Espresso, the smooth, aromatic coffee beverage beloved by so many, can easily be ruined by improperly grinding the espresso beans. If your espresso tastes stale, bitter, weak or too acidic, bad grinding might just be to blame. Doing it right is well worth the extra effort.
Instructions
1. Use only fresh espresso beans. Espresso beans look darker and shinier than coffee beans due to the differences in the roasting process. Too light or too dark indicates a poorly roasted bean. The aromatic oils immediately begin to oxidize and break down the moment that they are exposed to air, so it is vital to grind espresso beans as necessary throughout the day instead of grinding a bunch of beans all at once to avoid making espresso that tastes stale and flat.
2. Adjust the grind setting before you begin. Espresso is finely ground and the grind has an immediate effect on how the espresso will taste. Set the grinder to "fine" and do a test run to check the grind. It should have a texture finer than coffee but coarser than a powder for the proper effect. You won't see little shiny flecks of the bean material in espresso beans that are properly ground.
3. Start grinding and place the portafilter or espresso basket directly under the grinder. If the grinder has an automatic off function, then it should fill to the proper amount. If it doesn't, let the espresso fill up to the top of the portafilter in a rounded mound shape.
4. Level off the ground espresso in the portafilter or basket using your fingers or a flat object. Now, carefully remove any excess coffee grounds that may have stuck to the rim or sides of the basket to prevent these grounds from sticking to the espresso machine before your tamp the grounds and start making the espresso shot.
Tags: espresso beans, making espresso, tastes stale, than coffee
