How do I make the perfect espresso, and what do I need to do to get creamy milk foam? We've compiled the most important barista knowledge, including barista tips for beginners, in a concise and clear format for an easy introduction to the world of espresso machines and espresso grinders. We also provide tips for the care and maintenance of a portafilter machine. Finally, we've described the four most important beverages and how to prepare them.

Espresso coffee

Grinding beans: A target amount of approximately 9 grams is recommended for the initial grind. If you don't have a precision scale handy, you can also roughly measure this amount by eye. To do this, the simple portafilter should be slightly heaped (after grinding and without tapping in between).

Pressing the ground coffee: For an even extraction, it is necessary to press the ground coffee. To do this, place the tamper as flat as possible on the ground coffee and then press down firmly. More important than a specific pressure is that the result is as horizontal as possible after pressing.

Extraction: After inserting the portafilter, no more than 3-4 seconds should pass before the brewing process begins. Otherwise, the coffee grounds will burn. 25 ml of espresso should be extracted in 25 seconds. A smaller amount means the grind is too fine; a larger amount means it's too coarse.

Froth milk

The drawing phase: At the beginning of frothing, it's advisable to completely immerse the tip of the steam wand in the milk to avoid bubbles when opening the steam tap. Once the steam is fully turned on, slowly lower the jug to bring the steam nozzle closer to the surface. The right point is when you hear a faint hissing sound. If it bubbles, the nozzle is too high. The drawing phase ends when the milk jug becomes lukewarm.

The rolling phase: The rolling phase serves to evenly distribute the foam previously created during the brewing phase throughout the milk jug. This creates a creamy, homogeneous foam that blends perfectly with the coffee. To initiate the rolling phase, the steam nozzle is immersed deeper into the jug. This creates a vortex that draws the fine bubbles downwards. If the jug becomes so hot that it becomes uncomfortable, quickly turn off the steam. Grab a damp cloth and clean the nozzle. Finally, give it a quick burst of steam to clean the nozzle.

Recipes

Espresso: A single espresso has a volume of approximately 25 ml. A doppio, or double espresso, has a volume of approximately twice that. A ristretto is a shorter espresso, containing only approximately 20 ml. Depending on your taste, the espresso can be rounded off with a little sugar.

Cappuccino: The cappuccino is the classic among milk drinks. Traditionally, a single espresso is poured with 150ml–180ml of milk. For larger cups, a doppio is recommended as a base to avoid over-diluting the coffee. If the milk is frothed to a thin consistency rather than creamy (with a shortened brewing time), it's called a flat white.

Americano The Americano is the portafilter alternative to filter coffee or a café creme from a fully automatic coffee machine. To prepare it, first fill the cup with 200ml of hot water. Then, a double shot of espresso is drawn on top. In principle, the espresso could also be drawn first and then topped up with hot water, but this would result in a large portion of the crema being lost, and the eye would ultimately drink in the same amount.