Brew guide · 7 min read
Espresso, without the guesswork.
Three numbers control everything: how much coffee goes in, how much liquid comes out, and how long it takes. Get those right and the machine matters far less than people tell you.
18g in, 36g out, in 28 seconds. Grind fine enough that it takes that long. If it runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it drips slowly and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Change one thing at a time.
The starting recipe
18g : 36g · 28s · 93°CReading a shot by taste
Forget crema. Crema tells you the coffee is fresh and possibly that it contains robusta. It tells you nothing about whether the shot is good. Taste is the instrument.
| It tastes | That means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Sour, sharp, thin, salty | Under-extracted | Grind finer. Or raise the dose slightly. Or pull a longer shot. |
| Bitter, hollow, drying, ashy | Over-extracted | Grind coarser. Or shorten the shot. Or lower the temperature. |
| Both at once | Channelling — water is finding a crack | Fix distribution and tamping before touching the grind. |
| Flat and dull | Stale coffee, or badly filtered water | Check the roast date. Then check your water. |
| Sweet, syrupy, balanced | You have it | Write down the numbers. |
Water, and why Delhi is hard mode
Espresso is 90% water and most Indian tap water is between 300 and 500 ppm total dissolved solids. That is roughly three to five times what you want. High-mineral water mutes acidity, flattens sweetness, and scales your boiler until the machine dies early.
A simple RO filter over-corrects — water with almost no minerals extracts badly and tastes hollow. The practical fix for most home setups is RO water with a remineralisation stage, or an RO-and-tap blend, aiming for roughly 75–150 ppm. If you run a café, this is not optional; it is the cheapest quality upgrade available to you.
Resting
Freshly roasted coffee is full of carbon dioxide, which makes espresso gush, foam and taste unstable. For espresso, wait 7 to 14 days from the roast date. Darker roasts settle faster; light roasts sometimes need three weeks. Every BROOT bag carries the roast date so you can actually plan this.
Adjusting the ratio
1:2 (18g in, 36g out) is the default because it works. Two useful variations:
- Ristretto, around 1:1.5. Shorter, sweeter, heavier. Good for dark roasts and for cutting through a lot of milk.
- Lungo, around 1:3. Longer, brighter, more delicate. Good for light single origins you want to drink black.
Questions
Espresso, answered.
What is the correct espresso ratio?
1:2 is the standard starting point — 18g of coffee producing 36g of liquid espresso in around 28 seconds. Shorter ratios such as 1:1.5 give a sweeter, heavier shot; longer ratios such as 1:3 give a brighter, more delicate one.
Why is my espresso sour?
Sourness means under-extraction. The most likely cause is a grind that is too coarse, so water passes through too quickly. Grind finer until the shot takes closer to 28 seconds. Coffee that is too fresh — under about five days from roast — can also taste sour and unstable.
How long should coffee rest before pulling espresso?
Seven to fourteen days from the roast date for most coffees. Very light roasts sometimes need up to three weeks. Coffee pulled on day one or two will gush and taste gassy.
Do I need a separate espresso grinder?
Yes, more than you need a better machine. Espresso demands very fine, very even grinding with fine adjustment steps. A grinder built for filter coffee usually cannot go fine enough, and a blade grinder cannot make espresso at all.
Which BROOT coffee should I use for espresso?
Start with a house blend such as HOUSE NO. 02 or a darker roast like DARK MATTER — both are forgiving and hold up in milk. Once you are dialling in confidently, single origins are where espresso gets interesting.