So you bought a Fancy espresso machine at home with the dream of making your favourite vanilla oat flat white every morning and saving yourself the time and expense of going to your local café for it. Great idea, but not quite as simple as ordering at the café, sadly. However, with a few tips and tricks, you can soon make a flat white to rival that of your favourite barista, although the latte art may take some more practice!
Espresso is the type of coffee at the heart of the most popular coffee drinks, from a long black to a latte. A small, strong shot of intense flavour that is the heart of your drink, get this wrong and it will be average no matter what you do with it.
First up is choosing a coffee that you like, our recommendations for home espresso are three coffees that each bring something distinct to the cup: Daily Brew, Calm Brew and Ugandan Brew. Whether you want a dependable everyday coffee, a flavourful decaf, or a fruit-forward espresso with more personality, these coffees are well-suited to home brewing.
Next you need to go about extracting that perfect shot, the most modern machines will help you here and guide you through what you need to do. In a nutshell (or should that be coffee husk) you need to weigh out 18g of coffee, grind it fine and extract about 40-50ml of liquid in 25-30 seconds. The key here is the grind, adjust it accordingly to get that extraction right, grinding finer slows it down and courser speeds it up.
What Is Espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under pressure. The result is a small, intense drink with sweetness, body and a lingering finish.
Espresso forms the base for several classic drinks:
· Espresso – Served on its own, ideal for tasting the coffee in its purest form.
· Cortado – 1:1 ratio of Espresso to textured milk, strong but not bitter.
· Flat White – 1:2 ratio of Espresso to textured milk, smooth and coffee-forward.
· Latte – 1:3 ratio of Espresso to textured milk for a softer, creamier cup.
· Cappuccino – 1:3 ratio of Espresso to Foamed milk, for a lighter texture and stronger coffee flavour.
Help me choose which coffee!
Daily Brew: Smooth and Dependable
The Daily Brew is our all-purpose house coffee and an excellent choice for everyday espresso. This year-round blend combines Brazilian naturally processed beans with some washed Colombian to create a smooth, flavourful cup that works well however you brew it.
With tasting notes of hazelnut and caramel, Daily Blend produces a sweet and balanced espresso with a rounded body and very approachable flavour.
In milk drinks, those comforting notes become even more pronounced. Flat whites are rich and silky, lattes are mellow and creamy, and cappuccinos develop a soft sweetness that makes them especially easy to enjoy.
If you want one coffee that consistently performs well and suits any espresso-based drink, Daily Blend is a reliable starting point.
Calm Brew: Full Flavour Without the Caffeine
Our Decaf shows how satisfying decaf coffee can be. Grown in Huila, Colombia and decaffeinated using the sugarcane method. It removes caffeine naturally, without chemicals or additives, preserving the character of the coffee.
The cup offers notes of chocolate, nougat and brown sugar, you literally won’t be able to tell your drinking decaf.
It makes an excellent evening cappuccino or late-night flat white when you want the flavour of espresso without the stimulation.
Ugandan: Bold, Fruity and Distinctive
Our Ugandan Coffee is a natural-processed coffee from the Rwenzori region of Uganda, grown at 1,900 metres. Its tasting notes of raisin and honey create a cup that is rich, expressive and full of character.
Shop Field and Fire Coffee here.
Straight shots are bold and layered, with dried fruit sweetness and a honeyed finish. In a flat white, the fruit notes remain present while the milk adds smoothness and depth. If you enjoy coffees with a little more personality, Ugandan is a compelling option.