Espresso extraction

Applies to: any double-shot espresso pull, dine-in or as the base for a milk drink.

1. Dose 18.0 g (±0.2 g) into the portafilter basket.
2. Verified on the bench scale, not by eye or a timer alone.
3. Distribute the grounds evenly across the basket, then tamp level with consistent, firm pressure.
4. A tilted or uneven tamp is the most common cause of channeling.
5. Lock the portafilter into the group head and start extraction immediately.
6. A delay of more than a few seconds between locking in and starting stales the puck.
7. Extract to 36.0–40.0 g in the cup, timed from the start of flow.
8. Hazelnut-gold crema, a steady even stream that lightens gradually toward the end.
9. Judge the clock: extraction time inside 25–30 seconds is in spec.
10. Under 25 s and thin/sour → grind finer. Over 30 s and bitter/harsh → grind coarser.
11. Serve or combine into the drink within 10 seconds of the shot finishing.
12. A shot left idle beyond that window is a dead shot — discard and re-pull, never serve it.