Brewing espresso at home can be a rewarding experience, but nailing that perfect shot can feel tricky, especially if you’re just starting out. “Dialing in” refers to the process of adjusting your grind size, dose, and extraction time to achieve an espresso shot that tastes balanced and rich. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll walk you through simple steps to help you consistently pull great espresso shots at home. 

What You Need to Get Started:

  • Espresso machine
  • Scale (for measuring coffee)
  • Tamper (to compress the coffee grounds)
  • Timer (or use a machine with built-in timing features, for example, La Marzocco Linea Mini R)

Pulling Your First Shot of Espresso:

  1. Choose Your Dose: Select a dose based on your basket’s capacity. A general rule is to aim for within 1 gram of your basket size (e.g., for a 17g basket, use between 16-18g of coffee).


  2. Grind Size: Aim for a fine grind, similar to table salt. This allows water to extract coffee evenly. Your starting point should be a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio (for example, 17g of coffee to 34g of espresso). The extraction time should fall between 24-30 seconds.

  3. Distribute and Tamp: Distribute the coffee evenly in the basket and apply pressure with a tamper. The key is evenness—good distribution and tamping will ensure a balanced extraction. While there are fancy tools to help with this, they aren’t essential for beginners.

Why Grind Size Matters

Grind size is one of the most important variables when making espresso. A finer grind means more surface area for the water to interact with, speeding up extraction. Coarse grounds, however, lead to faster water flow, under-extracting the coffee, and giving it an acidic or sour flavour. On the flip side, a grind that’s too fine can result in over-extraction, making the espresso taste overly bitter and harsh. 

 

Espresso is a beautiful balance of precision and artistry, and pulling your first shot is a rewarding step in your coffee journey. While it might seem technical at first, with the right tools and understanding of grind size, dose, and timing, you’ll be able to brew a delicious espresso shot. Like any craft, espresso-making takes practice, but each attempt brings you closer to mastering this globally loved beverage. So, get your equipment ready, experiment with different variables, and enjoy the rich, bold flavours of freshly brewed espresso!