How to dial in your coffee grinder for espresso

STEP 1: Perfect espresso

When brewing espresso, there are many variables you can adjust that have a major impact on the taste of the coffee.

To name a few:

The amount of coffee you put in the filter

The grind level, i.e. how coarsely or finely the coffee is ground

How hard you tamp the coffee

The amount of water you pull through the coffee

How long do you run water through the coffee?

The temperature of the water

The pressure of the water in the espresso machine

and much more...

Hear CleverCoffee's CEO, Lars Frello, talk about espresso brewing

One thing at a time

It is important that when you adjust your brewing, you only adjust one parameter at a time.

If you start turning several knobs at once, you will very quickly lose track of which change has had which effect on the taste in the cup.

In this guide, we will try to achieve our standard espresso recipe by only adjusting the grind level on the coffee grinder.

The standard recipe

Our standard recipe for espresso made with beans from CleverCoffee is a great starting point when you are brewing espresso with our beans for the first time.

The optimal recipe will vary from bean to bean, but it is a good place to start to achieve a tasty espresso.

Our standard recipe:

20 g coffee in the portafilter
40 g espresso in the cup
in 28 seconds

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How do we hit the mark?

We can control the amount of coffee in the portafilter quite easily when we grind our coffee beans. We can also control the amount of espresso in the cup by stopping the espresso machine at the right time.

Now it's all about hitting the 28 seconds mark. We do this by adjusting the grinding level on the grinder until we get it right.

If you set the coffee grinder to grind finer, it will take longer for the water to run through. If you set the coffee grinder to grind coarser, it will take shorter time .

Step by step - how to dial in your coffee grinder

Establish your starting point

Grind 20g of coffee at the setting your grinder is currently set to. Make sure the filter is clean and dry. If you end up putting too much coffee in the portafilter, you can remove some of the coffee with a spoon until you reach 20g. Do not use your fingers as this can press the coffee down into the filter and cause uneven extraction. Gently tap the filter with the palm of your hand to distribute the coffee.
Tamp the coffee. We recommend a PUQpress, which provides tamp pressure every time. It is important that you only adjust one variable at a time when you insert your grinder. Therefore, it is important that your tamp is as consistent as possible so that it does not cause variations in brewing time and taste.
Get ready to brew. Do a quick flush on the espresso machine by running water for a few seconds. Insert the portafilter into the machine. Place your scale under the portafilter, place your cup on the scale, and reset the scale so it is ready to measure how much coffee is in the cup.
Brew 40 grams of espresso. Start a timer at the same time you start your brewing. That way you can keep track of how long it has been since you hit 40 grams in the cup. Stop the espresso machine and your timer when you have about 37-38 grams in the cup, as a few grams typically run out after you stop the machine. See how close you can get to 40 grams and note how long it took to brew.
Taste. Stir the espresso with a spoon to mix the bitter crema on top with the rest of the coffee. Smell and taste the coffee. Note how the coffee tastes. Is it balanced? Is it sweet, sour, bitter? Are there other distinct flavor notes? Does it have a long or short aftertaste?

Adjust and repeat

Did your first brew take more than 28 seconds?

Set your grinder to grind the beans coarser for the next brew.

Did your first brew take less than 28 seconds?

Then set your grinder to grind the beans finer for the next brew. Remember that when you adjust your grinder from coarser to finer, it is important that you grind while adjusting, otherwise beans can get stuck between the grinding blades.

Flush your grinder, where you run 20 g of coffee through it that is not used after you have changed your setting, so that no coffee comes out with the old grind size.

Now repeat steps 1-5 until you reach a brewing time of 28 seconds.

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