Raw Espresso can be a bit strong for some people, but it is the base ingredient for so many popular coffee drinks. Think: lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos. Once you have mastered pulling a shot of Espresso, you will unlock a plethora of coffee beverage variations to enjoy. Please note this is a manual (lever machine) Espresso recipe, and may not be applicable to a regular espresso machine (with a boiler).
Tech Stack
- Manually Espresso machine (lever). The company Flair Espresso makes a few different popular models.
- Portafilter. A small basket-like filter. This should be included with your espresso machine.
- Tamper. A round metal disc with a handle. Used to compress the coffee down into a hard puck at the bottom of the portafilter.
- Coffee grinder. A coffee grinder that can grind fine enough for espresso. Check the manufacturers' specifications.
- Tea/coffee kettle. A kettle that can heat water to 195 - 205 degrees.
- Small food scale. If you do not already have one, I highly recommend a food scale. They are inexpensive and have many kitchen applications outside of just coffee.
Optional frameworks
- Stopwatch. Any kind will do. I have one built into my scale, but you can use your phone or a wristwatch.
- WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique) tool. This is a little tool with acupuncture-sized needles sticking out one end. Think of it like a little coffee grids whisk.
- Portafilter funnel. A little magnetic funnel that you place on top of your portafilter to prevent coffee from spilling while you are using your WDT tool.
- Filter Screen. This is a little round-shaped metal mesh screen. It creates a barrier between the coffee and the inside of your machine. It also supposedly helps with water distribution.
- Shot glass. This is where you will collect your espresso. I put this in the optional section because you can use anything the catch the shot with. I use a coffee mug.
Variables
- 18g whole coffee beans. I will dedicate an entire article to bean selection, but in short: Try to find coffee beans roasted at least within the last 30 days, and those roasted specifically for Espresso. The lightness/darkness of the roast is up to taste. All this information can be found on the label.
- ~40g of water. This is a rough estimate. Basically, just fill your lever machine to capacity. We will be aiming for a result of 36g espresso, so a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:2.
Executables
- If your manual Espresso machine has a heating element, turn it on. Heat retention has always been a challenge for lever machines. Some people also heat the shotglass for this reason.
- Measure out 18g of coffee beans.
- Grind the beans. It can take time to dial in the grind size. There are a couple of factors that may warrant an adjustment. I pay the most attention to how long it takes to pull a short. We are aiming for around 25 - 30 seconds. If it takes more than 30s, make the grind more coarse. If it takes less than 25s, make the grind more fine. Unfortunately, you will not often know until after you pull the shot.
- Heat your water. If you have the means of measuring temperature, aim for 195 - 205 degrees. Since (as mentioned above), heat retention can be difficult, I usually set my kettle to 205 degrees. If you cannot measure the temperature, aim for a ripping boil. Again, it is better to be on the hotter side.
- Puck prep. Coffee nerds get in-depth with this. I am going to keep it short.
- Add ground coffee into the portafilter.
- Place the funnel on your portafilter (if you have one).
- Use the WDT tool to agitate the grids in a circular motion to break up any clumps and ensure even distribution (if you have one).
- Use your tamper to compress the coffee, I usually aim for 30lbs of pressure.
- Place the filter screen on top of the coffee.
- Insert the portafilter into your espresso machine.
- Place the shot glass on your food scale under the portafilter. This is so you can weigh your shot as you pull it. Make sure to tare the scale to account for the weight of the glass.
- Fill the reservoir with the heated water. See manufacturer instructions on how to position the lever during this step.
- Pull the shot.
- Pull the lever down to start the shot.
- Aim for a 25 - 30s shot.
- Aim for 36g of espresso.
- If you have a pressure gauge, aim for 9 bars of pressure.
- If you do not have a pressure gauge, aim for a slow, steady pull.
- You may have extra water left over. Switch out a new shot glass, and cycle the lever up and down until air bubbles come out. Pour it out this leftover coffee.
- Taste your espresso! If it is too bitter, try a coarser grind. If it is too sour, try a finer grind.
- Make sure to clean your equipment after each use.
Console
If you are not a fan of the taste of raw espresso, check out my coffee recipes that use espresso as a base ingredient.
Enjoy!
