Recipe

Espresso

A 25–30 second extraction that defines every milk drink that follows.

Ingredients

Coffee

18 g (double basket)

Yield

36 g liquid espresso

Water temp

93 °C / 200 °F

Grind

Fine, table salt

Equipment

• Espresso machine with 9-bar pump
• Burr grinder (espresso-capable)
• 58 mm portafilter + double basket
• Tamper
• Scale (0.1 g)
• Distribution tool (optional)

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Turn the machine on at least 20 minutes before brewing so the group head, portafilter and boiler reach thermal equilibrium.

2. 2

   Purge the group head with a 3-second blank shot to flush old water and stabilize temperature.

3. 3

   Wipe the portafilter basket completely dry with a clean cloth — moisture causes clumping and channels.

4. 4

   Set grinder to fine (just past table salt). Dose exactly 18.0 g of fresh beans (within 14 days of roast).

5. 5

   Grind directly into the basket. Tap the side gently 2–3 times to settle clumps.

6. 6

   Distribute: use a WDT tool or a needle to break up clumps, moving in small circles across the entire bed.

7. 7

   Tamp level with ~15 kg of pressure. Check that the puck surface is flat and parallel to the basket rim.

8. 8

   Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the shot within 5 seconds to avoid scorching the puck.

9. 9

   Place the cup on a scale, tare to zero, and start a timer the moment the pump engages.

10. 10

    First drops should appear at 7–10 seconds. Watch the stream — it should be the color of dark honey, mouse-tail thin.

11. 11

    Stop the shot when the scale reads 36 g, ideally between 25 and 30 seconds total.

12. 12

    Taste immediately. Sour or watery → grind finer. Bitter or harsh → grind coarser. Adjust one notch at a time.