My dad's advice about preheating my portafilter was right all along

For months I skipped preheating my portafilter because I thought it was just snobbery. My dad kept telling me to do it, so last week I finally tried it with my Gaggia Classic at home in Austin. The temperature stability was way better and my shots actually tasted sweeter. Anyone else have a simple tip they ignored forever?

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2 Comments

the_henry2mo ago

Did your friend ever try pulling a shot without warming the mug first and instantly regret it?

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river1822mo ago

Prewarming the mug was a game changer for me. I used to just rinse it under hot water real quick before pulling a shot, but that barely did anything. Once I started actually letting the mug sit with hot water in it for a solid minute, the crema held up way better and the espresso didn't turn bitter as fast. The temperature drop at the beginning matters a lot more than I thought. It makes the whole sip warmer and smoother from start to finish.

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