Brew guide

The Perfect Espresso Brew

To brew an Adore espresso at home you'll want freshly roasted beans, your espresso machine, a good grinder, a scale and your favourite cup.

Use beans roasted at least a week ago. Very fresh coffee still holds a lot of gas from roasting, and that pressure throws the shot off. From about three to four weeks after roasting, the beans start to fade from their best.

At a glance

Dose: 22g
Yield: 40g
Time: 26 to 28 seconds
Temperature: 91 to 94°C
Grind: Fine

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Step by step

Method

Weigh your doseWeigh out 22g of coffee for a standard double basket. Some home machines use smaller baskets, so go by your basket. Start with a fine grind.
Settle the bedFill the portafilter and give it a gentle tap on the side so the coffee sits level. An even bed stops water finding an easy path through.
TampPress down firmly and evenly until the coffee is compact with no air pockets.
Pull the shotLock in the portafilter and start the shot. Aim for about 40g in the cup in 26 to 28 seconds.
Taste and adjustSour means under-extracted, so grind finer. Bitter means over-extracted, so grind coarser.
Clean upKnock out the puck and run a quick blank shot to rinse the group head, ready for the next one.

Troubleshooting

Dial it in

Expect some trial and error. Your beans, the grind, the room temperature and even how warm your grinder is will all change the shot. You'll learn how your setup behaves over time.
If your machine lets you set the temperature, stay between 91 and 94°C. Lighter roasts like it a little hotter, darker roasts a little cooler.
A WDT tool breaks up clumps in the grounds for a more even extraction.
A puck screen spreads the water more evenly, which helps a lot on home machines.

The coffee

Which coffee?

We recommend our blends for espresso, along with the single origins we roast for espresso. Our other single origins are worth a try too, if you like a brighter, more distinctive shot.

Our picks for this method

Omniroast