Need to know!

For generic information on making espresso alt.coffee, coffee geek, Sweet Maria's web site and many others excel at this tutorial level of information. However, if you've been there and done that but have specific questions and concerns about getting the best espresso on the S1/VII/Mini-VII/Dream/Dream T, post those topics here.
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jmcphail

Need to know!

Post by jmcphail »

Someone straighten me out please!

I know a ristretto is basically a shot pulled short - capturing the 1st two-thirds of the shot and discarding the blonding tail-end.

Assuming a dialed-in grinder, can a ristretto simple be an overdosed shot?

Somehow it makes sense to me that if I've dialed in my grinder to produce a specific liquid volume of espresso in a specific amount of time, then overdosing the shot would require a longer pull to maintain the same brew ratio. Does that even make any sense? Are there other factors, perhaps grind?

Can you tell I'm confused?
Niko

Post by Niko »

You are going to get so many different answers on this one. Even if you looked up the term "Ristretto" on the net - you'll get several different answers.
Here's the term Ristretto in Niko's house...
I mostly drink them (about 80% of my drinks) so I have a pretty good idea. The grind is so fine to the point of almost choking the machine, on the bottomless PF - little tiny droplets appear slowly and build up to a tiny stream down the middle about halfway through the shot and the rest is history in the cup. I usually end up with about 1.2-1.6oz at the most for a double. The Ristretto is so fine and intense in flavor it makes a simple espresso shot taste like urinated water :lol: ...OK, I never tasted that but you get what I mean.
jmcphail

Post by jmcphail »

Thanks!

Do I understand that your strategy in making your ristretto is to maximize the brew ratio? "Brew ratio" might not be the right term, what I mean is you're increasing the ratio of coffee to water?

I'm also assuming that your shot is timed to stop near the beginning of blonding?
Cafesp

Post by Cafesp »

Niko wrote: ...The Ristretto is so fine and intense in flavor it makes a simple espresso shot taste like urinated water :lol: ...OK, I never tasted that but you get what I mean.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

:roll: Cafesp
Niko

Post by Niko »

jmcphail wrote:"Brew ratio" might not be the right term, what I mean is you're increasing the ratio of coffee to water?

I'm also assuming that your shot is timed to stop near the beginning of blonding?
Most definitely.
And the shots do get cut off immediately at the earliest signs of blonding, sometimes a shot can be as short as 18 seconds and most of the time no longer than 25 but that's just me being picky. :roll:
michael

ristretto

Post by michael »

when you make a ristretto, do you use more coffee, up from the 14 - 15gs; i often find that on a finer grind, the volume of coffee decreases

if you were to guesstimate, how many notches finer on the mazzer mini e do you grind as compared to an espresso 8)
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