Most espresso problems in a venue are setup problems. The machine is fine, the beans are fine, the barista is fine. Something in the chain between the bag and the cup was never set properly, and every shot after that inherits the fault. This checklist is the one we run on every install and every supplier switch. Work through it once and most "the coffee tastes different today" calls stop.
Run a cafe, restaurant, pub or club? See our wholesale coffee supply page.
Before the machine: water, power, bench
- Water filter fitted and dated. Scale is the number one killer of boilers and group heads. Write the install date on the filter housing. Change it on schedule, not when the flow slows.
- Water pressure at the inlet between 2 and 4 bar. Below 2 bar the pump cavitates and shots run inconsistent. Above 4 bar you need a regulator. Ask your plumber for the reading, do not guess.
- Dedicated circuit. A two-group machine on a shared circuit with the dishwasher will trip mid-service. Single-phase 15 A or 20 A depending on the machine. Check the plate on the back.
- Bench height and depth. Grinder, machine, knock box and tamp station in a straight line, left to right or right to left depending on your barista. Every extra step per coffee is 30 seconds an hour at 100 cups.
- Knock box and tamp mat in place. Tamping on a bare bench cracks portafilters and chips bench tops.
The machine
- Brew pressure at 9 bar. Read it off the pump gauge while a shot is running, not at idle. Most machines arrive set between 9 and 10 bar. Above 10 bar you get channelling and bitterness.
- Brew temperature set to the bean. Our blends run best at 92 to 94 degrees Celsius. Lighter single origins can take 94 to 96. Your supplier should tell you the number for the coffee you are using. If they cannot, that is a sign.
- Steam pressure 1.2 to 1.5 bar. Lower and milk takes too long to texture. Higher and it screams and splashes.
- Group heads flushed and shower screens clean. Backflush with cleaner at close every day. Remove shower screens and soak weekly. Old oil in the group is the usual cause of "ashy" shots.
- Portafilter baskets matched to the dose. A 22 g basket for a 22 g dose. A 22 g dose in an 18 g basket is why the top of the puck hits the shower screen and channels.
- Steam wand tip clean, holes clear. Blocked holes change the pattern and the milk goes bubbly.
The grinder
- Burrs under their service life. Flat burrs on a busy grinder last 1,000 to 1,500 kg. Past that the grind spreads and shots become hard to dial. Log the install date and the kilos through.
- Dose set and checked on scales. Our standard is 22 g for a full double. Weigh the first dose every morning. Grinders drift as the hopper empties and the burrs warm up.
- Grind dialled by time and weight, not by eye. Target: 22 g in, 44 g out, 27 to 32 seconds. Adjust grind, not dose, to hit the window. One variable at a time.
- Hopper holds no more than a service. Beans sitting in a warm hopper all day go stale by 3 pm. Top up through the day from the bag.
- Grinder cleaned weekly. Old grounds in the chute are rancid by the end of the week and taint every shot.
The recipe
Write it on a card and stick it to the machine. The card is what keeps the coffee the same from the 6 am barista to the 2 pm barista.
| Cup | Dose | Yield | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 oz, split shot | 11 g (half of a 22 g double) | 22 g | 27 to 32 s |
| 12 oz, full double | 22 g | 44 g | 27 to 32 s |
| Long black | 22 g | 44 g over 120 ml hot water | 27 to 32 s |
Around 70 per cent of cafe sales are 8 oz, so the split shot is the recipe that matters most. One 22 g double split across two 8 oz cups gives both drinks the same strength. A single 11 g dose in a single basket rarely tastes as good as half a well-pulled double.
Milk
- Fridge at 4 degrees or below. Milk starting at 8 degrees textures badly and goes off faster.
- Jugs sized to the drink. 350 ml jug for one 8 oz, 600 ml for two. Overfilling a jug is why the foam goes stiff.
- Purge the wand before and after every drink. Milk left in the wand is in your next customer's cup.
- Thermometer or temperature strip on every jug until the barista can do it by hand. 60 to 65 degrees. Past 70 the milk tastes cooked.
The daily and weekly rhythm
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Open | Flush groups, weigh first dose, pull and taste a shot, check brew pressure on the gauge |
| Mid service | Re-check dose when the hopper has dropped, purge wands, wipe the steam tips |
| Close | Backflush with cleaner, soak portafilters and baskets, empty and wipe the knock box, clean the grinder chute |
| Weekly | Remove and soak shower screens, clean the grinder burr chamber, wipe the hopper, check the filter date |
| Quarterly | Service the machine (gaskets, seals, screens), log the grinder kilos against burr life |
For offices and smaller sites
An office does not need a two-group machine and a trained barista. It needs a bean-to-cup machine that is set up once, a fresh-milk fridge beside it, and coffee that arrives weekly rather than sitting in a cupboard for a month. The checklist above still applies in shortened form: filtered water, a dedicated outlet, the dose and grind set by the installer, the brew unit rinsed daily and the milk system cleaned on the machine's own cycle. We set up office coffee across Sydney and NSW on exactly that basis. Ask about the office program.
What your supplier should be doing
If you are on a supply agreement, most of this list is the supplier's job, not yours. Ours includes the install, the dial-in, the recipe card, barista training on your machine, and a phone number that gets answered the same day when something changes. If your current roaster hands you a bag and a wave, the switching suppliers checklist covers how to move without losing a day of trade.
Equipment on loan carries a 12-month commitment. Bring your own machine and there is no term. Either way there is no lock-in on the coffee itself.
Frequently asked questions
What dose should a cafe use for espresso?
We run 22 g for a full double and split that across two 8 oz cups. Your basket size, grinder and the coffee itself all move the number, so take the recipe from your roaster rather than a forum.
How often should a cafe replace grinder burrs?
Flat burrs on a commercial grinder are usually good for 1,000 to 1,500 kg of coffee. At 20 kg a week that is 12 to 18 months. Log the kilos.
What brew pressure should an espresso machine be set to?
9 bar, read on the gauge while a shot is running. Most machines are factory set between 9 and 10.
Does King Carlos Coffee set up the machine?
Yes. Install, dial-in, recipe card and training are part of the supply agreement for venues across NSW, VIC and QLD. Build your wholesale plan in 60 seconds or order the $40 venue sample pack first.
Related: Coffee machine installation checklist, Coffee machine on loan vs buying, Commercial coffee machines and grinders.
