Dialling in espresso is one of the most rewarding skills you can learn as a coffee lover. It’s the moment your beans come alive-where flavour, aroma, acidity, and sweetness converge into a shot that reflects both the craft of the barista and the quality of the coffee.
But if you’re just starting out, the process can feel confusing. Ratios, grind sizes, sourness, bitterness… where do you even begin?
This guide breaks espresso down into clear, simple steps so you can confidently dial in any coffee, on any machine, at home or in a café.
Let’s brew.
The Myth of the “Perfect” Espresso Recipe
You’ve probably heard the golden rule:1:2 ratio in around 30 seconds.This simply means:
If you put 20g of coffee in, you aim to extract 40g out in about 25-35 seconds.
But here’s the truth: This formula is just a guideline, not a requirement. Every coffee behaves differently. Roast level, farm origin, processing method, and even humidity can shift how a shot flows.
So rather than chasing exact numbers, this guide teaches you how to chase flavour-using three core variables:
1. Dose (grams in the basket)
2. Brew ratio (coffee in : espresso out)
3. Grind size & shot time (how fast the shot flows)
Once you understand these, you can dial in any coffee with consistency and confidence.
Step 1: Lock In Your Dose
Your dose is the starting point of every espresso shot. Choose an amount that suits your filter basket, most home machines work beautifully with 16–20g.
- If you underdose, the puck may be wet or sloppy.
- If you overdose, the puck can press against the shower screen, causing uneven extraction.
Lighter roasts are naturally harder to extract. If they taste sour even after you’ve tried everything, reduce your dose by 1–2g to help water extract more evenly.
For this example, we’ll lock in:18g of coffee
Once set, don’t change your dose unless you absolutely need to. It keeps the rest of thevariables simple.
Step 2: Get Your Grind Close
Now adjust your grind until your shot falls roughly within the 25–35 second window for a 1:2 brew ratio.
Think of grind size as your “speed control”:
- Too fast (15 seconds) → grind finer
- Too slow (50+ seconds) → grind coarser
At this stage, being “close enough” is all you need. You’ll refine it later.
Your goal now:
A shot that flows close to 30 seconds.
Step 3: Adjust Your Brew Ratio Based on Taste
Now comes the fun part-tuning flavour using brew ratio.
With 18g in the basket, a classic 1:2 shot gives:
18g in → 36g out
Pull a shot and taste it. Let your palate guide you:
- Too sour? Increase the yield. Try 18 → 40g.
- Too bitter? Decrease the yield. Try 18 → 32g.
- Sour + bitter at the same time? That’s usually channelling-time to work on your puck prep.
Let’s imagine the best-tasting shot lands at:
18g in → 40g out
Balanced acidity, a gentle sweetness, and no harsh edges—that’s the sweet spot.
Step 4: Refine Your Grind for Maximum Flavour
Once you’ve found the ideal brew ratio, you refine your grind to improve extraction quality.
Grinding slightly finer usually enhances:
- Body
- Sweetness
- Complexity
- Texture
But go too fine and you’ll hit the dreaded channelling, where water punches through weak spots in the puck and extracts unevenly.
Remember:
Good espresso doesn’t always sit neatly between 25–35 seconds. Some light roasts taste incredible at 40–50 seconds.
Great coffee doesn’t follow rules—it follows flavour.
Bonus: Adjusting Brew Temperature
If your machine lets you change temperature, this becomes another tool in your dial-in arsenal.
- Higher temperatures extract more (great for light roasts)
- Lower temperatures extract less (great for dark roasts)
Most machines default to around 93.5°C / 200°F—a good starting point.
But only play with temperature after you’ve locked in dose, grind, and ratio.
The Beauty of Dialling In
Dialling in espresso is part science, part art, and part intuition. Each adjustment teaches you more about your coffee—its origin, its roast level, its solubility, and its personality in the cup.
And when you finally nail that shot?
It’s pure magic.
So the next time you brew, slow down, taste intentionally, and enjoy the process. Every dial-in brings you one step closer to becoming your own barista.