How to dial in espresso in five shots

Dialling in means adjusting your grind until a shot tastes balanced. It feels mysterious at first, but it is a simple loop.

1. Fix your recipe

Start with 18 g of coffee in and 36 g of espresso out (a 1:2 ratio), at 93 °C. Weigh both. The Velluto Espresso Scale Mini sits on the drip tray for this.

2. Pull a shot and time it

Aim for 25 to 30 seconds from pressing the button to reaching 36 g.

3. Adjust the grind, not the dose

• Faster than 25 seconds and sour: grind finer.
• Slower than 30 seconds and bitter: grind coarser.

4. Taste

Time is only a guide. If the shot tastes sweet and balanced at 22 seconds, it is a good shot.

5. Write it down

Note the grind setting for each coffee. With the Velluto Flat 64, you will usually only need small changes between bags.