Dose

In espresso, the dose is the weight of dry ground coffee placed into the portafilter basket before tamping and extraction. It is measured in grams using a precision scale, and it is one of the three fundamental variables — alongside yield and extraction time — that define an espresso recipe.

Standard double espresso doses range from 18 to 20 grams, though some specialty recipes go as low as 15 or as high as 22 grams depending on the basket size and desired flavor profile. The dose must match the basket capacity — overfilling creates headroom issues where the puck presses against the group head screen, while underfilling allows the puck to move during extraction, causing channeling.

Consistency of the dose from shot to shot is essential for repeatable espresso. Varying the dose by even a gram changes the puck density and resistance, which alters extraction time and flavor balance. Professional and serious home baristas weigh the dose on a scale accurate to 0.1 grams for every shot rather than relying on volume-based dosing.

Single-dose grinding — measuring a precise weight of beans and grinding them all — has become the preferred workflow because it ensures the exact dose enters the portafilter with minimal waste. This approach pairs well with single-dose grinders that are designed to have very low retention, meaning almost all of the ground coffee exits the grinder rather than staying trapped inside. Adjusting the dose is one way to fine-tune espresso flavor, though grind size is usually the more responsive variable.