How to Make Espresso: Ratios, Steps & Professional Guide

Italian espresso, also known as Espresso, is created by using steam pressure to force hot water through finely ground coffee, extracting a small portion of rich, aromatic pure black coffee liquid topped with golden crema. While we rarely see it directly on coffee shop menus, it's the foundation of everyday Americanos, lattes, and cappuccinos—truly the soul of any coffee establishment.

What are the characteristics of Italian espresso?

Before the invention of espresso, coffee was brewed using infusion methods, requiring fine grinding and slow extraction with considerable waiting time. Espresso was invented in the early 19th century when Italians devised a way to use steam pressure to force high-temperature, high-pressure water through coffee puck to accelerate the original drip-style extraction rate. Through continuous improvements and updates, this led to the semi-automatic and fully automatic espresso machines commonly found today.

Due to espresso's extraction under fine grinding, high water temperature, and high pressure, it concentrates multiple flavors, with various flavor compounds delivering an intensified impact on our palate. Coffee, as an agricultural product, varies with climate, soil, and other conditions—even beans from the same region can have different characteristics between batches. Blended coffee beans utilize a complementary approach to help achieve more balanced and stable aroma and flavor in each extraction. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using blends specifically designed for espresso extraction. FrontStreet Coffee offers four different espresso blends on their menu, all suitable for both espresso machines and moka pot brewing.

Traditional Italian espresso, made from very dark roasted beans and containing rich Robusta beans, has a strong, bitter, and intense flavor that requires sipping slowly over several mouthfuls. However, with the rise of specialty coffee in recent years, improvements in coffee bean quality and extraction techniques, and coffee drinkers' pursuit of flavor, today's espresso is no longer limited to bitter flavors. For example, the espresso served at FrontStreet Coffee's shops exhibits fermented wine notes and berry acidity, with rich aroma and smooth texture that's very approachable.

Steps to make espresso

The daily espresso served at FrontStreet Coffee's shops uses their house-roasted "Frontsteet Sunflower Warmth Espresso Blend." FrontStreet Coffee's baristas calibrate the espresso extraction parameters before opening each day to begin official service.

FrontStreet Coffee uses a double basket capacity with approximately 18-20 grams of coffee grounds, using exactly 20 grams for their drinks. FrontStreet Coffee's extraction ratio is 1:2, meaning 20 grams of coffee grounds yield 40 grams of liquid espresso. The extraction time is related to the flow rate, typically controlled between 20-35 seconds per extraction, as coffee extracted within 20 seconds tends to taste weak, while extraction over 35 seconds can lead to over-extraction and bitter flavors. FrontStreet Coffee's espressos mostly fall within the 28-30 second range.

Before extraction, the portafilter basket needs to be wiped dry. Then turn on the grinder to grind a double portion of coffee, placing it on a digital scale to adjust until reaching exactly 20 grams. Next, use a distribution tool to evenly spread the coffee grounds, then press down firmly with a tamper to compact the coffee puck, ensuring more stable extraction.

Then turn on the extraction switch to flush water for 1-2 seconds to wet the group head while washing away any stuck coffee residue. Place a digital scale under the espresso cup and zero it out, positioning both under the group head during extraction.

Gently lock the portafilter into the group head and begin the extraction by pulling the lever. Observe the changes in the espresso flow. When the digital scale shows 40 grams of espresso extracted at approximately 30 seconds, stop the extraction. Brewing parameters require subtle adjustments based on daily air humidity and coffee bean conditions, so you need to fine-tune the coffee amount, grind setting, and liquid extraction amount accordingly.

The freshly extracted espresso can be enjoyed directly. Pair it with a glass of water to cleanse your palate and appreciate the rich crema and the full-bodied texture of the underlying coffee liquid. If the intense bitterness is too much, you can also add water or milk according to your preference to dilute and soften the strong flavors.

What details should be noted when making Italian espresso?

Commercial espresso machines typically provide stable atmospheric pressure above 9 bars and hot water above 90°C. The high pressure forces hot water to quickly pass through finely ground coffee, extracting coffee liquid with rich crema, intense aroma, and full body. To extract an ideal espresso, the barista's job is to master various parameters that affect coffee flavor and adjust them to achieve the optimal extraction range.

In practice, many factors affect the flavor of an espresso, including coffee bean quality, roast level, grind size, espresso machine boiler pressure, water temperature, distribution and tamping pressure, dose amount, extraction time, and liquid weight. Typically, the machine's pressure and water temperature are preset and not easily changed. Distribution and tamping pressure depend on the barista's technique. The four main factors used for daily extraction adjustments are dose, time, liquid weight, and grind size. Brewing parameters require subtle adjustments based on daily air humidity and coffee bean conditions, so fine-tuning is necessary to achieve better extraction results.

What other operational details should be noted?

The above parameters constantly correspond to extraction conditions, so we need to pay attention and summarize how extraction variables guide adjustments to better grasp the quality flavors in our coffee cups. Regardless of which barista is making the espresso, every movement must be precise and well-executed to achieve quality espresso. Distribution must be even, and tamping pressure must be stable. If pressure is too light or the coffee layer is uneven, it will lead to uneven extraction. The portafilter needs to be aligned properly when locking in—bumping against the machine can shatter the coffee puck, causing channeling and making the flavor undrinkable.

After extraction, some coffee residue will stick to the shower screen. If not cleaned, it will be baked dry by the group head's high temperature, and these coffee particles will affect the flavor of the next espresso. Therefore, we need to develop the habit of flushing the shower screen with water immediately after removing the portafilter following each extraction.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473