We’re literally pushing the limits of espresso. This shot was calibrated using an “E61 pressure profile shooting up to 10 bars”, which is a significantly higher pressure compared to the standard 9 bars of pressure prescribed for traditional espresso. This is part of our ongoing experiment with E61 profiles, again using the Decent Espresso Machine DE1PRO’s preset pressure profiles.
With 18.0 grams of coffee in, the profile starts extraction with a high-pressure preinfusion for 10 seconds, rocketing up quickly to a consistent 10 bar pressure, for a pouring time of 29 seconds at 92.2 degrees Celsius. The total weight of the espresso after extraction was at 40 ml. Swipe to see the chart.
Using the same beans, the DC7 blend, comprised of Guantemala Huehuetenango, Colombian Supremo, and Northern Philippines coffees, our shot produced a smoky and spiced aroma with quite a salty flavor note and a nutty dark chocolate aftertaste, with high acidity. The body left a heavy mouthfeel which did not make for a pleasant experience, there was no balance in flavor. The E61 pressure profile rocketing up to 10 bars did not produce complex flavors. The saltiness left a lingering taste which masked the overall flavor of the espresso.
Here’s the numerical breakdown on a 1-10 scale:
Aroma: 8
Flavor: 7.5
Finish: 7
Aftertaste: 6
Acidity: 7
Body/Texture: 7.5
Balance: 6
Sweetness: 7
Just a bit of errata on previous posts of Monday Espresso: it turns out that we have been using our latest blend DC7 on ALL of the Monday Espresso Posts so far, and not DC6, as previously mentioned. The difference is that DC7 had an element of Philippine Coffee added to the mix. Since all the tests are conducted on a single day and the coffee was still consistent across all the tests, this does not affect the results since what we are testing are the pressure profiles.
