Espresso Basics :
How, When, What...
When making Espresso at home


No matter what style of espresso machine you have, electronic- automatic, lever or hand-driven:

THE  ESPRESSO BASICS ARE MOSTLY THE SAME.
  • grind the beans, allowing for the atmospheric humidity and the age of the beans(older beans:finer; higher humidity: coarser).
  • put some hot water into the cup(s) you want to use


  • pour ice-cold milk into your frothing jug, set ready to use


  • choose the basket-size you want to use, insert it in the portafilter and fill it with freshly ground coffee.


  • tap the portafilter on the bench top to settle the grinds.


  • add more ground coffee to the basket.


  • level the grinds off with the edge of a knife or side of your finger.


  • tamp lightly, levelly... then increase the pressure and tamp to about 10 kg of pressure.


  • keep the tamper in place on the grinds, hold the handle of the tamper in one hand, the handle of the portafilter in the other hand and rotate the portafilter NSEW to check if the coffee has been tamped level.  

  • lock the portafilter in the grouphead.


  • empty the, now warmed, espresso cup(s) and place them under the spout(s).


  • depending on what type of machine you have: flick the switch/ pull the lever/do whatever you need to do to get the water flowing through the group-head.


  • watch carefully: the coffee should start flowing after about 6 seconds, and be a thin stream of dark honey-coloured and viscous liquid.


  • if the coffee does NOT flow or drip after 10 seconds, shut your machine down;  the coffee was either ground too fine or tamped too hard and you do not want to damage the pump or infusion-system.


  • depending on the type/style of shot you want, shut the water-flow down when your coffee is in the cup(s) (15/30/60 secs)


  •  prepare your machine for steaming and when ready, texture the milk; remember that foam belongs in the washing machine, not in a caffe latte!


  • do NOT overheat the milk;  if you cannot hold the jug in your hand, the milk is probably too hot!     Use a milk thermometer,  65C is about right.


  • pour the milk into the coffee; for beginners it is easier to pour on the side of the cup, so as not to disturb the crema.


  • ENJOY!!