How Do I Make a Espresso Step-By-Step?

[Guest]

I have never had an espresso maker before and just purchased a Rancillio Silvia.
The instructions are not too good. IPlease tell me step-by-step how to make an
espresso. When they tell ya that the tamp has to be perfect, what does that mean?

HELP!

Isy

 

[notmuffy]

the "tamp" is basically the amount of packing you did of the grounds. Espresso machines want you to pack down the grounds when you fill the little cuppy-thing.

 

[CoffeeLover]

How to make an espresso

isym, Welcome to Coffee Forums! I'm glad you're here and you've asked the question of step-by-step instructions to make a espresso with your new espresso machine (Rancillio Silvia). If you haven't done so already please register so you can post under an account

What steps have you done thus far in making your espresso. The practices of making a great cup of espresso are basicly the same all across the board. Its important to remember that Espresso is made by extracting the flavors from the bean intended to use only the best parts and its done with not-quite boiling water but it is put under a lot of pressure!

Tamping is very important part of making an espresso, there is a guide located here with instructions on how to do the tamping.

Make sure the coffee beans used are fresh, this is important, once you've made your choice selection for your espresso then you will want to play with your machine as each is different to get the right taste your looking for! If your not quite sure of what your looking for go sampling some coffee shops espressos and pick up the book "Espresso From Bean to Cup" by Nick Jurich. Also there's a CD-Rom for The Rancillio Silvia that one company use produced explaining how to use that particular machine. And if your looking for general information on how to make the perfect espresso you will want to read this little tutorial of one persons idea of the perfect cup.

To keep this discussion going, what do people think is the key or instructions to the perfect cup of espresso. Writing up a nice howto would be nice for the site and go into the archives.