# Help me understand the whole extraction ratio thing



## Benjijames28 (Mar 29, 2017)

Ok I'm fairly new to coffee, I've just bought a replacement sage barista express after i had an issue with the first one.

I've been using some scales to weigh roughly 18g of beans, trying to keep a consistent tamp and adjust the grind setting to try and get a shot in the right pressure range on my machine.

Apparently i can draw my shots manually by holding in one of the buttons. With the default settings my extractions were taking 20 to 25 seconds including what people online say is a long press Infusion, do i count preinfusion time as part of extraction time?

Please help.


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Start the timer as soon as you push the button/turn the knob. My machine runs for roughly 4 or 5 seconds before I see signs of any liquid then it's a steady 'mousetrail' trickle for the remainder, about 28 secs in total on the current beans.

I am not an expert . . . and this is on my machine


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Yeah count pre infusion as part of total time - though as more experienced people on here will tell u - it's consistency that is more important as is taste in the cup.

Aim for around 30 seconds Inc pre infusion though go by taste more.

How did the 20 second shot taste?

Tighten the grind and try again - see what difference it makes to time and taste.


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## soxley (Nov 7, 2016)

Some bedtime reading... these posts helped me understand the theory side a lot. However, it's far more difficult to put it into practice!

1. http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?22879-Beginners-Reading-Weighing-Espresso-Brew-Ratios

2. https://baristahustle.com/blogs/barista-hustle/the-espresso-compass (plus the articles linked to on dose, yield, time and 'togther')

Are you using fresh beans and home-grinding?


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

don't forget to also weight the output and then you will know whether you are in the ballpark - for me the general frame is 1g / 1s total, so for the espresso normale, with extraction ratio 1:2 you will get 36 grams of espresso out of 18 grams of coffee in 36 seconds total from starting the pump...adjust by taste


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## Benjijames28 (Mar 29, 2017)

Right I've got a bit better of an understanding now. I'm gonna need to buy some accurate scales!


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

I use these for weighting beans and output from Silvia, they fit nicely on the drip tray.


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