Alex Espresso Machine
11
Brewing Espresso
First let me begin by explaining the three main variables of preparing great espresso.
1. Quantity of ground coffee
2. Tamping
3. The grind
Quantity of Ground Coffee
-
Loosely fill the basket slightly mounding over the top. Then lightly run your
finger arched across the basket from left to right, right to left, front to back, and then lay your finger flat on the
basket and go from back to front to remove any excess coffee. This technique helps fill any voids in the
basket to help achieve an even extraction.
Tamping
-
After filling the basket with coffee then use your tamper to apply 30lbs of pressure evenly on the
coffee bed. Then without applying any pressure lightly twist the tamper on the bed of coffee to “polish” the
loose grounds on top. Then lock the portafilter firmly into the group head and then raise the brew lever to start
the extraction. When it has reached the desired level, lower the brew lever to stop the shot. It is very
important to tamp consistently with the same pressure each time or your shot quality and timing will vary.
The Grind
-
Adjust your grind so that when you activate the pump, the flow of coffee coming out of the
portafilter spout looks like the tapered tail of a mouse. It should take approximately 25 seconds for a 2 oz.
double shot. If it is coming out quicker then the grind needs to be adjusted finer, if it is coming out slower or
not at all then the grind should be adjusted coarser. The grind particle size should look in between powder
and salt. Not as fine as powder, but not as coarse as salt. Getting the right grind is crucial to making delicious
espresso with thick rich crema.
Consistency
-
The quantity of ground coffee and tamping pressure should always be the same. Using more
or less coffee or tamping lighter or harder will greatly affect the outcome and timing of the shot. If the shots
are not coming out properly then the only variable that should be changed is the grind.
Cooling Flushes
–
The water for brewing espresso passes through a tube in the boiler called a heat
exchange. The longer the machine sits the hotter the water will get and then it becomes necessary to perform
a cooling flush. To do a cooling flush with no portafilter in the group head, raise the brew lever and observe
the flow of water. When the water stops spitting and sputtering then the water is cool enough to pull a shot. If
you are pulling back to back shots then you should not need to do a cooling flush. A digital thermometer is
available that screws into the group head to help achieve the same brew temperature each time for better
consistency. They can be found at the link below.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espressoaccs/thermometerkit
Cleaning Tip:
Get into the habit of disposing of the spent grounds immediately after brewing espresso. After
disposing of the grounds, place the portafilter under the group head and raise the brew lever for a few
seconds to rinse away excess oils and loose grounds. By regularly following this procedure, you will greatly
reduce the tar-like buildup on the shower screen that occurs if you allow coffee oils to dry and bake on the hot
group.
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