I just watched James Hoffmans survey video. Apparently the "average shot" dose is 18 grams in (and 38 g out).
That made me wonder: Is everyone pulling double shots?
I frequently make espresso in single doses (10 grams in). Admittedly it's harder to adjust the settings but I drink maybe 4 espresso per day on my machine at home, I don't want that to be over in 2 pulls.
by Kellowip
41 Comments
What is a double shot? 😉 sounds like a single shot to most people is 18g in 2:1 ratio.
I like more espressos, each smaller, 14g in a 58mm basket for example.
18gs is a traditional double shot. Those measurements are pretty dated though as modern shots depend on basket size and more. I usually do 17gs in a 51mm basket, which is a double shot traditionally
What is a “shot” is now highly variable. There is no standard that I can see, just what cafes want to sell you as a double to get a bit more money (and in general I am fine with that).
If I am using one of our small 49mm basket levers I am typically using 7g. The Linea Micra workhorse and the Fema lever, 14g. The Flair Classic, 15g. The 9barrista, 18g.
I view all those as “singles”, as I can use larger baskets and volumes in each (well the 9barrista is limited).
Come to our house/apartment and you can have any sized single you want.
10g all day
I exclusively use my double shot basket. Not sure I’ve ever used the single shot one 😆
I do 21g 1:2 out of a Big Bang basket every morning for my cappuccino I bring to work. But I put it in a thermos to last me all morning which is why I bought such a large basket. If I had time to sit and relax with a cup in the morning I’d probably go smaller.
Double shot all day everyday! 18g with 36g output.
I always get downvoted when I say this, but there’s really no such thing as single/double shots anymore. Not in the traditional sense. Yes, baskets are labeled as that, and cafes do charge ‘per shot’, etc.
But as with James’ survey, most people no longer think in terms of ‘shots’, especially at home, we just brew according to ratios and weight.
So a shot can be anything to anyone, because there’s no definitive rule of what a shot is. If you go by traditional Italian espresso, a shot is 7g, a double is 14g. So even by today’s standards, and 18g basket is already larger than an Italian double.
I use 18 and 20g baskets almost exclusively, but I make anything from 1:1 to 1:4 ratios even depending on beans and drink. So what’s a shot really?
I do 20 g double shot. If I have the time I do two double shots in the morning back to back. I might have a slight caffeine addiction. No more coffee the rest of the day though.
It depends on the beans but I tend to go between 17.5 and 18.2 grams
Typically between 22-24g in a 22g VST basket.
I typically do doubles. But I do “4” shots in my morning and two more when I get off work.
I mostly use a 20g bottomless that I guess is a 2 and a third shot?? Other than that the 15g standard “double”. I weighed the grounds that will fit in my current ECM handles and it’s 10g single, 15g double and 20g bottomless. I think for some reason my old Rocket handles held a tiny bit more tbh.
I’ve tried pulling single shots, but I can never get those little funnel shaped single shot baskets to extract a well tasting shot. So I settle for doubles. What are your secrets?!
I think the majority of people are pulling 18g double shots as a default standard. That’s how most of the grinders I’ve used come pre-programmed.
A basic milk drink will be around 4-6oz. If you’re doing 2-3x milk to espresso, you’d need a double shot to justify that volume of milk/water.
The only place I’ve ever seen a drink of any kind (milk or no) based on single shots, is at pretentious coffee houses that charge you $5.50 for a drink based on 9g of coffee.
Yes, single baskets are harder to tamp properly and I’d prefer a double to begin with
I’m relatively new/low budget to espresso, but I was typically drinking single shots at home, unless I was making a latte. Though more based on basket size rather than grams.
I think it depends on what you normally drink and how often you want to fiddle with the settings. Going back and forth between straight shots and milk drinks, I can see just dialing in for doubles and leaving it there.
I dont have a way to make espresso yet but I would probably gravitate towards single shots more because of the caffeine content…I think you can get plenty of joy out of a single shot
In four years I’ve never used my single shot
Here in New Zealand cafes don’t last if they sell single shots.
Doubles are standard. At home I’m doing 21 in and 40 out as a short black/flat white for my wife.
If I feel special I might knock back two before leaving the house and then I’m charged for the day.
I use 14.5 g with 25lbs tamping pressure for my bambino plus. I grind very fine. I only use double and the shots come out well.
Guess yes. Tbf it’s easier to pull a good shot in my machine If it’s a double; that extra resistance really helps with lighter roasts. But I’ll be honest, for me a double shot really feels like too much. I’m waiting on a new single dose basket that I bought to see whether I can pull good single shots with it.
I do 14g
2 doubles over ice is the move
I use the 21g basket.
Everyone.
Just when I finally got a grasp on single and double-shots, ratios etc., I came across this video from James https://youtube.com/shorts/_HvsxuM7ljs?si=edbQk6H8eOhsGqsm
Turns out a double is nowhere near 36-40g in coffee shops?
I’ve never pulled a single shot before.
I prefer to drink what I consider to be the “correct” size of flat white – a 5oz cup.
For me, if I put more than 25-30mL of espresso in this, most of the time it will taste unbalanced (ie. on the stronger side). So most of the time I’ll use a spouted portafilter and do a “22g in : 50g out” kinda shot and make two small flat whites. Bonus is that I don’t go through as much coffee!
I always use my double shot basket as well.
I’ve narrowed on a ratio of 18g in, 28g out. I count this as a double shot, though the end volume is notably lower than a traditional double shot. I just like the richness that can be pulled at this ratio.
I’m looking for a good or better than average single shot filter basket since I’m trying to be more flexible with my brewing. With the double filter I’m always ending up with two single shots or a double, and I don’t want to throw anything away. Drinking a double or two coffees at the same time like a cappuccino and one straight shot isn’t always what I want.
Yes. That is the default now
I always do 10g.
Drinking multiple double shots per day would be far too much caffeine for me.
I used to do that and it really messed up my sleep.
22 in 40 out
Triples for me.
I only do single dose shots. I guess I really like 10oz milk drinks with 18g of espresso. 🙂
4 to 5 shots a day, 7.5 gram basket with about 8.5 to 9 grams in. Some would call them ristrettos, but o me it’s my traditional Italian daily intake. Double shot 18 gram basket is used for making two ristrettos to share.
I am usually drinking lighter roasts. I have two polar opposite setups, niche zero + p64 ssp mp. I do more traditional 1:2-1:2.5 on my niche zero when I have darker stuff like darker end of medium to medium and I usually do 1:2.5 to 1:3.5 on my p64 with ssp mp.
When I first started my home espresso journey, I was strict about the amounts. Over time I started getting experimental and dose varies alot. Most light stuff I am doing 18.0g and coarse grind setting on p64 for turbo, 19.0g in / 50.0g out for light roast milk drinks. 18.5g in for darker and doing 40-42g out.
Sometimes with super light roast such as la cabra, little wolf or apollon’s gold, I updose 19.5-20.0g in for more consistency in flow without too much channeling.
Literally thought that was a regular shot
The top response should just be “yes.”