How do I make an espresso?

[czzzzpzzzz]

I have just got a stove-top espresso maker but not sure how to make it so before I go out to the supermarket and buy some espresso coffee could someone explain how I make a "good" espresso?

Cheers.

[Ayahuasca]

Buy some medium ground coffee.

Unscrew the machine. You should have the bottom bit, the coffee holder and the top bit.

Fill up the bottom bit with water until just below the safety valve.

Put the coffee holder into the bottom bit.

Fill up the coffee holder to the top with the ground coffee, make sure it is level but do NOT tamp it down.

Screw on the top bit.

Place on stove.

After a couple of minutes the coffee bubbles up through the spout.

Do not let it boil.

[czzzzpzzzz]

Ayahuasca said:

Buy some medium ground coffee.

Unscrew the machine. You should have the bottom bit, the coffee holder and the top bit.

Fill up the bottom bit with water until just below the safety valve.

Put the coffee holder into the bottom bit.

Fill up the coffee holder to the top with the ground coffee, make sure it is level but do NOT tamp it down.

Screw on the top bit.

Place on stove.

After a couple of minutes the coffee bubbles up through the spout.

Do not let it boil.

Thanks that's really useful. What sort of heat do you put it on? and also just to re-cap water in the bottom, coffee at the top?

[Ayahuasca]

czzzzpzzzz said:

Ayahuasca said:

Buy some medium ground coffee.

Unscrew the machine. You should have the bottom bit, the coffee holder and the top bit.

Fill up the bottom bit with water until just below the safety valve.

Put the coffee holder into the bottom bit.

Fill up the coffee holder to the top with the ground coffee, make sure it is level but do NOT tamp it down.

Screw on the top bit.

Place on stove.

After a couple of minutes the coffee bubbles up through the spout.

Do not let it boil.

Thanks that's really useful. What sort of heat do you put it on? and also just to re-cap water in the bottom, coffee at the top?

Yep, water in the bottom.

Dry coffee in the little tray that sits above the water (this should NOT get wet).

The coffee liquid ends up in the bit at the top.

I would say a small burner on high heat - don't want to melt the handle!

It works because as the air in the top of the water bit expands, it pushes the water UP through the coffee and into the receptacle at the top.

I use mine every day!

[czzzzpzzzz]

Ayahuasca said:

czzzzpzzzz said:

Ayahuasca said:

Buy some medium ground coffee.

Unscrew the machine. You should have the bottom bit, the coffee holder and the top bit.

Fill up the bottom bit with water until just below the safety valve.

Put the coffee holder into the bottom bit.

Fill up the coffee holder to the top with the ground coffee, make sure it is level but do NOT tamp it down.

Screw on the top bit.

Place on stove.

After a couple of minutes the coffee bubbles up through the spout.

Do not let it boil.

Thanks that's really useful. What sort of heat do you put it on? and also just to re-cap water in the bottom, coffee at the top?

Yep, water in the bottom.

Dry coffee in the little tray that sits above the water (this should NOT get wet).

The coffee liquid ends up in the bit at the top.

I would say a small burner on high heat - don't want to melt the handle!

It works because as the air in the top of the water bit expands, it pushes the water UP through the coffee and into the receptacle at the top.

I use mine every day!

Cheers I'll have go!

[czzzzpzzzz]

DDg said:

Ever had a Bialetti explode? It's amazing how far one little cups worth of espresso can go - ceiling, every wall in the kitchen etc. Really impressive, but I'm glad I wasn't in the kitchen at the time.

I imagine that is because the safety valve was blocked?

[czzzzpzzzz]

I tried it with Levazza ground coffee but the consistency isn't right it's too watery and there is no 'crema' Any other tips?

[Ayahuasca]

czzzzpzzzz said:

I tried it with Levazza ground coffee but the consistency isn't right it's too watery and there is no 'crema' Any other tips?

Ah, apparently the stovetop jobbies don't operate at high enough pressure to get decent 'crema' you need one of the giant mechanical high-pressure things.

[Colonial]

do it on a low/medium heat. Will take longer but get a much nicer flavour out of it

It's how I drink coffee at home now. Mainly because I only drink espresso/short blacks.

[Colonial]

do it on a low/medium heat. Will take longer but get a much nicer flavour out of it

It's how I drink coffee at home now. Mainly because I only drink espresso/short blacks.

[czzzzpzzzz]

Yeah but mine just tastes like filter coffee, as in it's watery, do I need to add less water and more coffee? I do fill the coffee right up and the water up to a mm below the s.valve but it just tastes like my filter coffee machine. Isn't it meant to be more "treacle" like?

[Coq au Vin]

A finer grind should help.

[Ayahuasca]

Sounds like the water is not getting through all the coffee evenly, as noted a finer grind and maybe a SLIGHT tamping of the coffee would help, just to make sure there are no 'easy' passages that the water could take.

[navier_stokes]

Sorry for being anal, but coffee from a stovetop is not proper espresso

[hondafanatic]

navier_stokes said:

Sorry for being anal, but coffee from a stovetop is not proper espresso

This is what I was thinking. My stove top machine is used to make black coffee only, I don't think you'd ever get it to give you a one shot espresso, hence why I have a different machine for those...

Although, if anyone has got a way to create a proper espresso from a stove jobbie, then i'm all ears...

[CraigW]

DDg said:

Ever had a Bialetti explode? It's amazing how far one little cups worth of espresso can go - ceiling, every wall in the kitchen etc. Really impressive, but I'm glad I wasn't in the kitchen at the time.

yup, happened to me, was finding residue a year later

[Ayahuasca]

hondafanatic said:

navier_stokes said:

Sorry for being anal, but coffee from a stovetop is not proper espresso

This is what I was thinking. My stove top machine is used to make black coffee only, I don't think you'd ever get it to give you a one shot espresso, hence why I have a different machine for those...

Although, if anyone has got a way to create a proper espresso from a stove jobbie, then i'm all ears...

It may not be 'proper' but it is 99% of the way there.

Have used a few stovetops they do produce varying quality; the smallest one is the best and you do get the 'one shot' although in a slightly bigger quantity than an espresso. It is so strong that to make regular strong black coffee I water it down with hot water.

[cramorra]

next best thing to proper espresso

[CraigW]

what is?

[neil_bolton]

Ayahuasca said:

hondafanatic said:

navier_stokes said:

Sorry for being anal, but coffee from a stovetop is not proper espresso

This is what I was thinking. My stove top machine is used to make black coffee only, I don't think you'd ever get it to give you a one shot espresso, hence why I have a different machine for those...

Although, if anyone has got a way to create a proper espresso from a stove jobbie, then i'm all ears...

It may not be 'proper' but it is 99% of the way there.

Have used a few stovetops they do produce varying quality; the smallest one is the best and you do get the 'one shot' although in a slightly bigger quantity than an espresso. It is so strong that to make regular strong black coffee I water it down with hot water.

It's not really is it, if you're truthful.

All you're making is really really strong coffee in a smaller cup.

An espresso machine uses higher pressures and to a degree more consistently maintained higher temperatures.

Additionally, the ability to effectively use the grains packed together is what helps create the crema - no crema = no espresso.

Anything else is just a short black coffee.