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Espresso at home, simply.
18 grams in, 36 grams out, 27 seconds. The starting recipe for any espresso machine, any bean. Iterate from there.
6 min read
Dose in
18 g
Yield out
36 g (1:2 ratio)
Shot time
25 to 30 s
Water temp
93 to 94°C
Dialing in (the only formula you need)
Set your machine to 18 g dose, 36 g yield, 27 seconds. Pull the shot. Then adjust only one variable at a time.
- Too fast (under 25 s)? Grind finer.
- Too slow (over 32 s)? Grind coarser.
- Sour shot? Grind finer or extend the yield (40 g).
- Bitter or astringent? Grind coarser or shorten the yield (32 g).
Most beans want a 1:2 to 1:2.5 ratio for a balanced shot. Modern light roasts can stretch to 1:3. Old-school dark roasts pull better at 1:1.5.
Puck prep
- Grind directly into the portafilter. If your grinder makes a mess, a WDT tool is $20 well spent.
- Distribute. A WDT tool or a few light taps. The goal is an even bed, no clumps.
- Tamp level. 15 lbs of pressure, perpendicular to the basket. Consistency matters more than force.
- Lock and pull immediately. Do not let the basket sit hot.