Steps To Make Great Espresso Coffee

Do you use your morning coffee as a little ‘pick me up’ to start off your day? If you do, then why not take that a step further and get the premier morning ‘jolt’ that a shot of espresso coffee will give you. The main reason that so many people don’t drink this delicious and stronger type of coffee in the morning is because they think it’s too hard to make. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s actually fairly easy to make. In this article, I will teach you how to make a great tasting cup of espresso with very little effort.

Effortless Way to Make a Good Shot of Espresso

Here are the steps you need to follow in order to get your espresso to come out tasting great:

• Step 1: Select your beans – Selecting the right beans for your espresso is part art and part personal preference. Not everyone likes the same bean darkness in the espresso coffee they drink. You may have to experiment a little bit here. A good general rule is lighter beans are usually preferred when drinking straight espresso. Darker beans are usually the norm when adding such things as milk (espresso latte).
• Step 2: Preheat your espresso machine – It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to heat up an espresso machine to proper working temperature so do it before you start grinding your beans.
• Step 3: Grind the fresh beans – One of the biggest things any espresso coffee drinker will tell you when making it is to use fresh ground beans. It makes an incredible difference in the taste of the finished espresso. Espresso requires a very fine ground in order for it to brew right. It should be no bigger than the grains in ordinary table salt. If you grind your beans to finely it will make your espresso bitter. Only grind up the number of beans that will be used immediately.
• Step 4: Add water to your machine – By now your machine should just about be warmed up. So add some water to the appropriate reservoir in it. I never use anything but filtered water in my espresso machine. It tastes better and it keeps sediment from building up in it.
• Step 5: Pull a blank shot – Next pull a blank shot into your espresso glass or mug. This will help ensure that your espresso machine is working right, the water is warm enough and it will heat the cold glass or mug too.
• Step 6: Remove and fill the machine’s portafilter – It takes about 7 – 9 grams of ground coffee to make an espresso shot. Most people like me prefer to make a double shot which is obviously 14 – 18 grams of ground coffee. Add whichever you prefer into the portafilter.
• Step 7: Tamp the grounds in the portafilter – This is one of the single most important steps when making espresso. Most good espresso machines will come with a tamper to help pack the grounds tightly in the portafilter. This is important because tight packed beans make the water flow through the beans evenly and with enough pressure to pick up the full bean flavor. Again a little experimentation works best here to find what amount of pressure when tamping on the beans results in an espresso taste that really satisfies you.
• Step 8: Reinsert the portafilter then brew and pull your espresso shot – Once the portafilter is back in place you can then pull your espresso shot. The ideal water temperature in the machine should be between 190ºF – 205ºF at this point. The brew time should ideally be somewhere between 20 – 30 seconds. As you pull your espresso shot it should come out dark at first and then turn into a golden brown/frothy mixture at the end. Before you drink your espresso, be sure to stir this froth in to complete the great taste of your espresso shot.
• Step 9: Enjoy
• Step 10: Cleanup – Do a thorough cleanup of your espresso coffee maker when you are done. That will help ensure that you get good clean espresso taste each time you use your espresso machine.

Experimentation makes it perfect

Like when cooking food, the best dishes are not the ones that follow a recipe 100%. There are the ones where the cook has added a personal touch. It’s the same with finding an espresso taste that totally satisfies you. So don’t be afraid to experiment a little with how you prepare your espresso shots.

Top Espresso machines

Of course, all the informative espresso making steps in the world will do you no good if you don’t have the best espresso machine to make it with. In the following espresso machine reviews you will be introduced to some highly rated espresso makers:

Budget-Friendly Espresso Machine – Unique Imports Powerful steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

Do you crave a decent cup of espresso once in a while but don’t want to break the bank to get it. Then you may be interested in giving this affordable espresso maker from Unique Imports a try.

It has many features that are usually only found on more expensive espresso machines. This espresso maker has 800 watts of brewing power to help generate that nice hot espresso flavor that you like. It also features powerful steam heat, an easy to clean removable drip tray and a glass decanter with cool touch handle.

Superior Working Espresso Machine – DeLonghi America EC685M Dedica Deluxe Espresso Maker

Are you really fussy about the flavor of your espresso and don’t mind spending a little more to get that great espresso flavor you enjoy? Then an espresso machine like this one from DeLonghi America should easily do the trick for you.

With this very nice espresso maker, you get such outstanding features as 15-bar precise pressure measurements and a built-in adjustable frother. In addition to that, it also has an automatic flow stop and a design that will allow you to fill taller glass espresso cups.

Enjoy Your Own Flavorful Espresso Whenever You Want

There is never a bad time to have a delicious shot of espresso coffee. That applies whether it’the s first thing in the morning, after a nice dinner, or when up late hanging out with good friends. If you have a good espresso machine and know how to use it, then you can enjoy that fresh espresso coffee you love any time you want it.