How to Make Espresso: The Step-by-Step Guide

Good espresso is not secret knowledge – it is a clean routine: dose correctly, distribute evenly, tamp flat, pull with control. This guide walks you through the preparation in six steps, with concrete numbers to anchor on.

1. Grind fresh

Grind right before pulling – ground coffee loses aroma within minutes. Espresso needs a fine but not powdery grind. As a starting point: fine enough that a shot with an 18 g dose runs for about 25–30 seconds.

2. Dose and weigh

Weigh your dose – 18 g is the standard for a double basket. Without a scale the dose easily drifts by ±2 g, and that is enough to make the same coffee taste completely different.

3. Distribute and tamp

Level the grounds in the basket (a light tap or a finger sweep works) and tamp with straight, even pressure. A flat, even surface matters more than force – it prevents channeling.

4. Pull the shot

Lock in the portafilter and start right away. Target: about 36 g of espresso in the cup (a 1:2 ratio) in 25–30 seconds. The flow should look like warm honey – dark at first, then golden brown.

5. Taste and adjust

If the shot runs too fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it runs too slow and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Change only one variable per attempt – that is how you find your sweet spot systematically.

6. Write it down

Note bean, grind, dose, time and taste. Next time you will not start from zero – that is exactly what the espresso journal in the app is for, and the photo analysis tells you what to improve next.