What does 92 degree espresso mean for shot volume and milk drinks?

One traditional shot of espresso is about 30 milliliters, or one ounce, extracted from 7 to 9 grams of coffee grounds. A double shot uses 14 to 18 grams to produce roughly 60 milliliters. In modern shops the double basket has become the standard, and a single puck now often means 16 grams in and about 32 grams, near 45 milliliters, out.

Because the liquid is concentrated, it is normally paired with milk. Lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas each take a different espresso-to-milk ratio, and latte coffee beans made from blends rather than single origins keep the flavor steady once milk is added. Water temperature around 92 degrees Celsius during extraction supports a balanced, sweet cup, which is why the term 92 degree espresso matters.

For those who love espresso-based milk coffee, the ratio of espresso to milk directly determines the flavor direction of a cup. Classic drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas all rely on different combinations of espresso and milk—some use a single shot, others a double. So how many milliliters is one shot of espresso? And what real differences exist between single and double shots? This article will explain one by one from the angles of extraction parameters, dose, and liquid weight, while sharing the specific ratio and operational details of Front Street Coffee's latte-making, and explaining why espresso uses blend beans rather than single-origin beans.

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Friends who regularly drink espresso-based milk coffee know that making a milk coffee requires the combination of espresso and milk. For example, the lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas commonly seen at Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are all made with different ratios of espresso and milk. Some drinks need only one shot, while others require two. So exactly how many milliliters is one shot of espresso? And what differences exist between single and double shots? Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) will explain one by one below.

Differences between single and double espresso

First, let's talk about the difference between single and double espresso. According to the Italian tradition of making coffee, one shot of espresso, i.e. 1 shot, refers to extracting 1 ounce of espresso from 7-9g of coffee grounds. A double espresso, i.e. double espresso, uses 14-18g of coffee grounds to extract 2 ounces of espresso.

So how many milliliters does one shot of espresso extract?

As mentioned earlier, a shot glass refers to a cup with a capacity of about 1 ounce, which converts to about 30ml. So one shot is about 30ml of espresso liquid.

Today, coffee shops generally use double filter baskets as the standard output, and single filter baskets are rarely seen. At the same time, the extraction ratio of espresso is also continuously narrowing. For example, in the past, one unit of espresso was 7g of grounds extracting 30ml of coffee liquid, but now one unit of espresso is 16g of grounds extracting 32g (about 45ml) of coffee liquid.

So now a puck is usually called 1 shot, and the specific liquid amount depends on how much coffee powder the shop uses. For example, Front Street's 1 shot (1 serving of espresso) is 40g of liquid weight.

Latte-making ratio

Front Street uses a Lelit espresso machine, with the following extraction parameters:

Pressure: 9 bar

Temperature: 94°C

Time: 30 sec

Coffee-to-liquid ratio: 1:2

Dose: 20g

Espresso yield: 40g

Front Street uses a double espresso to make lattes, using Front Street Sunflower Warm Sun espresso blend beans. The flavor performance after extraction is: obvious fruity acidity, a faint berry aroma lingering, rich wine aroma and chocolate flavor, and a comfortable sweet aftertaste.

Milk: whole fat fresh milk (Front Street uses Vitasoy fresh milk)

Steaming milk temperature: 50-60 degrees Celsius (if the temperature is too low, the lactose in the milk cannot be fully brought out; if too high, it will destroy the protein in the milk, causing a grainy texture)

Milk foam thickness: 1 cm (foam thinner than 1 cm is used to make flat white coffee, and foam thicker than 1 cm is used to make cappuccino)

Recommended ratio for hot latte

Front Street recommends a coffee-to-milk ratio of 1:6 for making lattes, that is, 40ml espresso with 240ml hot milk. By pouring in a circular motion to fully integrate the milk and espresso, you get a cup of hot latte. After fresh milk is heated, the sweet molecules of lactose are better released. After being evenly mixed with espresso, the whole latte carries the sweetness of milk without stealing the spotlight from the espresso. Instead, against the backdrop of milk, the flavor of the espresso is better expressed. Front Street's hot latte flavor performance is: whisky aroma, lactose and coffee acidity colliding into a milkshake-like sweetness, with a finish of hazelnut and other nutty aftertaste.

It can be seen that the espresso extracted by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) to make a latte is a double espresso, that is, 40ml, while a single shot is 20ml, and the coffee-to-water ratio is about 1:2. This is mainly related to the characteristics of the espresso machine, because the parameters of each espresso machine are different.

The above is Front Street Coffee's (FrontStreet Coffee) compiled answers on how many milliliters one shot of espresso is and the differences between double and single espresso.

So what coffee beans are used to make espresso?

In addition, the coffee beans used by espresso machines are different from those used for regular pour-over coffee. Because espresso machines have a characteristic of amplifying the original flavor of coffee beans, single-origin coffee is not suitable for making espresso, otherwise the flavor is hard to guarantee. Espresso blend beans, on the other hand, mix coffee beans from different origins and varieties, and blends of two or three kinds of coffee beans are generally more common. The purpose of blending is very clear: to gather the flavors of different coffee beans together, present a brand-new flavor, achieve a more balanced effect, and also serve as the shop's signature.

For example, if one kind of coffee bean is smooth but lacks aroma, you can add another kind of bean with rich aroma to enhance strengths and avoid weaknesses, making up for each other's defects. Another purpose of espresso blend beans is to reduce costs. Traditional espresso blends include Robusta varieties, because Robusta coffee beans have a rich, full-bodied flavor. Although their cupping score cannot reach that of single-origin coffee, when paired with single-origin coffee, they can provide espresso with richer and thicker crema, and as the base of milk coffee, they can provide a thick and smooth mouthfeel.

So this is also one of the reasons why espresso is so loved by coffee fans. Because coffee fruit is always a crop, and each year climate and environmental issues may cause unstable flavor in the coffee fruit. It may be sweeter this year and less sweet next year, but mixing several coffee beans together can solve this problem well, at least keeping the coffee flavor tasted each year consistent.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.