The more I geek out about coffee, the less I seem to actually enjoy drinking it.
It is a strange paradox.
I have had a home espresso machine for over a year now. By this point, my routine is set in stone. I pull three double shots every single day.
The first shot: 15 minutes after I wake up and down my first glass of water.
The second shot: Right after breakfast (which changes depending on the season).
The third shot: The afternoon pick-me-up, usually between 2:00 and 3:00 pm.
I have enjoyed this ritual immensely. Making espresso at home is a total banger of a deal. However, I quickly learned that coffee is a rabbit hole. You can totally nerd out and spend an almost infinite amount of money on gear.
I am careful about those things. To keep my adventures controlled (and within budget), I started with a modest Wirsh Espresso machine. It only cost about $110 USD. I didn’t go crazy with accessories, either. I grabbed a heavy tamper, a cheap $6 digital scale, and a couple of nice cups.
Most importantly, I bought a decent coffee bean grinder that gave me control over how fine or coarse I needed to grind. With that setup, I was off to the races.
The 51mm Limitation
My Wirsh machine uses a 51mm portafilter. With time, I learned that this size is distinct from the pro or semi-pro machines, which usually rock a 58mm standard. While the 58mm baskets allow for a wider puck, they require you to build pressure differently. I found that the smaller 51mm size is actually cheaper to manufacture and slightly more forgiving for a beginner home barista.
My learning curve involved playing around with grinding settings, ratios, and puck prep until I finally figured out the beans I liked and how to get the best taste.
The Ratio Trap
Recently, I decided to re-examine my process to see if I could learn a new trick or two. I told myself: Let’s hone in on the output ratios and see if I can make my coffee stand out a little more.
That is where the trouble started.
The first problem is that I don’t have a high-end, micro-gram measuring scale. When you are dealing with espresso, precision matters.
The second problem is the hardware. With a 51mm portafilter, I can squeeze in a maximum of 13 grams of coffee grounds. If I go overboard and touch 14 or 15 grams, the machine chokes and ruins the extraction.
This brings me to the math. If I use 13 grams of coffee at a strict 1:2 espresso ratio, I am supposed to get only 26 grams of liquid output.
That is nothing. It is hardly two sips.
Yes, I can tell that the concentration of the coffee is getting better, and the flavor profile is more distinct, but I can’t get enough of it. It is really messing with the experience I used to have.
Before I started bothering with the math, I enjoyed the silky crema and the beautiful warm tones of a larger cup of coffee. But I seem to have lost that joy recently because I got caught in the ratios.
Espresso is just such a weird thing sometimes. It is nerdy, artsy, techie, frustrating, and rewarding all at once. It is challenging, yet still so simple.
Just like life.
I have had a home espresso machine for over a year now. By this point, my routine is set in stone. I pull three double shots every single day.
The first shot: 15 minutes after I wake up and down my first glass of water.
The second shot: Right after breakfast (which changes depending on the season).
The third shot: The afternoon pick-me-up, usually between 2:00 and 3:00 pm.
I have enjoyed this ritual immensely. Making espresso at home is a total banger of a deal. However, I quickly learned that coffee is a rabbit hole. You can totally nerd out and spend an almost infinite amount of money on gear.
I am careful about those things. To keep my adventures controlled (and within budget), I started with a modest Wirsh Espresso machine. It only cost about $110 USD. I didn’t go crazy with accessories, either. I grabbed a heavy tamper, a cheap $6 digital scale, and a couple of nice cups.
Most importantly, I bought a decent coffee bean grinder that gave me control over how fine or coarse I needed to grind. With that setup, I was off to the races.
The 51mm Limitation
My Wirsh machine uses a 51mm portafilter. With time, I learned that this size is distinct from the pro or semi-pro machines, which usually rock a 58mm standard. While the 58mm baskets allow for a wider puck, they require you to build pressure differently. I found that the smaller 51mm size is actually cheaper to manufacture and slightly more forgiving for a beginner home barista.
My learning curve involved playing around with grinding settings, ratios, and puck prep until I finally figured out the beans I liked and how to get the best taste.
The Ratio Trap
Recently, I decided to re-examine my process to see if I could learn a new trick or two. I told myself: Let’s hone in on the output ratios and see if I can make my coffee stand out a little more.
That is where the trouble started.
The first problem is that I don’t have a high-end, micro-gram measuring scale. When you are dealing with espresso, precision matters.
The second problem is the hardware. With a 51mm portafilter, I can squeeze in a maximum of 13 grams of coffee grounds. If I go overboard and touch 14 or 15 grams, the machine chokes and ruins the extraction.
This brings me to the math. If I use 13 grams of coffee at a strict 1:2 espresso ratio, I am supposed to get only 26 grams of liquid output.
That is nothing. It is hardly two sips.
Yes, I can tell that the concentration of the coffee is getting better, and the flavor profile is more distinct, but I can’t get enough of it. It is really messing with the experience I used to have.
Before I started bothering with the math, I enjoyed the silky crema and the beautiful warm tones of a larger cup of coffee. But I seem to have lost that joy recently because I got caught in the ratios.
Espresso is just such a weird thing sometimes. It is nerdy, artsy, techie, frustrating, and rewarding all at once. It is challenging, yet still so simple.
Just like life.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell me what you think?