Important things to consider before brewing your first espresso!

Selection of coffee beans

Espresso is a type of brewing method by subjecting finely ground coffee pucks to high brewing pressure of up to 9 bar to produce a small concentrated coffee drink with complex flavors. To obtain such complex flavors, the choice of beans is the most important and decisive factor About your espresso will taste amazing or completely undrinkable. 

• Start by choosing whole espresso beans that are as freshly roasted as possible. Old coffee is harder to brew and often has a very bitter taste. The reason you should choose whole beans is because pre-ground coffee will never give as good a result as whole beans. You also lose the ability to choose your own grind level, which is an important factor when it comes to getting a good cup of coffee. espresso. 
• Always choose whole coffee beans that the roastery recommends for espresso brewing. This will usually be written on the coffee bag. About The fact that the roastery recommends the coffee for espresso brewing usually means that the coffee has its highest potential through that particular type of brewing. 
• It is very important that the beans are ground just before brewing so that the coffee does not lose its good flavors and aromas. 

Grind your espresso beans

Grinding for espresso brewing means that the coffee must be ground much finer than for brewed coffee. Therefore, it is important that the coffee grinder itself is made for espresso brewing. Many grinders used for brewed coffee is usually not capable of grinding as finely as espresso requires. Therefore, before you buy an espresso machine, consider that you have a grinder that can grind coffee for espresso brewing. Many espresso machines for home use usually have an integrated grinder, such as Sage Barista Express, Sage Barista Pro and Sage Barista Touch which is one of the most popular choices. In such cases, you don't need to worry. 

There are two different types of espresso grinders. The first is a grinder with conical grinding discs. The second is flat grinding discs and is most often used in commercial espresso machines and expensive home espresso machines. Both have their pros and cons, but both types give very good results when it comes to the taste of the coffee. 

Press the puck before brewing

The word "Tamp" in espresso brewing means pressing ground coffee into a cup into a compact puck. About If the ground coffee is not evenly distributed in the cup, it can result in uneven brewing and leave a mixture of bitter and sour flavors in the coffee. Therefore, it is important to remember to get the coffee evenly distributed in the cup before pressing the puck. 

Brewing temperature

The temperature of the water you brew is an important part of the process. As a general rule, you should start with a brewing temperature of around 93 degrees. Espresso machines are usually already set to the correct brewing temperature from the factory, but About If they are not after measurement, you can change the brewing temperature on most espresso machines. Dark roast is usually recommended to be brewed at lower temperatures, more towards 90 degrees, while light roast requires a higher temperature of up towards 96 degrees.About you want to know more About How brewing temperature affects the taste of your coffee and how you can use it to your advantage please read our article: Everything you need to know About espresso.