Mastering the Breville Barista Express for Espresso Brewing

Our ultimate guide for dialling in the perfect espresso recipe using the Breville Barista Express! If you're a coffee lover, you know that nothing beats a well-crafted shot of espresso. And with the Barista Express, you can now enjoy the same quality espresso that you get at your favourite cafe right from the comfort of your own home.

#alternativebrewing
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Upgraded Default Tools
02:54 Espresso Recipes
05:47 Starting on a Grind Size
07:27 First Shot
10:02 Second Shot
11:06 Third Shot
12:25 Programming

But, as with any espresso machine, getting the right recipe can be a little tricky. With the Barista Express, you need to make sure that you're using the right amount of coffee, tamping it correctly, and extracting it for the right amount of time. And that's exactly what we'll be showing you in this video.

We'll start by going over the basic components of the Barista Express and how they work together to make delicious espresso. Then, we'll walk you through the steps of dialling in your grind, which is essential to getting the right flavour profile for your espresso. You'll learn how to adjust the grind size and dose to get the perfect shot, and how to use the built-in grinder to get consistent results every time.

Next, we'll cover tamping, which is the process of compacting the coffee grounds in the portafilter. Tamping ensures that the water flows through the grounds evenly and extracts all the flavour and aroma that you're looking for. We'll show you how to tamp correctly and how to avoid common mistakes that can ruin your shot.

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[MattWatsonAus]

Hi. Could you provide links to the preferred tools you show in this video? I have a Breville Barista Express, so could you please link to the items specific to that. Many thanks

[TheAndrewd]

Great vid! Have had my barista express for 3 years now and seeing vids like this helps cure my upgrade fever for a few hours😅 A couple things that really helped me dial in the espresso was adjusting inner burr from 6 to 2 giving me more headroom on the grinder to go finer. So now I’m typically using 7 or 8 on the outer wheel instead of 3, 2, or FINE. I also realized that the grind amount dial can be in between the steps allowing you to go from say 19 to 19.5g instead of 19 to 20g. Overall I’ve found the grind amount dial to be really consistent and been pulling the best shots as of late. I am using WDT which I think is crucial for this grinder, and also using a distributor, but will have to try the puck screen too!

[Objektiv_J]

Gotta say I think the revelation for me is to use a recipe. Without a good amount of experience, it's really challenging as an amateur to dial in a coffee. Thanks for the tips!

[igotnoswap]

I have the Breville infuser (same brewing mechanics) and I bypass all the programming gimmicks by brewing every shot in Manual mode. To do this, hold the 2cup button down and this will begin a pre infusion at lower pressure. I continue to hold down the button until the first drops occur (~about a 10 second preinfusion) Then release the button to ramp to full pressure. Press the 2 cup button again to finish the shot at the desired output.

[AussieMumVLOGS]

I thought I was gona be bored. But I was surprisingly entertained. Great personality and I learnt a lot

[octavbarbu]

normcore is soooo sponsoring this clip

[iggyman]

I just got back into manual espresso. In 2014 i had a barista express and went on a journey over several years. Last year had and sold a Lelit Elizabeth V3. I left a controlling relationship this year and just last week bought a sesame black BE and just ordered a whole lot of aftermarket tools for 54mm, based on what i enjoyed with my 58mm machine. Will eventually get a Varia VS3 grinder but i am reminded just how much i have always loved the BE. In fact i found other than some increase in body when i went to an Expobar Office that taste wise, with a good grinder, the BE was incredible. Cabt wait for my afternarket baskets and tamper to arrive. The BE is a brilliant machine

[alidaniels]

You are making me want to buy these espresso beans!

[BarnesyHK]

Do you start timing when you start the shot or when the coffee starts pouring?

[NadiaSimonenko-nxtj]

Thank you for such a helpful video! I just purchased the same machine, and watching the tons of videos😅 Yours is one of the best. My only problem at the moment that it gives such a small amount of coffee..what could be the reason? My outher wheel is set on 8 and inner on 3..I just want more coffee😭😭😭

[DrDavelope]

Great video! I’ll be buying one of your v60s . I already have the Barista Express and wondering what number grind size would i use to make a pour over?

[iagolopez]

Hello Josh, does the Breville Dosing funnel that is included with the machine fits the normcore basic bottomless 54mm portafilter??? Thank you

If not, is the 3-in-1 portafilter compatible with the Sage/Breville Dosing funnel included in the Barista Pro???

[saribmahmood]

Quick question. When you achieved 44g yield (same as aim) but in 22s instead of 19, did you just let those 2s go or did you adjust something further?

because idk what you would adjust at that point to get 19s for 44g yield.

[BrandonCarle-qi]

What kind of scale are you using? Thank you.

[jeremy-bahadirli]

Hey I saw on the video you labeled it a 20g basket, but as far as I can see, Normcore’s 54mm baskets are 18g. Was that a typo?

[thinkclear]

Thanks for the explanation! Can you help maybe?
The grinder does exactly 18g for a double shot. I am using freahly roasted beans. I already did change the grinder internally to finer (5). On the left the grinder wheel is set between 1 and 2. I do extract 36g of espresso for a double shot, but in 24s. And I see the pressure gage is already above the "normal espresso range".

Of course I can grind now even finer to get few seconds more extraction time. But is the even higher pressure than "bad"?

[godblessthelessfortunate]

If I don't have a nearby coffee roaster, can I buy fresh roasted beans from Starbucks? Not the beans already bagged on the shelf, but the same beans they use to brew. If so, how old are those beans i, e. from roast date?

[ernicetrail]

Hey mate, did you start timing it from first drop or when you hit the button?

[alvinlbk]

When do you start timing the brew time? Is it the moment you press the button or is it the moment when the first drip of coffee comes out?

[andreas]

I‘ve added a puck screen to my setup. Super clean shower screen, super dry and dense pucks. But I wonder if I should pre heat the puck screen, and how to easy remove it and how to clean it if I want to pull a second shot right afterward?