Espresso

Basics

*Answer Key with Training Notes

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 Coffee Primer
H’
Coffee is not a bean, it is the seed of a coffee cherry .

*Two beans are face to face like a peanut.

*With all of
the layers to
the coffee
cherry, there
is very little
fruit
available.
Typically it’s
decomposed
and used for
fertilizing the
coffee trees.

Sometimes only one bean is formed. This is called a peaberry .

*You’ll notice peaberries are smaller and rounded because they are by
themselves in the cherry, and not up against another seed. Formerly considered
a defect, they are sometimes found mixed in with regular coffee beans or are sold
and marketed separately as a unique coffee.

Coffee originated in Ethiopia on the continent of Africa.

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*As the fable goes, there was a goat herder named Kaldi that was out tending his
flock. They came upon some berries (coffee cherries), and after eating them,
began dancing around with a magical energy (caffeine).

The main coffee-growing regions are:

1. Central America
2. South America
3. Africa
4. Indonesia

*The only place that coffee is commercially grown in the United States is in
Hawaii.

Coffee is grown between the tropics of

Cancer and Capricorn .
*Running right between the two tropics is the Equator. This area between the
tropics is considered a warm and humid environment as well as being a “frost
frnuee” zone. Although frost is possible at higher elevations, it is important that
coffee cherries rarely reach below freezing temperatures.

There are two main types of coffee: Robusta and Arabica.

Robusta -Typically grown at lower elevations, higher caffeine
content, harvested by machinery, trees planted closer together,
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 usually considered lower-grade commercial coffee, more hearty
plant that is less susceptible to disease

Arabica -Typically grown at higher elevations above 3,000 ft., all

picked by hand, trees spaced further apart for more nutrients,
higher-grade specialty coffee, more distinct flavor characteristics

*These are general characteristics based on the different species of coffee trees.
It is possible to have variations in taste, quality, elevation, etc.

A coffee tree typically takes about 3 to 5 years to mature.

*It produces few cherries early on, but this is how long it takes for it to produce
enough cherries to be picked for harvesting.

Coffee trees can grow up to 30 feet tall, but are typically pruned
to stay between 5 and 7 feet.

*This is to allow the pickers to easily reach the cherries. It also yields a better
crop.

A single coffee tree produces between 1 and 6 pounds of coffee

per year depending on the variety of coffee tree.

Specialty grade Arabica produces around 1 to 2 pounds.

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5
 Espresso Extraction
Espresso is not a type of bean or roast. It’s a method of brewing
coffee.

*Other methods would include- but are not limited to- drip, French press, toddy
and percolator.

Extraction is the process of drawing out flavor compounds from ground coffee using hot
pressurized water. An espresso machine pressurizes the water and forces it through the coffee,
speeding up the extraction process.

This results in a highly concentrated coffee.

*There are many flavor components found in coffee, both desirable and
undesirable. The key in all of the steps of preparation is to pull out the desirable
flavors from the coffee while leaving the undesirable elements behind.

Coffee can be over or under extracted.

Over extracted coffee tastes burnt or bitter .

*This is when you pull too many flavors from the coffee that are undesirable.

Under extracted coffee tastes weak and/or sour .

*This is when you don’t pull enough of the desirable flavors from the coffee.

Coffee
There are only two ingredients in a shot of espresso:
coffee and water .

The three main factors affecting your coffee are:

1. Blend
2. Roast Profile
3. Freshness

Blend
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Blends are composed of single origin coffees, each
bringing unique flavor characteristics.

*There are many differences between each single origin’s (country’s) elevations,
different ways of drying/processing the beans/cherries, rainfall, sunlight,
latitude/longitude, soil content, etc. Along with that, there are year-to-year
differences between the same location and this will cause the single origin
coffees to taste slightly different.

*Because of these inconsistencies and the fact that espresso magnifies them, it’s
best to use a blend. A blend is a combination of different coffees paired together.

Espresso is almost always a blend because it ensures a:

consistent, unique and well-balanced flavor .

Roast Profile
Roasting is the process by which the natural flavors of green coffee are skillfully coaxed from
the beans using heat and airflow. The way a coffee is roasted should compliment the flavor
characteristics of the particular bean.

In general, as a coffee moves from light to dark in the degree of roast, it loses oils, sugars, and
acids.

The lighter a coffee is roasted, it will have more pronounced

acidity, sweeter flavor characteristics, and cleaner aftertaste.
m
The darker a coffee is roasted, the more bittersweet flavor
characteristics are developed, there’s less acidity and more of a lingering
aftertaste is developed.

*Naturally, single origin coffees have more distinct flavor characteristics

ranging from sweet, to dark and earthy. When roasting a coffee, you want to
work with the degree/darkness of the roast to aim towards best bringing out the
flavor characteristics that coffee has.

Freshness
Freshness is affected by two main things:
air/oxygen and time .
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Key Fact: For proper storage of your coffee, always make sure it’s
in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, cleaning agents, or
extreme heat from equipment. Also, NEVER store your coffee in
the fridge or freezer.
*Coffee sealed in a valve bag releases C02 for two to three days after it’s roasted.
When sealed, the coffee is ideal when used within two to three weeks. Once the
bag is opened, it should be used within seven to ten days. When coffee is ground,
it begins drying out instantly, and you will see noticeable differences in your
shots within about ten minutes.

*Nitrogen flushing substantially increases the shelf life of coffee .

Water
The two main factors affecting your water are:
1) Purity
2) Temperature

Espresso is 94 to 95 % water.
*Drip coffee is about 98% water.

Key Fact: The quality of your water not only affects the taste of
your espresso, but also prolongs the life of your espresso machine.

The brewing temperature of your water should be between

92 c and 94 c.

Water temperatures above this range can cause

Over extraction
*This is when you pull too many flavors from the coffee that are undesirable,
resulting in a burnt or bitter taste.

Water temperatures below this range can cause

Under extraction

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*This is when you don’t pull enough of the desirable flavors from the coffee,
resulting in a weak and/or sour taste.

Techniques of the Shot

The four main techniques of a shot are:
1. Dose/Distribution
2. Tamp/Grind
3. Shot Volume
4. Grind Adjustment

Dose/Distribution
The dose is the amount of ground coffee used to brew
espresso.

The proper dose for a double shot should be between

14 and 18 grams.

Be sure the distribution of your dose of coffee is done properly

and consistently, leveling your coffee straight across the surface and
filling all gaps.
*Your portafilter basket is your measuring cup. Depending on how fine the
grind and how much you compact the coffee will determine your dose. Different
coffees can vary in taste depending on the dose volume, so experiment with what
dose is best for your blend.

It is IMPORTANT whenever possible to grind fresh for each

customer.
Tamp/Grind
The purpose of tamping is to compress your dose of coffee, and
give you a flat surface for extraction.

*The tamper is the tool used to level and compress the coffee in the portafilter.
The process is called tamping.
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Key Fact: The term “uniformity of extraction” means even
extraction of flavor through the dose of coffee.

Shot Volume
The volume of liquid for each finished shot of espresso should
be 30 ml.

*Above the 1oz. mark, you will have your crema. Crema is the deep
caramel-colored foam that rises to the top of a properly extracted
shot of espresso.

Grind Adjustment

Adjusting the grind is controlling the particle size of ground coffee,

and is the ONLY way to properly change brewing time.

Key Fact: Brewing time, otherwise known as water-coffee contact

time, is the single most IMPORTANT factor affecting the taste of
espresso. Bean quality is the only possible exception.
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Your brewing time should be 20 to 24 seconds for both a
single and a double shot.

*If your shot time is slower or faster than that, you need to adjust your grind.

*Even though increasing or decreasing the dose and tamp pressure can effect
your brewing time, you only want to adjust the grind to get the proper shot time.

*Imagine you have a bucket of rocks and a bucket of sand, both with holes in the
bottom. If you poured water over the top, the water would run faster through the
rocks than the sand. Think of the rocks as more coarsely ground coffee (larger
pieces resulting in a faster shot) and the sand as more finely ground coffee
(smaller pieces resulting in a slower shot).

Adjusting the grind finer will slow down the pour.

Adjusting the grind coarser will speed up the pour.

*Your grinding burrs are two metal cylinders that are flat on one side, have
blades on the other, and a hole in the center. They are both identical and one is
attached to the adjustment collar (which allows you to make your grind finer or
courser) while the other is attached to your motor. When you turn your grinder
on, the beans fall through the center, are ground, and come out into your dosing
chamber.

*When you adjust your grind, you are either pulling the burrs further apart from
each other to make it more coarse, or pushing them closer together, making your
grind finer.
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 Other Factors in the Shot
Because of the changes in the weather, it may be necessary to adjust the
grind several times per day.

The more humid the weather is, the slower the shot will be.
*The humidity in the air may be hard to notice, since it can even be humid when
it’s cold out. The additional moisture causes the coffee to pack tighter, and also
holds the water in, causing it to take longer to run through the coffee. If the air
is drier, it will cause the grinds to repel the water, and the shots will run through
faster.

*Picture watering a hanging plant that has been neglected. The soil is dry, so
when you attempt to water it, the water sits on the top, and then flushes through
quickly. That is how the water is going to react to your coffee if it’s environment
is dry or if your grinds have sat for too long and dried out.

*Now imagine you have a plant that you keep watered very well. When you
water it, the water sits on the top, slowly seeps through, and eventually trickles
out the bottom. This is how the water is going to react to your coffee if it’s
environment is humid. The moisture in the air packs the coffee tighter together,
and also holds the water in the grinds longer, causing your shots to slow down.

Sharp burrs shave or cut the coffee into even

particle sizes.

Dull burrs smash or crush the coffee causing the coffee

to taste burnt and bitter.
*Imagine a sharp knife cutting something nicely. This is how we want our burrs
to cut our coffee beans. When the burrs go dull, they smash the coffee, causing
friction. The friction causes heat, and essentially begins the roasting process
again, burning the coffee before you even begin pulling your shots.

Key Fact: It’s Important for your grinding burrs to be changed

every 600-800 lbs of coffee that are run through the grinder. If you
have ceramic, porcelain, or titanium burrs, they may last up to four
times longer. Consult with your equipment repair company to find
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out what kind of burrs you have, and how often you need to change
them.
*You should make sure to change your grinding burrs before you begin to have
issues. The first sign that your burrs are dull is that customers will most likely
complain that the coffee has a burnt, metallic taste.

Cleaning of Your Espresso Machine

Proper cleaning of your espresso machine will dramatically
increase/prolong it’s life.

You should backflush your machine 2 times per day - once in the
afternoon with water, and once in the evening with espresso machine
cleaner.

Depending on the needs of your espresso machine, and

instructions for use of your cleaner, simply follow the
instructions in your owner’s manual, and on the container
of the espresso machine cleaner to backflush your machine.

Milk Foaming
Milk steaming or foaming is the last step of the beverage preparation process, and also one of the
most important. Proper steaming technique is essential in creating espresso-based drinks. It’s
importance isn’t always realized, and the process is commonly done incorrectly.

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There are two stages in proper milk preparation:
foaming and blending .

Key Fact: Foaming is the process of injecting air into milk, creating
bubbles.

Blending mixes the foam with the milk to create a creamy texture.

Foaming should be done only up to 37 C. Blending should only be

done after 37C.

The final result should be a creamy, dense texture with no visible

bubbles.

The tip of the steam wand should be held at the surface of the milk without
letting it submerge or lift above the surface.

Step by Step Milk Steaming

1) Pour milk into the steaming pitcher being careful not to overfill it.
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 2) Purge your steam wand to expel any standing water.

3) Completely immerse the wand into the milk.

4) Turn the steam valve on all the way, and lower the pitcher to where the tip of the steam
wand is just barely breaking the milk surface. You should hear a very SLIGHT hissing
sound as the air is introduced into the milk body. Keep the wand at this level until the
milk temperature reaches 100F.

*It is very important that you only foam your milk (light hissing sound) up to 100F.
When the milk is at this temperature, the sugars and proteins bond together better,
creating smaller, denser bubbles for your foam. Once past 100F, the sugars and
proteins want to push away from each other, causing more air to be pushed into the milk
and creating larger, more airy bubbles.

5) At this point, lower the wand back into the milk while tipping the steaming pitcher at a
slight angle. This will cause the milk to circulate, combining the foam at the surface with
the rest of the milk body. Continue until you reach your desired serving temperature
(150-160F). Turn off the steam wand with the tip still immersed in the milk.

6) Tap the pitcher firmly on a flat surface to burst any

large bubbles that may have risen to the surface. Swirl it to combine the foam and milk.

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