Brewing the Best Espresso

GRIND IS CRITICAL

The ideal grind will result in a slow, steady flow of espresso into the cup.

It it’s too coarse, the espresso will gush out, thin and under extracted.

Too fine, it will drip out, one bitter drop at a time.

For lower-pressure units, an extra-fine grind with some granularity will work well.

A inexpensive blade grinder can provide the appropriate texture.

High-pressure, commercial-quality units require a finer, more powdery grind. This is most easily obtained from a specialized burr-type grinder.