OK, you love the espresso that you get from your local coffee shop. You decide to spend some money and buy your own Espresso machine. Now let’s help you learn how to make a perfect Espresso every time, you can also learn the history of espresso machines here.
Great you got it home and you are now the happy owner of a coffee/espresso machine. But do you really know how to get the most out of it? Here are a few handy pointers that should help you to make a perfect espresso coffee time and time again.
Steps for making the perfect cup of Espresso
Let Your Coffee/espresso Machine fully Heat Up
The inner workings of your coffee machine that hold water items like the boiler are classically made of metal. Allowing this equipment to heat up by turning on your coffee machine at least 10 min preceding the 1st coffee will make a more steady heat for your coffee.
Also use this time to heat your coffee cups before use, use the steam nozzle in hot water mode to fill the cups. Some coffee machines have built in cup heaters that take a few minutes to warm up.
Use Fresh Filtered Water
With coffee, everything has to be fresh. Empty out your coffee machine water container every day when you are making your 1st coffee. You should use filtered water and you will definitely taste the difference.
Using filtered water will also lengthen the life of your coffee machine; reducing calcification and lime scale build up.
Use Fresh Coffee beans
If you do not have an automatic coffee machine that has a grinder built in then you will need to buy a separate one.
Every time you use your coffee machine, only ever grind enough coffee beans for that measure of coffee. This will give you a glowing creme on top of your coffee or espresso.
Make sure you store your beans in the freezer until it’s time to use them, this will help them to hold their flavour.
Use The Correct Grind And Correct Tamping
Talk to your coffee supplier about your coffee machine and make sure that he is giving you the correct ground coffee.
If possible use your own grinder to attain the most favourable fineness. Gently pack your freshly ground coffee into the filter handle, do not pack to much or press to hard or you won’t reach a decent flow rate. A excellent rule of thumb is that it should take about 25 seconds for 30ml of coffee to be poured.
Experiment with the machine
There are so many variables at work with a coffee machine that you will need to make a lot of coffees to truly realize the different coffees you can make.
The temperature, the beans, the grind and the flow rate will all give diverse tasting coffees. You will know you are getting it right when your coffee machine produces a thick golden creme and a sweet, rich espresso coffee.