Decreasing intensity/strength

DrForinor

My family are over and they are finding the espresso I am making is too “strong” for them. They prefer to have more muted flavours. Without lengthening the drink (ie adding more water/milk), is it possible to make an espresso “weak”?

I normally use 16.5g for me, even with 14g for my sister she found it a little too intense. Any advice, please?

dutchy101

Had the same thing earlier with my mother innlaw and her partner. Resolved it by splitting the shot into 2 with a double portafilter

DrForinor

dutchy101 Yup, that sounds like a good idea, thanks.

dndrich

Your Elizabeth has a nice portafilter that can split the shot into 2. So use two shot glasses and make two “singles” from your double dose as described above. Steam the milk, and they will be happy! Another option is to make a longo, with say a 3 to 1 ratio, which will taste a bit less intense. But I would just split the shot as above.

DrForinor

dndrich Increase the ratio, but maintain the brew time? So grind coarser?

dndrich

DrForinor No. Just run it longer, all else same. See how it tastes. So if you pull in say 35 seconds in your usual shot, go 40-45. Just play with it. If you run it longer, and it is bitter, then you can grind a bit courser for less time, or lower temperature. But I bet just running it longer will be fine, especially if medium-dark roast, and a milk drink. Milk makes even marginal shots great!

dutchy101

In my case, I was splitting the shot (18g) into 2 and making lungos. They both really enjoyed them

Think they just found the coffee too strong in the past.

I did drink one at one point and was surprised at how much flavour came through doing it this way - I was using the Las Pallomas Colombian from Black Cat which has mega rum flavour going on, so perhaps this was why.

dutchy101

I was letting it run as long as 90 seconds at times. They really enjoyed them.

Rob1

dutchy101 Sounds like you’ve stumbled across the type of recipe I’d use.

DrForinor

Oh wow. To me that sounds like a recipe for disaster, but I’ll give it a go haha!!

Thanks chaps! 👍🏼

MWJB

Remember it is the ratio that drives the concentration, so a split shot will be smaller, but the same concentration as a double, unless diluted, or pulled at a longer ratio.

It is possible to pull espresso at longer ratios and the spouted portafilter is a good call to avoid spattering & the odd squirt in the eye! 😀

dutchy101

I did attempt a couple of singles with the single basket but the grind was well off (my double basket is a VST). Couldn’t be arsed having to dial in again so splitting the shots with my VST basket with a dose and dialled in grind won