Espresso - Espresso is a bit of a complex topic as there are many variables in terms of coffee, equipment, methods, and results. There are also some popular misconceptions about espresso, starting with the bean. Espresso is not so much a bean, but rather a preparation method for extracting liquid gold from coffee beans. Any coffee beans can be used to make espresso, but some will do better than others.
The 3 elements of espresso are
Any coffee bean, or blend of beans, which does well in producing these elements may be used, and it must be noted here that the quality of the crema is related to both the lipid profile (coffee oils) of the beans, and the gas content (CO2) which is dependant on the freshness of the beans from roasting (2 days - 2 weeks from roast date is ideal).
Also, it's important to note that the 'most important' element, flavour, is largely judged subjectively, based on a user's preference. Because an espresso extraction is brighter (more acidic) than other brewing methods (say, drip brew or french press) most people will tend to prefer a slightly darker roast than they like when brewing drip coffee, as the darker roasted expresso extraction will provide a similar flavour profile to what the lighter roast will produce in a drip brew. That is not to say that espresso is necessarily a dark roasted coffee.... just that users tend to use slightly darker roasts for espresso than for drip or press coffee, and preferences for beans to use for espresso always depends on the tastes of the user.
Most Italian espresso are medium to Viennese roasted, and medium roast espresso do tend to produce a richer, more persistent crema than darker roasts do. However, most Italians drink caffe normale (straight espresso), and the moderate roasts will provide a smooth, well rounded cup. This can be contrasted with North American staples, such as grande fog nog lattes, salted caramel mochas, or pumpkin spice frappuccinos.... which, if they didn't contain dark roasted coffee, wouldn't taste like coffee at all. Oh, wait....(bite tongue).... and they don't need a good crema with all the whip cream on top either... but i digress.
Back on track... and to the point: the best coffee to use for espresso depends on your own tastes. Italians, for example, also insist on putting some Robusta coffee in their espresso blends, for better body and crema, but some people consider that Robusta tastes like burnt rubber... although that really depends on the quality and roast of the Robusta. Ooops, that's another tangent. Equipment and methods then!
Equipment
There is a huge range of equipment available for preparing espresso, both in the home and in commercial settings. Whatever equipment you use, be sure to clean it regularly for best results.
Super automatic machines are push button, voila! instant gratification with no experience required, best for office or motel type settings where any user might lose it, and they can produce a nice drink, especially when the alternative might be a pot of drip coffee which sat on the burner too long. The super autos have integral grinders and, while some units just have a steam wand for the user to froth milk, many have optional or integral milk coolers and a system to steam and deliver it to the cup for you.
Automatic and semi automatic machines also have buttons, but before you press the buttons the user must first grind, dose, distribute, groom and tamp the coffee in the portafilter, and place the portafilter on the group head of the machine, as well as get the milk (if desired), steam it and pour it to produce the drink. For all this work, a skilled user can produce a superior espresso beverage, bearing in mind that these espresso machines, like the super automatic ones, have quite a range of quality. These machines must be paired with an espresso grinder, the quality of which is also crucial for great espresso.
Manual / Lever machines require a bit more experience and effort on the part of the barista; they can give the user more control over the infusion, which will allow a skilled barista to pull the best shots. These machines are mechanically simple, so they tend to be reliable with low maintenance costs, but the skill and strength required to operate one makes them an uncommon sight, especially in high volume locations.
Methods
Dosage depends somewhat on the style of drink you'd like. A traditional espresso uses 7 grams coffee for a single shot, or 14 for a double. This tends to produce a creamy shot with sweet, rounded flavours, great for Italian style drinks, but it won't give a full presence in big cups of potentially heavily milked beverages. New world espressos go up to 9g singles, 18g doubles and more, although one might need a triple basket to hold much more. These massive shots need a higher group head temperature to produce the same extraction temperature as a smaller shot (see 'Extraction', below), and they tend to produce espresso with less sweetness and sharper flavours.
Grind to order, whenever possible! Grind setting must be carefully tested and adjusted as necessary to achieve the extraction targeted.
Distribute the grounds as evenly as possible into the dry filter basket.
Groom the dose to improve the distribution and to remove any excess grounds.
Tamp the grounds to set them in the basket, creating a level surface, using a tamper which fits the basket snugly. 30 pounds of pressure is often quoted as ideal, but use whatever force you can comfortably exert, while maintaing full control of the level plane, and be consistent with that. Be gentle with the portafilter after tamping, so as not to damage the integrity of the puck. Wipe the rim of the filter to remove any grounds from interfering with the seal, and latch the portafilter onto the group head. All of this should be done as efficiently as possible, so the portafilter doesn't cool off too much in its time off the group head.
Extraction
Typical parameters for extraction are 9 bar pressure and group head temps from 85-96 degC, using the lower end of the temp range for traditional smaller doses and the upper end for new school big shots. Considering the thermal mass of the different doses, a common extraction temperature of about 82-83 degC is estimated. A normal Italian style single shot would typically produce almost 1 oz total volume (including crema) with about 14g mass, for a double that's about 1.8 oz total, weighing approx. 28g. The new school, with the bigger dose, might target an espresso shot with a total volume of about 1.5oz, weighing around 22g. Both schools aim for an extraction time of 20-35 seconds, adjusting the grind to shorten (coarser grind) or lengthen (finer) the time it takes to produce the target volume / mass of espresso.
A naked / bottomless portafilter is a great learning tool which allows the barista to see, as it happens, an uneven extraction, usually due to poor distribution, grooming and tamping. In a busy cafe, a barista won't have time to watch each shot pour, but it is a good tool to calibrate one's technique every so often, when things aren't too hectic.
The 3 elements of espresso are
- flavour and aroma
- body
- crema
Any coffee bean, or blend of beans, which does well in producing these elements may be used, and it must be noted here that the quality of the crema is related to both the lipid profile (coffee oils) of the beans, and the gas content (CO2) which is dependant on the freshness of the beans from roasting (2 days - 2 weeks from roast date is ideal).
Also, it's important to note that the 'most important' element, flavour, is largely judged subjectively, based on a user's preference. Because an espresso extraction is brighter (more acidic) than other brewing methods (say, drip brew or french press) most people will tend to prefer a slightly darker roast than they like when brewing drip coffee, as the darker roasted expresso extraction will provide a similar flavour profile to what the lighter roast will produce in a drip brew. That is not to say that espresso is necessarily a dark roasted coffee.... just that users tend to use slightly darker roasts for espresso than for drip or press coffee, and preferences for beans to use for espresso always depends on the tastes of the user.
Most Italian espresso are medium to Viennese roasted, and medium roast espresso do tend to produce a richer, more persistent crema than darker roasts do. However, most Italians drink caffe normale (straight espresso), and the moderate roasts will provide a smooth, well rounded cup. This can be contrasted with North American staples, such as grande fog nog lattes, salted caramel mochas, or pumpkin spice frappuccinos.... which, if they didn't contain dark roasted coffee, wouldn't taste like coffee at all. Oh, wait....(bite tongue).... and they don't need a good crema with all the whip cream on top either... but i digress.
Back on track... and to the point: the best coffee to use for espresso depends on your own tastes. Italians, for example, also insist on putting some Robusta coffee in their espresso blends, for better body and crema, but some people consider that Robusta tastes like burnt rubber... although that really depends on the quality and roast of the Robusta. Ooops, that's another tangent. Equipment and methods then!
Equipment
There is a huge range of equipment available for preparing espresso, both in the home and in commercial settings. Whatever equipment you use, be sure to clean it regularly for best results.
Super automatic machines are push button, voila! instant gratification with no experience required, best for office or motel type settings where any user might lose it, and they can produce a nice drink, especially when the alternative might be a pot of drip coffee which sat on the burner too long. The super autos have integral grinders and, while some units just have a steam wand for the user to froth milk, many have optional or integral milk coolers and a system to steam and deliver it to the cup for you.
Automatic and semi automatic machines also have buttons, but before you press the buttons the user must first grind, dose, distribute, groom and tamp the coffee in the portafilter, and place the portafilter on the group head of the machine, as well as get the milk (if desired), steam it and pour it to produce the drink. For all this work, a skilled user can produce a superior espresso beverage, bearing in mind that these espresso machines, like the super automatic ones, have quite a range of quality. These machines must be paired with an espresso grinder, the quality of which is also crucial for great espresso.
Manual / Lever machines require a bit more experience and effort on the part of the barista; they can give the user more control over the infusion, which will allow a skilled barista to pull the best shots. These machines are mechanically simple, so they tend to be reliable with low maintenance costs, but the skill and strength required to operate one makes them an uncommon sight, especially in high volume locations.
Methods
Dosage depends somewhat on the style of drink you'd like. A traditional espresso uses 7 grams coffee for a single shot, or 14 for a double. This tends to produce a creamy shot with sweet, rounded flavours, great for Italian style drinks, but it won't give a full presence in big cups of potentially heavily milked beverages. New world espressos go up to 9g singles, 18g doubles and more, although one might need a triple basket to hold much more. These massive shots need a higher group head temperature to produce the same extraction temperature as a smaller shot (see 'Extraction', below), and they tend to produce espresso with less sweetness and sharper flavours.
Grind to order, whenever possible! Grind setting must be carefully tested and adjusted as necessary to achieve the extraction targeted.
Distribute the grounds as evenly as possible into the dry filter basket.
Groom the dose to improve the distribution and to remove any excess grounds.
Tamp the grounds to set them in the basket, creating a level surface, using a tamper which fits the basket snugly. 30 pounds of pressure is often quoted as ideal, but use whatever force you can comfortably exert, while maintaing full control of the level plane, and be consistent with that. Be gentle with the portafilter after tamping, so as not to damage the integrity of the puck. Wipe the rim of the filter to remove any grounds from interfering with the seal, and latch the portafilter onto the group head. All of this should be done as efficiently as possible, so the portafilter doesn't cool off too much in its time off the group head.
Extraction
Typical parameters for extraction are 9 bar pressure and group head temps from 85-96 degC, using the lower end of the temp range for traditional smaller doses and the upper end for new school big shots. Considering the thermal mass of the different doses, a common extraction temperature of about 82-83 degC is estimated. A normal Italian style single shot would typically produce almost 1 oz total volume (including crema) with about 14g mass, for a double that's about 1.8 oz total, weighing approx. 28g. The new school, with the bigger dose, might target an espresso shot with a total volume of about 1.5oz, weighing around 22g. Both schools aim for an extraction time of 20-35 seconds, adjusting the grind to shorten (coarser grind) or lengthen (finer) the time it takes to produce the target volume / mass of espresso.
A naked / bottomless portafilter is a great learning tool which allows the barista to see, as it happens, an uneven extraction, usually due to poor distribution, grooming and tamping. In a busy cafe, a barista won't have time to watch each shot pour, but it is a good tool to calibrate one's technique every so often, when things aren't too hectic.