The Art and Craft of Coffee (22 page)

Pump Espresso Machines

Pump machines are the entry point for most home espresso hobbyists. The invention of the pump, which allows pressurization then heating of cold water, created the commercial espresso industry. Some very fine consumer or “pro-sumer” pump espresso machine models exist out there. Some challenge the finest commercial machines and will certainly outperform a local chain’s café, especially if you buy the best espresso beans, learn to grind, and make the coffee to maximum potential. Many of these machines come with pounds per square inch ratings, which will indicate how much pressure the machine uses to force water through the grounds (and which results in crema).

Advantages: Gives many hobbyists the epiphany moment in their hobby’s gestation (in other words, it’s good)

Disadvantage: High price

Manual Piston Machines

The piston features a long handle on top. The idea is to build up pressure and then very gently release it and using your own intuition and skill to manually control the shot’s creation. It is the ultimate machine for the control freak. It’s not easy to use and often features no milk frothing or steaming capability. But in the right hands, it can produce a great espresso.

Advantages: Makes great espresso when you know how to use it, workable

Disadvantages: Not for the faint-hearted, requires skill, inconsistent frothing

Automatic Piston Machines

This is the type of machine about which most espresso hobbyists dream. Instead of using a manual handle, like the machine described previously, this machine’s piston lives inside and has enough pressure to make perfect milk. A professional barista will have this type of machine at home. Don’t confuse these machines with fully automatic models.

Advantages: With practice, makes drinks like the cafés do

Disadvantages: Requires time (to learn how to use it) and money (to purchase it)

PODS

Espresso pods are single serving preground espresso coffee clothed in filter paper packets. To use a pod, simply drop it into your espresso filter holder (group) and fire away. Pods remove the need to grind, an obstacle for many espresso/latte drinkers, and increase the ease of making home espresso. The espresso coffee industry spent much time and money improving packaging to keep the product fresh. Pods do not equal the best fresh roasted and ground espresso, but they offer a decent option when convenience outranks perfection. It is important to note that there are pod brewing methods that aren’t espresso but rather adaptations of the drip method.

Electric steam espresso machine

Pump espresso machine

Manual piston machine. In the piston’s long handle, pressure builds up until you release it

Espresso Grinders and Grinding

Make no mistake about it, espresso requires very fine, exact, and repeatable grinds, even some of the forgiving consumer designs. In tests comparing a top-rated burr coffee grinder, a good consumer espresso grinder, and a commercial espresso grinder, the espresso shot flavor differences were profound and unsubtle. Try this yourself. You’ll certainly be able to tell the difference. Conclusion: Expect to put as much or more emphasis and budget into your espresso grinder as you do your machine.

Presently, none of the home grinders I have tested for regular or drip coffee really extends its performance to include espresso. Why? Grinders are optimized to a range of grinds, but espresso falls outside of this range. Its thirty-second contact time is such a narrow window of opportunity that the need for exact particle-sized grounds increases exponentially. Most espresso hobbyists have a dedicated espresso grinder with burrs especially optimized for fine grinds.

In terms of roast, technically, you can use any coffee in an espresso maker. But most experts agree that espresso’s pressure seems to overemphasize light roasted coffee’s acidity. Therefore, darker and less acidic roasts, origins, and blends work best for espresso. Light-roasted Kenya AA, stellar in a vacuum brewer, may taste harsh in an espresso machine. A Brazilian low-acid darker roast coffee that may taste dull in a press pot just might make a terrific espresso shot.

And what kind of grinds work best for which machines? Here’s a quick rundown:

Coarse Grinds

Works for: Stovetop Moka machines, stovetop espresso machines, and electric steam machines

Grind type: Remember your childhood sandbox? These machines like a fine but grittier grind that still contains some powder. However, more than half of the grind should be distinct particles. You’re off with your grind if the machine clogs up or runs too fast. Beyond this, fine tune it by time.

Fine Grinds

Works for: Commercial, pump espresso machines, and manual and automatic pistons

Grind type: Coarser than flour (maybe whole grain flour) and just a baby step coarser than Turkish ibrik (see
chapter 5
, “Brewing,” for more about ibrik)—in other words, very fine grinds. These high-pressure machines like to force their water through these fine grinds.

THE HUMIDITY FACTOR

As humidity increases, coarsen up your grind to compensate. During spring and summer, go a notch coarser to prevent your coffee from tasting overextracted. Seattle café owner David Schomer wrote in his book Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques of having an espresso machine stop suddenly due to an unexpected humidity increase after he’d calibrated his grinder—just minutes before—in drier weather. This may be a subtle or dramatic effect, but it shows the importance of the grind. Lesson: Prepare to make adjustments for climate changes.

A perfect shot can easily be two perfect shots. Many espresso enthusiasts quickly realize with the same effort, they can double their output, either making a larger beverage for themselves or one to share.

Pulling the Perfect Shot

A properly made espresso shot has that head of natural foam we mentioned earlier called crema, what’s considered the shot’s visual signature. Crema is composed of tiny carbon dioxide bubbles made from the water forcing itself through the narrow crevices around tightly packed grounds.

Now that you know what’s required for an espresso shot, here’s how to make one. You should know that perfecting the espresso shot takes a lifetime for the espresso enthusiast. It is relatively easy to make any old espresso shot, but making a great one requires trial and error. Fortunately, the rewards of such dedication are quite tasty.

Making Multiple Shots

Home espresso machines feature smaller than commercial-size boilers and usually require recovery time between shots. For one or two people, this is unlikely to be a factor, but you may disappoint those half-dozen relatives at a holiday dinner. Know your maker’s requirement.

If your espresso machine offers the option to make two shots at a time, use it whenever guests are around. It’s easier on the machine because it uses its heating capacity more efficiently. Heating up water more frequently takes more power than heating a larger quantity of water less frequently.

Materials

Maker of your choice

Soft or softened water (<100 parts per million)

Espresso-grind coffee, 7 grams (1/4 oz) for a 1-ounce (30 ml) single shot or 14 grams (1/2 oz) for a double (two 1-ounce [30 ml] shots)

Espresso grinder

Tamper

Prewarmed 1-ounce (30 ml) shot glasses

Espresso Troubleshooting Guide

This is a quick reference sheet for espresso-related troubleshooting.

Expert Notes on Pulling an Espresso Shot

Here are some tips for pulling a shot of espresso:

• Check your machine every day (or at least before every use). Experienced baristas daily spend from ten minutes to a half hour setting up their machines.