★ 10 Steps To Espresso Magic ★

Power on your espresso machine and lock an empty portafilter into the group head. Allow 10-25 minutes for the machine to reach optimal brewing temperature, ensuring the boiler, internal components, and portafilter are thoroughly heated.

Preform a quick, water-only, extraction (known as a purge) to flush the group head and portafilter, ensuring both are dry after the fact. This step ensures clean brewing conditions, more consistent temperature. and removes any residual coffee impacting flavour.

Now, adjust your grinder to dispense 18-22 grams for a double shot, or 9-11 grams for a single shot (adjust according to your basket.)

Use a digital scale to verify the amount of coffee leaving your grinder. If it's dispensing too much or little, adjust your grind time down or up, respectively. In the case of single, measure the amount of whole beans entering the grinder.

Aim for a grind consistency similar to fine table salt. This typically represents the lower 10-20% of your grinder's range. For example, on an 40-setting grinder, target a setting between 4 and 8.

• Old School Method: Gently tap the bottom and sides of the portafilter with the counter and your fists to settle the grounds.
• New School Method: Stir your grounds using in a circular motion using a WDT Tool until they are fluffy, clump free and even. Taking the time to perform the WDT can contribute to a more uniform extraction, resulting in a better-tasting espresso.

• Using your tamper and portafilter resting evenly on your counter, Tamp the coffee with your elbow at 90 degrees.
• Ensure firm pressure and a level tamp by gripping the handle like a door knob

• Begin the espresso extraction and start your timer at the exact same moment.
• Target a 25-30 second extraction time to achieve a liquid yield of 30-45 grams.

• Signs of Over-Extraction (Long Extraction Time): If the extraction time exceeds 30 seconds, this indicates over-extraction, likely due to a too-fine grind. Adjust your grinder to a coarser setting by half to one full stop, then repeat steps 4-7.

• Under-Extraction (Short Extraction Time): If the extraction time is less than 25 seconds, this indicates under-extraction, likely due to a too-coarse grind. Adjust your grinder to a finer setting by half to one full stop, then repeat steps 4-7.

• Sour, thin, and dry: Indicates under-extraction. Refer to the "Under-Extraction (Short Extraction Time)" adjustments in step 8.
• Bitter, hollow, and harsh: Indicates over-extraction. Refer to the "Over-Extraction (Long Extraction Time)" adjustments in step 8.
• Correct ratio, but harsh or shallow: May indicate channeling - when water finds a path of least resistance through the coffee puck, leading to uneven extraction. 1 Using a WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique) tool can help mitigate channeling

• Discard the spent coffee grounds from the portafilter.
  
• Rinse the portafilter and basket thoroughly, and wipe down the group head to remove any remaining coffee residue.

• Perform regular backflushing of the group head according to your machine's manual.
  
• Use distilled and re-mineralize your water for best flavour and to minimize mineral buildup.
• Purge and wipe down the steam wand after each use to prevent milk residue accumulation.
• Backflush with Cafiza (or smiliar) at least once per week!