How to make the perfect espresso at home

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Espresso is not just real espresso. It's a potion, an experience, it only takes a few mouthfuls of water, but it will last for a long time. For a true Italian espresso, the perfect cup is an art form, an art form that can master skills, time and practice.

Start with good coffee, pure fresh water

As with any formula, the final result will only be as good as the sum of its ingredients. Coffee beans should be as fresh as possible, medium roasted (not black) to maintain subtle nuances in taste. Water should be pure, fresh and odorless, neither too hard nor soft.

Use the correct grinding

Beans should be ground into fine powder to expose as much as possible to the surface of the water, but not so fine that water cannot pass through. According to your machine, coffee and preference, the grinding consistency should be between small sugar particles and smooth baked flour. Many experts recommend that your beans be ground by professionals to get the best results. Learn more about grinding read how to grind coffee beans perfectly.

Tamping evenly

Tamping ensures that water flows smoothly through all the coffee in the basket, not just through one or two areas. Put your coffee grounds in the basket and on a smooth solid surface, use your tamper to press directly into the basket under a pressure of 20-30 pounds. Press and hold your bathroom scale to see how much it is. Complete a firm twist to secure any loose grain, then lift it upright and tamper. The resulting packaging floor should be horizontal and flat, without gaps or pits. Note: tampering should be clinging to the basket-if it is too small, the coffee around the edge will not be compressed and the water will be washed down from the side rather than evenly dispersed.

Freshly brewed espresso ran into the cup

Temperature problem

The best water temperature for brewing espresso is 190-205 °, or below the boiling point. If it is too hot, the coffee will become bitter or burning, or if it is too cool, it will become mild and tasteless.

Rapid extraction

boiled water. Good espresso should be extracted quickly, not more than 20-30 seconds. Mr Andrea Illy says he no longer says that, but instead has "excessive convulsions" and only gets "the bad part of the coffee".

Take and drink immediately

Don't wait, don't keep espresso cool, don't hang out or waste time chatting. Espresso is best fresh and hot, lest it become plain or bitter, losing the foam texture finish.

These are the basic principles of extracting great espresso, although getting a truly perfect cup at home is difficult to practice and patient, but it is not completely unattainable.