You Are A Home Barista So Pull The Espresso Shot Yourself!
A cup of dark and delicious hot espresso at home is the most relaxing drink one can have to jump start a day or enjoy after a long day. Espresso trend started in Italy and found its way into United States during the Second World War. It is not uncommon for people to be willing to pay higher prices for a unique beverage of this sort as it has become one of the favorite hot coffee beverages of global consumers this day. However, if you have an espresso machine at home, you can make espresso at home and also experiment with various types of them.
(Make sure you check espresso maker review to purchase the right semi-automatic espresso machine that fits your liking).
Recreate your cafe experience espresso cup and variations of it by going through each of the steps below.
Make sure to have these items to start. In addition to water you will need your selection of espresso beans, the right size espresso cups and your very own espresso machine. An espresso machine pricing does vary but you might have to shell out a bit for super automatic espresso machines. Arabica beans are the most common for espresso. Check if the espresso machine uses loose grounds or requires that you have measured pods of espresso. An excellent espresso bean grinder is essential to create finely grounded beans to pull espresso shots from. Although you can use any cup that holds a warm to hot beverage it would be best to have an espresso cup that holds an ounce and a half of espresso.
Have the water chamber filled up to the necessary amount for your espresso machine. As a safety precaution make sure the boiler cap is fully secured as to avoid any accidental injury. Two ounces of water is perfect for each shot of espresso so you will need to measure the amount of water you’ll need for however many shots you want to make.
Finely grind espresso beans to the correct amount for enough shots. After grounding, place the coffee in the filter basket and adjust it in the coffee machine. There are markings for measurements on the filters so you will know exactly how much you will need. Ideally, 7 grams of grounded coffee beans is enough for one espresso shot.
Clean off any excess grounds out and around the filter. Brush the excess aside and place the filter in the machine.
The final step of this process is to “pull a shot” of espresso from the espresso bean grounds. Start pulling the shot of espresso. The machine automatically heats the water to the pre-set temperature and the boiling water is pressurized to flow through the grounded coffee beans. Take your 1.5 ounce cup and place it under the dispenser. Espresso will begin to flow and the crema (brown foam) will form at the top. You should remove the cup when the foam changes its color to complete white. Stop the flow at this point because if it is continued the flavor of the espresso will become increasingly bitter and acidic.
Now you can serve that smooth, rich cup of espresso to your friends / family or enjoy it all yourself!
Two Things To Consider
Make sure you allocate enough time for your espresso machine to reach its optimal heating temperature. Some espresso machines may or may not have readouts in regards to the temperature so keep an eye on that. If you try to pull an espresso shot way before the machine is able to warm up your espresso shots will have little to almost no flavor!
The coffee beverage you create in addition to espresso will change or lose its flavor if your espresso machine isn’t properly maintained / cleaned. Take care of your espresso machine and it will return the favor two-fold. Do not use incorrect cleaning methods other than what’s stated in the manual. Doing so can only increase the chances of ruining your espresso machine.
As you see, making a flavorful espresso cup is not that difficult once you’ve made it a habit! Day-in and day-out you have been having someone else making your espresso for you. Start pulling your own quality espresso shots along with creating other coffee beverages yourself with your very own espresso machine.
Espresso machine brands you may want to consider: Saeco Espresso or Delonghi Espresso
