Tips for Making Espresso

Espresso is a full-flavored coffee drink served as a concentrated shot. Cappuccinos, Flat Whites, and Lattes are all made with an espresso shot.   Espresso is often mistakenly thought of as a drink made with darker roast beans.  This is misleading because espresso is mainly distinguished from other coffee drinks by the correct grind size and brew process, not the type, origin, or roast of the coffee beans.   Any coffee bean can be used in making your espresso!  However, in automatic espresso machines, it is not recommended to use oily beans that most often come from darker roasts. Oil coats the inside components and may affect the usability and life span of the machine.  With regards to making an espresso to your specific taste/flavor preferences, there are a number of factors to consider.

Tips for Making Espresso Your Way 

• Bean Type:  For espresso, the biggest contribution of taste/flavor is the coffee bean type. The dark roast beans will be bitter and the light roast beans will have more acidity.  We DO NOT recommend using oily beans (found in some dark roasts).
• Grind Size:  Check the grind size. If the coffee grounds are too coarse, under extracting could occur, resulting in a sour taste.  Adjusting the grind size to smaller setting can lessen a sour taste.  Start with a medium grind size and adjusting slowly (incremental changes) per taste.  It may take several tries to get a grind size that best fits your taste. 
• Temperature:  The temperature will play a role in the taste of your espresso. A higher brew temperature will be slightly less sour. Our automatic espresso machines can use SmartHQ app to change the temperature a bit.  Use the hot water button on your machine to heat up your espresso cup before brewing. Espresso has a very small volume and will cool quicker if brewed in a cold cup.

Additional Support

Please reach out to us for any additional assistance with your coffee needs.  We are here to guide you along the way to getting your coffee the way you like it.