Lesson 3 of 5 · Home Barista Basics

Espresso basics

  • Free video
  • Beginner
  • Coffee, Tea & Barista Skills
  • 7 min
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Video by Joshua Weissman on YouTube: “The Espresso Guide For Beginners” Watch on YouTube ↗

What you'll learn

Lesson 3 of 5

The handful of espresso basics that matter most at home: dose, ratio, time and grind.

  • Start with an 18 g dose and a 36 g shot
  • Aim for 25–30 seconds
  • Change the grind first when a shot tastes off

Ingredients for this lesson

Italian Roast EspressoCoarse / 12oz · VanillaGoods$24.99
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African Espresso BlendCoarse / 12oz · VanillaGoods$24.99
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Lesson notes from VanillaGoods

A starting recipe

  • 18 g of finely ground coffee in the basket
  • About 36 g of espresso in the cup (a 1:2 ratio)
  • A shot time of 25–30 seconds
  • A level, firm tamp

Dialing in

  • Sour, fast shot: grind finer
  • Bitter, slow shot: grind coarser
  • Change one thing at a time and taste

Watch for

Preheat the machine, portafilter and cup, and use beans roasted within the last few weeks.

← Lesson 2Next: Steaming milk for lattes →

Tools for this lesson

The equipment that makes this easier. VanillaGoods vanilla is always our own; these tools are from Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate, VanillaGoods earns from qualifying purchases. We only suggest tools that fit what you're learning.

Put it into practice

Bake along with a VanillaGoods recipe that uses this technique.

Find vanilla latte recipes

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