Espresso Club Egypt

There are many factors that affect the quality of an espresso shot, the most important of which are 4 things (quantity of coffee, degree of grinding, press, extraction time)

1- The amount of coffee

In a classification of coffee, it says that this coffee is of two types (Arabica and Robusta), and this differs according to the roasting method.

The important thing is that Arabica is the most expensive and lowest in caffeine, but Robusto is richer in caffeine and also richer in aroma (we will know it a little further)

Of course, the mixture between them is required because of your caffeine hands that adjust your brain with the perfect cream shape

Arabica (80-85) - Robusta (20-15) This will give you the best blend

NB:

Single shot (7-9) grams

Double shot (14-18) gm

2- The amount of water

Normally, a single shot takes (1 fl oz) and a double shot takes (2 fl oz), and one fl oz is equivalent to about 30 ml, or exactly 29.6 ml, and of course the double shot will be double.

In the end, the one who controls this issue is the taste

Some people like it a little thinner (ristretto), which is usually 3/4 fl oz, and some people like it lighter, 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 fl oz.

3- Extraction time

The exact time will also range from 28-30 seconds for a single shot

And of course, because the one who controls the matter in the end is the taste, it is possible that the time will move for a while (24-28) seconds for a slower one, or (30-34) for a lighter one.

4- The roughness of the grind (this information is new)

Everyone says that the espresso grind should be extra coarse, which is not very true

It should be a blessing enough to get the best taste from it, but not to the point that it escapes from the filter with the water

The Italian Espresso Institute is likely to grind the coffee so finely that about 20% of the coffee will fall into the shot with the hot water.

Of course, we do not need to say that the second or third shot must be made with new coffee, not the same coffee as the first shot, otherwise you will get a taste that will not satisfy you at all.

5- The force of hand pressing (imagine?)

By God, this is one of the very important factors in the quality of an espresso shot, and unfortunately many people do not take this into consideration

The exact pressure ranges from (14-18 kg), meaning that you need to press the coffee in the filter with a force of about 14 to 18 kg.

Less than that, he will get it with a little cream, and more than that, he will get it not extracted well, as a result of the water will not go inside the coffee in its natural course, and as a result of pressing the excess, it will choose a short path, and therefore you will not extract all the coffee.

Of course, don't forget that with this press, the surface of the coffee on the face of the filter must be completely even and not have any inclinations.

6- The extraction temperature

The ideal temperature for extraction is between 85-95°C

Some opinions suggest that it can be more than that and reach 97 or more

7- Water pressure

The ideal water pressure also ranges from 8-10 bar.

More than that, it can extract some of the unwanted oils that spoil the taste of the coffee. Less than that, you won't extract some of the oils that give you the espresso taste you love.

Note: There are machines whose pressure is much lower than that. You can reach 3 bars like the EC9 and the Tornado machine, because they depend on steam pressure and not the pump pressure, which is the reason that their price is cheaper, of course, and they will not be able to extract the sweet oils that give you the taste you love, and in the end you will get a drink similar to espresso and not espresso in the correct sense.

8- Cream or cream

This is a very important thing in an espresso shot. This is the white layer that will be on the face of the espresso shot

Something like this in Turkish coffee

Its color and thickness are evidence of the quality of the shot, and it is responsible for the after taste you feel after drinking

The thicker and lighter the color, the closer the shot to perfection.

Last but not least: this is information from a coffee lover and from many readings and experiences, which can be right or wrong. Coffee is a big sea, and what tastes sweet to me may not be sweet to you, and vice versa. The topic is relative. The important thing is that you simplify and enjoy your coffee.