Packing The Perfect Espresso Shot

You have already purchased a high end espresso machine that will allow you to change the brewtime duration. You are the proud owner of a burr grinder. You have five giant bags of different flavored Italian espresso roast just sitting in the kitchen, waiting for you to rip open the aroma. But you lack one thing, and that is the knowledge of how to use all of these tools to make the perfect espresso shot for your latté art. There is still much to learn about this delicate process. Even the most seasoned of professionals still has to work out her coffee kinks. So let's get started by learning how to pack the perfect espresso shot!

Remember that all of the espresso you use to pack your first espresso shot will need to be finely ground. That's why you just purchased the fancy burr grinder on your kitchen countertop. Always brew freshly ground espresso. There really is no point in purchasing a high quality roast if you don't plan on grinding it up every time you make an espresso shot. It's actually quite scientific. The more surface area of coffee bean that is exposed to the surrounding air, the more flavor that gets lost as a function of time. Keep your coffee in the freezer and grind it just before using it to maximize your coffee's flavor and texture.

We exercise caution in introducing yet another variable into your espresso making equation. Interestingly enough, there is such a thing as grinding your espresso too finely. Your burr grinder will have many settings for coffee, and espresso is one of them. Your grinder will not necessarily get it right all of the time. Sometimes they are just slightly off and you have to make modifications to the grind time to get what you are looking for. The espresso coming out of the grinder should be similar in appearance to granulated sugar. Ratchet your machine up or down until it is.

With some perfectly ground espresso sitting in a container, you can begin to pack your espresso machine's portafilter. The portafiler, in layman's terms, is the thingy with the handle that you put the coffee into and that the machine runs the water through to give you your espresso. Most portafilters have some kind of engraved metal line, or level, that indicates how much espresso amounts to a double shot. If you are unsure, you can directly measure how much you put in. This should amount to about sixteen grams of ground espresso.

Your espresso machine also probably came with this thing that looks like a big heavy metal stamp with a flat circle on the bottom. We like to call it the tamper. After you put the espresso in the portafilter, you will want to make the espresso even and flat on the surface. This ensures that the water from the espresso machine will travel in a uniform direction throughout the espresso shot. That's basically a really nerdy way of saying a nice packing job will keep your espresso shot consistent.

Once the surface of the espresso shot is nice and even, use the tamper to press down with about 30 pounds of force. If you don't do this on a level surface, the consequences could be disastrous. Always check for evenness after you are done with this step.

As a final measure of prudence, a good clockwise 720 degree twist of the tamper will help to make your packed shot even more level. For those who are less mathematically inclined, 720 degrees is equal to two full clockwise spins. Do these and then gently pull your tamper away from what should be the best espresso shot (if not the only one) you have ever created in your life. In the next edition, we'll tell you what to do with that shot and why all of the other variables in this complex coffee creation system are just as important. Stay tuned!

Learn more about making Latte Art in our Latte Art How To!