6 Steps To Great Espresso
Some dedicated coffee lovers are lucky enough to be able to taste their favored espresso drinks made by professional baristas. More often than not, the espresso will have been made using a impressive, quality commercial-grade espresso machine. Added to that, the barista will no doubt have spent some time training and learning the craft.
Returning home, the espresso fancier may well try to extract his own espresso using a home machine, generally with unsatisfactory results.
But those who pay a bit of attention to the details of coffee making and storage can make a somewhat good espresso with the help of a adequate home espresso machine.
Here are 6 tips for getting it right:
1) Be diligent over the storage of your coffee. The best place to store your coffee is in a dark, dry cupboard at room temperature. A china jar is a better container than a plastic or metal one. And for best results don't store your coffee beans or ground coffee in the freezer, even though it's tempting to make it last longer.
2) Avoid the urge to extend the life of your coffee. A week to ten days is the optimum time frame for storage. It's wise, therefore, to buy smaller tins or bags rather than bulk buying larger quantities. Ten days or more in storage will leave your coffee less flavorsome.
3) Use a good quality espresso machine. There are hundreds of good quality machines available the days. From thousand dollar models like the Saeco 21103 Royal Professional espresso machine to less expensive ones like the Briel ES35AFB prospective home espresso enthusiasts have a terrific array of machines to make the best possible espresso extraction.
If you have any doubts, reading online espresso machine reviews.
4) Know what your machine can and can't do. The water pressure provided by many home espresso makers just isn't high enough to extract good espresso. Your espresso machine should perform with a minimum of about 120 pounds per square inch. Be sure to find out your machine's pressure from the user guide. In most likelihood, your espresso machine will only have one heater. This means that the hot water is mixed with the steam resulting in a bitter espresso.
5) Be sure to properly grind the beans. A two-bladed grinder will provide the best results. Although it will still work, a single blade won't really give the best results. Additionally, make sure the blades are always sharp.
6) Use espresso extraction methods suitable for the home, not for a commercial espresso contraption. Best results at home are achieved by using a coarser coffee grind. Also, it's better not to pack the coffee in as tightly as a master barista would. Your home machine will probably provide less pressured steam in less time than a commercial machine. Take this into account when steaming.
When all is said and done, espresso extraction is best done by the pro barista. It's a much better experience to enjoy an espresso from a commercial machine, made by a trained barista. But a decent cup of espresso from a home machine is achievable with some dedication and effort.