How To Make A Ristretto Quick and Easy
The ristretto shot is an espresso purist’s heaven, a genuinely delightful pour of espresso. But what is a ristretto and how are these strongly disputed shots crafted?
What Exactly Is A Ristretto?
The Italian word Ristretto essentially means restricted, classified as a beverage of very robust, condensed espresso. Knowing the definition of the term Ristretto casts some light on this fantastic beverage, it is a low volume of water which is very condensed – but don’t let this put you off! Let us clarify…
The nature of how a Ristretto is prepared suggests that you are left with a beverage that delivers you all of the finest characteristics of the espresso, with very little of the negative attributes that produce a longer extraction period. When it comes to extracting espresso under pressure all of the great characteristics of the beverage are the first to emerge, the longer an extraction persists – the more negative tastes and qualities are obtained. So naturally you prefer to identify a happy medium to maximize the excellent flavors and minimize the bad.
Making A Ristretto
As like an espresso, it is all about the pour, timing & grind of your beans that produces desired coffee you need. The reason that the Ristretto tends to be so extremely debated is the technique of preparation for this beverage. We will describe two techniques you can use to produce a Ristretto – dependent on the machinery you are utilizing, we will only explain the technique to make a double Ristretto. However if you have a single basket and group you can merely half the measurements utilized.
The Traditional (Best) Method
This incorporates brewing 30mls of espresso over identical pour time as a standard espresso shot. A conventional espresso requires approximately 14 grams of espresso for a double espresso. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Adjust your grind to a much finer grind that you would use for regular espresso – you will need a finer grind than you do for a conventional espresso, as you need to reduce the pour speed of the extraction.
- Dispense approximately 14 grams (you may prefer to modify this more or less based on what serves you best) of espresso into your basket.
- Prepare and tamp as usual
- Time your extraction – 30 ml of liquid should come out in between 25-30 seconds.
The Shortcut (Avoid if you can)
I include this technique not because it will provide you a genuine Ristretto but because on specific machines like super-automatics or espresso machines with pressurized filters, you will most probably not have enough control to use the method described above. This is why we suggest to avoid it if feasible, but it will get you a portion of the way there. Here’s how it’s accomplished:
- Get your grind as fine as practicable for the machine you are using.
- Tamp as normal.
- Begin your extraction and let it run until you have 30 ml of espresso for a double Ristretto.
This process of preparation is basically going to deliver you an espresso that has been halted mid-way through – so it will not be as condensed or syrupy as a genuine ristretto, but hey, if that is all your machine will permit, it’s better than nothing!
So now go and give it a try! A ristretto is a wonderful foundation for a milk-based drink such as a latte because of the rich flavor. Why not try creating a Piccolo Latte? This involves using a double ristretto served with latte-textured milk in a smaller cup! Definitely something to be enjoyed!
