Espresso Coffee

How To Make A Great Espresso Coffee

Every barista (A Barista is professional maker of coffee drinks) will have his or her method for espresso coffee making. Here's ours ...

It all starts with water. No coffee grounds, no matter the quality, can overcome an association with poor water. It must be fresh and very hot. Yes, even water can get stale, thanks to mildew, poor cleaning practices, and inadequate filtering. The optimum temperature is 203F (95C), nearly boiling.

Next comes the coffee beans. Select arabica, whether from Brazil, Bogota, or elsewhere, grown above 3000 feet (915m) and delivered fresh for roasting. Either home-roasted or bought within a few days after roasting, the coffee should have that fresh food smell.

Your roast Arabica beans should be dark, like French or Viennese. The name refers to the color, not the origin and should be finely ground in a burr grinder, don't use blade grinders. (Blade grinders chop, they don't grind). Burr grinders have pyramid shaped teeth on two plates that grind the beans between them.

The distance between the plates determines the fineness of the granules. Sand grain-sized is good, powder is too fine, and small-gravel too large. Of course, the grind should not be exposed to air any longer than necessary.

Coffee, like any food, will oxidize and absorb odors from the air. Neither helps produce a good cup of coffee.

And, last but not least, a good espresso requires a clean, good quality coffee machine. Good quality means it generates heat by boiler or thermoblock and is capable of producing pump pressure of 9 bar or better. A thermoblock heats water as it passes through the machine on the way to the pump. Avoid the cheaper units that rely on steam to create pressure.

Now you have the basic elements for your espresso coffee. Next comes the process.

Pre-warm your equipment by running good water through a clean machine. You can turn the machine on, let the water heat, and run a cup through with no coffee to warm the surfaces and flush the system.

Add your ground coffee roast and pack down slightly, as you would pipe tobacco. Just as with pipes, you should be feel some springiness, but the coffee shouldn't scatter.

Insert the hopper in the machine firmly and place a warmed espresso cup at the outlet. Start the machine and in about five seconds you should have a thin, steady stream. (About 20 seconds for a double shot.)

For a cappuccino, warm half a cup of organic milk in the microwave for about 90 seconds, froth, and add to the espresso. Garnish to taste with cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate. For those who like it sweet a little organic sugar goes a long way.

A simple, straight forward and easy way to make excellent espresso coffee. Start with good ingredients, keep your equipment clean and don't burn the roast.

The result? A great cup of espresso to be savored and in enjoyed in blissful silence.