What you need

18g of Freshly Ground Coffee
Espresso machine
Double basket & Portafilter
Grinder
Scale
Tamper
Timer
Cup

Preparation

Step 1: Tare the scales
Remove your portafilter from the espresso machine’s grouphead. Place it on a scale and tare the weight.

Step 2: Purge
Purge your grouphead thoroughly with hot water.

Step 3: Grind into Basket
For a double shot, grind between 18–21 grams of coffee into your basket. The proper grind is crucial to a balanced, delicious shot of espresso.

Step 4: Tamping
Ensure the coffee grounds are flat by using your palm or your fingers to distribute it across the basket. Place your portafilter on a clean, flat surface and position your tamper level on top of the grounds. Grab the tamper with your index finger and thumb toward the base. This will act as a leveling tool for you. Tamp hard enough that it seals the coffee bed, no need to press down too hard. You can “polish” the coffee by spinning the tamp slightly. This gives you an sign to see if the bed is level.

Step 5: Pull the Shot
Place the group head into the machine and start brewing immediately. Place cup on a tared scales to tell you how much espresso the machine yields. At the 27 second mark, we stop our shots. We ensure that there is a 36 gram yield in our double shot of espresso.

Step 6: Taste and change if needed
Swirl the espresso, and taste. If the coffee tastes burnt or “ashy”, make the grind more coarse and increase the weight. If the coffee tastes sour or “sharp”, make the grind finer and reduce the weight. Pulling espresso is all about trial and error. What works now, may not work later. It’s the ultimate experiment!