Making Single and Double Espressos that Taste the Same

[another_jim]

This is a follow on from the Singles: Mission Impossible topic, but I think it deserves its own post.

The first baseline fact is that in thousands of Italian cafes, the baristas make 7 gram singles and 14 gram doubles from the same grinder/doser by thwacking once or twice. The shots taste the same and customers do not care how it is made. The second baseline fact is that this seems very difficult or impossible to do at home.

As part of a grinder evaluation, I've been trying 7 gram singles and 14 gram doubles with the LM single, and various double baskets. Regardless of coffee, grind setting, or basket choice, I have not been able to get the the same brew ratio in the same shot time. However, I have been able to get the same brew ratio and same taste from doubles and singles with most reasonable basket combos, and on both my test grinders by:

• Grinding very fine
• Letting the single run around 20 to 25 seconds, and the double around 30 to 35

The grinding fine part explains the low doses and soft taste of Italian espresso when compared to the "louder" shots from most other places. The different shot timing is a guess. Has anyone actually watched singles and doubles being pulled at an Italian bar?

[JohanR]

Admittedly I have not seen an italian barista pull singles or doubles, but with my setup and taste buds it works with the same grind setting using 7 g in a VST-7 or 14 g in a VST-15 with a ratio of 2:1 in 30 seconds for both cases. And yes I grind very fine. I have not tried it extensively but so far it has worked also for different coffees.

[cafeIKE]

Has anyone actually watched singles and doubles being pulled at an Italian bar?

molte volte!
Admittedly it's nearly a decade since I was last there, so times may have changed.
The time varied a fair bit as it appeared to me that they eyeball it. As cups often vary by coffee roaster, judging volume is difficult without a scale.

Quality varies all over the map.