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James Hoffmann

The reference shot: 1:2 in 25 to 30 seconds. The starting point for dialling in any coffee.

Sweet zone
Yield
36 g
↕ drag to adjust · 24–54 g
✓ in the sweet zone
Coffee 18g
Ratio 1:2
Temperature 93°C
Roast Medium – Dark
Grind Fine
X-RayThe method's parts and what to do before you start.
Espresso bench
shelf.coffee · X-Ray

Loading the brew station…

Select a part to learn what it does

Machine

Heats the water to {temperature} and pushes it through the coffee puck under pressure, around 9 bar.

Turn the machine on early: the group and the portafilter need to be hot.

Steps · 3
01 Pre-infusion 0:06
02 First half — 18 g 0:18
03 Close the shot — 36 g 0:28
Glossary 5
Portafilter
The handle with a perforated basket where ground coffee is dosed and compacted before locking into the espresso machine group. Basket size (15 g, 18 g, 20 g) is what sets the dose of a recipe.
Tamping
Compressing the coffee in the basket with a metal disc to form an even puck. Level matters, force does not: past ~15 kg extra pressure changes nothing in the extraction.
WDT
Weiss Distribution Technique: stirring the grounds in the basket with fine needles before tamping to break up clumps. It is the most effective defence against channeling in espresso.
Crema
Golden foam that forms on top of pressure-brewed coffee (espresso, moka pot). Comes from fresh-coffee gases emulsified with oils. Stale coffee won't produce crema.
Channeling
When water finds a preferred path through the coffee bed and skips the rest. Causes underextraction and weak/sour taste. A level bed and gentle pours prevent it.