How to Make Espresso With Monkey Bite Beans at Home

Quick answer

Use 18 g of finely ground Monkey Bite Espresso and aim for a 36 g shot in 25–30 seconds. If the shot runs faster, grind finer; if it runs slower, grind coarser. Adjust one variable at a time until the shot tastes sweet and balanced rather than sour or bitter.

Why Monkey Bite Works for Home Espresso

Monkey Bite Espresso is roasted to excel through the espresso machine, with brown sugar sweetness, butterscotch, and dried apricot notes. That flavor profile is forgiving for home baristas because it stays sweet even if your timing is off by a few seconds. It also works well with or without a little milk added, so you can enjoy it as a straight shot or build a milk drink.

What You Need Before You Start

A burr grinder is the most important tool—blade grinders produce uneven particles that cause channeling. You also need a scale that reads to 0.1 g, a tamper that fits your basket, and a machine that can hold 9 bars of pressure. A timer helps, but your taste buds are the final judge.

Step 1: Set Your Grind Size

Start with a grind that feels like fine table salt—slightly coarser than flour. Monkey Bite Espresso is a medium-dark roast, so it extracts easily; too fine a grind will choke the machine and taste bitter. Adjust in small increments: one notch finer if the shot runs under 20 seconds, one notch coarser if it runs over 35 seconds.

Step 2: Dose Consistently

Weigh 18 g of coffee into your portafilter basket. Consistency matters more than the exact number—if your basket holds 16 g or 20 g, use that weight every time. Level the grounds with your finger before tamping to avoid uneven density.

Step 3: Tamp and Lock In

Tamp straight down with about 15 kg of pressure—enough to compress the puck evenly. A level tamp prevents water from finding a weak spot and channeling. Wipe any loose grounds off the rim, then lock the portafilter into the group head and start your shot immediately.

Step 4: Pull the Shot and Watch the Clock

Place your cup on the scale and press start. You want the first drops to appear around 6–8 seconds, with a steady honey-like flow. Stop the shot when the scale reads 36 g—that's a 1:2 ratio. Total time should be 25–30 seconds. If it's faster, grind finer; if slower, grind coarser.

Step 5: Taste and Adjust

Sour or sharp? The shot is under-extracted—grind finer or increase yield slightly. Bitter or dry? It's over-extracted—grind coarser or shorten the yield. Monkey Bite's butterscotch and apricot notes should come through when you're in the sweet spot. Make one change at a time and pull another shot.

Espresso Dial-In Steps at a Glance

1. 1. Grind fine: Set your burr grinder to a fine setting, slightly coarser than flour. Checkpoint: if the shot runs under 20 seconds, grind finer.
2. 2. Dose 18 g: Weigh 18 g of Monkey Bite Espresso into the portafilter basket. Checkpoint: use the same dose every time for repeatable results.
3. 3. Tamp level: Tamp straight down with even pressure to create a level puck. Checkpoint: an uneven tamp causes channeling and sour spots.
4. 4. Pull 36 g in 25–30 s: Start the shot and stop when the scale reads 36 g. Checkpoint: adjust grind if time is outside 25–30 seconds.
5. 5. Taste and adjust: Sour means grind finer; bitter means grind coarser. Next step: change one variable at a time and re-taste.

About the Beans in This Recipe

• Monkey Bite Espresso 10 oz: Monkey Bite Espresso is rich and sweet like brown sugar, with butterscotch and dried apricot notes, and is roasted to excel through the espresso machine. Its sweet, forgiving profile makes it a good choice for home baristas learning to dial in espresso, and it works well with or without milk.