Expresso. Volume vs weight.

[ShaverGN]

Hey, coffee gurus!

Equipped with a good grinder, I'm actually able to make half decent Expresso. Dialing 16 g of coffee to 25 seconds pull.

Here's my question. Do you strive for a specific volume (e.g. 2 oz for a double shot) or specific weigh (e.g. 1:2)?

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[Mick]

I use an automatic Pasquini so everything comes down to the tamp.

Grounds weight is consistent with the modified SJ

Single is 1oz

Double is 2oz

It is the tamp pressure that sets the pull time (for me anyway)

 

[danek]

Actually, I go by the flow and color of coffee coming from the portafilter. I am to the point where I have a good sense for the quality of the cup based upon the look of the coffee going into the cup. The beans vary so much from type of beans to depth of roast to age of bean that I need to vary the grind and tamp to get best results. I would guess that a full portafilter and a 25 second pull will give you a fine double shot.

 

[malocchio]

shaver,,,,What brand grinder did you buy ?..Does it grind for Turkish ?

 

[ShaverGN]

I bought Fiorenzato F4E nano V2. Don't know if it can do Turkish. But on the finer setting, it clogged my Wega machine.

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[kelbro]

Volume. The Aeropress dipper, beans leveled off, ground, and tamped fills my espresso filter holder perfectly.

 

[ruckin]

I am with Dane on this (I think). I can use weight or volume to know I am in the ballpark but I normally use the color of the pour to know when to stop the shot. I then use the time and taste to make small adjustments to the grinder. It is an iterative process and temperature, humidity and freshness of the beans seem to affect the grinder settings. I try to be consistent with my dose, distribution and tamping but I am sure those all vary based on how much I am paying attention at that particular moment.

Ruckin

 

[takeshi]

Expresso

Please don't spell it with an X.

 

[ShaverGN]

Please don't spell it with an X.

Google voice typing strikes again.
Will be more careful.

 

[Mick]

Google voice typing strikes again.
Will be more careful.

Pronounce it "ess presso" to solve that problem

 

[Trenchdigger]

Not sure if the below is valid for this discussion, as I don't have a true espresso machine.

I use a Bialetti Brikka stovetop coffee maker, the "2 cup" size. The way I use it, I get one 2oz shot of coffee per batch. I go by volume, using a 1:1 ratio of whole beans to 2oz shot. In fact, my shot glass doubles as the coffee bean scoop.

An interesting reference for me: I have been using the "Mini Presso" lately... which seems to be about a 1:4 ratio of volume for a 2oz shot. It tastes good, but feels a bit watered down for my preference.

It just occurred to me ... the grind would affect the weight, right? A coarser grind would give less weight by volume, I think, if we don't consider tamping.

 

[danek]

It just occurred to me ... the grind would affect the weight, right? A coarser grind would give less weight by volume, I think, if we don't consider tamping.

If you start with a shot glass full of whole beans to grind (say 60 whole beans), there're going to weigh the same; whole, course, fine, regardless. Now, a glass full of finely ground coffee will weigh more than the same glass of courser or even whole beans.

 

[ShaverGN]

To clarify, the question was about the weight of the final product (espresso shot). Depending on the amount of crema, the same volume might have different weight.

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[Trenchdigger]

Now, a glass full of finely ground coffee will weigh more than the same glass of courser or even whole beans.

Yes, this is what I was getting at. Thanks!

To clarify, the question was about the weight of the final product (espresso shot). Depending on the amount of crema, the same volume might have different weight.

For the final product I like to have a full 2oz cup, all in. If I don't get the full 2oz, I punish myself by having another shot.

 

[Doc4]

Please don't spell it with an X.

Google voice typing strikes again.
Will be more careful.

Pronounce it "ess presso" to solve that problem

Just be sure to have some non-dairy whipped topping on it.

 

[StillShaving]

While using a Rok/Presso I pay no attention to the weight of resulting shot, but I do keep a close eye on the rate of volume change and color changes as the shot is progressing and change my pressure accordingly so that the shot does not finish too quickly or run too long. I do not do any of those with exact precision and if I have taken care to dose the coffee properly it more or less happens naturally without much thought.

 

[Merle]

ah humm.. ah... oh well, I use weight for the dose for me I'm filling my Breville 920xl's 2 shot with about 19.6 to 20 grams depending on grind.... grind & tamp which are for time generally 28 seconds after infusion to fill volume to 30 milliliters. All this at a controlled pressure: stable 9 Bar pull.

 

[Merle]

I'm sorry I need to make a correction, volume would be about 60 to 70 ml as measured on a rattleware shot glass for a double. I fear I've been doing the same motions for so long there are some holes in my specifics memory. /sigh

 

[Ockham's brush]

Actually, I go by the flow and color of coffee coming from the portafilter. I am to the point where I have a good sense for the quality of the cup based upon the look of the coffee going into the cup. The beans vary so much from type of beans to depth of roast to age of bean that I need to vary the grind and tamp to get best results. I would guess that a full portafilter and a 25 second pull will give you a fine double shot.

This!

Too many variables from beans to machine, etc. etc.

One of my friends would tamp the ever living crap out of it, thinking he was making some super strong stuff. Reality was that his crappy machine would shoot water through one little spot of the grind, and it would come out weak and then he would dump out the dry grind and start all over again.

 

[LoveTheSlant]

It's all experimentation. Beans will vary. And the same beans will vary day to day depending on weather etc. I have a Baratza Vario (not the w) and I generally set the grind based on grind time resulting from experimentation. I find the right grind, then I determine the amount of grind time needed to fill the portafilter to the appropriate amount. Then day to day I will slightly vary the grind to the optimal 25 second shot. A rainy Monday will require a slightly different grind than a sunny Tuesday. I can't do the visual from the beans themselves but I can from the stream as the shot is pulled. The espresso should be syrup like in consistency and sugar should float on the crema.