ESPRESSO

Espresso is a small, made to order, concentrated coffee consisting of liquid topped by foam, or crema. It
is produced by the percolation of pressurized hot water through a tightly packed bed of finely ground
coffee. The water erodes solids and oils from the surfaces of the coffee particles as it flows through the
coffee bed and deposits the solids and oils in the cup. (from Scott Rao - Professional Barista Handbook)

The Italian word ‘espresso’ stems from at least three meanings. The first being express, as in the
speed at which a shot is poured. Secondly it can be related to expressly, to represent that each espresso
is brewed especially for the drinker. A final connection can be made to the Latin word esprimere, which
literally translates to ‘press out’, this stems from the pressure necessary to create the beverage.

The concept of ‘pulling a shot’ is a reference to the original lever press espresso machines, when one
would have to physically pull down a lever. This has remained as the most popular phrase used for
brewing espresso, even in an age when lever press machines are rarely used.

The goal in espresso extraction is to create an espresso with well balanced flavor. The exact recipe
can vary, depending on the style of espresso served, and most often the variance will be apparent in the
liquid yield, or concentration of flavor, or both.

For example, in SCAA literature, you will find espresso defined as follows:

"Espresso is a 25-35ml beverage prepared from 7-9 grams of coffee through which clean water of 195-
205 deg-F (92-95C) has been forced at 9-10 atmospheres of pressure, where the grind of the coffee is
such that the “brew time” is approximately 20-30 seconds. While brewing, the flow of espresso will
appear to have the viscosity of warm honey and the resulting beverage will exhibit a thick dark, golden
crema. Espresso should be prepared specifically for, and immediately served to its intended consumer."

At Coffee Bar, our standard espresso is by default, a double espresso of 45 ml, prepared using 18-19
grams of coffee under 9 atmospheres of pressure, where the grind of the coffee is such that the brew time
is between 25-28 seconds.

We've chosen this recipe because, for Coffee Bar, it yields the best results across the board, when
considering quality, consistency, and versatility for all of our drinks.

ESPRESSO EXTRACTION

The espresso brewing process is referred to as extraction. During extraction, the water removes two
things from the coffee grounds - solubles and insolubles.
Solubles refers to things that dissolve in water, and includes gases and coffee solids. Coffee solids
refer to fragments of bean fiber, and soluble solids are fragments of bean fiber that have dissolved in the
water. Soluble solids contribute to brew strength and taste while soluble gases contribute to aroma.

Insolubles refer to things that do not dissolve in water, and refers to oils and coffee solids. Insoluble
coffee solids are fragments of bean fiber that have not dissolved in the water which remain suspended in
the liquid - these insolubles contribute to the body of the espresso. The oils become emulsified by the
pressure (a mixture of two liquids that do not mix- oil and water) into tiny droplets; and a result, the oils
contribute to aroma, body, and taste.

One of the key differences between drip coffee and espresso are these emulsified oils which are created
by pressure. In drip coffee these insoluble oils do not dissolve, remain in suspension and contribute to
body only. In espresso the emulsion of these oils allows them to contribute to aroma and taste as well.
The result is that espresso is capable of a greater range of flavors, and helps explain why it is considered
by many to be the ultimate showcase for a coffee’s flavor potential.

EXTRACTION YIELD

By comparing the mass of coffee solubles (dissolved matter) in the brewed espresso to the dry mass of
coffee grounds used to brew the coffee, you can calculate a percentage which is referred to as the
Extraction Yield.

For example, If you measure the mass of extracted coffee solubles to be 2.15g in a sample of brewed
coffee produced from 10g of coffee grounds, the Extraction Yield would be 21.5%

The maximum amount of soluble matter that can be removed from the coffee is 28-30 percent. So, If you
take a sample of ground coffee and brew the grounds until all soluble matter has been removed, and then
dry the used grounds until they are free of moisture, the grounds will weigh 28-30 percent less than they
did before extraction.

Key Point:
Not all of the 28-30 percent is desirable, in fact, for espresso - we’re only interested in extractions that
remove between 15-25 percent of matter from the grounds. Under 15 percent would be considered under
extracted and over 25 percent would be considered over extracted. To understand why, it helps to
understand the phases of extraction and how they affect flavor.
PHASES OF EXTRACTION

Different components of flavor come out during different parts of the extraction process. These
components can be broken down into four major categories: Fruit acids, Maillard compounds,
caramels, and dry distillates.

During the primary stage of extraction, the coffee bed becomes soaked with water and pressure builds
up. The puck expands, and the water, now rich in solids and oils, eventually begins to pass through the
portafilter. At first dripping slowly, and then pouring steadily with the consistency of warm honey. The
espresso that is extracted into the cup at this point will be packed with different compounds, the taste will
in turn be overpowering, with a thick body.

The flavor compounds that dissolve the fastest and come up during this stage are:

 Fruit acids, they make up much of the fruity, acidic, and sour tastes that come out during this stage.

As the process continues, the stream will gradually become lighter. The concentration of the extraction
drops, and the body begins to lighten. This stage of the shot is more balanced, but overall bland.

The flavor compounds being extracted now fall into two categories:

 Maillard compounds, which tastes can come out as woody, nutty, and malty.
 Caramels, which are where most of the sweetness in coffee comes from. There are both light and
dark caramels, during this stage the the light ones will be much more predominant. The flavors found
here can be vanilla, caramel, and milk chocolate, for example.

The final stage of the extraction lends to the darker caramels. The milk chocolate becomes bakers
chocolate, the caramel tastes toasted and bittersweet. Body has almost entirely dropped off, the
appearance of the espresso stream can become watery and translucent. It is important that there is much
care in monitoring the espresso during this time. In order to balance the powerful flavors from the
beginning of the extraction it is necessary to capture the bittersweet and caramelized sugars from the
latter section. The danger lies in allowing the shot to run too long, which will allow the flavors released at
this stage to overtake those produced earlier in the extraction.

This point is when the caramel and maillard compounds burn, creating:

 Dry distillates, the flavor characteristics at this stage are dull, burnt, and ashy, with a thin body.

The end product should appear a reddish brown with dark mottled spots. It should have a solid body,
distinct sweetness, a nice balance of bitterness, acidity, and sweetness, with a pleasant finish. Learn to
trust your palate here, it will be your best guide.
OVER EXTRACTION VS UNDER EXTRACTION

Under extraction is a failure to extract a sufficient amount of the coffee’s solubles (less than 15%) into
the cup. It can happen by pulling the shot too short , or by pulling the shot too fast - in either case the
extraction time is insufficient for the amount of coffee used. As a result, the flavor will not have the desired
development. Referring back to the Phases of Extraction, for example, you may conclude that a
particular extraction failed to capture enough caramel and chocolate flavors to balance the brighter
fruity acids extracted early on.

Common causes: too much coffee in basket, grind too coarse, extraction time too short

Over extraction is where you extract too many of the coffee’s solubles (more than 25%) into the cup. It
can happen by pulling the shot too long, or by pulling the shot too slow - in either case, the extraction
time was too long for the amount of coffee used. As a result, the flavors pulled out at the end of the
extraction will have overwhelmed the flavors that were extracted earlier in the process, and tainted the
entire brew. Referring back to the Phases of Extraction, this is caused by the introduction of the Dry
Distillates (dull bitter, ashen).

Common causes: too little coffee in basket, grind too fine, extraction time too long

FACTORS THAT AFFECT EXTRACTION

Up until now, we have assumed that circumstances in place for extraction are ideal and we have not
considered factors that may affect or impede the process. These factors that affect extraction fall into
two broad categories:

 Things the Barista controls during production

 Things the Barista does not control during production

First, we will discuss the things that the Barista controls during production, and provide
instruction on how we control these factors at Coffee Bar.

THINGS THE BARISTA CONTROLS (during production)

The role of the barista in extraction is to create an evenly distributed and tamped dose of coffee, of
consistent mass and proper grind, with the goal of extracting the solubles from the ground puck of coffee
as evenly as possible and within the desired time of extraction.

Consistency in technique will allow a barista to isolate specific actions in their process and make changes
when necessary in order to properly extract the espresso. Many of these factors can be interrelated so it
is very important that none are overlooked.
This can be summed up as the following series of actions: GRIND, DOSE, TAMP, EXTRACT

The Barista must do all of these things consistently and correctly in order to give the process of extraction
the best chances for success. Deviations from the proper routine of GRIND DOSE TAMP EXTRACT , no
matter how small, will only subtract from the flavor potential of the extraction.

GRIND

Grind affects the rate which water from the espresso machine passes through the coffee puck
(extraction time). If we assume that we are using the correct amount of ground coffee (dose), then Grind
is our primary tool to control extraction time. A finer grind will slow down the extraction time and a
coarser grind will speed it up. This can be visualized as water passing through a bag of sand versus a
bag of rocks; it will take much more time for water to pass through sand than rocks.

Assuming the dose is correct:

Problem Solution

Flow rate is too slow Make grind coarser

Flow rate is too fast Make grind finer

If you find that you need to change the grind:

Check dose and technique first. Adjust grind second. If you think that you need to make an
adjustment to the grind, it is important that you ensure that your dose and technique are correct first – do
not change the grind in response to just one shot with poor flow rate. If you notice a trend over the
course of several shots while using proper dose and technique, you should then feel confident that the
grind needs adjustment.
Make adjustments in small increments. Grinders are very sensitive to even very small changes, and
over-adjusting is a common error that leads to wasted time and coffee. Also, after making an adjustment
to the grinder, be sure that the grinder chute is purged of approximately 20-30 grams of coffee grounds.
The reason for this is that the chute that extends from the burr chamber contains old grounds from the
previous setting that need to be purged. Similarly, a grinder that has not been used it the last 15 minutes
should be purged because the ground coffee in the chute has become stale, and will produce a poor
extraction.

Adjust the grind several times a day. Coffee beans are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture
from the air around them, and as the weather and humidity conditions change, the espresso extraction
will be affected. Without making regular adjustments the quality of extraction may deviate below a point
that is acceptable for serving, which in turn may cause a slow down or halt in production until the issue is
addressed.
How to “Dial In” Grind
1) Set empty, clean portafilter on scale and tare its weight
2) Manually dispense the benchmark weight (18.5 grams for example)
3) Distribute, settle, groom, and tamp according to instructions provided in those sections (section follows)
4) Extract espresso with goal of approximately 1.5 fl oz (better yet, 27-28 grams weight) in 25-28 seconds
5) Extracting too fast? Gently fine up the grind. Extracting too slow? Gently coarsen the grind.
6) After adjusting grind, purge 20-30 grams of espresso from grinder
7) Repeat steps 1-4 until espresso is optimized at 1.5 fl oz (better yet, 27-28 grams weight) in 25-28
seconds
“Dialing in on the Fly”
If you notice that the extractions are starting to pour faster or slower, simply follow the instructions above
and use those shots for milk based drinks on the production line. Over the course of 3-4 drinks you
should be able to ascertain if further adjustments are needed.
DOSE

Dose is the weight of ground coffee used to make an espresso, and is our secondary tool to control
extraction time. Dose also affects the rate which water from the espresso machine passes through the
coffee puck. If the grind is “dialed in” per the instructions above, and the flow rate is too slow – then the
programmable dose should be decreased. If the flow rate is too fast - the programmable dose should be
increased.

Assuming Grind is correct:

Problem Solution

Flow Rate Too Slow Decrease Dose

Flow Rate Too Fast Increase Dose

Once the grind and dose have been "dialed in", the barista must ensure that dose weight is consistent, as
differences of even 0.5 grams can adversely affect the flow rate and flavor of a shot.

How to “dial in” the Dose:

Start with Benchmark 18.5 grams. It is then necessary to taste, and decide whether the flavor of the
espresso might benefit from a slightly larger or smaller dose (up to 0.5 grams in either direction). If it is
determined that the flavor would benefit from using a slightly larger dose, then the grind would need to be
gently coarsened to accomodate the larger dose (19 grams, for example). If it is determined that the
flavor would benefit from a slightly smaller dose, then the grind will need to be fined up gently (18 grams,
for example). The barista would then follow the steps for adjusting the grind using the new benchmark
dose.

Program Electronic Grinder Time. Once you've settled on your final dosing weight you will then
program the electronic grinder’s “grind time” to dispense the desired amount. We use electronic dosing
grinders, and there are a few things to consider when using these grinders:
Grind adjustments change the dose. When you make the grind finer, the burrs are moved closer
together - when you make the grind coarser, the burrs are moved farther apart. Since a grind change
decreases or increases the amount of space between the burrs where beans are collected and ground, it
also decreases/increases the amount of coffee that the grinder will dispense during the grind time.

Electronic grinders are programmable for grind time but not grind weight, so while they are perfectly
consistent in their grind time they are not perfectly consistent in the weight of the doses dispensed. If a
sample set of doses is taken, you will notice a range of doses above and below your benchmark dosing
weight; mostly either 0.5 grams above or 0.5 below the benchmark, for a total range of about 1.0 gram.
Moreover, you will also routinely receive outlier doses that fall outside of this range.
So, before making an adjustment to the grind time, you must have a firm sense of the average dosing
weight - by now you should have pulled enough shots to have enough data for a particular grind and
dose. If you have just adjusted the grind you however, you will have also changed the dose, and will
need to recalibrate your estimate of the average by pulling another 5-6 shots and weighing them.

As a useful exercise, record 20 doses during a slower period of business and write them down. Take
the total weight and divide by 20 to see what your average dosing weight is - this will help illustrate a
realistic distribution of dosing weights over time. (include chart below)

Steps for programming an electronic grinder dosing weight:

1. Estimate your average dosing weight over the course of the last 5-6 shots or more.
2. If average weight falls below benchmark weight, increase grind time
3. If average weight falls above benchmark weight, decrease grind time
Tip: A skilled barista can learn how to make grind and dose adjustments at the same time by
manipulating the grind. This only works under the following circumstances:

1. Shots are pulling too fast, dose is too high.

Solution: Fine up the grind, which will also reduce the dose - result should be a slower extraction at a
lower dosing weight.

2. Shots are pulling too slow, dose is too low.

Solution: Coarsen up the grind, which will also increase the dose - result should be a faster extraction at
a higher dosing weight.

DISTRIBUTION

Even after the electronic grinder has been programmed, there are still a few measures that can be taken
to ensure consistency in extraction by ensuring an even DISTRIBUTION of coffee particles in the bed of
grounds.
1. As the grinder fills the filter basket with grounds, move the portafilter in a circular or NSEW motion
so that the grounds fill the basket in an even manner.
2. Upon completion of filling the basket, settle the grounds - to ensure that the grounds collapse and
stay inside of the basket, and to help break up any clumps that may have formed. Hold the portafilter
very level and carefully give one gentle straight up and down tap on the metal fork of the grinder.
3. Grooming, or leveling the grounds. This is accomplished by using a finger to gently move the
mound of coffee in a similar circular or NSEW direction as used during distribution. It is best to use
the flat part of the index finger. While grooming do not press or compact the grounds down at all,
simply move them until there are no gaps on the surface. The goal is that all the coffee dosed from
the grinder stays in the filter basket and the mound in the center is distributed evenly.

The pressurized water from the espresso machine always seeks the path of least resistance
through a bed of coffee. The water will travel through a less densely packed area rapidly, over
extracting all the coffee in that area, and under extracting the more densely packed coffee. In espresso
this is known as channeling or pin holing. A common sign of channel is that the stream of espresso will
gain light blond streaks early in the extraction process, the stream may also wave side to side as opposed
to pouring straight down. Again, above all else, it is important that once the proper technique has been
learned, it is used consistently for every shot.

In the examples below, the portafilter on the left represents an extraction in which there was an error that
lead to the water channeling through the puck. The example on the right is of a properly dosed and
distributed shot in which all the water flowed through the puck evenly during the brewing cycle.

TAMP

Tamping is the act of compressing the grounds. The tool used for this is a tamper, which should fit
snug into the portafilter. To do this the tamper should be held so that it aligns with the forearm, in a similar
fashion as holding a door knob. Place the portafilter on a hard, level surface and with your upper arm
positioned horizontally so your forearm and tamper are completely straight up and down. Apply between
30 and 40 pounds of pressure onto the grounds, just once.

Use an ergonomic tamping method. A comfortable tamping position will depend on the height of the
barista in relation to the counter used. The tamper should be like an extension of the forearm. Do not
tamp harder than necessary or put pressure onto fingers, these lead to long term injury of the barista.

Keep tamping style simple. Do not tap or hit the tamped portafilter with the tamper, this will cause
cracks in the bed and create channels. Do not spin the tamper to ‘polish’ the bed.

EXTRACT

Ensure rim of portafilter is clean and gently insert in group. Just before inserting the portafilter, purge
the group head for 2 seconds to flush any debris. Insert the portafilter into the group head and engage the
pump, be careful not to jar the packed grounds to avoid causing cracks in the bed.
Be mindful of timing and temperature. Once the portafilter is inserted, the heat of the group head will
start pre brewing the coffee grounds so it is crucial that the time between insertion and the engagement of
the pump is minimal. This also means that the dry grounds should spend very little time in the portafilter
before inserting into the group.

Use visual cues during extraction. Once extraction has begun, the first drops should be seen around
between 4 and 6 seconds after the pump has engaged, starting as a drop and slowly forming a fine
stream. Use the visual cues described earlier in this chapter and decide when the extraction has begun to
reach blonding and is ready to be cut.
Immediately clean up after extraction is finished. Remove the portafilter from the group, knock out the
old grounds, being careful to be gentle to avoid injury to the wrist. Clean the filter basket with the
designated bar towel or water from the group, and reinsert the portafilter or move on to pulling another
shot. The portafilter should be left in the group head when not in use in order for it to remain at a stable
temperature. If the portafilter is allowed to cool, the water released during the extraction process will drop
in temperature and the resulting espresso will be compromised.

THINGS THE BARISTA DOES NOT CONTROL (during production) | OTHER FACTORS THAT
AFFECT EXTRACTION

ENVIRONMENT Things like humidity, temperature, and contact with direct sunlight will change both the
settings needed for a proper extraction, and how long the beans will keep for.

EQUIPMENT CLEAN AND MAINTAINED The equipment must be in proper working order and has been
cleaned correctly. Factors such as grinder burr wear, machine cleanliness, and brewing temperature fall
under this category. Please refer to the equipment chapter of this manual for instructions on cleaning and
maintenance.

FRESHNESS For espresso to be properly extracted, the freshness of beans is a good place to start.
Beans that were just roasted contain more CO2 are too volatile and must rest for 5-7 days prior to
brewing. Somewhere around 30 days after roast (depending on storage conditions and how they are
packaged), the quality of extraction will slowly start to deterioriate. .

STORAGE Coffee beans must be kept in sealed bags away from heat and light. Overnight the beans
should be removed from hoppers and stored until they are to be used. After grinding coffee the aromatic
compounds that make up much of the flavor is released, so in order to capture those compounds it is
necessary to brew immediately.

WATER In the same way that water from different sources will have different tastes, so will espresso
extracted with water of varying mineral contents. The amount of solubles that water can extract from the
espresso will also relate with how high the mineral content of the water is already. If the mineral content is
already high, it will be more saturated and not able to extract as much as water with low mineral content.
This does not mean that low is always best, but that there are mineral levels that will match certain
coffees and brewing methods better than others.
TEMPERATURE The ideal temperature range for brewing coffee is between 195º and 208º. In espresso
extraction the temperature must be much more exact than that of brewed coffee, to the point of a specific
degree. If the temperature is too low the coffee will not fully develop and taste sour and thin. If the
temperature is too hot it will burn the grounds and create a bitter, ashy flavor.

PRESSURE As mentioned earlier in this chapter, the high pressure used during extraction of espresso is
the key factor that sets it apart from any other method of coffee brewing. The most common pressure that
most espresso machines generate during brewing is 9 atmospheres. This is also referred to as 9 bars, 1
bar is approximately equal to the atmospheric pressure conditions on earth at sea level.

MEASURING ESPRESSO: VOLUME VS MASS

Measuring espresso Volumetrically means using a marked vessel to see how much liquid volume
each shot contains. This is the traditional method used for measuring shots and is handy for a barista
working on a fast bar when the espresso needs attention. One may simply pull a shot into the designated
measuring vessel (such as a shot glass) in order to monitor it’s total volume.

The drawback of this method is that the crema can be misleading when judging the amount of
liquid espresso extracted. Crema weighs very little and is primarily a sign of the amount of gas the bean
has in it. Beans will produce less gas (and therefore crema) the longer they rest after roast date. If you
watch a series of shots rest until the crema dissipates chances are high that they will all have slightly
different liquid volumes, this is even more true if the roast date differs between shots.

A better technique for measuring extraction precisely is by Mass. The mass of an extraction is the
weight of the brewed espresso. This can be ascertained by setting a scale underneath the vessel being
extracted into, and measuring the weight of the shot. This method will make up for the difference in crema
volume as it changes past roast date.

Rule: When dialing in your espresso for the day, you should start by measuring the weight by Mass, and
then making a note of the volumetric measurement which corresponds to that “wet weight”. For the
rest of your shift you can then depend on Volumetric measurement as a reliable indicator of extraction.
This will allow you to benefit from the efficiency allowed by Volumetric measurement during workfl