How to Use a Home Coffee Machine? A Tutorial Guide for Espresso Brewing Methods

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How to Extract Espresso Coffee?

Espresso, as the world's most renowned coffee product/category, has always been famous for its rich, mellow flavor and extremely high concentration. Some friends wonder why they can't brew espresso with the same concentration as sold in coffee shops at home, even ending up burning it! In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss how coffee shops extract espresso.

Actually, espresso is not made by directly brewing coffee powder with water, nor by concentrating the extracted coffee through heating. Making espresso requires specialized coffee machines - the espresso machines you see in coffee shops that can spray steam.

The extraction principle of espresso machines involves heating water in the boiler to generate steam. Using steam pressure, hot water at 94°C is quickly passed through extremely finely ground coffee powder under 9-10 bar pressure, extracting honey-like thick coffee liquid.

In the early stages of extraction, the coffee liquid will appear brownish-red with a concentrated and smooth texture. As extraction time increases, the coffee liquid will gradually turn golden yellow, then light golden yellow.

How to Determine if Espresso is Properly Extracted?

The entire extraction process for espresso is very fast - usually completed in 25-30 seconds. However, since the performance of each coffee machine and grinder varies, there isn't a specific parameter reference for espresso.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee can only provide everyone with initial parameters, and you can make adjustments based on the final taste of the espresso: (Double basket) Use 20g of coffee powder at a 1:2 ratio + 9 bar pressure + 94°C hot water to extract 40g of coffee liquid; (Single basket) Use 10g of coffee powder at a 1:2 ratio + 9 bar pressure + 94°C hot water to extract 20g of coffee liquid. Extraction time should be between 25-30 seconds.

If extraction flow is too fast / espresso appears thin, you can adjust the grind finer / increase the amount of coffee powder (choose one). If extraction flow is too slow / espresso appears burnt and bitter, you can adjust the grind coarser / reduce the amount of coffee powder (choose one).

What Coffee Beans to Use for Espresso Extraction?

If you're new to espresso, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using blended coffee beans specifically designed for espresso. The advantage of blended coffee beans lies in their stability and cost-effectiveness. Through blending different origins and proportions, the shortcomings of single-origin coffee beans that can appear under high concentration and increased extraction are reduced.

If you want espresso with unique and rich aroma and flavor, you can try the "Frontsteet Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans" used at FrontStreet Coffee locations. The 227g packaging is very suitable for home use. This coffee bean uses Ethiopian Yirgacheffe natural processed coffee beans + Honduras Moka Manor Sherry coffee beans, featuring rich whiskey-like fermentation aroma, vanilla cream-like smoothness, berry-like acidity and sweetness, as well as nut caramel-like sweetness.

If you want espresso that is mellow without acidity, full of aroma, and rich in crema, you can try Frontsteet Classic Espresso Blend Coffee Beans, very suitable for friends who like Americano with mellow taste and lattes that can easily create latte art patterns. This coffee bean uses Arabica coffee beans from Brazil Cerrado region and Sumatra Island, Indonesia, plus a small amount of Robusta. The extracted espresso not only has rich roasted nut-like aroma, thick richness like dark cocoa, and caramel-like sweetness with aftertaste, but importantly, also has very beautiful golden crema.

Espresso Extraction Steps

First, turn on the coffee machine switch and wait for the machine to heat up automatically. When the display temperature reaches 94°C, you can begin preparing for extraction.

Before extraction, you need to wipe the portafilter basket dry, turn on the grinder, grind double-shot coffee powder, place it on an electronic scale for adjustment to reach 20 grams. Then use a distributor to level the coffee powder, press straight down with the tamper to compact the coffee puck, ensuring more stable coffee extraction.

Then turn on the extraction switch and run water for 1-2 seconds to wet the group head while also washing away any coffee residue stuck above. Next, place an electronic scale under the cup for receiving espresso, zero it out, and place it under the group head together during extraction.

Gently lock the portafilter into the group head and start the extraction switch. Observe the changes in the extracted liquid. When the electronic scale shows 40 grams of coffee liquid extracted (around 30 seconds), pull down the extraction switch.

Brewing parameters will vary subtly based on daily air humidity and coffee bean conditions, so adjustments to coffee powder amount, grind setting, and coffee liquid extraction volume are necessary.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473