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Espresso Shot Preparation |
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Monday, 11 July 2005 |
Espresso Shot Preparation - Courtesy Gimme! Coffee, Ithaca, NY
www.gimmecoffee.com
The perfectly prepared espresso shot will consist initially almost
entirely of the crema, which begins to settle immediately. The shot is
intense, flavorful, complex, lively, thick, and drinkable from start to
finish. To achieve this, you need to be passionately dedicated to the
disciplines surrounding the maximum extractions. Take special care in
grinding, dosing, tamping and observing the pour.
Deviation from those
steps will result in less notable results.
GRINDING THE BEANS
Only fill the hoppers half full of coffee
beans and always grind only as much coffee into the doser as you’ll
need in order to produce the beverage of the moment. Try to empty the
chamber every time you dose; that is, don’t grind more than you need
and leave it to go stale in the doser. Grind Settings: The same
espresso grind settings will produce different results depending on the
weather. Humidity, especially, will affect the grind.
Always adjust the
grind in small intervals; never adjust more than one notch at a time.
Monitor the shots to determine optimal settings for current conditions.
Maintenance: Clean the grinder completely every night, vacuuming the
grounds from the dosing chamber. Wipe all equipment obsessively. Change
the grinder blades after 600 pounds have gone through the hopper.
DOSING AND TAMPING
Try to empty the chamber every time you
dose. As you dose, over fill the portafilter basket. Use your pinky to
level the portafilter and evenly distribute the ground coffee. Then
push the excess into the dosing chamber, or better yet, the knockbox.
Pay attention to develop consistent dosing behavior to minimize dosing
as a margin of error. Tamping: Using a tamping mechanism designed to
fit your portafilter tightly. Tamp using a straight arm, first applying
five pounds of pressure. Tap the portafilter with the butt end of the
tamper, and tamp down the dose again, this time harder, using between
30 and 50 pounds of pressure. Preparing: Use the palm of your hand to
wipe the rim of the portafilter; this prevents coffee grounds from
being pressed into the group gaskets and helps maintain supple group
gasket seals. Lock the portafi lter firmly in place to form a tight
seal with the group gasket.
PULLING SHOTS
We recommend that you
pull at least double shots (14 gram baskets). We never pull single
shots, (which use only 7 grams of coffee). In fact, we have found best
results serving triple shots: 21 grams of fresh ground espresso go into
our portafilter for the shot. Timing: Pull shots short, ristretto,
before the bitter over-extracted whitish-end of the shot. Watch the
shot carefully. When the shot begins, you should hear the pre-infusion.
Start your timer, then start of the shot. The shot should ooze slowly
at first. At 10 to 15 seconds, a perfect shot will have dark red-brown
mottling on the surface. Remove the cup after around 30 seconds, the
moment before the color of the shot begins to lighten.
This should
yield between 1.5 and 1.75 ounces in the cup, total shot volume (mostly
crema). The pour should finish about 20 seconds from the time the shot
first appears. If the shot goes longer than 25 seconds, adjust the
grind to be coarser. If the shot takes less than 20 seconds, adjust the
grind finer. Serving: Always pull your shot into the cup you are
serving it in. Pre-heat that ceramic cup with hot water before you pull
the shot into it. Espresso should be served in a demitasse with a total
capacity of no more than three ounces. All drinks, but especially
espresso shots, should be served to the customer immediately.Only registered users can write comments.
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