It takes roughly 70 roasted beans to fill one cup of espresso. That's a useful number to keep in mind, because it explains why the beans matter more than almost anything else you do.

Those 70 beans give about 8 grams of coffee. To get there, roughly 40 grams of coffee cherries have to be picked on the plantation. The pulp is removed, then the parchment, then the silverskin, and during roasting the bean loses around 18–22% of its moisture. 40 grams in, 8 grams out.

What this means in practice

• Buy smaller, more often. Coffee doesn't spoil, but the aromatics fade. An open bag is past its best after about a month.
• Fill the bean container with what you'll use. Topping it to the brim looks tidy, but the beans at the bottom sit there for weeks.
• Keep the lid on and the bag closed. Air and light do more damage than time does.
• Don't freeze or refrigerate. Condensation is worse for the beans than room temperature.

Grinding fresh is the single biggest difference between a good cup and an ordinary one. That is why every JURA machine grinds per cup rather than in advance.

‹ Aftur til barista tips