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Permalink Reply by Sam Purvis on November 8, 2008 at 11:16pm

Federico,

the auburn color you are looking for in your espresso is going to be controlled by the dosing/grinding ratio you choose to use with the coffee you are pulling on the espresso machine.

I have found that both a heavier dose of coffee and a finer grind will provide a richer/fuller extraction of the coffee, this rich full/extraction can take anywhere from 6-10 seconds to even begin dropping into the cup from the time you turn the water on. Finding a nice ratio for the certain coffee you are using typically does result in a dark auburn, heavy crema.

I would keep playing with this grind/dose ratio and constantly taste the coffee. Some days my espresso will have great color but I won't be satisfied with the taste in the cup. This takes me back to the grind/dose ratio.

Sam

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Permalink Reply by Nick Cho on November 9, 2008 at 4:34am

The best espresso comes from Lily Pacas, of course! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Rich Abker on November 14, 2008 at 11:17pm

Factors that affect the color and richness of your espresso are:
**Age and freshness of your espresso blend, and type of beans. (Suggest coffee beans be about 2-7 days old)
**The grind size (Suggest a fine grind, slightly smaller than sugar granules)
**The dosage (Suggest between 14 to 16 grams)
**The tamping pressure (Suggest a firm, even tamp to form a coffee puck inside the portafilter basket)
**Water temperature at the group head (Suggest a temperature of approximately 195- 200oF.)
**Machine pressure and extraction rate. (Suggest a slow extraction rate of approximately 25 seconds, from first drip)

That being said, different coffee varietals that formulate a blend, can be different in terms of composition. Therefore, it is always good to ask your roaster for advice on best methods for extraction for their coffee.

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Permalink Reply by John P on November 15, 2008 at 3:25pm

Color can be an indicator of espresso awesomeness, but with SO and some radical blends, I would hesitate to think any judge would consider color a factor if the taste said something different. I've had spectacular looking shots that tasted like old shoes, and funky looking shots that taste heavenly.

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