How to Dial in Espresso - Top Ten Tips.

If you're having issues dialing in, here are my quick top ten tips to help you to dial in your espresso.

Links:

Current Gear:

I'm listing the current setup first that the pros are using, and then my original more budget setup.

Sennheiser MKH 60
Sanken Cos 11 Lavalier

My budget setup (prior to working with Brickoven):

Please note, affiliate links included above.

Timecodes:

0:00: Intro
0:30: No.1 Use The Right Beans
1:41: No.2 Grind Your Own
1:53: No.3 Don't Store Beans in Hoppers
2:24: No.4 Extend Shot Window
3:05: No.5 Understand What Tastes Mean
3:42: No.6 Use Ratio as a Tool
4:25: No.7 Pull Shots Manually
4:59: No.8 Understand Dose Volume
5:57: No.9 Warm Up
6:20: No.10 The Purge
7:10: Kev's useless fact
7:20: Outro
7:36: Tatty Bye

#espresso #homebarista #dialin #coffeelover #coffee #latte #flatwhite #coffeemachine #coffeeaddict #barista

[Lucasys]

I’ve spent a lot of time watching James Hoffman videos but you’ve slowly become my favourite coffee content creator. You’re always really clear about what’s required and make everything actionable by bringing videos back to relatable equipment and knowledge (i.e. no refractometry here, as interesting as it can be to hear about). Keep it up! 🙂

[tmjddwq]

Always good to revise a bit like revising for school exams (a long long time ago!) where I always pick up something useful that somehow I'd forgotten! Thanks Kev 👍

[JB-gxnd]

Another great video from the best coffee YouTuber.Keeps it fun and simple to follow. Taking your advice I now have great coffee at home each day. Thanks Kev.

[mikeh]

Once again you have nailed with a well produced and comprehensible video. Keep ‘em coming, Kev. And, by the way, your coffee is great 👍

[konstantinosgavriilidis]

The video I needed, right when I needed it :) My coffee experience has significantly improved because of your videos. Thanks Kev! BTW I really like the choc browny blend, and tomorrow I'm gonna compare it to the clasic Italian espresso blend and the choc and nuts to decide my favourite.

[michaelgordon]

Another great video. Ive spent a couple weeks now watching the videos and trying different things. With a bambino plus i think i worked it out that No1, Buy the right beans is key to this machine. I was using medium (described medium dark) single origin beans and every shot regardless of time or ratio was sour, really sour (great in an aeropress though). Ordered some chocolate brownie blend and no sourness maybe a bit bitter for my first couple so ill start experimenting but those beans & shots gave me the best flat white ive had anywhere. A nice tasting coffee on its own but i dont drink espresso, a really great milk based coffee.

[nbuo]

Gaggia cup in a Sage machine, you're a god ahahhaha

[johne]

Thanks Kev. Great channel, deserves 10 times the subs that you have. I'd be buying your coffee too if the English Channel and Royal Mail weren't in the way.

Cheers!

[paulflower]

Another great video. Once your beans have been opened is it best to store them in the freezer? 👍

[johne]

BTW, can you tell us how to pull one that tastes the same as the gas that comes out of the valve when you squeeze the bag? <evil grin>

[ciaran.laverty]

Hi Kev, thanks! I recently got a Breville (UK not sage) barista max for my birthday and really love it so far, what sort of accessories would you suggest for such a machine? Don’t want to go upgrading portafilter etc if it won’t really make a difference lol

[andrewstevenson]

Excellent video. But I wonder, does putting more beans in the hopper than for the single shot really make that much of a difference? After all, aren't most of the bags that coffee comes in just as porous to oxygen (at least after opening), unless you decant into smaller bags and vacuum seal those. The amount of plastic bags you'd need to use for a daily espresso or two (or three) would be a bit scary, surely.

[mcst]

Hello, great video.
Not strictly related to this video, but I have a question. In my country the Lelit Anita pl042 temd and the Saga Barista Pro is technically the same price. On paper the Lelit seems better a buy.
What do you suggest? Did you used them both?
Thank you in advance.

[smceneaney]

Hi Kev. The Sage Barista express impress arrived on Thursday. Many thanks again for the videos and discount code. Changing the dual wall filter produced nicer espresso with the beans I'm using. The pressure needle reaches 10 o' clock but the puck is wet. I need to scoop the coffee grinds out with a spoon. Any suggestions?

[tmart]

After 1 year of dialing in I think I still haven't mastered the art. I find all coffee's taste the same, quite bitter, so I think this is to do with me dialing in incorrectly. It doesn't help that I have a bit of a sweet tooth. I almost need someone to brew me the perfect coffee so that I can taste what I am aiming for.

[Dluxton]

OK, need some help, just starting out with a Barista Express, managed to get the dose/volume set (i think) correctly, that is as much to say its giving me 19g of coffee with the correct volume and headspace after tamping. However, i goto manually pour the shot, extraction is taking about 10seconds, and the actual shot itself just over 20 to give me 40ml of actual espresso. 1, from what i've read 10s is a little too long for it to pre-infuse, and 2. 20s is a little too short. But unsure how to balance it out, if i go finer, the pre-infuse takes longer, if i go courser, the shot is too quick.

[DeeDeeDanone]

What's the point of that razor tool? Why measure out your 18gr, do good distribution and tamping and then scrap around a gram back off it? Mine has never been out the drawer.

[markbrown]

Ive just recently purchased my sage express impress machine ive been watching the video on dialing in .. my coffee seems to strong im using a strong roasted bean would this ne the problem ? .. it's extracting is around 28 seconds .. thanks

[timjoyce]

Im pulling my hair out! Going through kevs vids and cant seem to get anything resembling a shot worth drinking! Have sage kit. The bambino plus and grinder pro. Good beans which in the aeropress taste amazing, try to adjust grind and use bambino, but nope! Just horrible 😢
Got a bottomless portafilter and wdt etc, but just cant get anything good!
Kev or anyone assist!?

[deeiks]

How do I purge the built in grinder in the Sage machine?