Making good espresso requires attention to detail and some practice. Here are some general steps to make a good espresso: Start with freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee beans. Espresso requires a fine grind, so use a high-quality burr grinder to achieve a consistent grind size. Preheat your espresso machine and portafilter. This ensures that the water temperature is consistent and helps prevent temperature fluctuations during the brewing process. Measure the correct amount of coffee and tamp it evenly and firmly into the portafilter. The ideal amount of coffee varies depending on the size of the basket and the machine, but a good starting point is 18 grams of coffee for a double shot. Start the shot and monitor the extraction time. The ideal extraction time is usually around 25-30 seconds, and the yield should be around 2 ounces of espresso. If the extraction time is too short, the espresso will be under-extracted and taste sour. If the extraction time is too long, the espresso w...
