espresso brew guide

How to Make Kick-Ass

Espresso

The Materials, The Method & The Madness for making a kick-ass Espresso.

About Espresso brewing

Espresso is a rich, delicious and concentrated form of coffee. It’s method is to use high pressure to force water through coffee in about 20 seconds. It’s typically served in small ‘shots’ and is used as the base for many coffee drinks, including lattés and cappuccinos. Want the downlow quick?

Here is a more detailed fanatical Espresso brewing instructions, in just a few steps!

Espresso materials

The Materials

• Fresh beans • Fresh water • Espresso machine • Grinder • Portafilter (The thing that holds the ground beans.) • Tamper

Espresso measurements

The Measurements

Use 18-21 grams of espresso coffee for every shot.

step 1 turn espresso machine on

Step 1

TURN THE MACHINE ON.

step 2 espresso water purger

Step 2

RUN A SHOT OF WATER THROUGH THE MACHINE & PORTAFILTER TO RINSE & PURGE IT.

Wipe the portafilter with a dry cloth.

step 3 espresso beans to grinder

Step 3

ADD KICKING HORSE COFFEE BEANS TO THE GRINDER.

step 4 espresso grinds in portafilter

Step 4

GRIND BEANS INTO THE PORTAFILTER.

step 5 espresso tamp grounds

Step 5

TAMP THE GROUNDS.

One firm, even press. Use 30lbs of even pressure.

step 6 espresso polish grounds

Step 6

AT THE END OF THE TAMP / PRESSING, GIVE THE TAMPER A GENTLE 3/4 TWIST TO POLISH GROUNDS.

step 7 espresso lock load

Step 7

LOCK THE LOADED PORTAFILER ON THE MACHINE.

step 8 espresso place cup

Step 8

PLACE ESPRESSO CUP UNDER THE PORTAFILTER.

step 9 espresso pull shot

Step 9

GO TIME! PULL THE SHOT.

Start the extraction.

step 10 pour over swirl

Step 10

SERVE. SIP. SAVOUR.

Step 11 Espresso serve

Step 11

REPEAT. SHARE. WAKE UP & KICK ASS.

Grinding

The Espresso method calls for a fine grind. If the grind is too coarse it will make the espresso taste weak and extract too quickly. If the grind is too fine, it can make the espresso taste bitter and take too long to extract. For the most consistent outcome, we recommend using a burr grinder. espresso miracle

Pulling The Shot

Extracting a 2oz espresso shot should take approximately 20 seconds.The espresso stream should be rich — tiger red or deep caramel in colour.The total amount of the shot, including crema, should be 2oz.

how to brew espresso coffee

Espresso vs. Coffee

There is generally the same amount of caffeine in a Double Espresso, as there is in a strong cup of coffee.

Roasts

Medium Roasts are generally the type that offer the best espresso coffee, like our Cliff Hanger Espresso

Take a shot, with these blends!

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