4. Never use unfiltered, or tap water for brewing as the chemicals in it can alter the flavour of your coffee to a large extent.
  5. During tamping, hold the grip of the tamp firmly and place your elbow at a right-angle position so that you can apply the right amount of pressure on the filter.
  6. After tamping, it is a common practice for most of us to tap the filter on the outside. We believe that this process will ensure that the coffee grinds pass through the filter thoroughly. However, it is only a misconception. Tamping well is good enough to allow the coffee grinds to pass through evenly. When you tap on the outsides of the filter, it will tear the espresso pucks that have been packed.
  7. Once you have filled in the portafilter and put it inside the brew head, you need to switch on the machine right away and start brewing. When you let the coffee remain in the portafilter for long, it will result in a burnt or bitter espresso.
  8. Single shot espressos are about 30ml in quantity, and double espressos are about 75ml. So, you need to know when to stop pulling the shot, if you don’t want watery or flavourless
  9. Drink or serve the espresso coffees immediately after you have stopped pulling the shot. Else, the coffee turns bitter.

Making an espresso shot without a coffee maker

When you don’t have a coffee maker, you can still pull a perfect espresso shot by making use of:

  • The amount of pressure that you apply on the coffee grinds is the most important part of brewing a perfect cup of espresso, and all these three items help you do that.
  • Using an Aeropress
  •                            Place one or more filter inside the compartment of your Aeropress
        • Grind just two tablespoons of coffee beans in the right consistency and put it inside the filter
        • Heat 3.5oz of water at a temperature of 200degrees F and pour it into the coffee to mix well
        • Hard-press the plunger of the Aeropress into this liquid mixture
        • Pour the resulting liquid into a cup and enjoy your hot espresso

     

    Using a Moka Pot

        • Fine-grinding of coffee beans is essential if using a Moka pot
        • Finely grind around 22 grams of coffee
        • Pour 3.5oz of water into the lower portion of the pot
        • Place the 22 grams of coffee into the filter that is inside the pot
        • Heat the pot at a temperature of around 200 degrees F
        • Stir water and coffee well at the time when the water is really hot, and coffee has sunken naturally
        • Lower the heat and allow the pot to simmer for a while; ensure that the water doesn’t boil at this stage
        • Coffee will form a foamy layer on the top of the pot, stir well and pour the foamy, black liquid into a cup to enjoy your perfect espresso!

    Using a French Press

    • Finely grind around 2 to 4 tablespoons of coffee
    • Boil water at a temperature of 200 degrees F
    • Add a little water to the coffee grinds and let them soak for half a minute to infuse the flavours well
    • Add this coffee to the bottom portion of the French Press
    • Pour 3.5oz of water into it and stir well after a minute
    • Close the French Press and allow the mixture to settle inside for 2.5 minutes
    • Now plunge up and down well to ensure that all the liquid has been extracted, so that you can enjoy your espresso!
    • Our recommendationFor making the perfect cup of espresso most easily, we would recommend you to try out the coffee maker, Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine. Here are some details of this coffee maker that we found to be quite impressive:Features
      • Comes with 15Bar Italian Pump and 1600W Thermo-Coil Heating System, which enables you to apply the right amount of pressure to get a flavourful cup of espresso
      • Comes with a burr grinder made from heavy duty stainless steel; the grinder also has a sealed bean hopper
      • Grinder comes with adjustable grind size and dose qualities to give you a customised cup of espresso, just the way you want it
      • Comes with 67 Oz Water tank with handle; it is easily removable, which makes it easier for cleaning purposes
      • Comes with Patented Razor dosing tool system that helps in consistent extraction of espresso by trimming the pucked packs
      • PID digital temperature control system ensures that espresso extraction happens at an optimal temperature, at all times
      • Comes with automatic settings and timers for single-shots and double-shots to suit your preference of brew quality and quantity
      • Comes with low-pressure pre-infusion technology, through which pressure is gradually increased in the initial stages to ensure optimal and effective extraction of espresso
      • Comes with a load of accessories such as the dose trimming tool, single and dual water-filter baskets, milk jug made from stainless steel, water filter, water filter holder and a cleaning kit

      To know more about the features and price of this product, you can Check it out on Amazon

      We hope this article would have given you a fair idea on how to brew a perfect cup of espresso and what you need to remember while doing so. While it is great to have an excellent coffee maker (like the one we have recommended) for your support, it is more important to take care of the basics while buying, grinding, dosing, tamping, pulling and serving the espresso if you want a great brewing experience.

      To know more about the features and price of this product, you can Check it out below.

     

    Place one or more filter inside the compartment of your Aeropress

  • Place one or more filter inside the compartment of your Aeropress
  • Place one or more filter inside the compartment of your Aeropress


Save 30% with Gourmesso coffee capsules!