Espresso coffee, espresso or espresso, are some of the names that we usually use to refer to the most basic and important extraction of the elaboration of quality coffee. The most common thing in bars is to order a single coffee, but from this coffee concentrate, you can prepare other drinks such as cappuccino, coffee with milk or latte. Although it seems simple, there are many factors that influence the production of a perfect espresso coffee: long-lasting creamy cream, without bubbles, with a round and balanced touch.

Ingredients and materials needed to make an espresso

• Quality coffee beans
• Water
• Coffee machine
• Coffee grinder
• Barista press
• Filter holder in good condition
• Cup

Selection of coffee beans

Perhaps it is the most complicated step since most of us do not stop to think about what coffee is being served to us when we approach the bar or table of any bar. There are endless combinations, blends and blends of 100% arabica, robusta, roasted coffee, of different roasts, varieties, etc. That is why it is so important to be clear about the result we want to obtain. The raw material has to be the centre of attention, depending on the tastes of the client or the person who is going to taste our products. If you want to get an idea of ​​the coffees that the coffee shops use, you can take a look at our selection of coffees in beans.

Ground coffee beans

The coffee is ground so that contact with water occurs as intensely as possible, in order to extract its components, in the preparation of the infusion. It is very important to adjust the degree of grinding depending on the coffee machine that we are going to use. The ideal grind for an espresso coffee would be to get a grind that is between the touch of flour and that of sand.

Keep in mind that if the beans are too ground, the surface area will be exposed too much with the hot water, making this taste bitter and harsh. In the opposite case, if the grinding were less, it would produce a weak and watery coffee.

Coffee Maker Maintenance

It is recommended in the morning to open the vaporizers, purge groups and discard one coffee per group not suitable for consumption. Every night we must clean the vaporizers, grids, groups, scoops, slides, tray and bowl, to make sure we don’t get dirty flavors in our coffee and keep the machinery in good condition. Finally, we must leave the slides inserted in the group without tightening to maintain an adequate temperature.

Now that we have the raw material and the tools ready let’s focus on the preparation routine that we should follow to prepare a proper coffee only, either in the bar or in our espresso machine at home.

Step by step routine

1. 1. Load the coffee beans into the grinder and grind.
   2. Dose 8-9 grams of ground coffee in the clean filter holder
   3. Equalize the load by compact and horizontal pressing
   4. We clean the edges of the saucepan by gently passing the hand
   5. We purge the shower from the coffee maker to remove traces of the previous coffee
   6. We introduce the Filter Holder with the load, and we press the button

• We deliver coffee. The ideal would be to obtain 25-30ml of espresso extracted in 30 seconds.

As the post is not intended to give lessons to professionals who, on the other hand, do not need them, we will focus on making the basic elements to prepare a good espresso coffee known to those who enjoy them in bars, cafes, and other hospitality establishments.

We will also think of those who have a homemade machine to prepare an espresso, offering a friend, yes, whenever you allow us, some basic recommendations for obtaining a good espresso.

There are 4 essential elements to prepare a good espresso coffee:

1.  It is essential to have great coffee. The barista can be an artist, but he does not work miracles, from a bad coffee, you will never get a good espresso.
2.  The degree of grinding, since espresso coffee requires obtaining a fine grind of the coffee bean. Approximately the texture of the sugar grains. At Cafés Sabora we are always in favor of grinding coffee daily, so if you do it at home or you grind the coffee to a fine grain, you will get a better espresso.
3. The other great ingredient for a good espresso as you will suppose is water if the water is of quality your espresso coffee will be better than if the water has flavors or odours that attack the aroma and flavor of the coffee, your coffee will be a bad coffee.
4. Having a good espresso machine that delivers water with enough pressure and the right temperature to get the best out of coffee.

Let us now focus briefly on the express coffee machine, and its main component is the pressure pump, which is what differentiates these coffee machines from others that obtain coffee by dripping, using the gravity exerted by the earth so that the hot waterfalls to through coffee and with a filter.

Some recommendations in case you prepare your espresso:

Espresso machines do not use the coffee that we can normally buy in supermarkets, either soluble or ground coffee beans.

If the quality of the water that comes out of your tap at home is not good or the water is simply very alkaline, it is advisable to use mineral water or filter the water before to prepare the espresso coffee.

The Cream Obtained From The Process Of Making An Espresso Is Significant

The quality of the work can be average evaluating the final result of the coffee.

1. A dark color, with a white dot or a black hole in the middle, indicates that the espresso has been over-extracted because the coffee has been ground too fine, too much coffee was used to prepare the drink or the extraction time has been very long.
2. Light and inconsistent color indicates low coffee extraction. Possibly due to short extraction time or that the amount of coffee is less than required, a coarser degree of grinding of the idea, or even the combination of several of the above factors in the production of espresso coffee.

Remember that the machine requires maintenance and periodically you must clean and remove the remains that may have accumulated in the coffee maker.

It is convenient to clean it after each use in case it is a homemade machine that tends to have little use; otherwise, it runs the risk of spoiling the next coffee.

You should always store the coffee in a tightly closed container, and in a cool, dry and light-free place. Remember that coffee is one hundred per cent natural product and is affected by the environment, humidity, light, odors, etc.…