Coffee Making Tips Preparation, Pre-Heating

COFFEE MAKING TIPS & PREPARATION

COFFEE MAKING TIPS

& PREPARATION

PRE-HEATING

Heating your cup or glass

A warm cup will help maintain the coffee’s optimal temperature. Pre-heat your cup by rinsing with hot water from the hot water outlet and place on the cup warming tray.

Heating the portafilter and filter basket

A cold portafilter and filter basket can reduce the extraction temperature enough to significantly affect the quality of your espresso. Always ensure the portafilter and filter basket are pre-heated with hot water from the hot water outlet before initial use.

NOTE

Always wipe the portafilter and filter basket dry before dosing with ground coffee as moisture can encourage ‘channeling’ where water by-passes the ground coffee during extraction.

Dual Wall Filter Baskets

Use Dual Wall filter baskets if using pre-ground coffee.

Dual Wall filter baskets regulate the pressure and help to optimize the extraction regardless of the grind, dose, tamp pressure or freshness.

1 CUP

2 CUP

NOTE

Regardless of whether you use Single Wall or Dual Wall filter baskets, use the 1 cup basket when brewing a single cup and the 2 cup basket when brewing two cups or a stronger single cup or mug.

SELECTING A FILTER BASKET

Single Wall Filter Baskets

Use Single Wall filter baskets if grinding fresh whole coffee beans.

Single Wall filter baskets allow you to experiment with grind, dose and tamp to create a more balanced espresso.

1 CUP

2 CUP

THE GRIND

If grinding coffee beans, the grind size should be fine but not too fine. The grind size will affect the rate at which the water flows through the ground coffee in the filter basket and the taste of the espresso.

If the grind is too fine (looks like powder and feels like flour when rubbed between fingers), the water will not flow through the coffee even when under pressure. The resulting espresso will be

OVER EXTRACTED, dark in color and bitter in flavor.

If the grind is too coarse the water will flow through the ground coffee in the filter basket too quickly. The resulting espresso will be UNDER EXTRACTED and lacking in color and flavor.