Anyone can make espresso, the steps are common knowledge and really not that hard to follow. The real question though is how do you make the best espresso like Starbucks? That’s totally a different story! There are copious ingredients that go into making a good shot of espresso. From the buying point to the preparation, there a few simple tips to remember, and if you happen to know them then you’ll be on your way to achieve the perfect results.
Knowing how to make perfect espresso at home is more than just owning the latest and greatest as well as the best espresso machine under $1000 out there. In fact I would put the capabilities of the actual machine you use quite low down on the list of priorities when it comes to making high quality coffee at home or anywhere else. Take a look at the following advice and you will be more in the know:
The quality of the beans is probably the most crucial thing of all. For instance, you can’t make great salad with rotten vegetables. Likewise, with coffee your beans have to be top-quality. The best and most high quality beans in the world come from a few South American countries such as Columbia, Nicaragua, and Panama. This is because they are grown at higher altitudes, which makes a big distinction to quality. Your aim should be from the countries cited above to get the best beans.
Instead of buying your coffee beans from the supermarket, why not try going to your local market and purchase freshly roasted beans. Coffee beans only begin to lose their freshness after the roasting process, so buying freshly roasted beans is clearly better than buying from the supermarket. You should also enjoy the fact that they will still be warm when you buy them.
Perfect freshness comes from grinding coffee for espresso immediately before brewing. Quality coffee beans are a good place to begin, but by no means is that the only aspect to mull over when making espresso. Other things to consider are the time between grinding and brewing, from roasting to the condition of utensils and water quality. How to make the best espresso will likely be a never-ending debate and will ultimately boil down to a matter of preference.
Again, I stress that buying coffee beans and not grounds. Grounds lose their freshness quickly due to the increased surface area.
Never store your beans in the fridge or freezer, but keep them in an air tight container. Saving them in smaller quantities will ensure they remain fresh.
You should ideally grind the coffee beans yourself. This way you can use them as soon as they are ground to ensure freshness. Based on the best burr coffee grinder reviews, it’s best to use a high quality burr grinder, ideally a conical burr grinder with ceramic burrs. These are very high quality and will result in an excellent and consistent grind. Most experts put the importance of having good commercial coffee grinders ahead of having a good espresso machine.
Ensure you use proper tamping technique to tamp your grinds into the port filter. This is very important and may take a little bit of practice.
Once you’re brewing your coffee, listen for the change in pitch which means all the best part of the coffee has been extracted. After the pitch changes, you’ll only be extracting the bitterness which is not good.
Always warm your cup of coffee to ensure quality. Some espresso machines cups come with built-in cup warmer, however an even better way is to pour boiling water into your cup for 30 seconds prior to brewing.
One you have made the perfect cup of coffee, you will want to share it with everyone you can. These tips on how to make good espressos will serve you well in any family, holiday, or social gatherings you might encounter in the future!