How to Make Light Roast Espresso, According to Chemists (2025)

And so, grind coarser. Use little coffee. Use little pressure. Let it gush. Result: fantabulous extraction of saccharine and aromatic compounds. Almost nary bitterness. Hedrick tells WIRED that nan champion shots he’s pulled successful caller representation person travel utilizing this method.

Hendon figures fewer would person paid attraction to his findings if Hedrick hadn't taken up nan investigation and tally pinch it—making video aft video astir nan caller method for making what Hedrick now calls “modern” espresso, highlighting a bean's agleam aromatics without each nan bitterness. Traditional shots conscionable don't get nan flavors Hedrick wants, and person excessively galore of nan bitter flavors he hates.

Now, successful nan meantime, location are caveats. Hendon published a much caller insubstantial showing that clumping astatine finer grinds could beryllium avoided if you conscionable spritzed your beans with a spot of water earlier grinding. (Coffee nerds had been doing this for a while; it conscionable hadn’t been backed up by science.)

Which is to say, while turbo shots are a caller and absorbing and nosy discovery, classical ray roast espresso shots tin besides get bully results.

Which Is Better, Classic Light Roast Espresso aliases Modern Turbo Shots?

Classic ray roast espresso shots and turbo shots are some achievable. But statement that turbo shots are a batch easier to propulsion off: Coarser grinds are rather simply much manageable. You'll get much accordant shots clip aft clip pinch gushers, Hedrick and Hendon some note.

So, really does a turbo changeable taste? It is, connected my attempts complete nan past mates of weeks, not rather arsenic analyzable arsenic much traditional, longer, finer-ground shots—at slightest erstwhile I've attempted them pinch much accepted 9-bar machines, for illustration nan Breville Oracle Jet and nan caller Meraki espresso machine I'm presently testing.

The operation of coarse grind and accelerated travel really extremity up reminding maine somewhat of results from immoderate newer superautomatic espresso machines for illustration nan fantabulous De’Longhi Rivelia. These machines grind coarser and travel faster, and soft retired nan edges of accepted shots. The results connected my turbo shots were likewise soft and flavorful, and a spot much sweet, but possibly besides a little breathtaking and eventful ride.

This said, I’ve besides struck aggravated spirit golden pinch immoderate turbo shots. And erstwhile they were good, nan results were shockingly good. I person drunk a 12-second ray roast espresso pinch spirit truthful information and afloat it made maine mobility everything I’d antecedently been told astir really bully espresso should beryllium made.

The quality betwixt turbo and classical ray roast shots is actually, if I’m comparing, a batch for illustration nan quality betwixt a new-school hazy IPA and a West Coast IPA. The turbo shot, for illustration a modern hazy IPA, offers much juiciness and little bitterness. Maybe it besides offers a small little complexity. But successful exchange, it's an easy, soft thrust crossed nan palate that's much successful statement pinch modern tastes. It's delicious.

So which do you prefer? Juicy aliases balanced? Complexity and intensity, aliases affable aroma and sweetness? A difficult trial of espresso mettle, aliases an easy win? Shoot your shot.

Meet nan Experts

• Lance Hedrick is 1 of nan most-followed java manufacture voices on YouTube, a two-time World Latte Art champion, two-time US Brewers Cup finalist, and head of EU and West Coast wholesale for Onyx Coffee.
• Christopher Hendon is subordinate professor of computational materials chemistry astatine nan University of Oregon and has authored aliases coauthored galore published useful connected nan chemistry of java spirit and extraction.