Optimal dose and yield ratios for CBTL signature espresso roasts

Bringing the signature taste of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf into your kitchen is a rewarding experience for any home barista. But achieving that perfect, café-quality shot of espresso involves more than just good beans and a fancy machine. It’s a science, and at its heart are two critical variables: dose and yield. Understanding the relationship between the amount of coffee you use and the amount of espresso you extract is the key to unlocking the rich, balanced flavors of CBTL’s signature roasts. This guide will walk you through the fundamentals of dose and yield ratios, providing you with expert starting points and a clear methodology to dial in the perfect shot, transforming your home coffee bar into your favorite café.

The fundamentals of an espresso recipe

Before we dive into specific recipes, it’s crucial to understand the language of espresso. Every great shot is built on a precise recipe, and that recipe is defined by three interconnected elements: dose, yield, and ratio.

• Dose: This is simply the weight of dry coffee grounds you put into your portafilter basket. Measured in grams, the dose is the foundation of your shot’s strength and overall flavor profile. A larger dose will generally lead to a more intense and full-bodied espresso. For most standard double-shot baskets, a dose between 18 and 20 grams is a common starting point.
• Yield: This is the weight of the final liquid espresso in your cup, also measured in grams. Using a scale to measure yield is far more accurate than measuring by volume, as the crema can be misleading. The yield determines the concentration and texture of your espresso.
• Ratio: The brew ratio is the relationship between the dose and the yield. For example, if you use a 18g dose and get a 36g yield, you are using a 1:2 ratio. This ratio is the single most important part of your recipe, as it dictates the overall extraction and flavor balance of your shot.

Matching ratios to CBTL’s signature roasts

Not all coffee beans are the same, and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf offers distinct roast profiles that shine under different conditions. The level of roast has a significant impact on how the coffee extracts. Darker roasts are more porous and soluble, meaning their flavors extract more easily. Lighter roasts are denser and require more work (often a longer ratio or finer grind) to extract their full potential. For CBTL’s lineup, we can focus on their classic espresso offerings.

The Espresso Roast Blend is a classic, medium-dark roast known for its smooth body and caramel notes. It’s balanced and forgiving, making it perfect for a standard espresso ratio that balances sweetness and body without introducing too much bitterness.

In contrast, the Italian Roast is a much darker, oilier bean. This style of roast is very soluble and can quickly become bitter and ashy if over-extracted. Therefore, it benefits from a tighter, shorter ratio (known as a ristretto) that emphasizes its deep, syrupy body while taming its potent, smoky flavors.

Starting points for your CBTL espresso

The best way to begin is with a solid starting point. The following recipes are designed to give you a great-tasting shot that you can then tweak to your personal preference. Remember to use a scale for both your dose and your yield to ensure consistency. The extraction time is a guide; your main goal is to hit the target yield. The time it takes is an indicator of whether your grind is in the right ballpark.

Dialing in for perfection

The table above provides your recipe, but your grinder is the tool you use to execute it. The process of “dialing in” is about adjusting your grind size to hit your target yield in the target time frame. Here’s a simple workflow:

1. Set your dose and yield target. For example, decide you’re using the Espresso Roast Blend with an 18g dose and a 36g yield target.
2. Pull the shot. Prepare your puck and start your shot, placing your cup on a scale. Stop the shot once it reaches 36g. Note the time it took.
3. Analyze the time. If the shot took only 20 seconds, it ran too fast. This means your grind is too coarse. If it took 40 seconds, it ran too slow, meaning your grind is too fine.
4. Adjust your grind. Make a small adjustment to your grinder (finer if the shot was too fast, coarser if it was too slow) and pull another shot. Repeat until you hit your target yield in roughly 25-32 seconds.

Once your time is in the right range, it’s time to taste. If the shot tastes sour or thin, it’s under-extracted; you can try grinding slightly finer or increasing your yield a little (e.g., to 38g). If it tastes overly bitter or harsh, it’s over-extracted; try grinding a little coarser or reducing your yield (e.g., to 34g).

Mastering espresso at home is a journey of precision and taste. We’ve established that dose, yield, and ratio are the core components of any espresso recipe. By understanding how these elements work together, you can move from guessing to brewing with intention. For The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s signature beans, this means applying different strategies for different roasts; a balanced 1:2 ratio for the classic Espresso Roast Blend and a tighter, ristretto-style ratio for the dark and bold Italian Roast. The provided recipes and dialing-in workflow are your map. Use them as a starting point, trust your palate to make the final adjustments, and enjoy the rewarding process of crafting the perfect CBTL espresso shot, tailored exactly to your liking.