How to Brew Espresso At Home

For the home brewer, there is no coffee task more daunting that brewing great espresso – and the anxiety level only increases when you're expected to serve guests! Mastering the art of espresso is definitely worth the dedication, patience and espresso disasters that may occur along the way. Trust us.

Do a little research before you start pulling shots. Read the manual that comes with your espresso machine and make sure you have installed everything correctly. Talk to your favorite barista and garner some tips of the trade. Reading this How to Brew Espresso at Home page is a great start. Delicious espresso comes from a combination of learning the tried-and-true techniques from experts, and exploring some new things on your own.

For excellent espresso, you'll need: an espresso machine, burr grinder, bar towel, demitasse cups, water, and coffee. Optional: whole milk, steaming pitcher.

As espresso experts, we are here to get you going on your at-home espresso adventure. Here's how:

Step One: Set Up the Espresso Machine

Most home espresso machines are designed to be turned on for use and then turned off as soon as the espresso is complete, but consult your manual for any unique instructions. You will also have to fill the boiler with water.

Expert tip: Most machines heat up the water on their own while warming up, so it is a good idea to pour the water in the boiler as soon as you turn on the machine.

Step Two: The Grind

Setting the perfect grind is paramount to successful espresso. Part of the art of espresso is negotiating the exact specifications of the grind for a particular time, place, and machine. A burr grinder is necessary for espresso. There is no other way to achieve the type of specificity you are looking for in a grind.

An espresso grind is fine - finer than that of drip coffee or press pot coffee. Your burr grinder should have guidelines and settings for how fine to grind for espresso, but as you develop your at-home espresso skills, find the grind that is right for you.

Step Three: Dosing an Espresso

Dosing an espresso also varies: it changes from machine to machine, grind to grind, and personal preference. Your espresso machine's manual should be able to get you going in the right direction.

That being said, start the dosing process by removing the portafilter and wiping out the basket with your bar towel. Dose the coffee so there is a slight mound of ground coffee rising above the top edge of the portafilter basket. Dose the grounds as evenly as possible, so your coffee mound is centered in the basket.

Using your forefinger, level the grounds, leaving the coffee in the portafilter flat and uniform.

Expert tip: Try not to use any pressure when molding your dose. The goal is not to pack the coffee into the basket, but rather to spread it evenly.

Step Four: Tamping

Place the portafilter on a flat, steady surface. With the tamper in hand and facing down, position yourself so your forearm is vertical (elbow high) and your elbow is bent at a 90 degree angle.

Press directly downward with steady pressure – between 25 and 30 pounds. This should result in a fairly condensed puck of coffee in the portafilter. Want to do a quick check? Flip it upside down. No coffee should fall out.

Step Five: Extracting the Espresso

Lukewarm water does not a delicious espresso make. Before you put your portafilter back into the espresso machine, do a quick test to ensure your water is hot and pressurized. Press the extraction button - the water should come out hot.

Insert your portafilter into the espresso machine. Place your demitasse cups (preheated of course) underneath the spouts of the portafilter and turn the extraction button on. The espresso should come out slowly and smoothly in a dark, syrupy brown with shades of red.

Expert tip: If the espresso comes out too quickly and in a light shade of creamy tan, your grind was too coarse and you should adjust accordingly. If it comes out slowly and not dripping in a continuous stream, your grind was too fine. It will take some trial and error to produce the best tasting espresso, so do not be discouraged if your espresso doesn't come out café-perfect on your first try. Espresso is an art form and, like all great art, it takes time and dedication to reach perfection.

Step Six (Optional): Steaming Milk

If you aren't quite ready for the intensity of straight espresso (don't worry, you'll get there eventually), a macchiato, cappuccino or latte might be up your alley. And that means steamed milk.

Most home espresso machines have steam wands for milk steaming, but don't have big enough boilers to support both extracting espresso and steaming milk at the same time. Consult your manual for information on how the boiler and steam wand in your home espresso machine works. Before you start steaming, purge your steam wand by turning it on for a second or two. This will get rid of any excess residue that may have accumulated, and lets you know that your steamer is primed and ready.

Fill your steaming pitcher a little under halfway with whole milk. Place the pitcher under the steam wand and turn it on full. Hold the pitcher as steady as possible. You should hear a noise like a sprinkler at the beginning. This is the foam being created. For more foam, pull the pitcher slightly downward. When your milk reaches that perfect, frothy consistency, pour it into the espresso and enjoy.

Expert tip: Milk should not be steamed over 155 degrees or it starts to go sour. You can buy a thermometer, but most baristas gauge the temperature simply by the feel of the pitcher and the sound of the milk frothing.

Step Seven: Cleaning an Espresso Machine

Clean your espresso machine immediately after every use. After you have extracted your espresso, take the portafilter out, remove the puck of coffee and wipe out the basket with your bar towel. If you used your steam wand to steam milk, take your bar towel, dampen it with water and wipe off any excess milk. Purge the wand by turning it on and off.

Cleaning your machine is essential to successful espresso brewing and should be done meticulously. One last time, consult your manual for any other cleaning procedures you might need to do in order to keep your espresso machine functioning at the highest possible level.