Espresso is the basis of Italian coffee. Most of the rich varieties of milk coffee we can see on the menus of coffee shops are based on espresso. In addition, although many people prefer espresso with milk, there are still a number of espresso lovers.
No matter which aspect you consider, making a single or double serving of delicious espresso is a top priority. The espresso also tests the barista’s skills. Among them, Italian grinding degree has become a key factor affecting the concentrated Italian flavor. How can I adjust the correct espresso grind?
One thing we need to be clear about is that adjusting the Italian grinding size is not a one-and-done thing. Changes in the state of the coffee beans and changes in air humidity will often affect the extraction of Italian coffee. The grinder needs to be fine-tuned to accommodate these changes. Generally, every morning I will check whether the grinding degree is suitable for the extraction of this parameter. Sometimes the weather changes frequently, and the grinding degree adjusted in the morning will deviate in the afternoon, and it also needs to be readjusted.
I would like to make a special note here. Sometimes the extraction is unstable and the grinding needs to be adjusted frequently. In addition to force majeure reasons such as weather, another important reason is the freshness of the coffee beans. Coffee beans that are too fresh are rich in gas, which will make the extraction unstable and the flavor will be limited. The general cultivation period of Italian coffee beans is relatively long. If you want the beans to be more stable, it is recommended to cultivate the beans for no less than 2 weeks.
Adjusting the proper espresso grind can only be done by brewing again and again. Before grinding, we need to clarify a few goals. First, why we need to grind, because the extracted espresso does not meet our preset requirements, including extraction parameter requirements and flavor. Second, when adjusting the grinding, you should keep other parameters as unchanged as possible, such as the skillful powder pressing technique, consistent powder and liquid volume, otherwise your grinding will be full of uncertainties.
Here is a simple and quick way to determine the grinding degree. First, apply the extraction parameters of a powder-to-liquid ratio of 1:2 and a time of 20-30 seconds. The amount of powder is calculated based on the recommended capacity of the powder bowl. For example, a 20g powder bowl holds 20g of powder. Then first select a grinding scale (it seems to be the thickness of the flour), then extract and check the time. If the time exceeds 30 seconds, the next extraction needs to be coarser. If the time is less than 20 seconds, the next extraction needs to be finer.
The extraction time is controlled at20-30Seconds later, we fine-tune it by tasting the espresso. If the aroma of the coffee is insufficient and the overall taste is acidic, it needs to be adjusted finer; if the coffee is burnt and bitter and unpleasant, it needs to be adjusted coarser.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
