Suggested Espresso Recipe

  • Coffee dose

    22 g

  • Grind size

    Fine

  • Yield

    44 g

  • Extraction time

    28 - 32 sec.

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What you need to extract a balanced and tasty espresso.

  1. An espresso machine.
  2. An automatic coffee grinder. Unfortunately, a hand grinder won't do as we are after fine and consistent ground particles.
  3. A filter basket.
  4. Two spout group handle
  5. A tamper that is nicely fitting your filter basket.
  6. A tamper mat that protects against damage to your bench top.
  7. A barista scale that allows you to weigh one digit after the decimal point.
  8. And, of course, delicious freshly roasted coffee.

Espresso extraction instructions for humans.

You got a new shiny espresso machine at home, bought delicious freshly roasted specialty coffee and still don’t quite manage to extract the perfect espresso. Pulling the perfect espresso requires heaps of practice, patience and precision. So here are some handy step-by-step instructions to get you there. 

Let's decode the Barista slang:

  1. Dose: The amount of dry coffee ground which goes into the filter basket. Note double baskets range from 14g to 22g capacity. Hence the dose varies with filter basket size. Measured in grams. Weigh on a scale.
  2. Yield: The amount of liquid coffee extracted. Measured in grams. Weigh on a scale.
  3. Extraction ratio: Ratio between ‘dose’ and ‘yield’
  4. Time: The total extraction time, measured in seconds.

  • Step 1: Grinding

  • Step 2: Basket size and dosing

  • Step 3: Tamping

  • Step 4: Espresso extraction

  • Troubleshooting tips

Grind your freshly roasted coffee to a fine grind. Your grind setting together with your dose and tamping action will determine how fast or slow your coffee will flow through the filter basket.

We recommend inserting a double-spout portafilter with a 20g VST filter basket. The 20g VST basket easily holds 22g of ground coffee for espresso extraction. Or try the 22g VST basket.

Weigh the empty portafilter on a scale: Tare the scale first, place the portafilter on the scale and then tare again.

Fill the filter basket with 22g of coffee, distributing it evenly without pressing it down.

Tamp the coffee firm and level on a tamping mat to avoid slipping and preserving your work bench. Ensure the tamper fits your portafilter size to prevent the channelling of water. Water will find the lowest path of resistance. Try not to knock or bang the portafilter once you have tamped the coffee to avoid the dry coffee pack from loosening and creating channels for the water to run through faster.

Over time try to develop an even tamping style. This will help you with consistency when preparing your espresso.

Weigh two espresso cups on a scale: Tare the scale first, place the cups on the scale and then tare again.

Finally, place each cup under one spout.

Insert your portafilter into the group head. Once you have inserted the portafilter into the group head you don’t want to delay any extraction as you risk burning the coffee grounds.

Start the timer when you start the extraction. You will notice it takes a few seconds for the espresso to flow. This is the water saturating the dry coffee pack first.

After 28 and 32 seconds, stop the extraction.

Now place your cups on the scale and weigh the extracted espresso yield. This is crunch time. Your yield readings and the time will tell you how close you have hit the recipe and determine what to do next.

Button label

Our recipe asked for a 1:2 extraction ratio. For a yield of 22g, we wanted to extract 44g (or 44ml) over two espressos.

If you extracted more than 44g within 28 to 32 seconds, simply alter your grind setting and work towards a finer grind.

If you extracted less than 44g over 28 to 32 seconds, simply alter your grind setting and work towards a coarser grind.

If you extracted close to 44g, congratulation, you've extracted a great espresso with a nice balance between sweetness, acidity and some bitterness. Enjoy and repeat!

Keep practicing, and your taste buds will love you for it.

Learn Espresso making at our roastery.

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Barista course in Melbourne, learn espresso 101
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