Preparing the perfect espresso, cappuccino or latte is a true art. It is not for nothing that an Italian barista completes a three-year apprenticeship. It takes a lot of feeling to correctly set all the factors, such as the water temperature, coffee beans brewing degree or brewing time. Therefore, the best tip is always practicing, practicing, practicing. However, there are a few tricks and tricks to help with the perfect preparation.
What you should pay attention to when preparing for a perfect espresso
The first step in the preparation is choosing the right coffee beans. It does not necessarily have to be Arabica beans. As these grow more slowly, Arabica beans are usually much more expensive. For example, instead of 100% Arabica, you can also choose a mixture with Robusta beans. In any case, you should store the coffee properly. To preserve the taste of the beans, they should be stored in a cool, dry and protected from light and air. Ideally suited for this are the classic tin cans. It is also recommended to grind coffee beans just before use, as ground coffee loses its aroma more quickly. For this reason, the reservoir of the coffee maker should never be completely filled. Since these containers are made of plastic, the aroma is lost far too quickly. An essential factor for a good espresso is the right degree of grinding. If you grind the beans too finely, this leads to a flooding of the coffee, whereby this is not completely moistened. In addition, fully automatic machines threaten to clog with finely ground coffee. The correct grinding degree can only be found by extensive testing. However, you should bear in mind that with fully automatic machines up to three portions are in the pantry. Thus, a change in the degree of grinding affects only delayed. However, you should bear in mind that with fully automatic machines up to three portions are in the pantry. Thus, a change in the degree of grinding affects only delayed. However, you should bear in mind that with fully automatic machines up to three portions are in the pantry. Thus, a change in the degree of grinding affects only delayed.
What else is important
There are other factors that affect the quality of the espresso. These include in particular the brewing time and the brewing temperature. During the brewing season, the motto is “less is more”. If possible, the coffee should only come into contact with the hot water for a very short time. If you choose too long a brewing time, the aromas dissolve too quickly and acids and bitter substances form. However, you only have a real influence on the brewing time with hand lever machines as well as with the classic manual filter preparation. However, in the meantime you can also influence the extraction time on some coffee and espresso machines. For the right brewing temperature, the rule of thumb is that the water should be just before cooking. Ideally, the temperature is between 91 and 95 degrees Celsius. A special feature of the perfect espresso is the crema. This is the foam on the surface, which is formed by oils and other ingredients of the beans. Perfect is the crema, if it has a golden brown color and is of irregular structure. If the crema turns out rather dark brown, this is a sign of too high a brewing temperature. A gray color, on the other hand, indicates a poor quality of the beans.
Practice creates masters
As you can see, making a perfect espresso is really a small art. If you have practiced for a certain amount of time, you will gradually gain the necessary sensitivity for proper preparation. As for the different coffees and the individual settings, you should experiment a bit. After all, the tastes of a good espresso are also different. In addition, the result may differ depending on the machine used. Above all, it is important that you are satisfied with the result achieved.