How to make the perfect espresso? A guide for coffee lovers

Perfect, aromatic and essential espresso? It sounds like a dream, but you can make it come true in your own kitchen. All you need is a bit of knowledge, a lot of patience and, of course - -. good coffee beans. If you want to feel like a real barista, catch a few tips from our expert roasters Story Coffee Roasters!

Choosing coffee beans - the foundation of a good espresso

Are you dreaming of the perfect coffee? Then you cannot compromise. It is the quality of the beans that determines the intense flavour and deep aroma. Forget store-bought coffee - low-quality beans will never deliver the same essence as a high-quality bean from a renowned roaster. Quality is what counts in a great espresso! The best choice will be freshly roasted speciality coffee.

Where to buy good coffee? At our roastery, we focus only on exceptional beans that come from the best plantations in the world. Only high quality coffee beans will deliver intense flavour and aroma. We guarantee you will see the difference!

The freshness of the beans matters

Coffee beans It loses its qualities quickly if it is not stored properly. We recommend consuming it within three, maximum four weeks of smoking. If you want your espresso taste like the best Italian café, choose beans only from reputable coffee roasters.

Pro Tip: Check that your beans have a roasting date, not just a use-by date!

The devil is in the ... grinding the beans for espresso!

The perfect espresso requires the beans to be ground properly. However, you can't do it wrong. If you grind the beans too coarsely, your coffee will be watery. If you grind them too finely, it is more than certain that you will overcook the brew and get a bitter taste of coffee.

So is there any golden mean for this how to grind coffee for espresso? Yes. The ground grains should resemble ... fine sugar. The best way to do this is with a manual or automatic grinder. This will give you complete control over the coarseness of the grind.

Appropriate proportions of ground coffee beans

According to the classic recipe, optimum the amount of coffee per espresso is 7 g freshly ground beans. We always encourage you to experiment and adjust the proportions to your own preferences. However, we recommend doing it professionally, with the help of, among other things, a scale and a stopwatch. Brewing the perfect espresso is not only fun, but also the art of using the necessary tools.

The art of tamping ground coffee beans

Tamping, or whisking coffee in a portafilter, is an art in itself. You should neither do it too hard nor too lightly. The ideal tamping is about 15 kg of pressure. If you are consistent, over time, proper tamping will become a habit, and each subsequent shot espresso will get better and better.

Extraction, or how important brewing time is

Good espresso should be brewed for approximately 25-30 seconds. If you reduce the extraction time, the taste can come out flat and sour. If you increase it, the brew becomes bitter. The key is to choose the right pressure (9 bar) and water temperature (approx. 94-96°C). If it still doesn't work for you - experiment! Who knows, maybe you will find your own way of brewing the best coffee.

Try different ways of making coffee

As professional baristas We know that the espresso may not come out perfectly the first time. Everyone is a learner and is entitled to make mistakes, especially at the beginning of your coffee adventure. Remember to try things, take notes, analyse the flavour and make corrections consistently.

Maybe you ground too fine coffee beansOr should you simply increase the dosage? You will only learn how to make the perfect espresso by experimenting, so don't be afraid to try!

The right water and coffee machine make all the difference!

Coffee beans will taste even better if you use the right water. Filtered, low-mineralised water works best. Hard water can dominate the taste of the coffee, while water that is too soft will make the espresso bland. Optimally, coffee water should have an acidity level of approximately 7 pH.

And what about the equipment? Well, even the best beans can't save a poor coffee machine. If you dream of espresso as in an italian caféit is worth investing in a decent coffee machine. At Story Coffee Roasters you will not only find freshly roasted speciality coffee, but you will also get expert help in choosing a coffee machine tailored to your needs.

Fancy a really good coffee? Drop by our smoking room in Warsaw or write to us - we will tell you what to choose so that every sip is pure pleasure!