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FIRST ESPRESSO GUIDE
Make your first great espresso with Kubo
Now that your Kubo is ready, it’s time to prepare your first espresso.
This guide will give you a reliable starting recipe and a simple workflow to help you achieve a balanced extraction from the beginning.
Don’t worry about perfection yet — the goal is to get a good first shot and improve from there.
Estimated time: 3–5 minutes
Starter recipe
Recommended starting point
Use this recipe as your baseline. It works well with most medium roast coffees.
This recipe follows a classic 1:2 ratio, which is a great starting point before making adjustments based on taste.
Workflow
Step-by-step espresso preparation
Follow this simple workflow for your first shot:
1. Grind your coffee
Grind your coffee to an espresso grind size.
The texture should feel similar to fine sugar, not powder and not coarse.
Tip: If unsure, start slightly finer rather than too coarse.
2. Add coffee to the basket
Place your portafilter on the scale and add 18 grams of ground coffee.
Try to distribute the coffee as evenly as possible before tamping.
3. Distribute the coffee
Gently shake or tap the portafilter to level the coffee bed.
If you use a distribution tool, this is the moment to use it.
Even distribution helps prevent channeling and improves extraction consistency.
4. Tamp
Using the included tamper:
Press down firmly and evenly.
Important points:
Keep the tamper level
Apply consistent pressure
Don’t overtamp — consistency matters more than force
5. Insert the portafilter
Insert the portafilter into the grouphead and rotate until fully locked.
Make sure it feels secure before brewing.
6. Place your cup and start the shot
Place your cup on the scale.
Start the shot from the machine or app.
Watch the extraction and stop the shot when you reach 36 grams or around 25–30 seconds.
What good extraction looks like
Visual indicators of a good shot
A good espresso extraction usually looks like this:
Remember:
Taste always matters more than visuals, but these are good initial indicators.
Quick problem guide
If your shot is too fast
If your shot finishes in less than about 20 seconds:
The grind is likely too coarse.
Solution:
Grind finer and try again.
If your shot is too slow
If your shot takes longer than about 35 seconds:
The grind is likely too fine.
Solution:
Grind slightly coarser and try again.
Taste adjustment guide
How to adjust based on taste
Use taste as your main guide when improving your espresso:
Sour taste
Underextraction
Solution:
Grind slightly finer.
Bitter taste
Overextraction
Solution:
Grind slightly coarser.
Flat or weak taste
Low extraction strength
Solution:
Increase temperature slightly or increase yield slightly.
Harsh or dry taste
Possible overextraction or too high temperature
Solution:
Reduce temperature slightly or reduce yield.
Important rule
Always adjust grind size first before changing machine parameters.
Grind size has the biggest impact on espresso quality.
You're ready for the next step
Now that you’ve prepared your first espresso, the next step is learning how to properly dial your coffee for the best possible results.