Espresso Ratios, Shot Times and Grind Size: A Practical Guide
Espresso is a little like tuning an instrument: a tiny adjustment can bring the cup into focus, but there's no single setting that works for every coffee. If your espresso tastes overly sharp, hollow, harsh or heavy, start with a repeatable recipe and let the flavour guide you.
At Phoenix Coffee, we're fortunate to work with Quietly Coffee as our roasting partner. Lee, Quietly's roaster, shared coffee-specific starting recommendations in his Fall 2026 offer sheet. Here's how to understand those numbers and use them without treating them as rigid rules.
What does an espresso ratio mean?
An espresso brew ratio compares the weight of dry ground coffee in the basket to the weight of liquid espresso in the cup. For example, a 1:2 ratio means that 18 g of ground coffee produces approximately 36 g of espresso. A 1:2.2 ratio yields a little more liquid from the same coffee dose, while a 1:2.1 ratio yields a little less.
Weighing the dose and the finished beverage helps you repeat a successful shot. Cup volume, crema height and the number of seconds alone tell you less than a consistent measurement does.
Quietly Coffee's suggested starting points
For the specific coffees listed in Quietly's Fall 2026 offer sheet, Lee suggested the following espresso starting recipes:
| Coffee | Approximate shot time | Coffee-to-espresso ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Allie & Lennie | 28–33 seconds | 1:2.2 |
| Magnolia | 31–36 seconds | 1:2.3 |
| Shady Lane | 29–34 seconds | 1:2.1 |
On a smaller screen, swipe horizontally across the table to read all three columns.
Lee also identified 201°F (approximately 94°C) for group-head temperature and 9 bar of pressure as shared reference settings. Basket size determines an appropriate dose; the suggested ratios are more useful than copying a dose that doesn't suit your basket.
These are the roaster's guidelines for a particular offering and setup—not guaranteed targets. Origin, lot, roast profile, grinder, machine, water and age of the coffee can all change the ideal recipe. Phoenix Coffee's line-up is seasonal, so the next version of a named coffee may need a different starting point.
How should I adjust grind size?
Lee's offer sheet also sets out a comparative progression for several coffees on an EK-43 grinder. In that particular reference setup, Last Splash is toward the finer end, followed by Possibly Maybe and Sugar Mountain. In the Sun sits around the middle, while Magnolia, Allie & Lennie and Shady Lane move progressively coarser.
Think of that as a way to compare coffees, not a universal list of grinder settings. If your grinder, burrs, calibration or brewing method differ, those numbered positions will not transfer reliably.
Sour, bitter or just different?
A thin, unpleasantly sour shot can be a sign that extraction is too low or uneven. One small step finer may bring more sweetness and balance. A harsh, drying or muddy shot can call for a coarser grind or another adjustment to the recipe.
But flavour is more complicated than a dial: an Ethiopian coffee can be intentionally bright, while a chocolate-forward coffee can have a pleasant, lingering bitterness. And grinding extremely fine can encourage uneven flow or channeling. Rather than reacting to the first adjective that comes to mind, compare sweetness, body, acidity and finish together.
A practical espresso dial-in routine
- Begin with the right dose for your basket. Weigh it, distribute the coffee evenly and tamp consistently.
- Choose a starting brew ratio. Use the current coffee's suggested recipe when available, or begin with a familiar baseline.
- Weigh the espresso yield. Stop the shot close to your target liquid weight and note the elapsed time.
- Taste before adjusting. If the cup is unbalanced, change only one variable—often grind size—by a small amount.
- Repeat and compare. Keep the dose, yield and technique consistent long enough to notice a meaningful difference.
There is no prize for hitting exactly 30 seconds if the coffee tastes worse. The time is a diagnostic clue; the cup is the point.
What about filter and pour-over brewing?
Lee also recommends a 1:16.5 coffee-to-water ratio as a starting point for the filter-brewing guide in the same offer sheet. It's a helpful baseline, but you'll still want to adjust grind size and water to suit your brewer and taste.
For a deeper troubleshooting approach, see our guide to sour and bitter coffee, and browse Phoenix's filter and pour-over collection.
Good coffee deserves curiosity
At Phoenix, we want the people behind our coffees to be visible—from the producers who grow and process them to Quietly Coffee, our roasting partner. Coffee-specific brewing advice is one more way of respecting the work already in the bag. Start with a thoughtful recipe, make small changes and enjoy discovering what the coffee can do.
Source and credit: Brewing recommendations adapted, with permission, from Lee at Quietly Coffee, Fall 2026 offer sheet, page 6. Interpretation, explanations and additional advice written by Phoenix Coffee Company Inc. These figures apply to the coffees and equipment referenced in that offer sheet and may change for future seasonal versions.
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