DOSING PROPERLY AND ADJUSTING YOUR GRIND, WILL CONTROL THE SPEED AND FLOW RATE OF EACH SHOT THAT IS PULLED. THE GRIND CAN BE MADE COARSER OR FINER TO OBTAIN THE DESIRED EXTRACTION.
WEIGHING OUT EACH SHOT FROM 19-21G IS KEY IN PRODUCING THE MOST CONSISTENT AND BEST TASTING ESPRESSO.
TAMPING – LOOSE ESPRESSO MUST FIRST BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED BY HAND PRIOR TO TAMPING. TAMPING WITH A FIRM PUSH WILL EVENLY PACK THE FILTER BASKET TO CONTROL THE FLOW RATE AND COMPLETE SATURATION OF THE ESPRESSO DURING THE EXTRACTION. EVERYONE’S TAMP WILL VARY BUT 20 TO 30 POUNDS OF PRESSURE IS COMMONLY PRACTICED.
SHOT BEING PULLED – AS WATER AND PRESSURE ARE APPLIED TO THE SHOT THE EXTRACTION WILL BEGIN. A SLOW AND STEADY SHOT LASTING NO LONGER THAN 30 SECONDS IS KEY, AND THE BARISTA CAN WATCH FOR AN EVEN COLOR, AND END THE EXTRACTION PRIOR TO ANY WHITE / YELLOW DISCOLORATION.
MILK STEAMING – AERATION OF THE MILK WILL EFFECTIVELY DO 2 THINGS; HEATING UP THE MILK WILL BREAK DOWN THE PROTEINS AND CHANGE THE FLAVOR TO A DESIRED SWEETNESS, AS WELL AS CREATING THE APPROPRIATE TEXTURE FOR ESPRESSO BEVERAGES. A BUBBLE FREE, THICK WET PAINT TEXTURE IS THE DESIRE GOAL.
POURING MILK – A WELL POURED ESPRESSO DRINK IS AN INDICATOR THAT THE SHOT WAS EXTRACTED PROPERLY AND THAT THE MILK HAS BE AERATED WELL, SEAMLESSLY COMBINING THE TWO INGREDIENTS.
LATTE ART - A SKILLED BARISTA CAN PERSONALIZE EACH DRINK AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO POUR THE BASIC DESIGN. LATTE ART IS THE FINAL STEP AND ADDS CHARACTER / PRESENTATION TO A FINELY CRAFTED BEVERAGE.