How to pull smooth, balanced espresso shots at home with Harlo Coffee espresso beans.

Espresso Brew Guide

If you are searching for the best coffee beans for espresso at home and you want your shots to taste like your favorite café, this guide is for you. We walk you through how to make espresso step by step, using freshly roasted specialty coffee beans for espresso so you can stop guessing and start pulling consistent, rich shots on your Breville, Gaggia, DeLonghi, or any home machine.

Harlo Coffee Roasters focuses on small batch, artisan espresso beans that are roasted for real flavor, not marketing buzzwords. Our Harlo Blend is a favorite when people look for the best espresso beans for lattes and cappuccinos, with chocolatey, caramel sweetness that stands up in milk. Our single origin espresso beans from Ethiopia and Colombia are perfect for third wave espresso drinkers who enjoy fruity or balanced shots, and our Mediterranean style espresso roast, with or without cardamom, gives a Middle Eastern twist that stays halal friendly and rooted in tradition.

In this espresso brew guide you will learn how to choose the right beans, set up your gear, and follow a simple 18 gram espresso recipe with a clear brew ratio so you can dial in your grind, control your shot time, and tune the flavor. We will show you how to pull a perfect espresso shot, then turn it into lattes, cappuccinos, iced lattes, moka pot espresso style drinks, and even espresso martinis. Along the way, you can buy specialty espresso beans online directly from Harlo Coffee espresso beans, so you always have fresh, organic, fair trade espresso coffee ready for your next shot.

Pick the Harlo bag that matches the espresso style you enjoy most.

Step 1: Choose your espresso beans

Great espresso starts with the right beans, not just the machine.


  • Look for freshly roasted, whole bean espresso from Harlo Coffee Roasters so you get freshly roasted espresso beans with real flavor.

  • Use specialty coffee beans for espresso or small batch espresso beans like Harlo Blend, Harlo Ethiopian, and Harlo Colombian.

  • If you want a classic, chocolatey espresso for milk drinks, choose Harlo Blend as your main artisan espresso beans for latte and cappuccino.

  • If you like fruity espresso beans and a brighter third wave espresso style shot, choose our Ethiopian single origin espresso beans for espresso.

  • If you prefer smooth espresso beans with a balanced, caramel tasting espresso profile and low bitterness, choose our Colombian single origin espresso beans for espresso.

  • These three Harlo bags are roasted for espresso, so do not use the Turkish or cardamom coffee here, that bag is ground for Turkish coffee in a cezve, not for an espresso machine or home espresso recipe.

  • All of these fall into what people call third wave espresso, where quality, traceability, and flavor are the focus.

Measure your dose and yield, simple espresso brew ratio

Step 2: Dial in your coffee to espresso ratio

A good recipe makes your life easier, especially if you are new and want the best espresso beans for home use.

  • Start with a 1 to 2 espresso brew ratio:
  • 18 grams of coffee in
  • 36 grams of liquid espresso out


  • Aim for a brew time of about 25 to 30 seconds from the moment you start the pump.
  • This works for most premium espresso beans and keeps the shot balanced, not too strong or too weak.
  • If the espresso tastes thin or sour, try a slightly higher yield (for example 40 g) and a finer grind.
  • If the espresso tastes heavy, harsh, or too strong, keep the same 18 grams in, aim for 36 grams out, and grind a bit coarser.
  • This is how you move from a basic espresso recipe into an espresso brew ratio guide tuned to your own taste.

Set your grind size, best grind size for espresso at home

Step 3: Grind size and why it matters for espresso

Grind size is one of the most important parts of any espresso brew guide.

  • Aim for a fine grind, similar to table salt. This is usually the best grind size for espresso on home machines.
  • Too fine: the water takes too long to pass through, the espresso tastes bitter, harsh, and over extracted.
  • Too coarse: the water flies through, the espresso tastes sour, sharp, or watery, even with the best espresso beans.
  • When you use specialty coffee beans for espresso from Harlo, grinding well is how you unlock the chocolatey espresso beans, fruity espresso beans, or caramel tasting espresso notes in each bag.
  • Adjusting grind size is what people mean when they talk about how to dial in espresso.

Heat and prep your machine, stable temperature for smooth espresso

Step 4: Prepare your espresso setup

Water temperature and a warm machine affect how flavor is pulled out of your espresso beans.

  • Turn on your espresso machine and let it fully warm up so the group head and portafilter are hot, not just the water.
  • Fill the water tank with fresh water so your shots taste clean and consistent.
  • Make sure the portafilter and basket are clean and dry before you grind and dose your coffee.
  • Place your cup on a digital scale under the spouts so you can see the grams of espresso in real time.
  • Keep your burr grinder and tamper close to the machine so your workflow is quick and your freshly ground espresso does not sit too long before brewing.

Prep and tamp your puck, smooth espresso extraction

Step 5: Prepare your puck for even extraction

This step helps your espresso run evenly and keeps your shots consistent.

  • Weigh 18 grams of whole bean coffee and grind it fresh into the portafilter basket.
  • Gently tap or shake the portafilter to level the grounds, or use a simple distribution tool to spread the coffee evenly.
  • Place the portafilter on a flat surface and set the tamper straight over the basket.
  • Press down with firm, steady pressure to create a flat, compact puck with a smooth, level surface.
  • A level, well tamped puck helps water move evenly through your smooth espresso beans instead of rushing through one side.
  • This puck prep works the same for Harlo Blend, Ethiopian single origin espresso beans, and Colombian single origin espresso beans.

Pull your shot, how to pull a perfect espresso shot

Step 6: Start your shot with a clear target

Now you build the actual espresso shot.

  • Lock the portafilter into the group head until it feels snug and secure.
  • Place your cup on the scale and zero the scale so it reads 0 g before you start brewing.
  • Start the pump and start a timer at the same time so you can track both time and grams.
  • Watch the weight and stop the shot when you reach about 36 grams of liquid espresso in 25 to 30 seconds.
  • This simple 18 grams espresso recipe gives you a solid starting point for best espresso beans for latte and cappuccino with Harlo Blend and for straight shots with Harlo Ethiopian and Harlo Colombian.

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Step 7: Taste, adjust, and dial in your espresso

This is where you move from following espresso instructions to brewing espresso like a barista at home.

  • If the espresso is sharp or sour, grind a little finer next time so the shot slows down and extracts more sweetness.
  • If it tastes bitter or heavy, grind a little coarser so the shot runs faster and softens the flavor.
  • Notice how Ethiopian beans for espresso highlight bright, fruity notes and how Colombian beans for espresso lean into smooth, chocolatey espresso beans and caramel tasting espresso profiles.
  • Harlo Blend will usually give you the most forgiving shot for milk drinks like latte, cappuccino, iced latte, and iced coffee made with espresso.
  • Over time, this is how you turn Harlo’s whole bean espresso into your own version of cafe style espresso at home and why people search for Harlo Coffee espresso beans when they want buy specialty espresso beans online.