My espresso game has been elevated with my new equipment.. i have had it for about a month and i am still learning everyday... i went to get some beans yesterday at Pablo's in Denver and stayed a while to spy on the barista's technique...
when they pour their 2 shots, it is about 1/4cup (2oz) of espresso + the crema up to the 1/3 cup line... with this in mind i went home to my "standard" process and i get 2oz in 25-30sec including the crema...
so my question to the fora, does the 2oz pour in 25-30sec guideline include or exclude the crema...
The two ounces includes the crema; searching on 'volume' yielded several other threads that expound on this question (click here). That said, I prefer Andy's Brewing ratios for espresso beverages for comparing notes because the ratio it isn't influenced by crema volume.
As Dan points out, it includes the crema. Don't take that volume/time ratio as gospel. It is simply a recommended starting point. Once you have the basics down and can produce a consistent product you can start playing with the extraction space. Different coffees will work better at different doses/timing/volume. The barista you were watching may have been jamming 20 grams in his basket. I like to ask the barista about their brew parameters just to keep things in perspective. It also let you know how much he know about his craft. If he/she spits out the dose, temp, volume off the top of their head you found a winner. Sadly, most will just give you a blank stare.
