Why Should You Discard the First Espresso Shot of the Day? What Impact Does the First Shot Have?

To ensure the consistency of their brew, most baristas start their day by adjusting the espresso. However, when it comes to the first shot of espresso after turning on the coffee machine, opinions vary widely on whether to drink it or discard it.

Some argue that it should be discarded because the first shot doesn't taste good and serves little reference value, while others believe it's unnecessary to throw away what is simply a cup of coffee that doesn't require complex procedures.

Why Should the First Shot of Espresso Be Discarded?

1. Residue from Cleaning Powder

Coffee shops typically clean their coffee machines at the end of each business day. This process involves using powerful cleaning powders (excellent for removing stains from cups!). The specific procedure involves replacing the portafilter basket with a blind (non-perforated) basket, adding an appropriate amount of cleaning powder, inserting it into the group head, and running the extraction cycle for 10 seconds, repeating this process three times to complete the machine's cleaning.

In this situation, simply running water through the machine cannot guarantee that all cleaning agent residues in the group head will be cleared. It requires a coffee puck to create pressure that forces out any cleaning powder hiding in the crevices of the group head. Therefore, let the cleaning powder clean the coffee machine, but don't let it clean your digestive system!

Some might wonder if they need to discard the first shot even when they don't use cleaning powder.

2. Residue from the Coffee Grinder

In an espresso grinder's chamber, some coffee grounds inevitably remain after the previous day's use. Even if cleaned to look as pristine as in the image below (where the surface appears clean), there are still many powder residues inside.

These coffee grounds, after sitting overnight, have released most of their gases and become powder with only slight coffee flavor. At this point, they differ significantly from unground coffee beans in the hopper. Not only do they lack aroma, but the release of carbon dioxide also changes the extraction time, making them largely unreliable as a reference.

3. The Coffee Machine Needs Time to Stabilize

We know that a coffee machine's water temperature and pressure reach their set standards about fifteen minutes after being turned on. However, during this initial phase, its sensors cannot provide accurate readings, similar to how you feel disoriented when suddenly awakened from deep sleep—the machine is just as confused.

For example: the sensor might register 94°C, but the actual water temperature hasn't reached that level. When you use this temperature to extract an espresso shot, you'll most likely get an under-extracted espresso.

This phenomenon isn't limited to espresso machines. Coffee bean roasters also experience instability with their first batch of the day. For instance, the roasting chamber temperature might not reach the measured standard—when it shows 200°C, the actual temperature might only be 150°C—forcing roasters to extend the preheating time to ensure temperature accuracy.

As we can see, whether it's an espresso machine or a coffee roaster, discarding the first shot/batch serves to ensure that subsequent products can be more precise and stable.

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