Espresso extraction time is the time it takes for water to run through your coffee puck. How quickly or slowly this happens has a surprisingly big impact on the taste of your coffee.
Below, we explain how to find a good espresso extraction time.
Espresso extraction time: this basic recipe gets you started
A good guideline for espresso extraction time is between 25 and 30 seconds.
We always recommend this formula for beginner home baristas: 18 grams of coffee in, 40 grams of espresso out in 25–30 seconds. With this recipe, you have a solid base for a good espresso extraction time.
Within those 25 to 30 seconds, you can still experiment to get closer to your favourite flavours.
A shorter extraction usually tastes more acidic, while a longer extraction often tastes more bitter. But of course, this also depends on the beans you use and how dark they are roasted.
Read more here about how to make a good espresso.
How to measure your extraction time
You measure your extraction time from the moment you start the extraction until there is about 36 grams in your cup. Because when you stop the extraction, it keeps dripping for a moment, so you will end up around 40 grams.
To measure your extraction time, you need a coffee scale with a timer. This also helps you weigh your beans beforehand.
A kitchen scale and the stopwatch on your phone work just fine too, of course, if you don’t have a coffee scale yet.
Espresso runs too fast
If your espresso runs too fast, your extraction time is under 25 seconds.
Sometimes 22 or 24 seconds can still work, depending on your beans and taste preference. But with an extraction time under 20 seconds, you will usually end up with a flat, sour espresso.
The acidic flavours are the first to be released from your coffee grounds during extraction. That is why they take over when your coffee runs too fast.
During a short extraction, there has not been enough time for the bitter compounds, which come through last with the water, to extract properly.
Espresso runs too fast? Here’s what you can do:
- Grind your beans finer.
The most obvious step to extend your extraction time. With a finer grind, you create more resistance for the water, so it flows more slowly through your puck. - Increase your dose.
Try using half a gram or a full gram more ground coffee in your puck to extend your extraction time. - Tamp more firmly.
A tamp that is too light can also cause your espresso to run too fast.
For the best espresso, tamp with a pressure between 10 and 15 kilos. And if you don’t feel like measuring this, you can also try a calibrated click tamper. Ours clicks at 12 kg, so you know you’re in the right range.
Tip: coffee that is tamped at an angle can also run too fast. To fix this, you can use a coffee distributor or a WDT tool.
Coffee runs too slowly
If your coffee runs too slowly, it often tastes far too bitter. You will also often notice a dry feeling in your mouth, a bit like swallowing a paracetamol.
You can fix a slow extraction by:
- Grinding coarser
- Lowering your dose
- Using a high-extraction filter basket. This filter basket is designed to speed up your extraction. That way, you can grind finer while keeping the right extraction time.
- Lowering the temperature of your machine.
