Our current espresso recipes
We currently have a large numbers of coffees available for order, all of which we recommend as both filter coffee and espresso. As each of these coffees is unique, they can require very different espresso parameters in order to get the best out of them, once dialed in each can be balanced and delicious in its own right.
Below are a few guideline recipes based on our water and equipment here in Stockholm.
Our espresso philosophy
At Drop Coffee we aim to highlight each individual coffee and its characteristics fully, be it for espresso or filter; for us espresso is simply another way of extracting flavor from coffee. The first step in brewing any espresso is to decide on the brew ratio, coffee in relation to water. We usually dose based on basket size, for us this is generally 18g VST filter baskets, altering only slightly in order to optimize head space above the coffee grounds, and aim in most cases for a 1:2 ratio, altering the weight of brewed espresso to change the strength of the beverage. With some coffees we prefer to pull longer shots to accentuate their complexity and aromatics, with others shorter, to highlight their creamy and viscous mouthfeel.
After this we adjust grind size in order to reach the desired extraction yield for each coffee, which usually varies depending on the coffee’s density. Each coffee requires a different approach to brewing depending on its origin and what we want to highlight.
Following below is how we're currently dailing in the different coffees:
Finca Nejapa - El Salvador
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 36g
Time: 27s
TDS: 10,1%
Extraction yield: 19%
Finca Nejapa has quite a low density, making it very soluble, this means that a large ratio is not required in order to reach a higher extraction yield. Here we have chosen to stick to a 1:2 ratio, accentuating the creamy and thick mouthfeel of this coffee. We find notes of hazelnut, ripe cherry and fudge.
Biftu Gudina - Ethiopia
Dose: 18g
Beverage Weight: 38g
Time: 29s
TDS: 8,5%
Extraction yield: 19%
With Biftu Gudina we choose to pull shots a little longer, this helps to raise the extraction yield on a relatively high density coffee whilst also helping to allow its full complexity to show. We find it important to keep the extraction yield high in order to bring out a much sweetness as possible and keep the espresso balanced. It is possible to go as high as 40g in beverage wight to give the flavors more space to breath but here we have chosen to stay at 38g to keep the juicy mouthfeel that this gives.
Gerardo Escobar - Bolivia
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 36g
Time: 30s
TDS: 8,6%
Extraction yield: 18%
We find that Bolivian coffees to be be super sweet and balanced as espresso and Gerardo Escobar is no exception. This coffee is so inherently sweet that not much is needed in order to keep it balanced as espresso. Here we have chosen to go with a 1:2 ratio in order to accentuate the syrupy mouthfeel which really coats the mouth but Gerardo’s coffee is also quite complex and can therefore be pulled longer in order to bring out more of its tropical fruit notes. This espresso is extremely sweet and tastes like white sugar, raisins, plum and almond cream with delicate green apple notes which can become more predominant when pulled longer.
Medardo Guarnizo - Colombia
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 40g
Time: 29s
TDS: 8,2%
Extraction yield: 18,5%
Medardo Guarnizo is a high density coffee, having a slightly higher beverage weight of around 40g means that despite the high density we can reach a high extraction yield without needing to grind unnecessarily fine. This longer espresso help to showcase the complexity of the coffee whilst still giving a balanced espresso. The mouthfeel is buttery and the espresso aromatic with notes of lime, lime zest, raspberry and lingonberry.
El Limon - Guatemala
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 37g
Time: 28s
TDS: 8,5%
Extraction yield: 18,5%
El Limon is a creamy and buttery coffee with notes of green apple, milk chocolate and hazelnut. With this coffee we have aimed to keep the smooth and creamy mouthfeel whilst allowing the pleasant green apple acidity to shine through in the espresso. This coffees works exceptionally well with milk thanks to the mellow sweetness and clear acidity.
Los Andes - El Salvador
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 38g
Time: 29s
TDS: 8,5%
Extraction yield: 19%
Los Andes is a fairly unusual El Salvadorian coffee, the high altitude and SL28 variety make for a light bodied and complex coffee. This recipe highlights the clear green apple acidity whilst still giving us the balance which we have come to expect from an espresso from this region. Notes of walnut, green apple milk chocolate with a light body.
Las Brumas - El Salvador
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 36g
Time: 28s
TDS: 9,2%
Extraction yield: 19,5%
Despite coming from the same producer as Los Andes, and also being a SL28 variety, Las Brumas gives a vastly different taste profile. This coffee gives us a bigger body and more sweetness with notes of strawberry and blackcurrant jam. The strength is fairly high here (9,2%) in order to accentuate the jam-like mouthfeel to this coffee.
La Linda - Bolivia
Dose: 18g
Beverage weight: 42g
Time: 30s
TDS: 7,8%
Extraction yield: 18,5%
The La Linda Longberry from Daniella & Pedro Rodriguez is a unique coffee. A vibrant citrus acidity reminds us of a classic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee whilst the creamy body and white sugar-sweetness are uniquely Bolivian. We pull fairly long espressos with the La Linda Longberry, really drawing out its full complexity and sweetness. Notes of white sugar, lemoncurd and clementine.
