Espresso brewing knowledge base
Espresso brewing with a portafilter
I have owned a portafilter espresso machine ECM Classika I from the company ECM for some time now. Since the process of making a good espresso with different variations of roasted beans (from light roasted fruity beans up to dark roasted chocolatey tasting ones) is quite difficult, I want to write down my learnings and experiences. First of all, the most important thing in espresso brewing is the grinder. If you bought yourself an expensive portafilter and a cheap bean grinder, you made a big mistake. The grinder itself is more important than the machine, since it is necessary to obtain a steady output of coffee powder with a consistent grain size. I am using a single-dosing grinder g-iota DF64v. It does not contain a bean container and converts almost the complete bean volume to ground coffee. Apart from that, the brewing recipes are really important and depend on the roasted beans. Below I will write down some typical brewing recipes.
Brewing recipes
Depending on the type of beans the brewing recipe can vary a lot.
| Roast Level | Dose (in) | Yield (out) | Ratio | Time | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark | 18g | 36g | 1:2 | 25-30s | 90-93°C | Classic Italian style, chocolate/nutty notes |
| Medium | 18g | 36-40g | 1:2 - 1:2.2 | 25-30s | 93-94°C | Balanced acidity and sweetness |
| Light | 18-20g | 40-50g | 1:2.2 - 1:2.5 | 30-40s | 94-96°C | Higher yield to extract fruity/floral flavors, often requires finer grind |