How to get the perfect Espresso
Many people drink coffee these days, and the options for beans and methods of preparing your coffee can become overwhelming. For the home-brewers focused on preparing that perfect cup of coffee at home each morning, these tips will hopefully get your coffee tasting the best possible!
Ingredients Matter
The beans you use will really make all the difference. The quality, freshness, roast type, and flavor profiles will all address how your coffee will taste. Having freshly roasted beans that are grinded right before you brew will always produce the best results. You also want to make sure that the water you use and any milk added are up to the same standards.
Grind, Dose, and Tamp
The brewing of espresso has 3 different components that will make or break your experience.
- Grind: The grind size will help ensure your water can flow through the beans properly. Having too coarse or too fine of grind will result in your espresso not being up to the highest quality. You might have to adjust a bit based on the beans you are using too, so just because something worked before, it does not mean you might not have to change things up!
- Dose: The dosage is about the amount of ground you use to brew. If you have too much or too little in your basket while trying to brew, the results will not be good. Follow the instructions on your device and make sure you weight the beans to get the right amount for each brew!
- Tamp: Before brewing, you will have to tamp the beans into a firm, smooth pack in the basket. Doing so will ensure the pressurized water gets all of the flavors it is supposed to, and the drip is consistent.
Brewing your Espresso
Each machine is going to have a unique process. We recently purchased a Delonghi La Specialista device, and are loving the quality of the brew we get. The versality of the device, and ease of use, has made our transition seamless. If you are interested in getting a perfect espresso at home, check out this machine, and many others, that will help make that process easy for you!
