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increasing the development of the coffee in the roaster can increase its solubility. —Increase flow rate: See previous section. —Consider tamper shape: Although it hasn't been scientifically proven, flat tampers are believed to increase extraction. Balancing Taste Once you've spent ample time getting your espresso into that sweet spot of 18–22 percent extraction, you may experience one problem: It doesn't taste good! Now that you've found the base parameters for your espresso, it's time to balance it. Finding the balance of a coffee is different than optimizing the extraction because you're not simply moving closer or further away from a target on a linear plane. In other words, it's not a concept of more or less "balance" like it is with solubles' yield, and an espresso that achieves 20-percent extraction may taste terrible. When balancing the taste, you are manipulating the presence of various chemical compounds in the cup to be the most pleasant. Determining this may require a bit of searching. —Examine the coffee. Take note of the roast level, even comparing the ground coffee to the whole bean. Cup the coffee if you are able. —Be diligent about tasting your coffee as accurately and objectively as possible, and utilize a palate cleanser when tasting. Personally, alternating between milk and sparkling water offers a good reset for my palate. —Use a scientific process to move one variable at a time, such as in/out dose or temperature to find the most palatable balance. In general, raise temperature to increase complexity, and lower to balance out harsher notes. Also, remember that salts and acids are dissolved first, then carbohydrates (sugar), then insolubles enter the solution (oils and compounds contributing to body), then waxes and cellulose (bean fiber). —Keep notes on dialing-in to refer to and discuss with your staff. —Once you've found the optimal balance, measure every extraction to minimize your margin of error. The topics presented here don't offer any magical insight that you can apply during the five minutes you spend dialing-in your espresso in the morning. They suggest a more calculated approach, with more systems in place to check and assess how your equipment and coffee are performing. Espresso can be frustrating if you are trying to get it to taste incredible every day, and you don't get these results by chance. The more effort you put into setting standards for staff, evaluating coffee and equipment, and controlling as many variables as possible, the more consistently you can expect to produce great espresso. Above: A refractometer is a good investment into your coffee's quality. Right: Practice sipping as hard and loud as humanly possible so that others are impressed (wink). BALANCE So how do you the taste of espresso? 100 barista magazine