Kylie's Guide To Espresso
Espresso Brewing Guide
Espresso dates back to 1901 and remains one of the most rewarding ways to brew coffee. Small, fast, and intensely flavorful — and with a little practice, completely achievable at home.
What You'll Need
- An espresso machine with a portafilter
- An espresso grinder
- A kitchen scale
- A small vessel (cup, shot glass, etc.)
Before You Brew: Choose Your Ratio
Espresso is brewed with much less water than other methods, which is what makes it so concentrated. The number on the left is your dry coffee (in), the number on the right is your liquid espresso (out).
| Ratio | 18g in | 20g in |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1.8 (very concentrated) | 32g out | 36g out |
| 1:2 (recommended start) | 36g out | 40g out |
| 1:2.5 | 45g out | 50g out |
| 1:3 (lighter, more volume) | 54g out | 60g out |
Not sure where to start? Try 1:2 — it's the most common starting point and gives you room to adjust in either direction.
A note on baskets: Most home and café setups use a 18g or 21g basket. If yours is smaller, it's likely designed for a single shot.
Brew Steps
Before you start: Make sure your machine is fully warmed up.
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Dose your coffee. Using a 21g basket, grind and weigh 20g of coffee into the portafilter. (This is your "in" weight.)
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Tamp evenly. Press the grounds down with a flat, level tamp. An even surface is key to even extraction.
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Purge the group head. Run a quick burst of water through the group head before locking in the portafilter. This clears any old grounds and stabilizes temperature.
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Set up your scale. Place your vessel on the scale under the portafilter and tare to zero.
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Pull the shot and start your timer. Watch both the time and the weight on your scale.
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Stop at your target output weight — for a 1:2 ratio with 20g in, stop at around 37–40g out. Stopping just before the number (at 37g) accounts for a little drip after you cut the flow.
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Check your time. A well-dialed shot should finish between 26 and 32 seconds. If you're outside that window, see the troubleshooting section below.
Troubleshooting
Shot pulled too fast (under 26 seconds)? → Grind finer to slow it down.
Shot pulled too slow (over 32 seconds)? → Grind coarser to speed it up.
Tastes sour or sharp? → Under-extracted. Grind finer to increase brew time.
Tastes dry or bitter? → Over-extracted. Grind coarser to decrease brew time.
Tastes watery? → Decrease your ratio (use less water out).
Tastes too dense or intense? → Increase your ratio (use more water out).
A Few Important Notes on Dialing In
- After any grind adjustment, purge 1–3 shots before pulling one to evaluate. Depending on your grinder, it can take a shot or two for the change to actually show up in your cup.
- Start in the middle and move one variable at a time. Changing grind size and ratio simultaneously makes it hard to know what's working.
- It takes time, and that's normal. Every coffee is a little different, and dialing in is a skill that builds with repetition. Don't get discouraged — each shot teaches you something.
All of Kuma's current coffees pull well as espresso. The Classic Blend is a popular choice, but brew with whatever you love most.
