The espresso cheat sheet is designed to help you dial in our espressos quickly and easily. It also shows you how to switch from one coffee to another so you can reach a great result quickly and save coffee.
Brew times for our espresso roasts / sweet spot vs. sweet range
We often talk about a sweet spot in espresso extraction, which is the point where the espresso tastes best to us. We source and roast our green coffees in such a way that this sweet spot is more of a sweet range, meaning a range where the coffee truly shines.
General remarks:
- the darker a coffee is, the shorter we extract it on extraction systems that ramp up quickly from 0 to 8-9 bar.
- the lighter a coffee is, the longer we generally extract it
- For espresso machines with pressure profiling, such as manual lever machines, the San Remo YOU or the Decent, we also extract darker roasts for longer. Their pressure profiles can be individually adapted to the coffee, which usually results in a longer extraction time compared to an immediate pressure spike.
- for more info on how we dial in specialty espressos: click here for the video
The optimal grind size for our espresso roasts
Grind settings cannot be copied. Not between different grinders, and not even between two identical models from the same manufacturer. The setting of the burrs, the retention, and the particle distribution make espresso grinders a unique topic for each setup.
However, we can provide general assessments of the grind size if we set a frame of reference. On the far left of our scale is very fine (Mamy), to its right (Toca) is fine, while the Apas is slightly coarser again. For the Henrique, we recommend a grind size even coarser than that of the Apas.
Especially if you know our coffees or use them as a reference, you can now put them into perspective, which should make the quick adjustment on the grinder even easier.
Changing your grinder, made easy
With the graphic above, it should be even easier for you to quickly adjust the grind size when switching between our coffees. We grind the coffees on the left side finer and the coffees on the right side coarser. The distance between the individual coffees in the graphic corresponds to how we would adjust them on the grinder.
Example 1: Switching from Toca to Henrique
- you have Toca in the grinder and would like to switch to Henrique
- we would not grind just a little coarser (that would lead you to Dreispitz), but significantly coarser
Example 2: Switching from Apas to Mamy
- Apas is in the grinder and you would like to switch to Mamy
- Use the graphic as a guide and grind significantly finer
Coffee characteristics and grinder settings
With the help of the following info, you will be able to dial in a coffee faster. These are general assessments that we have written down based on our experience.
Brew ratios / taste preference
The ratio of ground coffee used to the amount of coffee beverage in the cup is called the brew ratio - although there is a massive difference here. In filter coffee, brew ratio is understood as the ratio between the dosage of roasted coffee and the water poured onto the coffee grounds. For espresso, however, we are talking about the ratio between the ground coffee used and the brewed amount in grams in the cup.
The days of ultra-strong espressos are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Just over ten years ago, it was common to find heavily dosed and under-extracted double espressos in specialty cafes. Too often, these drinks were unbalanced.
By using a less tight ratio, we increase the extraction of the coffee grounds and support the balance of the espresso. By increasing the water flow through the grounds, we also increase the extraction rate, which can give the coffee more sweetness.
Basically, when choosing the right brew ratio, we are looking for a compromise between texture, the balance of sweetness and acidity, and aromatic intensity.
Just as tastes differ, so do the chosen brew ratios.
We have summarized our preferences here:
- lighter roasts we prefer in a larger brew ratio, e.g., 1:2.4 and higher
- darker roasts we prefer in a smaller brew ratio, e.g., 1:2.2 and higher
- Robusta roasts like the Mamy we especially like in a 1:2 ratio
- especially floral coffees impress us with longer extractions like 1:2.6 and more
