Espresso

Espresso has been finding its way into the homes of coffee lovers more and more over the last 5 years, specifically semi-automatic machines (those that control pressure instead of a manual pull of a lever). There are many variables to consider when pulling a shot, and these can vary widely depending on the type of coffee you’re using. The following instructions are for a medium roast coffee; we recommend steering clear of dark roast coffee.

Method

  1. Freshly grind your coffee fine on your burr grinder. Fine enough to lightly clump when you pinch it between your fingers.
  2. Fill your filter basket, 17-19g depending on the size of your basket.
  3. Level the grinds with your finger and tamp level and firm with a quality tamper (not Hulk-like!)
  4. Flush your group head with hot water, this cleans and heats the head ready for extraction.
  5. Place the group arm back into the machine, and make sure it is tight!
  6. Press the button and start extraction, you are looking for small streams of espresso with a golden colour.
  7. Extraction should take 25-35 seconds according to the coffee and your own taste. Here at Lost Sheep, we start with a 2:1 ratio, meaning if we dose 18g of coffee, we are looking to finish with a 36g espresso! 19g would yield 38g, etc.
  8. If the espresso is running too quickly, fine up your grinder to slow coarsen it. Always adjust your grinder by the smallest possible settings it has!
  9. Enjoy a great espresso as it is or use it as the 1st step in making that perfect drink you prefer, whether that is a long black, flat white or latte.* Grinder Settings; coarse = faster / fine = slower.

Different coffees will need different extraction times. A lighter roast will need longer than a medium, but ultimately it’s all about your personal taste, so play around a bit.

Want to brew your coffee the Lost Sheep way, but don't have an espresso machine?

Head over to our step-by-step guides to the perfect home brew, using a variety of methods, the Lost Sheep way.