The Art Of Making The Perfect Espresso

Pulling the finest quality espresso shot is an ambition of every barista there is, from local coffee shop baristas to the home made brewer types.

Practice makes perfect with these skills as the pressure to tamp the grinds, as well as the grinding of the coffee beans itself are all factors in creating the perfect espresso.

Whilst the most talented baristas are able to make pulling a shot of espresso look easy, there’s definitely been plenty of mistakes and shots down the drain to reach this point of perfection.

How To Make The Best Espresso

Consistency is key for all talented baristas.

Every shot pulled must be as good as the last. For this to occur, there are some key tips baristas must keep in mind to the best espresso shot possible.

Firstly, both single shots and double shots should pull in 20-25 seconds.

The difference in these types of shots is in the amount of water and coffee used, and not the amount of time in the pull. Seven grams of coffee is considered a single shot, and with this you should be using one and a half ounces of water.

The quality of the crema is the first sign of a perfect espresso pull.

Not only is it the heart of any espresso, it is what gives an espresso its taste.

An incorrect pull would often result in no crema being produced. That being said, the problem would most likely lie in the coffee grind consistency. The coffee beans must have a fine enough grind to ensure the pull will be excellent and produce superior crema. Coffee grinds from a burr grinder are typically perfect in consistency.

Additionally, the tamp of the coffee grinds should be even throughout the basket, as without this, no crema will be produced.

A great barista will practice tamping coffee to find the right amount of pressure needed to make a perfect disk.

By following these steps, all espressos you create will eventually be perfectly pulled with a high quality crema every coffee lover would be happy with.