Dialing-In Decisions
Start
Troubleshoot espresso without making any coffee! Pick your starting point and we'll explore the possible options together. Building intuition before we even get to the espresso machine is an important part of dialing-in. This way, we can practice without wasting coffee, getting flustered, or risking overheating our equipment during training. Let's get started!
Start
Shot Specs
Shot A: 18/40/22 Shot B: 18/34/29
Shot A: too fast!
Shots of Big Truck are pulling at these specs: 18g in/40g out/22 seconds. You can choose to do one of two things: A.1: adjust the grind setting coarser A.2: adjust the grind setting finer
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling a shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/42g out/21 sec. These shots are much too fast and completely unservable. What's your next move? A1.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/40g out/23 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, but still too fast. A2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2 Adjust Finer A2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/40g out/23 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, but still too fast. A1.2.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.2 Adjust Finer A1.2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/24 sec. While technically in a potential range of servability, this shot is not quite it yet. However, your coworker is getting a little impatient waiting for shots and gives you one last adjustment. A1.2.3.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.3.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/28 sec. While technically in a potential range of servability, this shot is not quite it yet. However, your coworker is getting a little impatient waiting for shots and gives you one last adjustment. A1.2.3.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.3.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/24 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, and within a potential range of servability, but still too fast. A2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2 Adjust Finer A2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/37g out/28 sec. These shots are close to our recipe, and within a potential range of servability, but now they're too slow. A2.2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2.2 Adjust Finer A2.2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/33g out/30 sec. Now, we're completely out of spec in the opposite direction. Your coworker looks over and says, "you gotta get that back in spec". With 5 minutes remaining until you're open, you have one adjustment left. A2.2.2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2.2.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/27 sec. Finally! A shot we can taste! Your coworker pulls the shot off the bar and splits it between two cups for you to taste together. After discussing the positive qualities of the espresso, you decide to set this as your recipe for the day, noting the flavor calls and range of servability on the grinder tag.
Restart
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/26 sec. Nice, we're within recipe! Your coworker pulls the shot off the bar and splits it between two cups for you to taste together. You taste together and collaborate on some tasting notes to put on the grinder tag, alongside the recipe for the day.
Restart
Shot A: Turbo Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/17 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.
Shot A: Sludgy Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/38 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/38g out/27 sec. You and your coworker are stoked to see some shots in recipe range come out of the spouts. You split the shot and taste together, and decide this is your recipe for the day. You write the recipe and some tasting notes on the grinder tag and open the doors for the day.
Restart
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
Hooray! You dialed in!
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/38g out/26 sec. You split the shot into two cups and taste it with your coworker. You both go back and forth on sweetness, balance, and complexity, and ultimately decide that this is your recipe for the day. They have you mark your recipe and tasting notes down on the sheet.
Restart
Shot B: too slow!
Shots of Big Truck are pulling at these specs: 18g in/34g out/29 seconds. You can choose to do one of two things: B.1: adjust the grind setting coarser B.2: adjust the grind setting finer
Shot B: Coarse Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/36g out/27 sec. These shots could potentially be in your range of servability, but they're not quite there yet. B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer B1.3 Pull Another Shot
Shot B: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/34g out/28 sec. We're back to square one. Maybe your next adjustment will be better? B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer B1.3 Pull Another Shot
Shot B: Pull Another Shot
After making no adjustments and pulling another shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/28 sec. We're so close. It seems like that adjustment earlier wasn't enough. What do we do now? B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer
Shot B: Coarse Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/27 sec. Yes! These shots are delightful. You serve them to your coworker and they're like, "oh man those are tasty!" You collaborate on flavor calls and update the grinder tag with the recipe, range of servability, and notes. Well done!
Restart
Shot B: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/30g out/30 sec. Dang, we're out here pulling shots like it's 2015 in here, huh? We're getting further away from our target, and your coworker leans over and asks if those shots are good to serve yet. B2.1 Adjust Coarser B2.2 Adjust Finer
Shot B: Sludgy Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/38 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.
Dialing-In Decisions
Reyna Callejo
Created on April 16, 2026
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Transcript
Dialing-In Decisions
Start
Troubleshoot espresso without making any coffee! Pick your starting point and we'll explore the possible options together. Building intuition before we even get to the espresso machine is an important part of dialing-in. This way, we can practice without wasting coffee, getting flustered, or risking overheating our equipment during training. Let's get started!
Start
Shot Specs
Shot A: 18/40/22 Shot B: 18/34/29
Shot A: too fast!
Shots of Big Truck are pulling at these specs: 18g in/40g out/22 seconds. You can choose to do one of two things: A.1: adjust the grind setting coarser A.2: adjust the grind setting finer
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling a shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/42g out/21 sec. These shots are much too fast and completely unservable. What's your next move? A1.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/40g out/23 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, but still too fast. A2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2 Adjust Finer A2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/40g out/23 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, but still too fast. A1.2.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.2 Adjust Finer A1.2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/24 sec. While technically in a potential range of servability, this shot is not quite it yet. However, your coworker is getting a little impatient waiting for shots and gives you one last adjustment. A1.2.3.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.3.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/28 sec. While technically in a potential range of servability, this shot is not quite it yet. However, your coworker is getting a little impatient waiting for shots and gives you one last adjustment. A1.2.3.1 Adjust Coarser A1.2.3.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/24 sec. These shots are closer to our recipe, and within a potential range of servability, but still too fast. A2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2 Adjust Finer A2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/37g out/28 sec. These shots are close to our recipe, and within a potential range of servability, but now they're too slow. A2.2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2.2 Adjust Finer A2.2.3 Pull another shot
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/33g out/30 sec. Now, we're completely out of spec in the opposite direction. Your coworker looks over and says, "you gotta get that back in spec". With 5 minutes remaining until you're open, you have one adjustment left. A2.2.2.1 Adjust Coarser A2.2.2.2 Adjust Finer
Shot A: Finer Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/27 sec. Finally! A shot we can taste! Your coworker pulls the shot off the bar and splits it between two cups for you to taste together. After discussing the positive qualities of the espresso, you decide to set this as your recipe for the day, noting the flavor calls and range of servability on the grinder tag.
Restart
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/26 sec. Nice, we're within recipe! Your coworker pulls the shot off the bar and splits it between two cups for you to taste together. You taste together and collaborate on some tasting notes to put on the grinder tag, alongside the recipe for the day.
Restart
Shot A: Turbo Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/17 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.
Shot A: Sludgy Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/38 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.
Shot A: Coarser Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/38g out/27 sec. You and your coworker are stoked to see some shots in recipe range come out of the spouts. You split the shot and taste together, and decide this is your recipe for the day. You write the recipe and some tasting notes on the grinder tag and open the doors for the day.
Restart
Shot A: Pull Another Shot
Hooray! You dialed in!
After pulling just one more shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/38g out/26 sec. You split the shot into two cups and taste it with your coworker. You both go back and forth on sweetness, balance, and complexity, and ultimately decide that this is your recipe for the day. They have you mark your recipe and tasting notes down on the sheet.
Restart
Shot B: too slow!
Shots of Big Truck are pulling at these specs: 18g in/34g out/29 seconds. You can choose to do one of two things: B.1: adjust the grind setting coarser B.2: adjust the grind setting finer
Shot B: Coarse Adjustment
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/36g out/27 sec. These shots could potentially be in your range of servability, but they're not quite there yet. B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer B1.3 Pull Another Shot
Shot B: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/34g out/28 sec. We're back to square one. Maybe your next adjustment will be better? B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer B1.3 Pull Another Shot
Shot B: Pull Another Shot
After making no adjustments and pulling another shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/28 sec. We're so close. It seems like that adjustment earlier wasn't enough. What do we do now? B1.1 Adjust Coarser B1.2 Adjust Finer
Shot B: Coarse Adjustment
Hooray! You dialed in!
After making an adjustment coarser and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/27 sec. Yes! These shots are delightful. You serve them to your coworker and they're like, "oh man those are tasty!" You collaborate on flavor calls and update the grinder tag with the recipe, range of servability, and notes. Well done!
Restart
Shot B: Finer Adjustment
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/30g out/30 sec. Dang, we're out here pulling shots like it's 2015 in here, huh? We're getting further away from our target, and your coworker leans over and asks if those shots are good to serve yet. B2.1 Adjust Coarser B2.2 Adjust Finer
Shot B: Sludgy Espresso
Restart
After making an adjustment finer and pulling just one shot, these are your new specs: 18g in/39g out/38 sec. These shots are getting even more and more out of spec. At this point, your coworker intervenes so that they can start getting guests their drinks. Dialing in is hard, you can always try again.