How to make good espresso – a complete guide
Espresso is a concentrated coffee drink where hot water is pressed through finely ground coffee at high pressure. It sounds simple, but small changes in coffee quantity, grind size, and yield can make a big difference to the taste.
Fortunately, espresso doesn't have to be complicated.
With a fixed base recipe and a coffee scale, you can systematically adjust your espresso until you find the taste you prefer.
In this guide, you will get a good starting point for espresso and learn how to adjust grind size, dosage, and brew time.
Quick recipe for espresso
A good starting point for a double espresso is:
18 grams of coffee in
36 grams of espresso out
Brew time: approximately 25–35 seconds
Brew ratio: 1:2
Temperature: around 90–96 °C
This is just a starting point. The best recipe depends on the coffee beans, the roast level, the coffee grinder, the filter basket, and your own taste.
How to make espresso step by step
- Let the espresso machine and portafilter heat up properly.
- Ensure that the filter basket is clean and dry.
- Weigh out, for example, 18 grams of coffee beans.
- Grind the coffee finely directly into the portafilter.
- Distribute the ground coffee evenly in the filter basket. You can optionally use a WDT tool.
- Tamp the coffee level and controlled.
- Insert the portafilter into the espresso machine.
- Place a coffee scale and cup under the portafilter.
- Start the brewing and weigh the finished espresso.
- Stop at around 36 grams of espresso if you are working with 18 grams of coffee and a ratio of 1:2.
- Taste the espresso.
- Adjust the grind size first and foremost if the result is not as you wish.
When you adjust espresso, it is an advantage to only change one variable at a time.
What does a 1:2 ratio mean for espresso?
Espresso recipes are often described as a ratio between the amount of ground coffee and the amount of finished espresso.
A ratio of 1:2 means that you get approximately twice as much espresso out as the coffee you use.
Example:
18 grams of coffee → 36 grams of espresso
20 grams of coffee → 40 grams of espresso
16 grams of coffee → 32 grams of espresso
It is the weight of the finished espresso in the cup that is measured – not how much water the espresso machine uses.
1:2 is a good starting point, but it is not a rule.
Some coffee beans taste better with a shorter or longer brew ratio.
How many grams of coffee should be in an espresso?
The amount depends primarily on the filter basket.
For a double espresso, about 16–20 grams of coffee are often used, and 18 grams is a good starting point for many filter baskets.
However, you should not automatically use 18 grams if your filter basket is intended for something else.
The size of the filter basket determines how much coffee it works best with.
A basket intended for, for example, 14–16 grams should not necessarily be filled with 20 grams of coffee.
How finely should coffee be ground for espresso?
Espresso requires a relatively fine grind size.
The precise setting cannot, however, be stated as one specific step because coffee grinders are different.
The grind size is used to control how quickly the water moves through the coffee puck.
If the espresso runs too fast, you should generally grind finer.
If the espresso runs too slowly, you should generally grind coarser.
This is one of the most important rules when you are adjusting espresso.
My espresso runs too fast – what do I do?
If, for example, you get 36 grams of espresso in 15–20 seconds, the water is running relatively quickly through the coffee puck.
Start by grinding the coffee finer.
Feel free to keep both the dosage and the desired amount of espresso the same.
Example:
18 grams of coffee
36 grams of espresso
18 seconds
→ Grind finer and try again.
If you then get 36 grams in, for example, 28 seconds, you can taste the espresso and evaluate the result.
My espresso runs too slowly – what do I do?
If the machine can hardly press water through the coffee, or it takes a very long time to reach the desired weight, the grind is likely too fine.
Therefore, grind the coffee coarser.
Example:
18 grams of coffee
36 grams of espresso
50 seconds
→ Grind coarser and try again.
Keep the dosage and desired yield constant while you adjust the grinder.
This makes it much easier to understand the effect of your changes.
Brew time – should espresso always take 30 seconds?
No.
Around 25–35 seconds is a good starting point, but the time should not be your only goal.
An espresso that takes 24 seconds can taste fantastic, while an espresso at exactly 30 seconds can taste bad.
Therefore, use the brew time as a benchmark.
Taste is more important than the stopwatch.
Dosage and yield should be fixed, after which the grind size can be adjusted so that both the flow and taste move in the desired direction.
Which coffee beans are best for espresso?
You can brew espresso with both light, medium, and dark roasted coffee beans.
The choice depends on what flavor profile you want.
Medium roasted coffee for espresso
Medium roasted coffee beans are a good starting point.
Here you often get a balance between sweetness, body, acidity, and the coffee's original flavor character.
It can work well both as pure espresso and in milk drinks.
Dark roasted coffee for espresso
Dark roasted coffee beans typically provide a stronger and more roasted flavor profile with lower perceived acidity.
It is a popular choice for cappuccino, latte, and other milk drinks, where the coffee needs to be tasted through the milk.
Light roasted coffee for espresso
Light roasted coffee beans can provide a more fruity and acidic espresso.
They can also be more demanding to set up and can work well with longer brew ratios and higher temperatures.
If you want to start simply, medium roasted coffee is a good place to start.
Espresso blend or single origin?
Both can be used.
An espresso blend combines different coffee beans to create a specific overall flavor profile.
Single origin coffee, on the other hand, comes from one specific origin and can highlight more characteristic taste nuances from that particular coffee.
At Brændeholm Risteri, you will find both coffee beans developed with espresso in mind and single origin coffees that can be used for espresso.
There is, therefore, no rule that espresso must be brewed from a blend.
How fresh should coffee be for espresso?
Freshly roasted coffee beans are a good starting point, but coffee does not necessarily need to be used immediately after roasting.
After roasting, the coffee beans release carbon dioxide, and very fresh coffee can therefore be more difficult to work with for espresso.
It can be an advantage to let the coffee rest for a few days after roasting before it is used for espresso.
How long depends, among other things, on the coffee beans and the roast level.
When you have found a coffee you like, the most important thing is to learn how it changes over time and adjust the coffee grinder as needed.
The coffee grinder is essential for espresso
The coffee grinder is one of the most important parts of your espresso setup.
For espresso, the grinder must be able to make very small changes to the grind size.
Even a small change can move the brew time significantly.
A grinder developed for espresso therefore makes the work significantly easier than a coffee grinder with very large steps between settings.
Grind the coffee preferably immediately before brewing.
What is WDT?
WDT stands for Weiss Distribution Technique.
The method uses thin needles to distribute the freshly ground coffee in the filter basket and break up any clumps before tamping.
The purpose is to create a more uniform coffee puck.
After WDT, the coffee is tamped as usual.
WDT is not a requirement for making espresso, but it can be a useful tool, especially if your coffee grinder produces clumps.
How should espresso be tamped?
After the coffee is distributed in the filter basket, it must be tamped.
Place the tamper horizontally and press the coffee down until the coffee puck is compressed.
The most important thing is that the tamping is level and uniform.
You don't need to try to hit a specific number of kilos of tamping pressure.
Once the coffee puck is compressed, using a lot of extra force does not necessarily give a better result.
A tamper that fits correctly to the filter basket's diameter makes it easier to tamp evenly right out to the edge.
What is channeling?
Channeling means that the water finds areas with less resistance and runs faster through certain parts of the coffee puck.
It can result in an uneven extraction.
Some areas of the coffee are extracted a lot, while others are extracted less.
Possible causes can include:
• Uneven distribution of coffee
• Clumps in the ground coffee
• Uneven tamping
• Poor fit between tamper and filter basket
• Cracks or weak areas in the coffee puck
Good puck preparation is therefore mainly about creating a uniform and level coffee puck before brewing.
How hot should espresso be brewed?
Around 90–96 °C is a reasonable working range for espresso.
About 93 °C is a good place to begin if your machine allows you to select the temperature.
Lighter roasts can often tolerate or benefit from higher brewing temperatures, while darker roasts can taste better at slightly lower temperatures.
You don't need to change the temperature as the first thing.
Start by adjusting the grind size and the brew ratio.
How many bars should espresso be brewed at?
Around 9 bars is a classic starting point for espresso.
Many espresso machines are therefore developed to brew around this pressure.
However, this does not mean that all good espressos necessarily need to be brewed at exactly 9 bars.
On more advanced machines, both pre-infusion and different pressure profiles can be used.
For most home baristas, however, there is no reason to focus much on the pressure if the machine is already designed for espresso.
Focus first on coffee beans, grind size, dosage, yield, and puck preparation.
Why does my espresso taste sour?
An unpleasantly sour or sharp espresso can be a sign of under-extraction.
Try first to grind the coffee finer.
This normally causes the water to run slower through the coffee puck and increases the extraction.
You can also experiment with a slightly longer brew ratio.
Example:
Instead of:
18 g coffee → 36 g espresso
you can try:
18 g coffee → 40 g espresso.
Remember, however, that especially light roasted coffee beans can naturally have clear fruitiness and acidity.
Acidity is therefore not automatically a mistake.
Why does my espresso taste bitter?
A very bitter, dry, or harsh espresso can be caused by over-extraction or the coffee's roast level.
Try first to grind the coffee a little coarser.
You can also try a shorter brew ratio.
Example:
18 g coffee → 32–34 g espresso
instead of 36 grams.
If you are using very dark roasted coffee beans, the roasting itself can also be a significant part of the bitter taste.
Ristretto, espresso, and lungo
The difference relates, among other things, to the ratio between coffee and the finished drink.
Ristretto uses a shorter brew ratio and gives less liquid in the cup.
Espresso often lies around 1:2 as a starting point.
Lungo has a longer brew ratio and gives more liquid through the same amount of coffee.
As practical examples with 18 grams of coffee, you can think:
Ristretto: around 18–27 grams in the cup
Espresso: around 36 grams
Lungo: around 45–54 grams or more
The precise ratios vary, so use them as categories rather than absolute rules.
Is crema a sign of good espresso?
Not necessarily.
Crema is the foamy layer that forms on the surface of the espresso.
The amount and appearance are influenced by, among other things, the coffee's freshness, roast level, bean type, and the brewing.
An espresso can have a nice and thick crema and still taste bad.
Conversely, an espresso with less crema can taste excellent.
Therefore, use the taste as the most important quality criterion.
Why use a coffee scale for espresso?
A coffee scale makes espresso much easier to repeat.
If you only evaluate espresso by volume in the cup, crema can make the measurement inaccurate.
With a scale, you can know exactly:
How many grams of coffee you use.
How many grams of espresso you get out.
How long the brewing takes.
This means that you can repeat good results and systematically change the recipe.
A simple method to dial in espresso
If you have just opened a new bag of coffee beans, you can begin like this:
18 grams of coffee in
36 grams of espresso out
Approximately 25–35 seconds
Does the espresso run in 15 seconds?
→ Grind finer.
Does the espresso run in 50 seconds?
→ Grind coarser.
When you land somewhat in the desired range, you should start tasting.
Does it taste good at 23 seconds? You don't need to change anything just to reach 30.
Taste determines the final recipe.
Frequently asked questions about espresso
How many grams of coffee should be in an espresso?
For a double espresso, about 18 grams is a good starting point, but the correct dosage depends on your filter basket.
How much espresso should 18 grams of coffee yield?
A good starting point is 36 grams of espresso. This corresponds to a brew ratio of 1:2.
How long should espresso take?
Approximately 25–35 seconds is a good starting point, but the taste is more important than hitting a specific time.
What do I do if the espresso runs too fast?
Grind the coffee beans finer. Feel free to keep the dosage and desired yield unchanged while you adjust the grind size.
What do I do if the espresso runs too slowly?
Grind the coffee coarser.
How finely should coffee be ground for espresso?
Espresso requires a fine grind, but the precise setting depends on the coffee beans, grinder, and machine. Adjust the grind size according to the flow and taste.
How many bars should an espresso machine have?
Around 9 bars is a classic brew pressure for espresso. It is, however, not necessary to adjust the pressure on most standard espresso machines.
Which temperature is best for espresso?
Around 90–96 °C is a good working range. About 93 °C is a fine starting point.
Should espresso be tamped hard?
The coffee must be compressed, but you don't need to focus on a specific number of kilos. A level and uniform tamping is more important.
Should I use WDT?
It is not necessary, but WDT can help distribute the coffee and remove clumps before tamping.
Are dark roasted coffee beans best for espresso?
Not necessarily. Both light, medium, and dark roasted coffee can be used for espresso. Medium and dark roasted beans are often easier to begin with, while lighter roasts can yield more fruity espressos.
Why does my espresso change from day to day?
Coffee beans change after roasting, and things like temperature and humidity can affect the workflow. It is therefore normal that the grind size needs to be adjusted continuously.