Before we dive into which Crema tools and accessories work with which espresso machines, let’s clear up a couple frequently asked questions.
Does it really matter which size product I purchase?
Very much so. It might be difficult to spot the difference between a 54mm and 58mm portafilter with the naked eye, but this small change will make a big difference when it comes to compatibility with your machine. In most cases, incompatible sized product simply won’t work at all, or won't work as designed. But in some cases, an incorrectly sized product could damage your machine. Save yourself the heartache (and return shipping costs!) and double check that you’re choosing the right size tool that will work with your espresso machine.
What are "precision" sizes?
Here at Crema, it's our goal to optimize and enhance every step of the espresso making process. One of the ways we achieve this is by making tools that fit as precisely as possible. The more precisely they fit, the better they're able to do their job. Our 53.3mm tamper is a perfect example. Many tampers you find on the market today will be made at exactly 53mm. We've found, however, that the precise addition of 0.3mm to the diameter of our tampers helps maximize the tamping and distribution coverage, and helps eliminate "donut" rings from forming at the beginning of an espresso shot. We've found that it's oftentimes the small changes that provided the biggest results.
Is Crema Coffee Products affiliated with espresso machine manufacturers, particularly Breville?
Nope! Crema Coffee Products is its own brand and not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way connected with Breville/Sage, Flair, or any other espresso machine brands, subsidiaries, or affiliates. That said, the brands we specialize in, such as tools for Breville, Solis, Flair, Niche, and more, are machines and accessories that we truly love and use personally in our everyday workflow. These are all quality, trustworthy brands that we're happy, and proud, to endorse and to build our brand alongside.
Are Breville and Sage the same brand?
Breville may be amongst one of the most well-known names in home espresso machines. That is...if you live anywhere but the UK. If you're in the UK, then you'll be most familiar with the company called Sage. Funny thing is, both Breville and Sage sell strikingly similar products, all of which even share the same machine names -- ie. Breville Barista Express VS Sage Barista Express. Coincidence? Not in the least. It just so happens, Sage is indeed the same company as Breville, but simply operating under a different name in the UK.
So that said, you guessed it -- all of our Breville-compatible tools will work seamlessly with both Breville AND Sage.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, we do ship worldwide!
And so, without further ado…
Tip: For a larger view of the chart, pinch and zoom (if on mobile) or right click the image and choose "Open image in new tab" if on PC.
]]>But what if we told you that you can, and should, consider the best of worlds...both bottomless AND spouted? Well with our new Bottomless Spouts, now you can.
Here at Crema, we believe every tool has a purpose. And even though the bottomless portafilter is one of our favorites, we should keep in mind that it's just that -- a tool. Once you've dialed in your espresso and you're achieving consistent results, from that point on, we believe that bottoms are optional.
After all, bottoms do come in handy from time to time! Maybe you're splitting shots with a friend, or you're having a 7am, late for work, eyes half-open type of morning without enough time to play mad scientist with your espresso. Or, maybe even a family member is taking your home-barista shift for the day, and having spouts is simply a bit more streamlined without having to worry about channeling and spurting.
What ever the case might be, we've got your bottoms covered.
And as a bonus, with the Crema Bottomless Spouts, you can even choose when to add the spouts, based on your preferred workflow.
This mean adding the spouts either before tamping, or after.
Not convinced yet? Check out our demo video, below, and our Bottomless Spouts on our web store when you're ready to get your bottom in gear!
]]>Automatic Espresso Machines
An automatic espresso machine provides a (mostly) hands-off way to make espresso. With these types of machine, the majority of the process, such as grinding, tamping and even milk frothing, are all done automatically inside the machine.
Bar
Bar is short for barometric pressure, which measures how many atmospheres’ of water pressure is exerted on your espresso during the brewing process. Most machines apply around 9 bars of pressure during extraction, but others may be higher or lower based on the brand.
Bean Hopper
The bean hopper is a container on top of your espresso machine (or grinder) that stores whole beans. Once the grinder is activated, the hopper will funnel the beans directly into the grinder's burrs.
Brew
To brew is the process of creating liquid coffee from roasted beans. Whether you're using ground coffee beans to make espresso, pour over, drip coffee, or any other type of coffee, all of these processes are considered brewing.
Brew Temperature
Different brewing methods typically require slightly different water temperatures while brewing. Generally speaking, the ideal water temperature for making espresso (brew temperature) is between 190 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brew Time
Brew time measures the amount of time water flows through (or makes contact with) your ground coffee. This will vary based on the brew method, but for espresso, most will aim for a brew time of around 25 to 30 seconds.
Brew Ratio
Typically measured in grams, this is the amount of coffee grounds compared to the final amount of liquid espresso in your cup. For espresso, the most common brew ratio is around 1:2. This means if you started with 18 grams of ground coffee, you would aim for 36 grams of liquid espresso. This ratio will be different for various other brewing methods, such as pour over, French Press, etc.
Burrs
These are the metal rings inside an espresso grinder that are responsible for grinding your beans. When compared to blade grinders, burr grinders are highly preferred for espresso use, as the resulting grinds will be much more evenly and consistently ground.
Channeling
Likely one of the most common terms tossed around when learning espresso, channeling is when high-pressured streams of water flow quickly through gaps or "channels" in your prepared coffee grounds. Channeling is typically caused by improper puck prep, and can cause over/under extraction and undesirable flavors in your cup.
Coffee
Coffee is a catch-all term for any beverage made from roasted beans from the coffee tree. The term “coffee” applies to espresso, drip, French press, pour-over, and even instant. The way the coffee is brewed is what differentiates the styles of coffee. So in other words, all espresso is considered coffee, but not all coffee is considered espresso.
Coffee Bed
This is the mass of prepared grounds that have been tamped into your portafilter.
Crema
This is arguably one of the most telltale signs of a fresh roasted, quality, and properly prepared coffee. Crema is the rich, caramel-colored foam found on the surface of the coffee directly after brewing. Crema is formed from the oils and CO2 found inside the beans, both of which naturally escape the beans as they age. This is why seeing crema on the surface of your shot of espresso is a good indication that the beans used were fresh.
Distribution
The process of spreading your coffee grounds evenly throughout the entire filter basket, without any pocket or clumps. Uniform distribution of your grounds is crucial to pulling a well balanced shot of espresso, and can be achieve with tools such as a WDT, and a distribution tool.
Dose
This refers to the amount of coffee you're using for your brew method. For example, if you're using 18 grams of coffee in your portafilter, then 18 grams is your dose.
Dosing Cup
A specialty cup that is specifically designed to measure your dose, load your grinder, catch your grinds, and load your portafilter.
Drip Tray
The drip tray is the lower portion of the espresso machine that catches excess runoff and/or drips during the brewing process, keeping your countertop clean. Most drip trays will also be responsible for catching any excess water purged from the group head after brewing. In the rare moments when our espresso machine is not in use, we like to keep the drip tray covered with a tamping mat that doubles as a safe place to pack the portafilter.
Espresso
Espresso (not express-o) is made by forcing high-pressure water through finely ground coffee beans. This technique results in a highly concentrated brew that’s rich, creamy, and full of complex flavors. Espresso is the base coffee ingredient used to create popular drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos and cortados, and even one of our favorite desserts -- affogatos.
Extraction
In espresso-making, extraction is the process of forcing hot water through coffee grounds, pulling out all the "good stuff" from the grounds. The extraction process will yield your final product, espresso.
Filter Basket
The filter basket is the metal "basket shaped" insert that holds your coffee grounds inside of your portafilter. The bottom of the filter basket is lined with tiny holes, allowing espresso to pass through, leaving the grounds behind. Filter baskets are generally available in single, double, or triple shot sizes.
Foam
A milk or cream based liquid that is typically used as a base for most espresso drinks. Foam is created by introducing hot air to the milk or cream with an espresso machine's steam wand.
Grinder
A grinder is used to break up coffee beans into smaller parts for different brewing processes. A burr grinder, which is typically preferred for espresso, uses two discs to grind whole coffee beans into fine, uniformly ground coffee. Some machines come with built-in grinders, while others require standalone grinders.
Grounds
After being run through a grinder, crushed coffee beans are called grounds and are ready to be brewed into coffee.
Knock Box
After brewing, your portafilter will be packed full of hot spent grounds. The easiest – and most aesthetically pleasing – way to empty your portafilter into a knock box. A knock box is a countertop container that's dedicated to holding used coffee grounds/pucks. Most knock boxes come with a rubber cross bar inside, which is made for "knocking" your portafilter on to dislodge the spent grounds, dropping them into the bin.
Manual Espresso Machines
Want to have full control over every aspect of the espresso making process? A manual espresso machine – like the minimalist Flair 58, for example – might be the right fit for you. A manual espresso machine will require every stop of the process to be operated without electronic automation -- grinding, tamping, and even applying pressure during extraction, will all be done by hand.
Over-Extraction
Remember when we defined extraction as drawing out the good stuff from the grounds? Well, too much of a good thing, is also a thing. If too much water flows through your coffee grounds or the coffee has been exposed to hot water for too long, you'll begin extracting undesirable flavors, leaving your coffee over-extracted.
Portafilter
You can’t make espresso without a portafilter. This is the removable ladle-like part of the machine (with a handle) that holds your filter basket and coffee grounds. Your portafilter is what makes the connection between the coffee and the machine. We’re especially fond of bottomless portafilters, which have the bottom and spouts removed, allowing you to see your shot extracting in real time.
Pre-Infusion
Right before the espresso machine kicks things into high gear and begins extraction, it applies a small amount of low pressure water to saturate the grounds. This process is called pre-infusion, and helps to primes the coffee for more consistent extractions.
Puck
Once your coffee grounds are tamped down in your portafilter into a tight, dense disc that looks a bit like a hockey puck...you now have...a puck.
Puck Screen
The job of a puck screen is to act as a mediator between the group head and the coffee, interrupting and diverting the high-pressure streams of water for a much more controlled, balanced flow through your grounds. Puck screens are a key component to helping fight stubborn channeling and spurting.
RDT
Ross Droplet Technique, or RDT, is a technique of adding a tiny bit of moisture to your whole coffee beans just before grinding. The preferred method is to use a pump or two of water from a fine mist spray bottle, then shake the beans in a dosing cup to evenly distribute the moisture. Caution should be taken when using this technique, as the added moisture on the beans may cause damage to some grinders, and/or may cause them to hold onto residue and gunk up prematurely.
Shots
Simply put, a shot is one unit of espresso. A double shot would be two units of standard strength espresso and so on.
Spouts
These are the miniature funnels on the bottom of a portafilter that help direct your espresso into your cup or shot glass. If you're using a Crema Bottomless Portafilter, you can actually get yourself a set of removable Bottomless Spouts, giving you the best of both worlds.
Spurting
If you’re having trouble with your puck prep technique, little jets of hot coffee may spurt or spray out of the bottom of your portafilter's filter basket. This is an indication that you likely have channeling occurring inside your grounds.
Tamping
Unlike most other brew methods, espresso grounds aren't ready to brew straight out of the grinder. Tamping is the act of compressing the ground coffee in your portafilter before brewing. You’ll do this with a tool called a tamper, which will help create a smooth, level and dense bed of coffee to prepare for extraction.
Under-Extraction
A well-balanced cup extracts just enough of coffee’s delicious flavors without going overboard. Under-extraction is stopping a shot prematurely and not fully extracting all of the flavors the coffee has to offer.
WDT Tool
WDT, or Weiss Distribution Technique, is a method of puck preparation that aims to evenly distribute coffee grounds in your portafilter. A WDT tool uses thin wires to rake through the grounds to break up clumps, providing a more even and balanced extraction.
Yield
The yield is the amount of liquid espresso that you’ve extracted from your grounds, which is typically measure in grams.
Yes, you could load coffee grounds directly from the grinder into your portafilter, but if you could reduce overflow and make your shots more consistent, wouldn’t you? Overflow from the grinder is wasteful, messy, and can throw off your measurements -- which ultimately leads to inconsistent shot results. Using a dedicated dosing funnel ensures that all your coffee grounds are delivered straight into the portafilter, not all over your countertop.
How it works
Place the dosing funnel onto your portafilter. Hold your portafilter under your grinder and load the filter with fresh grounds.
Move your portafilter in a circular motion while filling so that you don’t end up with a mound of grounds in the middle.
With the funnel still in place, distribute your grounds using a WDT tool and/or a tamper/distributor combo.
Once you're finished, tap the portafilter on your tamping mat to settle the grounds, then remove the funnel.
It may not look like much, but a dosing cup can be a game changer. This deceptively simple tool lets you measure beans, load the hopper, activate the grinder, collect grounds, and even fluff up your grounds to break up clumps. This multi-purpose master gives you more precise measurements, more evenly distributed grounds, and a simplified routine.
How it works
Use the dosing cup to weigh and measure your beans on your scale, then drop them into your grinder's hopper.
If using a built-in grinder on a Breville machine, use the patented grinder activating tab to start the grinder. The lip on the cup even allows the cup to sit hands free in the grinder holder.
Once your grind process is complete, set the portafilter on the top of the dosing cup and flip everything over. Hold everything together and give it a good shake to break up and fluff up the grounds. Before removing the cup, tap the portafilter on your tamping mat in a circular motion to help settle the grounds evenly.
WDT stands for Weiss distribution technique, which is essentially a espresso prep method that distributes the grounds in your filter basket as much as possible. This small tool has thin wires that rake through the grounds to break up clumps, close gaps, and prepare your coffee for tamping. This is especially useful if you’re having trouble with channeling and spurting or have a grinder that can’t be trusted to provide fluffy, even grounds.
How it works
Holding the WDT tool like a pencil, use a circular motion to stir through the grounds. Start at the bottom and lift the tool higher as you go. If you're using dosing funnel, make sure to leave the funnel attached, which will help stop grounds from jumping ship!
Gently distribute the grounds all the way up to the top layer.
Give the portafilter a tap to help settle everything into place, then tamp as usual.
It’s no secret that the trick to making good espresso is properly packing the grounds into a neat, uniform puck. A well-tamped puck helps water flow more evenly, providing a balanced, fully extracted shot of espresso. You can use a dedicated tamper for this, but a tamper/distributor combo tool helps streamline your process. Aside from having the bonus of two-in-one, this style of tool also cuts out the guesswork by allowing you to set the exact depth of the tool on each side. This means you'll have consistent and level tamping pressure every time.
How it works
First, load your portafilter with fresh coffee grounds.
Set the distributor to the shallowest depth and place the blades into the coffee.
Gently twist the tool clockwise until the grounds are level. If they aren’t level after the first try, extend the distributor side slightly and try again. Be careful to only apply light pressure during this step, as pressure should only be applied during tamping.
Next, flip your tool to the tamper (flat side). Apply downward pressure from the top of the tamper into the grounds to compress the loose coffee into a puck. The depth of the tamper can then be set to match your desired tamping pressure such that when you're fully tamped, the side walls (rings) of the tamper make contact with the filter basket.
So you’ve measured your coffee, loaded the portafilter, distributed the grounds, and tamped them down to perfection – now what? You could go ahead and start brewing now, but adding a puck screen may be the difference between a good cup and a great one. If your espresso machine is a bit too enthusiastic, the high-flow of water from the group head might be a bit too much for your puck to handle, causing water flow through your coffee unevenly. A puck screen will interrupt the flow of water and help to distribute it more evenly. Think of it as comparing the "jet" setting on your garden hose to the "shower" setting.
How it works
Using the puck screen is about as easy as it gets. After loading, distributing, and tamping using your methods of choice, simply drop the puck screen on top of the grounds and let 'er rip.
It's important to note that while most puck screens are quite thin, they do still add a bit of height to the overall height of the puck. If you're working on the higher end of the scale with your dosing, you may need to cut back slightly to accommodate.
Pulling perfect espresso shots is a lot smoother (pun intended) with the right tools. We carry a wide range of products and accessories for you to mix and match with your preferred workflow, so if you're new to espresso, or just hunting for something to up your game, feel free to reach out -- we'd love to help! Here are Crema, it's our mission for you to #LoveEveryShot.
A bottomless portafilter, as gorgeous as it may be, is primarily a diagnostic tool to help you learn how to improve your technique. If you're seeing channeling and spurting from your bottomless, this is the tool giving you feedback that you have extraction issues happening inside your filter basket, ultimately leading to not only a messy counter, but a poorly extracted shot as well.
Water will follow the path of least resistance, and this is particularly true when water is under pressure (ie. during an extraction). If your coffee is unevenly ground, or improperly distributed and/or tamped, water will not flow uniformly through your grounds. If there are gaps or inconsistencies in your grounds, the high pressure water will flow faster through these areas, creating what's called "channeling."
Channeling inside of your grounds will typically lead to spurting, which is visible in the form of streams or jets of liquid spraying from the filter basket. After brewing, you might also be able spot holes or cracks in the spent coffee grounds, which can be a sign that channeling has occurred.
Not only is channeling messy, but it's also a sign that you're extracting your grounds unevenly. The areas of high flow (in the channels) will tend to be over extracted, while the rest of your grounds will tend to be under extracted. This leads to improper flavors and an unbalanced espresso in your cup.
In a perfect world, your coffee will be evenly extracted and the stream will align beautifully in the middle of your bottomless portafilter every time. Achieving this super smooth shot and deliciously balanced cup is not impossible, but it does require a bit of experimentation and technique. We recommend making one adjustment at a time, not overhauling your entire process. Adjusting too many variables at once can leave you spinning in circles. Take your time to discover what works and what doesn’t. And if you're complete new to espresso, make sure to check out our beginner's guide to dialing in your shots. Once you've familiarized yourself with the general process, dive deeper into fine tuning your technique with the tips below.
First and foremost, always use fresh roasted, whole bean coffee. You might be surprised how much of a difference this can make. If possible, try aiming for coffee roasted within the past 30 days, or even sooner, and never use beans from the grocery store shelf (unless it's from a fresh, local source).
Weigh your dose. We suggest single dosing and weighing your beans before grinding, but whether you weigh before or after grinding, make sure you're using the same amount of coffee into your portafilter each time.
De-clump your grounds. Some grinders, particularly grinders that are built into the espresso machine, will leave behind clumps while grinding. These clumps, if left alone, can cause inconsistencies in the coffee puck once tamped. One simple method of de-clumping your grounds is to shake them in a dosing cup, like the ones found here.
Use a WDT Tool. This simple, yet effective tool uses thin wires to gently rake through the coffee bed, breaking up clumps, closing gaps, and evenly distributing the grounds before tamping. This can be used in conjunction with, or completely separate from, the dosing cup mentioned above. Make sure to drop a dosing funnel on top of your portafilter before raking your grounds, which will help stop grounds from overflowing during the process.
Use a distribution tool before tamping. A distribution tool will help level out the grounds, preparing them for tamping. Make sure you're only applying light pressure while distributing. Applying pressure should be reserved for the tamping process.
Perfect your tamping technique. Straight/level tamping is key. Even a small shift in the angle of your tamping can ruin your work. Apply firm, even pressure to create a level surface on the coffee bed. Using a tamper with a collar, such as the one found here, can help ensure that you're tamping perfectly level, every time.
Try using a puck screen. A puck screen is a simple, effective and affordable tool to help control the flow and distribution of water through the grounds. Placed on top of the grounds after tamping, puck screens are used to disrupt the high-pressure flow of water from the group head and spread it across the bed of coffee.
Try manual pre-infusion. Pre-infusion is the process of pre-soaking your coffee grounds under low pressure, which can help to expand the grounds in your basket and provide a more even extraction. Most machines (including Breville) will automatically pre-infuse before every shot, but the automatic pre-infusion is often not quite long enough to soak the entire bed of coffee. If you're using a Breville machine, you can manually pre-infuse each shot by simply pressing and holding the single or double shot button. The machine will continue to pre-infuse until you let go of the button. When using pre-infusion, we typically hold the pre-infusion for around 10 seconds (give or take), or until the bottom of the filter basket fills with coffee. This is something you can experiment to see what works best for you. Keep in mind that extended pre-infusion can often cause your shot to extract slightly quicker than it otherwise may have without pre-infusion, so you may need to account for this while dialing in your other variables, such as grind size and tamping pressure.
Make sure your filter basket is clean and clear. A clogged filter is a surefire way to disrupt the flow of water.
Clean your group head and shower screen. Shower screens can also become blocked and clogged if not cleaned regularly, which can cause an uneven flow of water into the grounds.
Pressure output from the group head / machine itself can be a contributing factor to channeling and spurting. Most commercial machines will apply around 9 bars of pressure during extraction, which tends to be the sweet spot. Most Breville machines, however, have a higher pressure output, pushing upwards of 14-15 bars. These machines were set up this way for a reason, but one caveat is that the higher pressure output tends to exploit inconsistencies in the prepared coffee grounds. This in mind, puck prep tends to be more crucial to avoid channeling and spurting with these machines.
If you’ve tried all these tricks but your bottomless portafilter is still channeling and spraying, keep at it! Crafting espresso is as much an art as it is a science. Take your time while experimenting with different techniques, and make sure not to change too many variables all at once.
Just remember, at the end of the day (or more likely the beginning of the day), what matters most is that you're enjoying what's in your cup. Honing a new craft is a journey. Enjoy the ride along the way, and #LoveEveryShot.
]]>The portafilter that came with your espresso machine is likely a standard style spouted portafilter, which helps your coffee flow neatly into your cup. This provides a streamlined process, but the bottom/spouts block your view of the filter basket, so you can’t tell if your pull is up to snuff until you taste it.
A bottomless portafilter works just like a standard style portafilter, but simply with the bottom & spouts removed, allowing you to see the liquid pouring straight from the filter basket. This not only gives you access to that Instagrammable shot we all know and love, but more importantly, adding a bottomless portafilter to your Breville espresso machine can help you understand the mechanics of the extraction process and help you master the art of coffee.
Fine tuning your espresso with your stock spouted portafilter can be compared to trying to fix your car's engine with the hood closed. If you're going to do any real work, you're going to need to open up the hood so you can get a view of what's really happening inside.
Now, the first time you pull a shot with a bottomless portafilter, there's an equal chance that you may, or may not like what you see. You may have a glorious shot right from the start, which of course we're rooting for. Alternatively, you may have a shot that makes a bit of a mess. If you do have a mess, just keep in mind that this is somewhat expected, and it's not the portafilter that’s causing problems. Chances are good the same issues were happening inside your spouted portafilter, they were simply hidden from view. Here are a few of the visual cues telling you that your technique needs to be tweaked:
Spurting, Spraying or Channeling. A bottomless portafilter spraying hot coffee all over your kitchen is a common (and messy) sign that your puck prep work. Spurting, spraying or channeling is typically caused by gaps or inconsistencies in your prepared grounds, causing water to run much faster in these areas. This leads to over extraction in the high-flow areas, and under extraction in the rest.
Split or off-centered flow. If your puck of tamped-down grounds is uneven (out of level), water will tend to run faster through low spots and slower through high spots. This leaves you with multiple streams of liquid and an imbalanced shot.
Color and texture. If one side of your shot is light in color, while the other is dark, this indicates that you have inconsistencies in the rate of flow across your puck. It's expected that the color of your shot should change throughout the duration of the shot, but this should happen uniformly across the filter basket. Additionally, the ideal texture of your shot should somewhat thick and viscous, as opposed to thin and watery.
Above Left: This shot was not prepped properly, causing channeling/spurting.
Above Right: This shot was tamped out of level, causing water to flow unevenly.
We've put together a comparison to better illustrate how a spouted portafilter can often hide extraction issues from view. Both of the shots below were prepped with the same grind size, distribution technique, and tamping pressure. With all variables remaining the constant during prep, both shots should theoretically extract in the same or similar manner. From the spouted perspective, the shot looks great, right? However, taking a look inside with the bottomless, it's clear to see that we have issues that need to be addressed.
Diving head first into a bottomless portafilter too soon can sometimes be frustrating, as they tend to uncover more problems with your extraction than you know you had. This is a GOOD thing, but chasing too many variables at once can be challenging, especially if you're brand new to espresso.
Before jumping in, make sure you have a solid understanding on how to dial in your shots. In this particular article, we explain the process while using a bottomless portafilter, but the same general rules apply when dialing in on your spouted portafilter.
The second thing you'll want to consider is that a bottomless portafilter won't allow you to split shots directly into two glasses (ie. if you're making two drinks at once). In this case, you'll either need to switch back to your stock spouted portafilter, or if you're using a Crema Bottomless Portafilter, just pop on a set of Bottomless Spouts.
And last, but certainly not least, another often overlooked benefit to bottomless portafilters is that they tend to be a bit easier to keep clean when compared to spouted portafilters. Without a bottom, you're eliminating all the nooks and crannies that espresso may want to hide, which are also spots that can be tough to access and clean. So while this perk may or may not have been something on your radar, it's definitely a perk nonetheless!
Short answer, yes. If you’re on a quest for the perfect cup of espresso, using a bottomless portafilter can help definitely help get you on the right path, providing insight into extraction issues that may have otherwise been hiding out of sight. If you're chasing that perfect cup, a bottomless portafilter is definitely something we'd suggest adding to your arsenal of tools!
Above: The Breville Barista Express equipped with the Crema Coffee Products Bottomless Portafilter & Bottomless Spout Set, Steam Lever, Tamping Mat, Dosing Cup, Tamper/Distributor Combo and Arc Knock Box.
]]>Whether you’re a brand new home-espresso enthusiast or you’ve been in the game a while but can’t seem to achieve that perfect shot, we’re here to help. This step-by-step guide is designed to help you master the basics of your home espresso machine, so you can start pulling shots like a pro.
We’ll start by going over some of the fundamental steps in the process and get you started on the path to finding your ideal espresso shot. As we get rolling, it’s important to remember that these are guidelines -- not rules. Our goal is to help you establish a baseline and to point you in the right direction. Once you're on track, the your true espresso journey can begin, experimenting with different methods and techniques. You'll find that there are many different ways to achieve your perfect shot, and at the end of the day, what matters most is that you love what's in your cup. We're here to help make that happen.
This is going to be a lot to cover, but don't feel overwhelmed. We'll cover all the bases up front, and then we'll circle back around at the end to recap and make sure everything's accounted for
Sound good? Let’s dive in!
The first step in dialing in your perfect espresso shot is to start with a control sample. This first shot is probably not going to be the perfect shot, but it gives you a starting point that will help you figure out what adjustments to make.
Although this is just a “test shot,” there are a number of important variables to consider before you get started.
It’s important to always warm your machine up before pulling your first shot of the day (as well as your lunch break shot...and your after dinner shot). The reason for this is that hot water hitting cold steel during the brewing process can dramatically change the way your espresso brews. Allowing the entire machine to completely warm up before pulling a shot will ensure that this doesn't happen, keeping everything consistent along the way.
Go ahead and lock your portafilter into place as well, allowing it to warm up with the rest of the machine.
Weighing your coffee is one of the key factors of achieving the perfect shot of espresso. Your dose is the amount of dry ground coffee you use when making espresso.
Dose weight will depend on the size of the filter basket you’re using, such as a single, double shot (most common) or sometimes a triple shot. The exact weight/dose for each basket will sometimes vary by manufacturer, and most will have a suggested dose for their basket. For example, Crema’s portafilter baskets, which are a single-wall, double-shot basket, are designed to fit 16g-18g of espresso. When dialing in your espresso with one of our baskets, we suggest starting with a 16g dose.
Increasing and decreasing your dose will have a major impact on the final result, so when getting started, it’s important to keep your dosing as consistent as possible. To help with this, we suggest "single dosing," which is the process of weighing your dose manually and dumping your dose into the hopper, instead of relying on the machine's built-in grind timer.
Grind size for espresso is the variable that you’re mostly likely to adjust when dialing in the perfect shot of espresso. Your grind size is an extremely important, and will dictate how fast or how slow your shot extracts.
Generally speaking, grind finer, and your shot will extract slower. Grind more coarse, and your shot will pull faster.
Grind size also plays a major roll in the flavors that ultimately land in your cup, as the amount of dissolvable solids that become available during the brewing process change with the size of the grind. This topic is a bit more advanced, so we'll touch on this in another blog, but this is something to keep in the back of your mind.
Getting started, choose an espresso grind size that's middle-of-the-road. If you're using an offset grinder, try something in the middle of the grinder's "espresso" range. If you’re using a Breville Barista Express (or similar Breville model), we suggest starting your grinder dial around a 5 or 6. From here, you'll adjust the grounds to be finer or more coarse depending on the results of your first espresso shot.
It's also important to note that when grinding directly into the portafilter (as intended with your factory setup), things can tend to get a bit messy. Grounds can build up, topple over, and can often be lost into your drip tray. Losing grounds will change your dose weight, which can cause inconsistencies when dialing in. To help avoid this, we'd suggest considering either a dosing cup, or a dosing funnel, which will help keep your precious grounds out of the drip tray, and inside your portafilter.
When it comes to espresso, “yield” is the final weight in liquid espresso that you extract in a shot. Getting started, the general standard is a 1:2 ratio of dose to yield. So, for example, if you’re using a 16g dose of dry coffee into the portafilter, you would aim for a yield of 32g of liquid espresso out. Additionally, when pulling your shot, you should aim to reach your yield within 25-30 seconds of starting your shot. We'll touch base on this more below.
Like dose, yield should remain consistent. For now, aim for the 1:2 yield.
Distributing and tamping are vitally important to the quality of your espresso. Distributing is the process of spreading your grounds evenly in your portafilter, helping you avoid channeling or spurting.
There are a few different ways to distribute, but we suggest utilizing a WDT tool (shown above) and/or a distributor like the one that’s built into our tamper & distributor combo (shown below). A WDT tool uses fine steel wires to break up clumps in your grounds (left behind by the grinder), while a distributor spreads out the grounds in the basket, working them into an even layer before tamping.
If you're using a 2-in-1 distributor/tamper tool, you'll be able to set the depth of the tool, which will provide consistent results every time. This is a big step forward in eliminating variables when dialing in.
After you've distributed the grounds, it’s time to tamp. Tamping the grounds involves applying enough pressure to compact the grounds into a “puck,” which will slow the flow of water as the shot brews, allowing for better extraction.
Tamping, like many of the other variables in crafting espresso, is all about consistency. Traditional school of thought suggests using 20-30lbs of pressure when tamping, however, less pressure can work, too. What’s most important is that you keep your pressure consistent. Your tamp should be firm and level, and it should be applied with the same amount of pressure every time.
Tamping with variable levels of pressure will cause inconsistencies in the rate of flow during your shots, making your final results unreliable for dialing in that perfect shot. This is another reason we suggest a tamper with adjustable collars, the such as the one linked above. Setting your tamping depth on the tool will allow you to achieve consistent tamping depth/pressure every time.
Awesome. Got all that?
Now that we've covered our bases on the prep process, you're just about ready to prep a shot, press that button and to watch that creamy goodness flow. But before you do, there are a few more things we should cover that you can keep an eye on while your shot's in progress.
The best way to know whether all the variables you’ve set so far are working is to time how long it takes to achieve your desired yield. Timing can indicate if your grounds are too fine or too coarse, which will affect the flavor of your espresso shot.
As mentioned above, getting started, we'd suggest aiming for a 1:2 ratio, and achieving this within 25-30 seconds. So if you're using 16 grams in, you'll want to achieve 32 grams of liquid espresso out, within 25-30 seconds of the first drip of espresso hitting your cup.
If you achieve your 32 grams in under 25-30 seconds, this may be an indication that your grounds are too coarse Try grinding a bit finer for your next shot. If your shot takes longer than 25-30 seconds, then your grounds are likely too fine. Try grinding a bit more coarse.
It’s also important to note, again, that a 25-30 second shot time is a general guideline to get your in the ballpark. Once you've nailed it, try playing around with different times. Increasing and decreasing the amount of time for your shot will change the amount of dissolvable solids you extract from your coffee, which will result in different flavor profiles. You can also check with your roaster to see if they have specific recommendations for the roast you’re using. Technicalities come second to flavor, so what's most important is that you're enjoying what you're drinking!
If your machine has one, keep your eye on the pressure gauge. This is a great piece of measured feedback to let you know if you're in the correct range. If you're on a Breville machine, we suggest aiming for around 1 o'clock on the pressure gauge.
You can also tell a great deal about the state of your shot by simply observing the shot in real time. This is particularly true when using a bottomless portafilter.
When a shot is prepared properly, you should see it go through a few different stages during the extraction. Initially, your shot should start with a few slow drips, as the bottom of your filter basket begins to fill. At this stage, your shot will likely be medium brown to dark brown in color.
As the extraction progresses, the stream should converge to a single flow in the center of the filter basket, and should be thick and syrup-like consistency. At this stage, your shot will likely be medium brown in color, but can very with the roast level of the beans you're using.
As you near your the end of your shot (the 25-30 second range), your shot will typically begin to thin slightly, and will often change from a medium brown, to a lighter blonde color.
If you're diagnosing your shots with a bottomless portafilter, you may also experience rogue spurts of coffee that go flying from the bottom of the filter basket. This is called "channeling" or "spurting." Channeling occurs when there are inconsistencies in your puck, causing water to flow much quicker in these locations. These inconsistencies are typically caused by poor puck prep, and or stale coffee. Channeling is not only messy, but the increased flow rate through select portions of the puck will also lead to unbalanced shots and undesirable flavors. Diagnosing with a bottomless portafilter allows you to observe and correct these issues which would have otherwise been hidden from view.
It’s important to keep in mind that the parameters outlined in this post are all meant as starting points. If you’re following these suggestions to a T and are still not quite satisfied, make sure to experiment! You might be surprised to find that even a minor change in your grind size, or running your shot a bit shorter, or a bit longer, can completely change the final flavors extracted into your cup.
Remember, too, that every coffee is completely unique, and will offer different flavors, textures and physical extractions (more or less crema, lighter or darker color, etc.) Keep this in mind when changing brands and/or roasts, as doing so will often require minor adjustment to your settings.
The same is true as coffee ages. As the beans age and begin to dry, your shots will tend to pull much differently than when the coffee was fresh. Generally speaking, with stale coffee, you’ll tend to see much less crema, and you'll often experience much more spurting and channeling. So remember…fresh is best!
Shew! That was a lot to cover. Still with us? Good! Now that we’ve broken everything down in detail, how about a quick recap?
As you continue to make espresso and dial in your shots over time, your palate will develop, and adjusting by taste will become more intuitive. In the meantime, remember to keep experimenting and see what the world of coffee has to offer!
If you have any follow-up questions on anything covered in this blog, feel free to reach out, we’d love to chat!
Also, if you found this helpful, let us know! We'd love to hear what other types of topics you'd like us to cover next, and if you haven't done so already, make sure to sign up for our email newsletter to be notified of future blogs!
Cheers!
Maybe these uncertain times have kept you from your favorite coffee shop far too long. Or maybe your daily Starbucks runs have finally caught up to you. Or maybe you’ve decided to take your work-from-home life to the next level. Whatever the reason, this purchase you made is cause for celebration.
So cheers! *clink* Here's to all the delicious, decadent, warm/cold lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, etc. that are now just an arms reach away.
By now, you're likely already rippin' shots left and right, finding your way around this new hunk-o-machine, and staying way too caffeinated to get any sleep at night. We're hopeful that everything's working out like a dream (like the one's you'd have if you were able to sleep), but if we had to take a guess, there's a good chance you're finding out rather quickly that there are quite a few intricacies about your new machine that aren't so cut and dry.
Often times, one of the most frustrating aspects of a new machine (whether you realize it or not), is that the tools provided with these machines tend to be a bit lacking. They're somewhat cumbersome to use, they leave too much room for error, and they simply aren't the most user friendly pieces of kit that one could hope for -- especially for a new home barista.
As with any skill or trade, the tools you choose for your task are just as important as anything else. A proper set of tools can help remove inconsistencies, can improve your workflow, and can even make your task more enjoyable with something as simple as improved aesthetics.
So without further ado, we've compiled a list of our top 7 favorite tools to help take your espresso game to the next level.
Chances are your machine came with a double-spouted portafilter, with a closed bottom.
While this type of portafilter has its benefits (like being able to separate a double shot into two mugs), what it lacks is the ability to fully examine the quality of shot you’re pulling.
A bottomless portafilter is exactly what it sound like -- a portafilter with the bottom removed. The extraction happening while you're pulling a shot is exactly the same with both types of portafilters, but having the bottom removed allows you to view the bottom of the filter basket during the extraction process.
Aside from this being an awe inspiring visual, there's actually function to compliment the form. Being able to visualize the extraction will allow you to diagnose extraction issues you might be having, such as channeling, which can be extremely common. Addressing these issues, which we'll talk about on another blog, will ultimately lead to a more well rounded, balanced, yummy shot.
Haven’t seen a bottomless shot being extracted yet? Watch the magic here.
While you’re searching for the best bottomless portafilter, be sure to consider the material in the handle as well. For example, a wooden handle offers a great, well-weighted feel and adds a beautiful aesthetic to your machine (like this one).
And if you're into something even more unique, you can get yourself on the waitlist for this totally rad portafilter made from used, repurposed and recycled skateboards!
Proper tamping technique is one of the key variables in making a good espresso, but it's also a skill that typically requires a bit of time and practice.
This is especially true if you're using an entry level tamper. The plastic tamper that's included with most Breville machines, for example, is a tool that leaves a lot to be desired.
When using a tamper like the one that's included with your Breville machine, consistent tamping means learning to apply consistent force every time you tamp your coffee. Without anything to stop the tamper from traveling, it can be a major challenge to make sure that you're tamping with equal pressure every time. Additionally, you're going to need to make sure you're tamping level as well -- another thing that isn't controlled by anything but your own skill with a tamper of this kind.
This is where the Crema 2-in-1 tamper & distributor combo comes into play.
This tamper and distributor combo sports two tools in one, with both sides being fully adjustable in depth.
The distributor side (the one that looks like fan blades), is used to gently "distribute" your coffee grounds in your portafilter, giving you a head start to an even, consistent coffee puck.
Flip the tool over, and you have a fully adjustable palm tamper. During the tamping process, the outer sleeve of the tool will bottom out on the portafilter when you've reached your designated depth. This not only make sure that your coffee bed is perfectly level, but it also ensures that you're tamping with the same exact pressure with every tamp. Easy peasy, espresso squeezy.
**Important Note: be sure to get the right size for your machine’s portafilter! Breville Barista Express, Barista Pro, Barista Touch, Bambino Plus, Infuser and Duo-Temp Pro have a 54mm portafilter, but they require a 53.3mm distributor/tamper. You can also check out the shop for more sizes.
We've all been there before -- you load up your bean hopper, start your grinder, fill up your portafilter, and before you know it, you've got a leaning tower of espresso teetering a mile high.
One false move and you're sending that precious stack of coffee right down into the drip tray, or scattered across your countertop. This is not only messy and wasteful, but assuming you're weighing your doses before grinding (something we recommend doing), you've now lost a portion of that dose to the abyss.
The solution: a dosing cup or funnel.
With a dosing funnel sitting on the rim of your portafilter, you'll have an extra wall of protection to stop your grounds from jumping ship. It's important to note that you won't be able to use the built-in grinder holder on machines such as the Barista Express, but simply pushing the grinder button with your finger and a few seconds of holding the portafilter under the grinder is a great trade off for losing grounds all over your workstation.
When it comes to dosing cups, the workflow will be slightly different, but can offer a few extra benefits as well. The dosing cup linked above is designed to be a perfect fit to sit directly in the Breville grinder holder, and even has a tab to activate the grinder. After grinding, you'll then flip it over the top of your portafilter (or vise versa), and can now shake your grounds around before removing the cup. Shaking the grounds helps to de-clump the grinds, which will help reduce channeling.
As a few added bonuses, the dosing cup can be used as a vessel to weigh your beans (if you're single dosing), and can even be used as a shot glass when transferring your espresso into a larger container that doesn't fit under your machine -- such as a travel mug.
Check out the Crema the dosing cup in action here, and the funnel here.
If you ask any chef, they'll tell you that presentation is half of the experience. Take a beautifully crafted meal and toss it on a paper plate, and you'll lose an enormous chunk of the essence that meal carries.
The same can be argued for espresso. The experience you enjoy with the delicate, yet full-bodied taste of espresso, will vary based on the kind of vessel you drink it from. A shot glass, a ceramic mug, a stainless-steel thermos, or if you must (but not recommended), a paper to-go cup....will all change the experience of that espresso (or latte, or...).
Now our opinion might be biased, but we believe that the best taste for espressos and lattes comes from a ceramic vessel. After all...what's the first picture that comes to mind when you think of an espresso? The classic tiny white (**pinky out**) ceramic shot glass on a saucer? Yep - Ceramic!
While there are tons of options out there for ceramic mugs, our personal favorite is: the LENNY.
If you’ve got a Breville Barista Express, Infuser, or Barista Pro, you’ll know what we’re talking about when we say how flingin’-flangin’ tricky it is to use the steam knob.
Well, ok...it’s not that tough, but it sure can be cumbersome at times. And let's be honest...with the beautiful form of these machines, there's something about a plastic dial that just doesn't quite complete the experience.
To ease those slippery, white-knuckling fingers, and to help level up the function and form of your machine, we present to you...the upgraded steam lever for Breville machines.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This steam lever requires disassembly of the upper lid/tray of your machine and requires removal of the manufacturer's original parts. This process may void your manufacturer's warranty. But hey.... #worthit
We know...you're spending a lot of time with your machine, and your portafilter is probably starting to feel like another limb. If you're like us, and just can't bare to leave home without it...check out this keychain. :)
Contrary to what you may believe, like many (most) consumable products, coffee beans do in fact have a shelf life.
While the actual shelf life time may vary based on the consumer and how the consumer plans to use the coffee, it's extremely important to understand that when it comes to espresso, fresh (like REAL fresh) is best.
From the very date that the coffee is roasted, the clock starts ticking. The longer coffee sits (say...in a hot warehouse, or on a store shelf), the more the coffee will decline in freshness, losing the essential oils that give coffee it's yummy goodness.
This process is exaggerated even further when the coffee is pre-ground.
Let's compare to something we're all familiar with -- apples. Take an apple and leave it out on the counter for 2 weeks. What will happen? The apple will eventually dry up (or rot, of course) and be quite undesirable. Now take an apple, slice it up and leave the slices on the counter. Dries up much quicker, right?
Coffee is no different. After coffee is ground, it takes mere minutes for coffee grounds to begin oxidizing, which accelerates the coffee to a stale, lifeless pile of powder (relatively speaking).
So to simplify, and to spare you from too much of the scientific nonsense, when it comes to choosing beans for espresso, fresh is best. If you don't see a roast date on the bag...they don't want you to see a roast date on the bag. Drop that bag-o-beans and run the opposite direction. Whenever possible, try aiming for no later than 3 or 4 weeks past the roast date (and that's even pushing it).
When looking for you next bag of coffee, skip the supermarket and buy fresh from a roaster instead. We're big proponents of supporting small, local businesses, so it's always a good idea to check and see if you have any local roasters in your area. Alternatively, there are a number of wonderful options to purchase fresh roasted coffee online as well. One of our favorites, Good Brother's coffee, will ship your coffee the same day it was roasted, ensuring that your beans arrive as fresh as humanly possible. Often times, this is even fresher than you'll get at a local roaster that has bags sitting on their shelf!
Fun side note -- with every purchase from our website, you’ll receive a 10% off coupon to Good Brothers, which can be used for your first purchase. Definitely give them a shot!
And there you have it folks -- 7 tools to take your espresso making skills to the next level. If there's anything we've missed, or anything you'd like to hear us discuss next, shoot us a line and let us know. We'd love to hear from you!
Much Love,
Crema Coffee Products
P.S. Want to see all these tools in action? Follow us on Instagram for tutorials, candid shots, and sneak-peaks at any new tools coming to market soon.
Crema Coffee Products is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way connected with Breville Pty Limited (Breville), or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates.
Photography by: Sidecar Studio, Canada
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The holidays are right around the corner, and we're ready to cozy up around the fireplace, pour a nice hot cup of coffee (or in our case.. a latte) and enjoy some quality time with friends and family. With that, it's also a time of giving, and what better way to love on your people than with the gift of espresso!
If you have a special someone on your "nice" Christmas list this year who uses a Breville Espresso Machine, you're going to want to check this out! We've put together a full gift guide that's sure to award you "best gift giver ever" this holiday season.