Espresso is a moving target — the coffee, the machine, and the day all shift the recipe. What follows is the starting point for Kahawa Nzuri Bugisu on any well-maintained 9-bar machine.

Method

01 · Purge and dry

Purge the group head, then dry the basket and portafilter with a clean cloth.

02 · Dose

18 g coffee, ground fine. Even out with a distribution tool.

03 · Tamp

One level tamp. About 15 kg of pressure. Consistent, not heroic.

04 · Pull

Start the shot. Aim for the first drips of espresso at 6 – 10 seconds. Total shot time 25 – 32 seconds.

05 · Yield

Weigh the yield. 36 g out — that is 1 : 2. Adjust grind if you are outside the window.

06 · Taste

Sour? Grind finer or extend the shot. Bitter? Grind coarser or shorten. Then repeat.

The coffee

Any of our coffees will brew well on this method — the recipe above is calibrated for Bugisu, our flagship. For lighter African coffees (the Ethiopian and Kenyan lots when they land), consider dropping water temperature by 2 – 3 °C and grinding one step finer.