Brewing Espresso at Home

Espresso is arguably the most versatile way to brew coffee – whether you're a spro-and-go type or a decadent latte drinker.

At the trailers, we use our Santa María Lot 29, for a smooth but sweet espresso. We prefer a 1:2 ratio (18g coffee to 38g water) and we're aiming for around 30 seconds of extraction time.

Step 1

Grind your coffee very-fine and use a distributor to even out the coffee in your portafilter basket - press (or tamp) your espresso down to ensure even extraction

Step 2

Lock your portafilter into the grouphead

Step 3

Set up a small scale under the grouphead and an espresso cup - tare your scale

Step 4

Start timer and press brew (Ideally at the same time)

Step 5

Stop brew right before your scale hits 38g

Step 6

Give it a good swirl to incorporate some of the crema and Enjoy!

*Brewing espresso isn't always easy, as it may need adjustments to get a perfectly balanced shot, so here are some commonly asked questions about dialing in

Q&A's

Q: Is it best to use the freshest coffee?

A: We prefer to let our coffee rest for about 7-10 days after roast date. This allows some gasses to release, and the coffee to develop more flavor. 

Q: My espresso is pulling too fast! What do I do???

A: You will need to make your grind finer. Start by decreasing the grind size by moving the dial to a smaller number.

Q: My espresso is taking too long! What do I do??

A: The grind might be too fine, or there's too much coffee in your basket. Try coarsening your grind a tiny bit at a time. 

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Let us know if you tried this recipe at home!