Decide a Dose

How much your dose is will be decided by the size of your basket. Some portafilters may only have one basket, but if you have multiple, the standard is usually a double, but feel free to use whatever you'd like. As shown above, use a dose of 7-10 g of ground coffee for single baskets, 16-18g for double baskets, and 20-22g for triple baskets. Make sure your portafilter and basket are dry before grinding coffee into them.

Depending on the tools you have available, you can manually grind your coffee into the basket on a scale, or use an automatic grinder with measuring options. If done manually, place your portafilter on the scale and reset the measurement. It should display as 0g with the portafilter on it. Grind your coffee into the basket, and then place the portafilter back on the scale to display the measurement of the grounds only. If you have an automatic grinder with measuring options you will have to check your machines user manual for specifics on use.

Choose a Yield

Once you've decided on your dose, next up is the yield—the total weight, in grams, of the espresso shot. It's best to measure by weight rather then volume, since volume can vary depending on the coffee and its roast date. Fresher beans tend to produce more crema, resulting in a lighter shot compared to older coffee.

Dose and yield are expressed as a ratio that compares the amount of ground coffee to the liquid espresso produced. Common espresso ratios range from 1:1 to 1:3, with darker roasts favouring lower ratios and lighter roasts higher ones. A popular standard is a 1:1.5 ratio, this is what is typically used in cafes for lattes or americanos. An example of a typical 1:1.5 ratio is 20g of coffee to yield 30 grams of espresso, this is the standard we will be following for the lesson today.

Grind Coffee

Grinding coffee can be done either manually or automatically, depending on your setup and preferences. With a manual grinder, you add whole beans, adjust the grind setting, and turn a hand crank to rotate the burrs and crush the beans. This method is quiet, portable, and gives you hands-on control, though it takes more time and physical effort to achieve a consistent grind.

Automatic or electric grinders simplify the process. You pour the beans into a hopper, select your grind size, and press a button. A motor spins the burrs quickly, producing ground in seconds with greater consistency and minimal effort.

It is up to you the method you prefer, but whatever choice you make you must guarantee a consistent grind for an even extraction.

Distribute Grounds and Tamper

For a balanced extraction, you need to level the coffee grounds in your portafilter. You can do this by gently tapping the portafilter with the grounds side facing up against a flat surface until the grounds relax into a semi flat configuration. Some people use a WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique tool) to break up the clumps in the coffee grounds, but for now tapping is the simplest and easiest techinque for beginners.

Once the surface appears mostly flat and even (doesn't have to be perfect) you can move on to tamping. Hold the tamper with your thumb and index finger similar to a doorknob, position yourself so your arm is perpendicular to the portafilter, forming roughly a 90-degree angle. Place the tamper into the basket and press down with slow, steady pressure (about 15-20kg of pressure). The exact force matters less than maintaining a consistent pressure. Apply pressure until you feel the coffee grounds stop moving.

Pull a Shot 1

Time is the most important part of pulling a shot, and it directly effects extraction. A general guideline is to aim for a shot time of around 25-30 seconds, which often produces a well-balanced result. However, time should not be treated as a strict rule, but rather a point of reference. As you practice you will learn your own preference, and what works best for you and your machine. Shorter shots may lead to under-extraction, creating a sour or weak flavour, while longer shots can over-extract, leading to a bitter taste.

Pulling a shot is not an exact science, and ultimately your only goal is to allow enough contact time for your desired flavours to develop and be extracted. Exact timing may require troubleshooting in regards to your grind size, dose, or yield.

Pull a Shot 2

To pull a great shot of espresso you must first make sure the machine is warmed up and clean. You can do this by flushing some water through the group head of the machine. I like to place a clean spare rag underneath to ensure no burns from the steam. After flushing you can use the rag to wipe down the group head to ensure cleanliness.

Next step is to insert the portafilter into the group. Align the handle with the left side of the group head at a 45 degree angle. Insert it upwards and turn it towards the center of the group until it feels snug. Make sure you are not over tightning it.

Place your cup on the drip tray beneath the group, then start your shot. This is where you could optionally use a kitchen scale to measure your yield, but timing will also suffice. Count mentally in your head, or start a timer for 25-30 seconds.

Taste every shot you pull and make adjustments as needed/wanted. Good luck new barista!