How to Make Espresso

Guide Note

Spent too much money at the local coffee bar lately? Learn how to make your own espresso at home. You can enjoy the smell of a freshly pulled shot, and save your wallet in the long run.

Table of Contents

Espresso Tips

  1. Use espresso beans, not coffee beans.
  2. Use the freshest beans you can.
  3. Make sure beans are finely ground.
  4. Warm your cup so your espresso isn't chilled by its container.

Introduction

(Photo by Harald Wittmaack)
(Photo by Harald Wittmaack)
  • Espresso aficionados don't stop at enjoying the occasional shot at Starbucks. True espresso lovers try to duplicate, if not perfect, making espresso at home. You too can learn how to pull your own perfect shot of espresso.
  • Enjoy a cafe atmosphere in the comfort of your own home; master the art of grinding your own beans, loading up your machine, and pulling a dark shot of aromatic espresso with a beautiful crema (espresso foam) on top.

Step 1: Assemble Your Materials

  • You can't make espresso with any old coffee machine. You'll need special equipment and the right coffee beans to make a true espresso shot.
  1. Find an espresso machine. If you don't already have a machine (or know someone who does) and want to make real espresso, prepare to make an investment. By definition, the water used to make espresso must pass through the grounds under a certain amount of pressure (at least 9 units, or bars, of water pressure, though coffeehouses use machines with 15 bars of pressure to get more consistent results) and be 190°F or hotter. Therefore, you need a machine to make espresso, and the better machines will cost well over $100.
    (Photo by Ilker Yavuz)
    (Photo by Ilker Yavuz)
  2. Buy or borrow a grinder if your espresso machine takes loose grounds. There are two kinds of coffee grinders out there:
    • Blade grinders—People who grind beans for regular coffee at home usually have blade grinders. This type of grinder has two blades that spin rapidly to chop up the beans—kind of like a food processor does vegetables. However, blade grinders are not ideal for grinding beans for espresso, as they generate heat and don't produce consistent grounds. If you look at coffee ground with blades, you can see both fine powder and large chunks of coffee in the same mixture.
    • Burr grinders—Burr grinders produce a much more consistent product because the distance between the opposing wheels determines the fineness of the grounds. Be aware that burr grinders tend to be more expensive than blade grinders.
  3. Get some espresso beans. Check to see whether your machine takes pre-measured pods of espresso or loose grounds.
  4. Espresso Cups. You can put espresso in any kind of cup you like, but there are special, smaller cups made especially for espresso and cappucino. These smaller cups hold the standard 1.5 ounce espresso.

Step 2: Preparation

  • Some espresso machines take commercial pods of coffee grounds that allow you to skip most of the preparation. Still, it's good to know the factors that go into making a good shot of espresso.
  1. Grind the beans. Typically, it takes about 7 grams of finely ground coffee for every 2 ounces of water to produce one shot of espresso.
    Tamped filter. (Photo by Piotr D.)
    Tamped filter. (Photo by Piotr D.)
  2. Tamp the grounds. Use the tamper that came with your machine to apply approximately 30 lbs. of pressure to the grounds.
    • Try pressing on your home scale to see how hard you should press to reach that amount of pressure.
    • Some machines will apply pressure for you, but you still need to tamp the grounds lightly before inserting them.
  3. Insert the grounds into the machine as the manual directs.

If your cup is cold, the heat in your espresso won't last long. Warm your espresso glass before making espresso.

Step 3: Pull a Shot

Ristoretto vs. Espresso. (Photo by Liz Grist)
Ristoretto vs. Espresso. (Photo by Liz Grist)
  1. Make sure to give the machine enough time to heat up.
  2. Place your cup under the dispenser.
  3. Follow the machine's instructions to pull the shot.
  4. Time your shot to make sure that it follows the 25-30 second rule.
    • That's the amount of time it should take between pressing the buttons on your machine to filling your cup.

Make sure to clean your espresso maker right after using it, and to clean your grinder once a week! Otherwise residue may build up, impacting flavor.

Other Ways to Make Espresso

  • It's possible to make something like espresso without investing heavily in equipment.

Moka Pots

Moka Pot. (Photo by Andrzej Gdula)
Moka Pot. (Photo by Andrzej Gdula)
  1. Fill the boiler (bottom part of the pot) with cold water—either to a line marked on the inside or to the valve that lets out steam.
  2. Insert the filter piece and fill it loosely with properly ground coffee. The grounds should pile a little more than flush with the top of the filter.
  3. Screw on the top part of the pot.
  4. Place the pot on a low flame on the stovetop.
  5. Remove the pot when it starts to gurgle or just before (if you're really good, you'll know when it's about to gurgle).
  6. Pour your coffee.

Other Variations

  • You can also use a Handpresso, a hand pump for making espresso. If you're on the go, and desperate for espresso, it may be the answer to your prayers.

Espresso Drinks

  • Espresso provides the base for many popular coffee drinks, such as those sold at Starbucks, Seattle's Best Cafes, and local coffee bars. Below are some basic recipes for some of the most popular variations.
(Photo by Juha Pesonen)
(Photo by Juha Pesonen)
  1. Americano—Combine equal amounts of hot water and espresso.
  2. Cappuccino—Combine equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam, in that order.
  3. Cafe Con Panna—Put a dollop of whipped cream on your espresso.
  4. Latte—Combine espresso and about twice as much steamed milk.
  5. Cafe Macchiato—Spoon a dollop of milk foam onto your espresso.
  6. Cafe Mocha—Combine espresso with three times as much milk, and chocolate syrup to taste.
  7. Cafe Creme—Mix an ounce of cream into your espresso.
  8. Cafe Romano—Espresso with a twist of lemon.
  9. Ristretto—A 1 ounce drink, as opposed to the usual 1.5.

Conclusion

  • Enjoy your shot! Either drink it straight up or combine it with other ingredients to make an espresso drink. You've taken the first step to becoming a barista.

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