In Italy, the figure of the barista is often represented by improvised operators, without any training, ignoring that the work of a barista requires experience, technical skills, knowledge in the management, control and ordinary maintenance of products and equipment necessary for the preparation of espresso.
Today we will talk about the fundamental steps to obtain a "perfect espresso" in the cup.
THE BLEND
Choosing a high-quality blend is fundamental, but it is not enough to obtain an excellent espresso. In fact, the blend would be ruined during extraction if there were shortcomings in the subsequent stages.
A good coffee blend must, however, have a rich aromatic complexity, a beautiful crema, a full body, and a long and pleasant persistence on the palate.
GRINDING
The grinding phase is a very delicate one, varying according to climatic conditions and, of course, the chosen blend. It may even need to be changed several times in a working day.
When choosing the grind, it is important to adjust it to the dosage, especially if you have an on-demand grinder. For example, if you make the grind finer, the time required to grind the dose increases.
DOSAGE
This also depends on the type of blend and the roasting curve used by your trusted roaster. Lighter roasts, to develop the complex aromas, require even 8g, while for more intense roasts (used especially in industries that tend to cover the merits and defects of coffees), 7g may be enough.
LEVELING AND TAMPERING
Before tamping, proper distribution of the ground coffee is essential. Having a coffee puck with a homogeneous density is the first step to avoid the "Channelling" phenomenon, meaning that water finds preferential paths in our coffee puck and does not correctly extract all soluble components.
To level the coffee, we can:
- Lightly tap the portafilter on the grinder forks
- Give small taps with your hand
- Use your fingers in 4 simple movements (right, left, up, down)
In the effective English expression: tap, tamp and twist.
Only then perform a correct tamping of the ground coffee placed in the filter (15-24kg).
EXTRACTION
At the moment of extracting the coffee, sight instantly indicates whether it has been perfectly extracted "like a rat's tail" with a volume of about 30 cc in 25/30 seconds.
After extraction, the hazelnut color of the crema is highlighted by the white of the porcelain cup.
Happy coffee to all coffee lovers!
