64 recipes.
| Brewer | Dose | Water / yield | Ratio | Temp | Grind | Time | Notes | By | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso machine, traditional shot | 18 g | 36 g | 1:2 | Niche Zero about 18.5 | 25 to 30 s | Go as fine as you can before astringency creeps in. Around 9 bar, with a longer, gentle pre-infusion if you like. | Rowsell | 1:05 | |
| Espresso machine, turbo shot | 17 g | 51 g | 1:3 | Niche Zero, 3 to 5 notches coarser than the traditional shot | about 15 to 18 s | Cut the dose (Kyle Rowsell usually uses 15 to 17 g) and run near 6 bar so the shot flows very quickly. | Rowsell | 4:48 | |
| Pressure-profiling machine, Londinium-style profile | 18 g | 36 g | 1:2 | normal espresso grind, a touch coarser than for a blooming shot | Hold 3 bar until the first drops, climb to 9 bar, then ease back to 6 bar for the final third. Sweet and rounded, and Kyle Rowsell finds it suits any roast. Coffee: light washed Ethiopian in the demo. | Rowsell | 1:01 | ||
| Blooming espresso (Scott Rao), machine or Flair 58 | 1:2 to 1:2.5 (up to 1:3) | fairly fine, finer than the Londinium-style shot | Build to 6 bar, stop the flow completely for 30 s, then push at 8 to 9 bar to the target weight. Pressure may sag as the puck erodes. Coffee: light. | Rowsell | 2:01 | ||||
| Declining-pressure profile | 1:2 or slightly shorter | Open at full pressure (about 9 to 10 bar, or roughly 7 ml/s on a flow-paddle machine) and let it fall steadily through the shot. It cuts astringency and lifts acidity in dark roasts. Kyle Rowsell avoids it for light ones. Coffee: dark. | Rowsell | 3:32 | |||||
| Flow-paddle machine, Slayer-style shot | 1:2 to 1:2.5 (up to 1:3) | Pre-infuse below 2 ml/s (around 1 to 2 bar) until the gauge starts to climb, then open to 8 to 9 bar. Tapering to 6 bar at the end is optional. Coffee: any. | Rowsell | 5:34 | |||||
| Flow-profiling machine, allongé (Scott Rao) | 1:5 to 1:7 | coarser than a classic shot | Aim for about 4.5 ml/s, which is half paddle on Kyle Rowsell's machine. Pressure may start near 9 bar and slide towards 6. Hard on a Flair 58 unless you reduce the dose. Shows off bright, floral light roasts. Coffee: light. | Rowsell | 6:35 | ||||
| Lelit Bianca | 20 g | 40 g | 1:2 | an unfamiliar grinder at its first test setting | The first 20 g to 40 g shot ran short, sharp and floral. Stretching it to about 45 to 46 g balanced the acidity and brought out sweetness and a cranberry-like fruit. Coffee: anaerobic Peruvian Geisha. Guest: Boram Um. | Rowsell | 3:32 | ||
| Espresso machine | 17 g | 34 g | 1:2 | Niche Zero, with new burrs needing 4 notches finer than seasoned ones | 24 s | Dialled to 34 g in 24 s. | Sprometheus | 2:35 | |
| La Marzocco GS3 MP, blooming espresso | 1:2 to 1:3 | finer than a classic shot | just over 1 min | Pre-infuse at 2 to 4 bar for about 25 s, then a 30 s bloom with the pump almost at zero so the group valve does not dump, a 5 s climb to brew pressure, and finish just past the minute. | Sprometheus | 1:31 | |||
| Espresso machine, light roast | 17 g | 38 g | about 1:2.2 | 96 °C | a little coarser than a traditional dial-in | 22 s | At 205 °F, 17 g to 38 g in 22 s was the most balanced shot of the session. Coffee: light, dense Costa Rican (1,500 m). | Sprometheus | 2:32 |
| Espresso machine, dialling a new bag | 18 g | 40 g | about 1:2.2 | start where the last bag ended, then step finer | 28 to 30 s | Three shots: the first ran fast and sprayed, the second was slower but spurted late, and the third, finer again, ran clean at about 30 s. | Sprometheus | 1:03 | |
| La Marzocco GS3 MP (rpm test) | 17 g | 33.5 g | about 1:2 | Option-O Lagom P64 at 200, 800 and 1,400 rpm, adjusted to keep the time | 23 to 25 s | A short ramp to 6 bar, then 33 to 34 g out in 23 to 25 s. Five shots at each speed. Coffee: medium. | Sprometheus | 2:30 | |
| Decent espresso machine, flat-flow profile | 1:1 ristretto, 1:2 classic, 1:3 to 1:5 long | start at a normal espresso grind and coarsen until the flow line holds flat | Begin with flow peaking near 8 ml/s. On each attempt lower it by about 1 ml/s and coarsen until pressure sits between 6 and 9 bar with a flat flow trace. The best balance came at 3 to 4 ml/s. | Sprometheus | 4:12 | ||||
| Espresso machine, turbo shot | 15 g | 40 g | about 1:2.7 | somewhat coarser than standard espresso | about 15 s | A fast turbo shot, as in the study Sprometheus discusses. | Sprometheus | 1:04 | |
| Espresso machine, hybrid turbo | 17 g | 40 g | about 1:2.4 | a little finer than a standard turbo | about 18 to 20 s | Same yield as the turbo, running 3 to 5 s longer. | Sprometheus | 3:12 | |
| Espresso machine, staccato (layered) shot | 17 g | 34 g | 1:2 | grind 30 g, then sift with 400 µm and 600 µm screens | about 20 s | Put 4 g of fines in the bottom and tamp, 4 g of the coarse fraction on top and tamp, then 9 g of the middle fraction and tamp. | Sprometheus | 1:00 | |
| Espresso machine, fast shot | over 1:2 (40 g or more out) | Option-O Lagom P64 with SSP multi-purpose burrs, finer than for a traditional shot | 20 s | A quick turbo-style shot. Coffee: light to medium. | Sprometheus | 7:42 | |||
| Breville Dual Boiler (burr comparison) | Zerno Z1 with SSP multi-purpose burrs | The machine's default double-shot preset, with five shots per burr set. | Sprometheus | 5:24 | |||||
| Lelit Bianca V3 (pressure comparison) | 18 g | 36 g | 1:2 | Turin DF83 with SSP High Uniformity burrs, adjusted for each pressure | 25 s target | Stock IMS basket. Profiles from 9 bar down to 3 bar, compared side by side. Coffee: lighter natural Ethiopian. | Sprometheus | 2:01 | |
| Flair Pro (manual lever) | 17 g | 93 °C | fine, between 1 and 2 on a stepped grinder | 30 to 35 s | Preheat the chamber, dose 17 g, tamp lightly, add the screen and 50 to 60 g of hot water, then lever down with even, unbroken pressure. | Sprometheus | 4:45 | ||
| Decent espresso machine, allongé (Scott Rao) | 18 g | 1:5 to beyond 1:6 (about 90 to 110 g out) | coarser than a standard shot | About 10 s of pre-infusion and a peak near 9 bar, then pressure falls while flow is held. The total time is only slightly longer than a normal shot. Coffee: washed light Ethiopian. | Sprometheus | 1:33 | |||
| Espresso machine, standard double | 18 g | 1:2 (36 to 38 g out) | your normal espresso setting | A normal, fully extracted double. Coffee: darker Kona. | Sprometheus | 0:31 | |||
| Espresso machine, ristretto | 18 g | 18 g | 1:1 | finer than standard so the shot runs much longer | longer than a standard shot | Stop at a restricted yield. Coffee: darker Kona. | Sprometheus | 1:31 | |
| Slayer-style profile, replicated on a La Marzocco GS3 MP | about 1:2 | 93 °C | finer than a standard shot | 45 to 55 s | A long, low-pressure pre-infusion at roughly 40 to 60 g per 30 s until the basket face is soaked, then full 9 bar to the target. On pressure-controlled machines find the pre-infusion pressure by trial. Coffee: light to medium. | Sprometheus | 1:31 | ||
| Espresso machine, basket comparison | 17 g | 35 g | 1:2.06 | dialled to 21 to 23 s on each basket | 21 to 23 s | Five shots per basket, one coffee. Coffee: medium Colombian natural, 4 days off roast. | Sprometheus | 2:34 | |
| Victoria Arduino Eagle One Prima (dialling three coffees) | 15 g | 30 g | starts at 1:2 | 95 °C | dial numbers are only a personal reference | 25 to 34 s | Natural Brazil: 15 g to 34 g in 32 s was astringent, so go slightly coarser and shorten the ratio towards 1:1 for sweetness. Washed Ethiopia: 38 g in 27 s was acceptable, and finer, to 30 g in 34 s, was the most balanced. Extended-ferment washed Colombia: 32 to 35 g in 21 to 22 s was too quick, and going finer to 25 to 27 s balanced it. Coffee: natural Brazil (18 days off roast), washed Ethiopia, washed Colombia. | ECT | 2:40 |
| Flair Espresso Pro | 17.5 g | 39 g | 1:2.2 | Comandante, 26 with Red Clix | 50 to 60 s from water contact | Pre-infuse at 1 to 2 bar for 15 s, then climb slowly to 7 to 8 bar. Time it from first water contact. Coffee: lighter-roast Peru. | ECT | 2:37 | |
| Flair 58, blooming profile | 1:3 to 1:5 | slightly finer than for the Londinium-style shot | Fill and push to about 5 to 6 bar, stop and let the puck bloom for 10 to 30 s until a few drops show, then press the rest through at about 8 to 9 bar and let the pressure fall away by itself. Coffee: light. Not recommended for dark roasts. | Quan | 1:06 | ||||
| Flair 58 and Uniterra Nomad, Londinium-style profile | 42 g | 1:2 to 1:3 | a little coarser than for blooming | Pre-infuse near 3 bar until the first drops, climb to 8 to 9 bar and let it decline. Shorten the pre-infusion for darker roasts. About 42 g out in the Nomad demo. Coffee: any. | Quan | 6:25 | |||
| Uniterra Nomad, Rao allongé | 1:5 to 1:7 (about 70 to 90 g out) | a relatively coarse espresso grind | Pump to about 8 to 9 bar, keep a steady pumping pace and let the pressure drop as the puck breaks down. Coffee: light. | Quan | 10:15 | ||||
| Decent DE1, Londinium R v3 profile (written by Damien) | 18 g | 36 g | 1:2 | Niche Zero in the low teens (12 to 13 as an example), with first shots at 20 and 7 to bracket it | decline begins around 30 to 40 s | Fill to 1.5 bar, soak, then build and hold 9 bar. Once flow passes about 1.9 ml/s, let it decline towards 5 to 5.5 bar. Aim for the decline to start at about 30 to 40 s. Shots 4 degrees warmer and cooler than default were tried too. Coffee: Paper Moon Nicaragua, a darker roast. | Quan | 4:07 | |
| Decent DE1, Londinium R v2 profile with the peak set to 6 bar (programming demo) | 36 g | deliberately a little coarse for the demo | Shows conditional steps. The fill and the 3 bar pre-infusion steps have a 2 g weight limit, with about 4 g to move on, so the machine skips pre-infusion and builds pressure. Later steps advance if flow tops 2.8 ml/s, and a limit step caps flow at 2.5 ml/s. | Quan | 3:06 | ||||
| La Pavoni Europiccola (post-millennium), turbo shot | 10 g | 30 g | 1:3 | fairly coarse | about 25 s | Raise the lever and let water reach the puck with little or no pre-infusion, then pull down quickly, peaking around 4 to 7 bar. Group at roughly 90 to 95 °C. Coffee: light. | Quan | 4:35 | |
| La Pavoni Europiccola (post-millennium), turbo bloom | 10 g | 30 g | 1:3 | a touch finer than for the plain turbo | Lift the lever, press slightly to let water in, bloom a few seconds until you feel resistance and see drops, then push fast to 30 g. Group at roughly 90 to 95 °C. Coffee: light. | Quan | 6:43 | ||
| Decent DE1, Londinium-style profile (grinder comparison) | 18.1 g | Option-O Lagom P100 with 98 mm HU burrs and Lagom P64 with 64 mm MP burrs, dialled close to each other | RDT, grind, magnetic funnel, puck prep, then side-by-side shots. Coffee: light. | Quan | 7:21 | ||||
| Decent DE1 (grinder comparison) | 18 g | 36 g | 1:2 | matched on a Niche Zero and a Kafatek Monolith Flat to the same flow, pressure and time | about 30 to 32 s | The same profile on both grinders. Coffee: light-medium (Paper Moon Helios). | Quan | 1:30 | |
| Decent DE1, low-contact profile (washed coffee) | 20 g | the first try was too fine, the second two full steps coarser | first shot about 1 min | A low-contact profile with a pre-infusion ramp. The first shot spiked to about 12 bar and was binned. The second was far better. Coffee: washed Typica Mejorado (Putushio, Ecuador), about two weeks off roast. Guest: Simba. | Quan | 8:12 | |||
| Decent DE1 (natural coffee) | 18 g | 60 g | 1:3.3 | started finer than for the washed coffee, and a later shot went coarser | about 25 s of constant flow in the final shot | Run to about 60 g it was a little long and muddy. A later shot peaking near 8 bar (about 6 most of the way), cooler, with about 25 s of constant flow tasted much better. Coffee: Ecuador Pepe Jijón cold-wave natural Typica. Guest: Simba. | Quan | 15:02 | |
| Pressure-profiling machine, sweet recipe | 18 g | 43.2 g | 1:2.4 (about 1:2.5) | Kafatek Shurikone light-medium burrs, one grind for both recipes | about 34 s | Pre-infuse near 2 bar (filling at about 4 ml/s) until 2 to 3 g are in the cup, ease up to about 5 bar, then ramp down. Coffee: Asia Roasting Project coffees. | Quan | 9:56 | |
| Pressure-profiling machine, longer recipe | 18 g | 60 g | 1:3.3 | the same grind as the sweet recipe | about 32 s | Fill at twice the rate (about 8 ml/s), then the same gentle climb to about 5 bar and decline. Coffee: Asia Roasting Project coffees. | Quan | 14:32 | |
| Decent DE1, Cremina-style lever profile | 18.1 g | 36 g | 1:2 | Helor Flux, moved 4 to 6 dots coarser after a choked shot | WDT, tamp, puck screen, then a lever-style pull to 36 g. Coffee: light-medium washed (Elixir). | Quan | 11:10 | ||
| Faema café machine, dialling a new nano-lot | 20 g | 45 g | 1:2.25 | 93 °C | the roastery's EK (named only as 'EK' here), moved coarser to 5.1 after the first shot | about 27 s | WDT, then 9 bar. The first shot gave 44.6 g in about 27 s against a 45 g target. Going coarser and running to 46 g made it sweeter and better balanced. Coffee: washed Sudan Rume, Las Margaritas (Café Granja La Esperanza), Colombia. | Bluebird | 10:02 |
| Café espresso machine with the roastery's EK | 20 g | 50 g | 1:2.5 | the roastery's EK. The first shot ran slow, so the grind went coarser | 23 to 24 s target | WDT in rings from the base upwards, one light tap, then tamp. The first shot took about 28 s for roughly 51 g, so the grind was opened up to aim for 22 to 24 s. Coffee: washed Kenya Kamwangi AA, Kirinyaga, roasted the night before. | Bluebird | 8:31 | |
| Espresso machine, 17 g basket (worked example from the Under Extracted series) | 17 g | 34 g | 1:2 | about 20 to 35 s | A starting point to taste from, then lengthen or tighten the ratio. A classic shot runs roughly 20 to 35 s, and the café works in the mid-20s. | Bluebird | 7:41 | ||
| Espresso machine at 9 bar, 21 g basket | 20 g | 40 g | 1:2 | the café grinder, with the final change one step coarser | 26 to 28 s window | Dose and yield are fixed first. The opening shot ran quick (around 25 s). A finer setting overshot to about 32 s and lost balance. One step back coarser landed in the window and tasted sweet with good texture. Coffee: Friendly Blend, the house blend, a medium (light-to-medium) roast that's fairly soluble. | Bluebird | 4:30 | |
| Home espresso machine | 18 g | 42 g | about 1:2.3 | set slightly coarser than you would grind a typical washed coffee | 24 to 26 s | Aim for 24 to 26 s. This lot flows slowly. The longer yield trims strength a little. Coffee: Finca Soledad Sidra Wave, Ecuador. | Bluebird | 6:20 | |
| Home espresso machine, longer yield | 1:2.5 | 22 to 24 s | Let it run fairly quickly. It's best at 22 to 24 s and can be stretched further. Coffee: Colombia Delagua anaerobic natural Castillo. | Bluebird | 7:50 | ||||
| Café machine, large basket, fast and long | 20 g | 55 g | 1:2.75 | 22 to 23 s | Quick shots with a stretched yield suit heavily processed coffees. Coffee: Volcan Azul anaerobic natural Geisha, Costa Rica (Project Next Gen 2024). | Bluebird | 3:35 | ||
| Café bar machine, long ratio | 55 g | about 1:3 | A quick extraction at a long ratio. Light in body but creamy, very sweet, with gentle acidity. The dose couldn't be made out, so it's left out. Coffee: washed Red Bourbon, El Socorro, Guatemala. | Bluebird | 4:38 | ||||
| Espresso machine, washed and honey coffees | 1:2.5 or longer for the washed Ethiopians, about 1:2.25 for the honey lot | quicker than usual | Favour quicker, lighter, higher-extraction shots for the washed coffees. The honey lot runs shorter, especially in milk. Coffee: washed Suke Quto and Idido (Ethiopia), honey Cyesha (Rwanda). | Bluebird | 5:07 | ||||
| Espresso machine, longer ratio for a Sidra | 1:2.5 to 1:3 | Run it long. This coffee is at its best with the extra yield. Coffee: Finca Soledad SyOxy (Sidra), Ecuador, washed with aerobic fermentation. | Bluebird | 3:31 | |||||
| Café espresso machine (bar recipe) | 20 g | 45 g | 1:2.25 | The roastery's bar recipe for this natural. Coffee: Ethiopia Reko natural, Yirgacheffe. | Bluebird | 8:14 | |||
| Bar espresso machine, opened grind | 1:2.5 to 1:3 | open the grind up from your usual setting | quicker than standard | A longer, quicker shot than the standard. Coffee: Burundi Migoti natural. | Bluebird | 0:30 | |||
| Commercial machine, 21 g basket | 20 g | 50 g | 1:2.5 | 24 to 26 s target | Target 24 to 26 s. The demo shot reached 50 g in 20 s, faster than planned. The longer ratio rounds the acidity of Kenyan coffees into sweetness. Coffee: washed Kenya Kamwangi AB. | Bluebird | 4:04 | ||
| Home espresso machine, short contact | 17 g | 40 g | 1:2.35 | 91 °C | 20 to 24 s | Keep contact time short. The café runs this coffee at 91 to 92 °C and 6 bar. Coffee: Rwanda Rugali natural. | Bluebird | 3:39 | |
| Café espresso machine (weighed dose and yield) | 18.5 g | 42 g | about 1:2.3 | about 23 s | Weigh the dose and the drink every time. The bar allows about 0.3 g either side of the target dose. Coffee: washed Rwanda, the house hopper coffee. | Bluebird | 2:04 | ||
| Espresso machine, slightly longer shot | 1:2.5 | about 22 s | A quick shot pulled a little long. Coffee: Rwanda Cyesha honey Red Bourbon. | Bluebird | 5:04 | ||||
| Home espresso machine, sized to the basket | 20 g | 50 g | 1:2.25 to 1:2.5 | Scale down for small baskets: 14 to 16 g in a 16 g basket, 18 to 20 g in a 20 g basket, with the yield reduced to match. Coffee: Rwanda Vunga natural Red Bourbon, light. | Bluebird | 4:06 | |||
| Machine with a built-in grinder | 18 g | 50 g | 1:2.8 | 90 °C | the machine's own grinder, moved coarser after a 26 s first shot | 24 s | WDT and no pre-infusion. The first shot ran 26 s against a 24 s target, so the grind went coarser and the temperature down to 90 °C. Coffee: Tres Dragones, Café Granja La Esperanza, Colombia (funky process). | Bluebird | 5:06 |
| La Marzocco, 6 bar | 19.5 g | 42.5 g | about 1:2.2 | 92 °C | about 26 s | A 6 bar profile at 92 °C for about 26 s. The dose and yield couldn't be made out. Coffee: Los Pirineos washed Pink Bourbon, El Salvador. | Bluebird | 7:31 | |
| Espresso machine, SEYspro (Sey, Brooklyn): a fast, coarse, low-pressure soup-style shot | 18 g | 42 g | about 1:2.3 | 90 °C | very coarse for espresso, with a wide grind window | 9 to 12 s | La Marzocco Linea on 49 mm baskets, 6 bar, with a paper filter under the puck. Lance Hedrick's shot took 43.4 g in 12.6 s at just under 14% extraction (9.9/10). Time it to your machine's flow. Under 7 g/s, aim for 11 to 14 s, and over 7 g/s for 9 to 12 s. Use 85 to 87 °C for more acidity. Coffee: light washed Ethiopian. | Hedrick | 2:22 |
| Espresso machine, Big Sur Soup (Big Sur, Shanghai): a long, high-flow coffee soup | 17 g | 80 g | about 1:4.7 | 83 °C | coarser than pour-over, untamped | about 15 to 18 s | A Slayer in its middle position (about 5 g/s), with paper above and below the puck. Pressure doesn't matter. At home, try 88 °C, 6 bar if you can, and 1:5 to 1:6, with a puck screen. Lance Hedrick's ran 20.3 s at about 2% TDS and 10% extraction, and it was floral, clean and not sour (9.2/10). | Hedrick | 9:32 |
| Espresso machine, Motorspro (Motors, Paris): a soup-style shot split into two cups | 16 g | 100 g | about 1:6 | 88 °C | coarse, maybe coarser than V60 | about 16 s | Full flow (about 9 g/s), a basket bigger than the dose and a spouted portafilter. Swap cups at 50 g. The first cup tastes of jam and berry compote with an oolong finish, and the second is a light, tea-like palate cleanser. They're best poured back together. 16.4% extraction overall. Coffee: light Gesha. | Hedrick | 15:43 |
Summarised in our own words from the creators' videos, with every point linked to the moment it comes from. Notchbook isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of these creators, so please watch the originals for full context. Sources
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