KitchenAid KES2102 Espresso extraction technique, Shot Volume, Extraction Rate, Golden Crema

TIPS FOR GREAT RESULTS

Espresso extraction technique

Shot Volume

The brew group and boilers are heated. The fresh coffee has been ground, dosed into the portafilter, expertly leveled, and precisely tamped. Now comes the moment of truth: brewing!

For the best espresso, never extract more than a single shot (1 oz.) using the small filter basket or a double shot (2 oz.) using the large one. Brewing more will overextract the coffee and result in thin, bitter espresso.

As it pours, perfect espresso is a deep reddish brown with a thick texture like honey running off a spoon. It often forms what are called mouse-tails, or thin syrupy streams. As increasingly bitter and acidic compounds are extracted, the espresso pour will begin to lighten; in some cases, the pour will become almost white. Expert baristas will watch the pour carefully and quickly stop brewing if it starts to lighten.

Espresso Ristretto is espresso brewed with less than normal shot volume. Prepare the espresso machine to brew a double shot, but stop brewing when only 11/2 ounces have been extracted. What you’ve done is restrict the pour to include only the most flavorful and least bitter coffee oils and essences.

Extraction Rate

Decades of experience have shown that the best espresso – whether a single or a double shot – takes about 20–25 seconds to brew.

If your espresso is brewing much faster or slower than 20–25 seconds, and your tamping technique is good, adjust the grind! Grind finer for a slower extraction rate, and coarser for a faster one. Keep the dose and tamp the same.

Coffee is sensitive to the ambient humidity and will absorb moisture readily. This will affect the extraction rate. In a humid environment, the extraction rate will slow down; in dry conditions, the extraction rate will speed up. You may find yourself adjusting the grind according to the season – or the day’s weather.

Some grinders do not allow the fine adjustments necessary to correct the extraction rate. The best solution is to invest in a quality burr grinder. If this isn’t possible, experiment with the tamping pressure. Tamp with less force for a faster pour, and more force for a slower one.

The Golden Crema

A mark of fine espresso is crema, the dense golden foam of emulsified coffee oils that captures the essence of coffee flavor. Good crema should be thick and cling to the side of the cup when it’s tilted; the best crema should be able to support a sprinkling of sugar for nearly 30 seconds.

Troubleshooting Espresso As It Brews As it pours, if your espresso…

…has more of a cinnamon color, instead of being deep brown:

•make sure your brew group and boilers are fully heated

•use a less acidic blend of coffee

…is whitish with thin brown streaks:

•review your tamping technique – the tamped coffee has fractured, or a gap has developed between the coffee and the side of the filter basket

…is thin and fast-flowing:

•review your tamping technique – the tamp may not be firm enough to provide an even resistance to the brew water

•use a finer grind

•check coffee freshness

…barely dribbles out the portafilter:

•review your tamping technique – the tamp could be too firm

•use a coarser grind

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