Espresso Brew Guide
The 21st century has seen a huge rise in home espresso brewing and range of machines available. Many include milk frothers and some are now ‘bean-to-cup’ with integral grinder. Brewing great espresso is one of the trickier ways of making coffee, but with a little experimentation, you can enjoy making rich, intense and creamy coffee rivalling many a coffee shop.
The process basically involves forcing a measured blast of hot pressurised water through finely-ground coffee beans. The resultant brew is called an espresso, and forms the basis of many coffee drinks such as americano, cappuccino, flat white and latte.
In addition to this brief guide, Causeway Coffee also runs home barista courses with an SCA (Specialist Coffee Association) tutor, where you can hone your skills using both domestic and professional espresso machines.
The quality, grind and weight of the coffee are always a factor and, combined with different types of espresso machine, there are a range of outcomes. You can experiment and taste your results until you're happy.
You could start with one of our blends such as Oonagh, Ciara or Nabla to get started although that's just our taste. Let us know how you get on with your setup. We're always keen to listen and learn.
You'll need
- Your favourite Causeway Coffee – beans or fresh-ground for espresso
- Espresso machine with water (preferably filtered)
- Grinder (preferably burr)
- Tamper
- Timer
- Scale
- Cup
Let's get brewing
- If starting with beans, grind to the consistency of confectioner’s sugar (very fine). A good fresh grind is key to consistently great-tasting brew.
- Measure around 18g of coffee into the portafilter. Tap once or twice to settle it and distribute the coffee evenly with your finger. Tamp the basket until it feels like the coffee is pushing back. Make sure your coffee bed is level.
- If possible with your machine, purge water through the group head, then lock the portafilter into place.
- Engage the group head and start the timer. Place a cup under the portafilter and watch for steady light-brown streams. The entire extraction should take around 23-28 seconds to brew a decent espresso. If it takes much longer, try a coarser grind. If it brews too quickly, try a finer grind.
You're done. Now you can sit back, relax and think about any changes before you brew your next great cup.
Enjoy the great taste of a freshly-brewed coffee!
