We are huge fans of espresso here at R+G. Besides delicious, and frequently mispronounced, what is espresso exactly? Yes es-press-o – there’s no x in espresso! There are no shortages of rabbit holes we could dive into with the topic of espresso but for today we’ll keep it to an introduction of the fundamentals.

Espresso is a small, made to order beverage produced by the percolation of pressurized hot water through a tightly packed bed of finely ground coffee. The water erodes solids and oils from the surfaces of the coffee particles as it flows through the coffee bed and deposits the solids and oils in the cup. Here at R+G it is the building blocks to many of your beloved specialty drinks.

A shot of espresso can mean something a little different from barista to barista, country to country. A widely accepted range of the parameters for brewing espresso are as follows:

> Brew Ratio – 6.5-20 grams grounds to 21 – 42ml of water
> Extraction Pressure – 8-9 bar
> Extraction Time 20 – 35 seconds
> Temperature 185F-204F

“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”, the same is true for espresso. The process is just as important as the components.

For best results use:

> Freshly roasted beans
> Ground consistent + free of clumps
> Level distribution
> Tamp with enough pressure to eliminate void spaces within the coffee bed
> Brew with quality water

The next time you’re enjoying your americano, cappuccino or latte you’ll know that a whole-heckin-lot of energy, precision + heart make up the foundation of your coffee.