Espresso
Espresso is a brewing method that takes finely ground coffee, compacts it into a portafilter and forces hot water through it under pressure. We recommend that whether your at home, at work or behind the bar at a café you use an espresso recipe to maintain consistency and quality.
A key component of an espresso recipe is the brew ratio. This is the ratio between the amount of dry coffee used (known as the dose) and the amount of coffee extracted (known as the yield). Other key factors are the time taken to pull the water through the coffee and the grind size of the coffee. All of these factors influence how much coffee is extracted. The shorter the time the less extraction and the coarser the grind size the less contact area between the coffee and the water and so again, the less extraction.
For our Burning Cliff seasonal coffee blend we recommend the following recipe based on a 1:2 brew ratio as a solid foundation:
- 19g of finely ground coffee
- 38g of liquid espresso out
- 28 - 32 seconds brew time
A 1:1 ratio (19g coffee in with 19g liquid espresso out) produces a Ristretto coffee. This is rich and intense but may impact on clarity of the flavour profiles from the higher concentration. Alternatively, a 1:3 recipe (19g coffee in with 57g liquid espresso out) produces a Lungo coffee. In our experience though this dilutes the flavour profiles so the 1:2 ratio remains optimal. However, it is very much depends on what you enjoy!
