Espresso chart. Dose, yield, ratio, time.
The numbers behind ristretto, espresso, and lungo. Use this as a reference when dialing in a new bag or troubleshooting a shot that missed.
Three shots. Same dose. Different yields.
All three shot types use the same dose. What changes is how much water you pull through the puck. That changes flavor, volume, and body.
Sweet, thick, intense. Less bitter than a standard shot. Good for milk drinks where you want a strong espresso flavor.
The standard. Balanced sweetness, body, and some brightness. Good starting point for any new bag of beans.
Longer pull, more bitter, more volume. Not an Americano. Water comes through the puck. Some roasts taste better this way.
These targets assume 9 bar pressure, 90-96°C (194-205°F) water temp, and 18g dose as a baseline. Adjust for your machine and beans.
Four numbers control every shot.
Pressure: 9 bar
9 bar is the standard for most home and commercial machines. Some prosumer machines let you adjust this. Most home baristas do not need to change it. If your machine holds 9 bar, the other variables matter more.
Water temp: 90-96°C
Lighter roasts need more heat. Start at 93°C (200°F) for medium roasts. Go up to 95-96°C for light roasts. Drop to 90-91°C for very dark roasts that run bitter easily. Change temp before grind when flavor is close but not right.
Dose: how much coffee
18g is a common single dose for a double shot. Most home portafilters fit 14-21g. Pick a dose and keep it the same while dialing in. Changing dose changes everything else. Lock it in first.
Grind size: your main dial
Finer grind slows the shot. Coarser grind speeds it up. Grind size is the variable you adjust most often. Change by one click at a time. One click per shot until you hit the target time and flavor.
What the shot is telling you.
Taste first. Then look at the time. The flavor tells you what went wrong.
Sour, sharp, thin
- →Grind finer
- →Increase dose slightly
- →Raise brew temp by 1-2°C
Bitter, harsh, dry finish
- →Grind coarser
- →Reduce dose slightly
- →Lower brew temp by 1-2°C
Shot under 20 seconds
- →Go finer by one click
- →Check puck prep and distribution
Shot over 40 seconds
- →Go coarser by one click
- →Check for clumping in the portafilter
Five steps to a dialed-in shot.
Dialing in is just a feedback loop. You pull, taste, adjust, and repeat. Five steps is all it takes.
Set your target
Start at 18g dose, 36g yield, 25-30 seconds. These numbers apply to most blends and medium-dark single origins. Write them down before you pull.
Pull the shot
Use a scale. Weigh the dose. Time the shot. Weigh the yield. No guessing. Three numbers.
Taste it
Taste before you look at the numbers. Sour means under-extracted. Bitter means over-extracted. Balanced is the goal.
Adjust one thing
If under: grind finer by one click. If over: grind coarser by one click. Never change dose and grind in the same shot.
Repeat
Pull another shot. Taste. Log the result. Most beans dial in within 3-5 shots from your starting point.
Keep this chart in your pocket.
The free DialInLog ratio guide has this chart plus a shot log template. Download it and log every pull until your recipe is locked in.
Download the Free ChartFree PDF. No signup needed.