Espresso flow example

If you are not used to making espresso, it is difficult to know what it looks like when you have done everything correctly. This video shows you how the flow can look like so you have something to compare to.

An example extraction with fresh roasted coffee.

Notice how I tare the scale at the start of the shot and I am shooting for about 38 grams of brewed espresso for a dose of 19 grams of ground coffee. The flow starts slow and dark but it is still a stream (no dripping) and progressively and slowly gets lighter. The liquid is also viscous as there is a lot of crema because the coffee was just roasted days ago. (When beans get older the flow looks more liquid and less viscous.)

The scale is a little slow through the first half of the shot but it is more accurate towards the second half. Because of the response time of the scale and the coffee that continues brewing after you press the button to stop, you have to anticipate when you want to stop brewing by a second or two.

Equipment: Baratza Sette, Breville Dual Boiler.

Welcome!

This is the start of greatespressoathome.com! I am creating this website as a combination of 1) a book on home espresso for anybody that is interested in getting equipment and learning how to make great espresso, and 2) a blog where I explore different aspects of coffee and espresso making based on my interest and your feedback.

I have been making espresso at home for years and I have learned how to do it consistently well. It is a great thing to have a perfect espresso or cappuccino without leaving the house, any time you want. I want to share my knowledge with others so that your learning curve is as low as possible. With the right equipment and guidance, making espresso is actually not difficult. If you have to figure it out yourself from very diverse resources online, it is not very easy to put it all together without wasting a lot of time and money on coffee and equipment. So I think there is a lot of value for you here.

I look forward to adding more content to this site, especially good pictures and videos to help explain a lot of the techniques. I also look forward to your feedback. What do you want to know more about? What are you having difficulty with?

In this site I recommend equipment that I use and like, and I tell you the good and the bad about it. When you use the affiliate links on this page, I earn a small commission that helps me maintain the site. Thank you!

Questions? Comments? Reach out to me on the Contact page.