What is the ideal espresso?
For me, the ideal espresso is a double ristretto shot. This is literally a “ristricted” shot. You should also grind a bit finer than normal espresso so you still end up with a 30 second shot, but about 2/3rds to half the total brew volume that you get with normal espresso. Use roughly 16 grams of finely ground coffee, tamp and shape your puck well with about 30lbs of tamping pressure, lock and load the portafilter, and run the switch for about 30 seconds. Your goal is about 1.5 ounces total volume for the double in that time. These are tricky shots to pull off. You grind so fine that you walk a tightrope between pulling a perfect shot, and stalling (or choking) your machine – a phenomenon where no brewed coffee comes out of the portafilter after you activate the pump. But when you achieve a great ristretto, there’s nothing else like it.
