# Shot size.



## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

I've scanned the forum and as yet haven't found an answer to this question so maybe its just a dumb one, if so ---I'm sorry.

The perfect double shot is expected to be 55-60 ml, in 25-30secs, where does the crema fit into this sizing. Is the crema supposed to be "a little extra" to the shot, like the icing on the cake, or is it included in the 60ml.

Ian


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

My take is that the crema is included in the shot volume, could be wrong, hopefully not as that`s the way I measure it.


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## 1st_crack (Oct 18, 2010)

Hi Ian,

Rather than judging your shot of espresso by volume, try and give it a go by weight, that way it will account for the liquid and crema. The following article is a good starting point for some good information about why to weigh rather use volume.

http://marco.ie/uberproject/?p=602

There are no set parameters for a double espresso as it depends on how much coffee you are using to start with, and even the coffee that you are using. Hopefully this will help and give you a headstart.

Pete


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Ah wonderful, the techno geekiness of espresso production never ceases to surprise and enlighten me. In truth I cannot recall when I last did an extraction that was the full "official" double volume, preferring the results with a slightly restricted pour of around 45 - 50ml at the moment. Now whether that`s me, the beans, the grinder, the tamp or the Surrey with the fringe on top, who knows.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Thats a really good question and one that is not clearly defined.

I like Pete's answer (weight) but if you don't have access to scales then I usually advise that black liquid is just below the 1 oz line and the crema is just above it


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Petes' answer really has as many variables as Glenns'.

Depends on weight and the ratio of coffee to espresso that suits your tastebuds. Or include only half the crema as the coffee is just below and the crema just above, the line.

Interesting, we're back to personal preference really, I guess the palate is the judge.

Thank you Ian


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

But a standard cappuccino has 6-7oz of milk with 1 or 2oz espresso

Milk is not bad per se, but in such large quantities...


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Interesting explanation of shot size from a roaster in Montana.

Espresso is from 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of dark, heavy-bodied, bitter-sweet coffee topped with a reddish-brown mantle of crema. This crema is actually the emulsified coffee oils, which are forced out under high pressure (8-10 bar) generated by commercial and high-quality home espresso machines. These oils normally don't mix with water as coffee does, and this emulsification under pressure is what distinguishes espresso from strong coffee.

Notice his take on shot size.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

Very variable terms, but there's a nice table (from Andy Schecter) in Scott Rao's Professional Barista's Handbook, which describes a ristretto as roughly an equal weight of beverage to the dry coffee, and an espresso normale as twice the weight in beverage as the dry coffee (and lungo as three times the weight of dry coffee).

I don't think these should be targets particularly, but they do make easy and well defined terms for the purposes of discussing drinks, so I like them


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

This area's causing me a lot of questions at the moment, so to change the question slightly:

What's your usual total shot size/weight? (total beverage weight/volume)

How much dry coffee do you use to make this?

I'd be really interested to see what kind of range people are using, and also what range of dose and shot values you'd consider "normal"/reasonable/likely-to-taste-nice 









Personally, I usually end up with a total beverage mass in the 25 - 35g range, from 16 - 19g dry coffee. That gives a ratio around 1:1.5 - 1:2 of dry:beverage. Depending on the beans, that gives a total volume extracted as around 30ml I think (although I don't have numbered shot glasses to check that).


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm fairly confused about this also. Recently i poured a 45-50ml shot with 16g and an extraction weight of 58.1g (something wrong there I guess) Check out this thread for details


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