5 min medium 1 shot
The foundation of every coffee drink — a concentrated shot of rich, bold espresso with a layer of golden crema on top. Master this and you've mastered the building block of coffee culture.
Ingredients
- 18g fresh espresso roast coffee beans
- Filtered water
- Espresso machine with portafilter
- Tamper
- Scale (recommended)
Flavor Notes
BoldIntenseFull-bodied
Step by Step
- 1
Grind your coffee beans to a fine, powdery consistency — similar to table salt.
- 2
Distribute the grounds evenly in the portafilter basket.
- 3
Tamp firmly with about 30 lb of pressure until the puck is level and smooth.
- 4
Lock the portafilter into the group head and start extraction immediately.
- 5
Aim for a 25–30 second extraction yielding about 36g of liquid espresso.
- 6
Watch for a golden crema layer on top — that's your sign of a good shot.