Extraction There are specifically defined parameters for the preparation of the ideal espresso, which forms the basis for nearly all coffee specialties and recipes. These parameters must be in balance with each other in order to extract the best from the coffee — not too many sub- stances, and not too few either. Consistency and control are key. On the one hand, you should aim for an extraction time of around 20-30 seconds, depending on the variety of coffee. This is easy to master even without resorting to a stop- watch, as the optimal flow speed renders the espresso slow and creamy, and allows it to run evenly into the glass or cup On the other hand, coffee machines and grind- ers have to be adjusted properly according to the kind of coffee being prepared, The grind and contact pressure, among other things, determine the extraction time, and therefore to a great extent the taste of the coffee. A few seconds of pre-infusion have a positive effect on the extraction. Furthermore, water pressure and temperature also play a decisive role. Ifthe machine is set a couple of degrees too hot, the coffee will taste bitter and sometimes burned. If the tempera- ture is too low, the coffee, depending on the variety, will be light and maybe even tart. Lower pump pressure can result in a softer and smoother taste. A typical and very significant characteristic pointer to the quality of an espresso is its crema. For a time, it protects the coffee aromas. Depending on the blend and roast colour, it should have a lovely medium brown colour and should close up again after stirring. It should also last at least two, and in some cases up to four, minutes and be between two and four millimetres thick. 125 Dn Om Amount of coffee Grind Compression of the cof (contact pressure) Form of the cake of coffee Water quality Water temperature Water pressure Moistening of the cake of coffee Extraction time (time of contact between water and coffee) Cleantiness of the machine sting the cr Hold the cup slightly tilted or swirl its contents. The surface of the crema should remain closed and creamy. You should also be able t0 draw a narrow line in the crema using the handle of the spoon: the crema should close up again very quickly,Perfect extraction: The stream runs straight out, smooth and creamy, from the spout.Perfect extraction aE ; yrs - ad seconds 16 seconds a a: = 26 seconds = Guinness effec seconds of extraction — the espresso is creamy as it runs into the glass until it is full, then the “Guinness effect” begins to take place, where the foamy mass slowly turns to liquid from the bottom up. Checklist for the perfect espresso: @ 25-35ml water @ Temperature 88-94 °C (190-201°F) @ Around 9 bar pump pressure (permissible range of 8-10 bar) @ Atleast 7 grams of fresh coffee @ Extraction time of about 20-30 seconds (depending on the coffee variety) @ Compression pressure with the tamper 15-20 kilograms (33-44 Ibs) 127Under-extraction: The stream runs out too quickly in waves and is watery.Under-extraction vi CM Ficconds wy 9 seconds seconds of extraction ~ the water literally shoots into the glass. The extraction is already over after 12 seconds without leaving behind much taste or aroma, Under-extraction does not give a satisfactory result The important substances in the coffee have been insufficiently extracted. The crema is light in colour and thin, and the coffee tastes flat. Possible reasons: na “) Result: @ Water temperature too low The crema is too light and @ rot enough water pressure (under g bars), vanishes quickly. The body is : rather watery, the aromas are too stunted and not fully developed; the aftertaste is short. @ contact time not long enough - because of insufficient coffee grounds - and/or too coarsely ground - and/or too loosely tamped 129Over-extraction The water runs through too slowly, and the stream can even be interrupted.Over-extraction I Te seconds $0 seconds t seconds of extraction — in the beginning the espresso runs out very hesitantly, and the stream remains thin. There is no nice “Guinness effect”. The espresso is already over-extracted when 30 ml are finally in the glass Too many substances have been extracted from the coffee in over-extraction. Un- desirable ingredients, such as bitter substances or tannic acid are present in the coffee. Possible reasons: Result: @ Temperature too high The crema is dark brown, irregular, mixed with lighter patches and shows air O coriesause too kage an amount of | bubbles. The coffe tastes 8 bitter and slightly burned. coffee grounds - and/or too finely ground - and/or too compactly tamped @ Pump pressure too high 131When water is pressed through ground coffee under about 9 bars of pressure it is saturated with the carbon dioxide present in the ground coffee. This results in small, fine bubbles. In other words, the crema is made up of oils, proteins and carbon dioxide. A hydrophobic molecule by the name of melanoidin covers the air bubbles, making them stronger and more elastic. For those wanting to know more: melanoidin occurs through the Maillard reaction, which takes place when the beans are roasted and acquire their brown colour. This is not to be confused with the caramelization of the sugars, which happens at the same time. The crema protects the espresso’s aromas for a short time, However, soon after, the solution changes. The oils come to the surface and exert more pressure on the bubbles, which succumb to the pressure of the carbon dioxide and burst. The crema then vanishes. Although it is so important for preserving the aromas, it must be objectively admitted that the crema itself has a rather bitter taste. If the crema is scooped off Lefore drinking, a purer espresso is produced, albeit with less body. The crema also provides clues about the freshness of the roasting, though only as compared to similar blends. The older a coffee is, the less crema is produced, as the carbon dioxide has escaped, along with a number of the substances that provide the aroma. Robusta varieties produce more crema than most Arabica varieties, which is why Robusta beans are often mixed in to make coffee blends. However, there are various hinds of crema in Arabica varieties as well. Is depends on how much carbon dioxide the molecular structure of the beans can absorb and what oils they contain The three stages of espresso - and beyond Dividing 30 ml of espresso in thirds shows Afier that, nothing of further value will come that most of the soluble substances emerge out: hardly any taste, but certainly bitter at the start, and taper off toward the end. substances. For this reason, a very long Those who don’t like the light, watery liquid _—_Iungo is diluted with extra hot water and the can drink the initial two-thirds — that is coffee cannot be extracted for any extra then a ristretto. time. 132N DP NAAR W DN Tips for making the perfect espresso If the coffee runs out too quickly, the grounds must be made finer. In some circum: stances, it is possible that there is not enough coffee in the filter. If it still tastes bitter, it was ground too finely. It is better to use more coarsely ground coffee. If it tastes too light, you can grind the coffee more finely and extract it for longer. Please note: a serving-size grinder that operates on a timer will process the best coffee in the same period of time if the grind is set finer. In order to obtain the same amount of ground coffee at a finer setting, the runtime of the grinder must also be adjusted, i.e. extended. If the coffee runs out too slowly, the first suggestion is to grind the coffee more coarsely. It is also possible that the cause is too much coffee in the filter or that the contact pressure is too high. This happens rather infrequently in restaurants, but overzealous home baristas may run this risk — so don’t automatically adjust the grinder, check all the parameters first. If the extraction time is correct, but the coffee still tastes light and sour, or if you have the feeling that additional nuances could still be coaxed from the coffee, it is safe to assume that the amount of coffee and the grinds are correct. So you can adjust the temperature, as it is possible to increase quality by raising it. It is worth raising it by 2°C (36°F) (0.1-0.2 bars higher via the pressostat or on the display). If the coffee runs out correctly, but still tastes bitter and takes on a dark, burned edge, the temperature is probably too high. The pump pressure is also a decisive factor in determining the quality of the espresso. However, in the vast majority of cases, around g bars is the best setting. For coffee that has been subject to temperature fluctuations and has lost freshness in storage — which changes the fatty acids — a slight increase in water pressure can help coax more flavour from it. It makes sense to lower the pump pressure if the coffee machine is constantly overheating, when it is not in constant use and the water remaining in machine is causing the next lot of coffee to be over extracted due to excessive temperatures. In this case, adjust the machine to 8 bars in order to balance out the higher temperature with less pressure during extraction. This is also a necessary step in restaurants. Here, although the water should be released prior to brewing, this is not always possible (for example due to a locking device on the beverage dispensing equipment). Therefore it is better to adjust the machine to 8 bars. A lower pump pressure also makes harsher coffees smoother. ‘As a number of parameters are responsible for producing a good espresso, an open- minded approach to making it is certainly the best way to achieve a good result. This makes interest and curiosity on the part of the barista a must, together with, of course, knowledge of what is to be adjusted, when and why. 133The correct procedure Before the portafilter with the tamped coffee grounds is clamped into the brewing module, it should be flushed. This means releasing hot water for about two seconds to remove the remains of any previous coffee from the basket. Flushing is also necessary to release water from a brewing module that has become too hot Then the portafilter is clamped in and extraction is begun immediately so that the coffee grounds are not subjected to heat for too long and burned. Just as the pump is building up pressure, the warmed cups should be placed beneath the spouts. Then clamp th rtafilter into the module —— for the cups quickly. Turning the handles to Place the cups beneath the portafilter, ir o'clock and ten o’cloc makes ping them easier. 134Why pre-infusion? Cen eee Er ae ecm) the coffee grounds. The grounds are then mois tened, allowed to swell, Coeur cana cnet is Te Ue UO Pen mice ae times this was done because Coca enar: Sota ed machines. The piston was eT Ma Ua PUI mC) -Ca a a valve in order to allow a certain amount of water into Patol CLA Lo SAT coffee. When released the piston was pressed down ceca a ueie re ls Dae col me RoC Pee iie ate Teel tts down towards the end of extraction. As most of the EPL ae CMe Ca) emcee eee tan a Loe [rte Cod, ae MC eaten Perret Coenen ccicoaTy Pir MOM al ae os leg 135 aaaNaked, or bottomless, portafilter The naked portafilter has taken its place among the tools used by baristas. It oe Be ot CE ola ee oa Tee eS ol uae oe CCM Rel ace Ce ce Cee RoR Re cee Ca Rela) RMSE LE Bo Cue Rls dae ome eR LC eee eee caren aac If the portafilter is irregularly filled or if the coffee is not compressed correctly, the water makes its way through just a few channels, appropriately termed “channel- Tr aS eC ap A MUL CO A CoLey a ele ee La Cee R aU Recher ee URC Cn eles Ciera Or RR RL AL RR eT Relea elo} CO EU RU Reo RR Cr an rd TL If the coffee has been optimally ground and tamped, the water exits the filter in a Celeron e Mer ee A Le strongest in the centre of the filter, and the flow is continual. In addition to its instructional qualities, the naked portafilter also has a very pragmatic use: it allows you to make better single or double espressos as it generates more crema and Ce UN AEM tera CO A Me Cel COLE Cg Um cece Ce EV eee a eee URN ae et CU ee ei ceo rdbet Tae eae ae) DEL ecg Most of the substances in the coffee a Me aed phy the colour is dark and gradually WOT Tear alto) a gee a grounds too quickly and at times spits the coffee far away fiom the machine. Cee eee PN eee reer eee would be seen frequently in restau- rants — but even if closed portafilters CRT eg aaa aseOver-extraction a ee ee flowing through all of the pores of the Fae Ree oe Pn aie aed tightly. The water must first weave its way through the coffee — and that takes time. The entire coffee is also not evenly extracted just before the shot is finished,39 erat ee meta tit The water flows through on the right side first, where the coffee was not compressed as tightly. Where the coffee ae ea ea more time to flow through. The result is Ce Mert a ae eC oy ome overall extraction time may be within Cae ae em reed Ts ae ae eae ated by the colour.