Artisan Roaster Three Generations Quality Espresso 101 The Perfect Shot Coffee Jargon

Now that espresso is so popular in America, it's important to understand that not every shot is created equal! In fact, as an Academia del Caffe student of great Italian espresso, you will want to understand the "Four M's" of a perfect shot:

The "Miscela" (Blend)

At least 50% of a perfect Italian espresso is determined by the original blend - delivering a harmonious rounded taste (not too acidic), a rich aroma, full body and beautiful lingering aftertaste.

For a perfect espresso experience, choice of blend is the crucial first step. All Academia del Caffe locations serve Miscela d'Oro - a Sicilian artisan espresso by third generation roaster Umberto Urbano. It is considered one of Italy's finest artisan espressos and the choice of educated American connoisseurs of true Italian espresso.

The "Mano" (Hand)

The barista plays a crucial technical role in delivering a perfect espresso shot.

A nervous hand - rushed and inexperienced - can ruin the shot by being careless about preparing the dose of coffee in the filter itself. If the filter is not filled completely, the incorrect amount of coffee can result in a bad pressing - the step where the barista packs the coffee down tightly into the filter unit.

If this layer of packed coffee is not even and very flat, water coming through during extraction won't successfully distribute itself equally around the whole circumference of the filter and not all of the coffee grounds will contribute to the espresso shot.

In addition, an uneven or tilted surface of packed coffee means that in one area the coffee density will be thinner and in the other area thicker, causing water to push through the coffee at different rates. The thicker side will be over-extracted and the thinner side will be under-extracted - resulting in poor flavor overall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "Macchina" (Espresso Machine)

Another fundamental element of the perfect Italian espresso shot is the interaction between water and the espresso machine itself.

Water is the vehicle that carries the extracted substances from the coffee into the cup - and the flavor of the final shot can easily be altered by incorrect water temperature, pressure, hardness (the amount of calcium and magnesium salt present in the water).

It is crucial that a water softening system be coupled to the espresso machine set-up to ensure that the calcium and magnesium salts are controlled. Build up of these minerals carried in the water can have a dramatic effect on performance of an espresso machine's boiler, heat exchanger and filter/extraction unit.

And finally, it is crucial that the espresso system itself is carefully cleaned and maintained on a regular basis, so it can deliver the correct heat (ideal water temperatures between 88° C and 92° C) and water pressure (9-10 bars PSI) to deliver a 25 ml (1.58 fl. Oz.) shot of espresso in 22 to 28 seconds of extraction time.

 

The "Macinadosatore" (Grinder & Dosing Machine)

An authentic Italian espresso will always start with whole beans ground at the time you order your shot - to ensure maximum freshness of the coffee.
Correct grinding equipment and careful machine maintenance play a role in producing a perfect espresso. If a grinder's blades are worn down, this can result in forcing extra pressure - and therefore heat - on the grain of coffee going through the grinder.

As the flat blade of the grinder turns, it can force coffee to flow back on itself and you can see this effect at the mouth of the grinder.

A dull grinder blade can accidentally and imprecisely reheat the coffee past its ideal roasting level, creating a coffee that has lost its creamy characteristics, becoming dark-streaked with a burnt taste.

In addition, a grinder/doser that is not cleaned out well allows decomposing left-over coffee powder to mix with new grounds, creating a significant thickening of the coffee mix itself. A thicker mix will result in incorrect dosing in the espresso machine filter unit that either over- or under-extracts the shot itself.

 

 

Trivia:

Coffee, introduced into Europe by Arabic traders, was considered by many Roman Catholics to be a drink of infidels. As its popularity spread and Venetian and French merchants began to import it, Pope Clement VIII was urged to ban it. Clement, however, found it so delicious that he chose instead to baptize the beverage and, in 1592, issued an edict formally recognizing it as a "Christian" drink.