Struggling with your espresso? Tastes off, or the extraction time isn't between 25-30 seconds? Follow these steps to calibrate your espresso.
First, find out the size of your filter basket. Remove it from the handle and look for a number on the side of the basket. That's how much coffee you want to be ground and dosed for each espresso shot. Usually, it's an 18 or 20-gram filter basket.
A balanced espresso is based on three parameters:
- The amount of coffee the grinder gives you, which we call coffee IN.
- The amount of espresso in your cup, which we call coffee OUT.
- Brew time.
We recommend following a ratio of 1:2.25, which is perfect for our espresso coffees.
Dvs. 1 (kaffe IN) till 2,25 (kaffe UT)
For a 20-gram filter basket, the answer to a perfectly balanced espresso is:
- 20 grams coffee IN
- 45 grams coffee OUT
- In 25-30 seconds of extraction time
For an 18-gram filter basket, it is:
- 18 grams coffee IN
- 40 grams coffee OUT
- In 25-30 seconds of extraction time
When we install our espresso machines, we usually set them to stop brewing after 45 grams of coffee has been extracted. Sometimes there are multiple buttons for different espresso amounts. The best way to find out the volume is to place a cup on a scale and weigh a full espresso or use a measuring cup (1 millilitre = 1 gram).
Q: What if the coffee IN and OUT are correct, but the espresso runs clear in only 20 seconds?
A: Finer grind = longer time. If you increase the resistance by grinding finer, it will take longer for the water to run through the coffee puck.
Q: What if the coffee IN and OUT are correct, but the espresso runs clear in more than 35 seconds?
A: Coarser grind = shorter time. If you decrease the resistance by grinding coarser, the water will take less time to run through the coffee puck.
