I'm pretty good at consistently banging out shots that are nearly entirely thick & rich tiger-striped crema. Thought it took about 3 months of daily practice to hone in on the right grind & tamp pressure settings.
It's all up to the quality of the beans & roast. I'm pretty picky about my beans these days. I've got about four specialty roasters from whom I order beans; Northwest Coffee Roasting and Kaldi Coffee Company from St. Louis, MO, Metropolis Coffee Roasting from Chicago, IL, or Kind Coffee in Estes Park, CO. All four offer, IMHO, exquisite and flavorful beans roasted absolutely perfectly at reasonable prices.
Thanks Peter.
Have any tips to share for pulling a consistent shot? I’m just learning and my shots are all over the board. I am using between 16-18 grams of coffee, attempting to use 30 pounds of tamping pressure and shooting for 30 seconds to get a 2.5 oz double, which includes the cap of crema.
I had a hell of time with the tamp. I ended up buying one of those tamping mats that clicks when you reach your adjust pressure. I had to take the silly thing to the gym and use dumbbells to set it for 30 pounds, but it does help some. I still manage to screw up the tamps though….
I’ll have to try your sources of beans. Any particular roasts I should try first? I’m really not sure exactly what characteristics I prefer yet. My morning drink is a 16 oz latte. Two double shots of espresso and some combination of flavoring. I usually throw a scoop of white chocolate powder in. On my days off or evenings, I drink latte’s without any flavoring or just straight espresso. The one thing I do not like, is a bitter finish.
You tea toddling, crumpet munching, doily making sissies start your own thread…. .
