Better coffee 3 of 6: Espresso at home without the frustration

Better coffee 3 of 6: Espresso at home without the frustration

25 min Calm

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If you have an espresso machine, most bad shots are grind and dose. A method to get to a good shot in five tries instead of fifty.

Wie voor het eerst espresso thuis zet, wordt vaak verrast door hoeveel er mis kan gaan met dezelfde bonen en dezelfde machine. De shot loopt in tien seconden leeg, of druppelt na veertig seconden nog steeds. Het koffiedik ziet er identiek uit, maar het resultaat smaakt naar azijn of verbrande suiker. Dat heeft bijna altijd ĂŠĂŠn oorzaak: de maling zit niet goed, en er is geen systeem om dat snel te achterhalen.

Een goede shot heeft een vast referentiepunt nodig voordat je iets kunt bijstellen. Achttien gram koffie, zesendertig gram vloeistof, ergens tussen de vijfentwintig en dertig seconden. Zodra je die drie getallen kent, vertelt de smaak je precies welke kant je op moet: te snel en te zuur betekent fijner malen, te traag en te bitter betekent grover. EĂŠn aanpassing per keer, en je hebt binnen vijf shots iets wat de moeite waard is om op te drinken.

Dose 18 grams into the basket, distribute, tamp level. Aim for 36 grams out in 25 to 30 seconds.

Suggestion: Weigh in and out. Time it.

Too fast and sour? Grind finer. Too slow and bitter? Grind coarser. Change one step at a time.

Suggestion: Write each shot down: grind, time, taste.

Purge the group head and wipe the basket between shots.

Suggestion: Old grounds ruin fresh ones.

Steam milk if you have a wand: stretch for three seconds, then spin until the jug is too hot to hold.

Suggestion: Silky, not foamy.

Clean the machine. Backflush if it has a three way valve.

Suggestion: Clean machines make sweet coffee.

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Better coffee 4 of 6: A coffee walk to three bars

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