Ristretto

Italy

A "restricted" shot — same dose of coffee, half the water, and a finer grind. The shorter extraction pulls more of the sweet, caramelly compounds and less of the bitter ones, making it more concentrated and syrupy than a standard espresso. Starbucks uses ristretto shots in their flat whites, for what it's worth.

How to make it

1. 1

   Grind 18g of coffee slightly finer than your normal espresso setting.

2. 2

   Distribute and tamp as usual.

3. 3

   Pull the shot, stopping at 15–20 seconds or when you hit about 18–22g of liquid.

4. 4

   The shot should be thick, dark, and almost oily — if it looks blonde, grind finer.