Training Log by Pinar Aktepe - Balance in Espresso

For the past three years, I have been using coffee beans from April. During this period, I have grown to become accustomed to the beans they use and as a result, very comfortable and knowledgeable regarding the capability of the beans. The beans themselves are very easy to work with and very forgiving when experimenting with different profiles.

That said, I usually brew using 22g coffee in, 40-42g out, for around 20-25 seconds. Keeping the body lower allows me to achieve the balance I desire. Balance means different things to different people. For me, it means all flavors, aromas, and sweetness clearly meet in the same cup. When tasting an espresso, I found waiting a minute before drinking allows for a more intense flavor and greater sweetness. If the taste gives you what you want, it means you have found your profile to brew. The only way to achieve this is to try and try until you find the best result.

The important thing is to know what you want from the cup. For me, espresso will always be my most enjoyable method of brewing coffee.