Your expert guide to espresso
We've got the best beans and barista tips you need to dial in your espresso and pull the tastiest shots.
Espressos matched to you
Tips to dial in your ideal shots
In-depth guides from our experts
Your expert guide to espresso
We've got the best beans and barista tips you need to dial in your espresso and pull the tastiest shots.
Espressos matched to you
Tips to dial in your ideal shots
In-depth guides from our experts
Why you can trust Trade
We're espresso obsessives
Deep roaster partnerships
We find hidden gem roasters across the nation, working with them directly to share their coffees widely.
A consistent, expert scoring system
We taste every coffee we carry, creating one grading standard across coffees from 50+ different roasters.
Accurate matches, again and again
We pair coffees to your taste profile, so you can try your favorite flavors from the most innovative producers.
Already know what you’re looking for?
Our Director of Coffee has pulled thousands of shots so we can give you the best guidance. Here’s everything you’ll need to brew like a barista and get the most out of Trade.
Meet Maciej
Hey! I'm Maciej.
I've worked in specialty coffee for over 16 years, starting as a barista and eventually leading coffee education, green coffee buying, and quality control for a chain of 30+ coffee shops across multiple states. I've organized events across the NYC coffee community, including Latte Art Throwdowns and a coffee lecture series. I'm also a Certified Q Grader, which is the coffee industry's main coffee tasting certification. As Trade's Director of Coffee since 2020, I taste and evaluate every coffee on the site and work closely with our roasters to develop their assortment for Trade, and also work with our data and engineering teams to help match customers with coffees they'll love.
The best espresso starts with the best beans
Browse our collections, explore single bags, or let Trade match you with coffees you’ll love with our quiz.
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Not getting the shot you want?
Select the issue you're experiencing, and we'll help you dial it in. You can also check our FAQs below for more help.
More of our essential espresso guides
Our free expert-written articles help you master every coffee topic and become your own favorite barista.
More of our essential espresso guides
Our free expert-written articles help you master every coffee topic and become your own favorite barista.
Trusted by thousands of espresso fans
FAQS
More espresso answers at a glance
At Trade, we believe that any coffee can be brewed as espresso, as long as the correct parameters for the roast level and coffee are used.
Espresso blends and roasts are simply coffees that the roaster has selected with a specific flavor profile or brewing parameters in mind. Other coffees, like single-origin coffees, also offer a unique experience as espresso, as the flavors of the varietal and terroir truly come alive with the more concentrated brew method.
If you'd prefer to receive only coffees designated as espresso blends and roasts, please reach out to our team for further assistance.
Espresso recipes vary widely depending on roast level. A great place to start for most espresso blends or roasts and home espresso machines is with a 1:2 ratio of coffee-to-water brewed in 25-30 seconds. For example, in an 18g portafilter basket, try using 18g of finely ground coffee to make 36g (~1.25oz) of brewed coffee.
If the shots taste sour or dry, you may want to experiment with different brew ratios based on your coffee.
For example, light-roast single-origin coffees may benefit from longer brewing ratios, like 1:2.5 or 1:3, to achieve a more balanced flavor profile. What you'll lose in body, you'll gain in flavor.
On the other hand, dark roasts may benefit from even shorter brew ratios, like 1:1.5 or 1:1, to best showcase the body and texture that they have to offer.
If shots are tasting too sour or pulling too quickly, try grinding finer to increase the contact time between the water and coffee and boost your extraction to achieve a more balanced shot.
If shots are tasting too bitter, or pulling too long, try grinding coarser to reduce the contact time and mitigate over-extraction.
If you're still having trouble brewing a tasty shot of espresso after trying these steps above, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team of experienced baristas. They'll be happy to help you troubleshoot your brews further!