As a professional barista I'm always thinking of how I love showing off a perfectly made, scrumptious, and utterly sinful cup of espresso at home to my guests during the heavy guest season after October. Making a home espresso or latte is a terrific holiday tradition for us.
Talk about a way to wow your family and friends. Everyone (at least everyone I know) loves a perfectly made espresso, either strait or as a latte or a rich, creamy mocha breve.
Making espresso at home has the benefit of being less expensive, you have better control over the espresso making process and you can make a variety of drinks just like they do at a good cafe, only better.
So how is it done? After you learn the secrets of making espresso at home, it all comes down to practice. Practice that nobody really minds too much!
Here are 5 tips that will help you churn out perfect espresso every time from your home espresso machine.
(1) It starts with *very* good espresso beans.
Espresso is only as good at the bean it's extracted from. There are untold amounts of blends form a gaggle of roasters. Some are very proficient at what they do, while others have given up everything to pursue perfection, good taste, and espresso art.
That said, do not go on the cheap for espresso beans, nor should you pursue the "big roasters" as the ultimate authority on good espresso, because they generally are not.
Go online and look up some coffee roasters in Portland, San Fran and Seattle. Look for independent shops that have good reputations on coffee forums or have great chatter about the quality of their coffee on Facebook. contact the roasters and see if they are willing to send you a small sample of their espresso. You'll be surprised how many will say yes, and even more surprised how many different flavors you'll experience from each roaster.
Price is generally the same across the board, but expect a variance of about 1-3 dollars per pound. Except for Kona coffee, which you'll pay almost a pound.
Freshness is important as well. After roasting espresso should sit for a few days to "de-gass." After that its "freshness" period begins. If properly sealed it should remain "fresh" for about 4 weeks. After that the flavor may begin to shift, though it may not be dramatic at first.
(2) High Heat For High Flavor
Coffee beans are about 12% oil so a fair amount of pressure and heat are required to extract the delicate flavors of espresso.
Espresso extraction temperatures should range from 198 to 201 degrees, and use about 9 bars of pressure (about 131 pounds of pressure) to unlock and otherwise force the flavor from the bean. Keep in mind that not all home espresso machines can do this properly or consistently, so follow the rule that, "you get what you pay for" when it comes to espresso machines.
(3) Grind Fine For Maximum Flavor
This gets a little tricky. Espresso requires a fine grind so that the water passing through the coffee filter can take its sweet time to heat the grind enough to extract the most flavor possible. Which is all fine and good, but getting the grind perfect is a trick.
Some home grinders have an "espresso" setting, but most are not nearly fine enough to truly be called an "espresso grind." Espresso when ground properly is not quite powdery, but its pretty close. It should still have its gritty feeling to it, but not course like can-bought coffees.
Most home grinders will struggle to do the job. However if you purchase your beans through a reputable roaster just asked them to grind it for you. They may ask your machine type or purpose of the grind. Having a pro do it for you will ensure you'll get the right grind for the right flavor and that you're maximizing the experience and the cost.
(4) Seek The Crema
Crema is the dissolved oils and solids that are release during extraction that make up the espresso's delicious sugars and proteins.
Crema is the foamy goodness at the top of a properly extracted espresso shot. Crema's appearance will vary depending on the blend, temperature and pressure of the machine, but generally it should look rich in color, golden to deep brown, with a marbled look. Crema should take up at least 1/3rd to 1/2 of the shot glass after the extraction is complete, but will quickly reside due to the effects of air.
Crema is basically the good stuff. Keeping it preserved is critical for good home espresso. Therefore after the extraction is complete either drink the espresso right away, or get it into heated milk or a syrup to help "save' the integrity of the flavor. After the shot is pulled you have about 5 seconds to make the decision or the shot begins to go bad - fast!
(5) Mix Your Flavors Carefully For Huge Taste
If your shot is just so, then why dump it into the cheapest flavor you can find on sale at FlavorWorld? It is so important that you consider the taste of the drink throughout the building process. Why spend so much time making the perfect shot only to void its flavor with bad syrups, sauces or poorly heated milk?
If you're a vanilla latte fan, then buy the best vanilla syrup you can find that's made for espresso. Personally I recommend the Monin line of espresso flavors. They truly concentrate on the flavor of the final product and make sure that it complements the taste of espresso perfectly. Its a little more expensive than the other brands, but not by much at all, and well worth the extra spend.
Sauces have a little more leeway. I've had some very good mochas made from some very cheap chocolates! Good espresso helps here, but again it comes down to mixing good espresso with other quality ingredients. Choose carefully and spend a tad more to make it the best in town (seriously).
Following these ideas you can have perfect home espresso from your home espresso machine every time. Be sure to shop carefully for an espresso machine that can sustain high temperatures and steam pressure, and one that is built to last. Investing a little more will ensure you'll have the best experience making espresso at home, possible.
