Operation Manual

42
The Espresso Speedometer
If everything in Chapter 14 went smoothly and was done within the necessary parameters, out dribbled
some viscous, warm, dark, delicious espresso, but it doesn’t always work that way. Within all those prepara-
tion steps you went through there are a lot of things that can cause poor results. This chapter is aimed at as-
sisting you in diagnosing the problems and applying solutions.
Espresso has speeds- more accurately, it has rates of flow while being created. When you switched the
machine to brew, the pump pushed water into the dedicated brew boiler and the hot water in the brew boiler
was displaced and forced through the brewhead, through the coffee, and out of the portafilter into your cup.
How it emerged, what it looks like, how fast it flows, and, most importantly, how it tastes, are all indications
as to how well the previous steps were performed.
How Much, And How Fast?
There is a volume of espresso that should take a certain amount of time to be created for best results.
Whether it is a double or single extraction, the extraction, or “pull,” should be about 25 seconds including pre-
infusion time (See Chapter 17 for details on preinfusion). The term “Pull” comes from the original espresso
machines that were lever operated and the barista had to “pull” the lever to push the water through the cof-
fee.
As the espresso issues forth from the portafilter spouts you will notice that some extractions issue forth
too slowly and others flow much too fast. There is a “sweet spot” of aligned parameters that is sometimes
referred to as the “Golden Rule of Espresso.” The general parameters that define this (for a double espresso)
are about 2 ounces (60 ml.) of espresso in about 25 seconds. For a single it is about one ounce in the same
amount of time.
Let us stress “about” as it is used above. The so-called “Golden Rule of Espresso” is not really a rule, but
a guideline- no more than a starting point. It should be considered just a foundation from which to begin your
espresso education. While extractions of 20 seconds or less are usually not going to be acceptable, extrac-
tions of thirty or forty seconds can be excellent. A very tasty double can be as little as 1.25 ounces (37 ml) to
as much as 2.5 ounces (73 ml). Bottom line: There is no “rule” except what works for you and your personal
taste. Think of these parameters as a bell curve with the greatest percentage of success to be at the central
peak of the curve.
Learning what various flow rates look like so that you can visually identify when things are working as
they should, as well as when they should, is a good place to begin. Below you will learn how to differentiate
a good pull from bad as well learn solutions to most common problems.
In the three photographic examples that follow on the next two pages we are using a portafilter without
spouts. The entire bottom of the portafilter’s body has been removed. These are often referred to as a “bottom-
less portafilter.” When using this tool to make espresso you are presented with a show that is not only alluring,
but also offers instant feedback as to whether your preparation process was successful or not. As you can see,
it more effectively reveals what is going on. These portafilters are often referred to as “bottomless.” If hav-
ing one of these “bottomless” portafilters interests you, they are available to you as an option. Contact your
reseller for availability and cost.
Additionally, changing the setting on the grinder is one of the most important adjustments you will be
making. Be sure to refer to your grinder’s owner’s manual for the proper method to accomplish a change in
grind. It is always best to only change the grind setting while the grinder is running. After a change is made,
run a little coffee through and discard the grounds as nearly all grinders retain some ground coffee in the grind
chamber and the chute where it is ejected. The “old” grounds must be purged for accurate assessment of the
change.