How to dial in espresso on a Sanremo: dose, yield, time, taste

The Sanremo is a stable espresso machine — it holds temperature and pressure beautifully. But the machine alone does not guarantee a great shot. The real work happens when you dial in: matching dose, yield, time and grind so the bean shows its best in the cup. In this guide we share the approach we use at Baristica every day.

Set your four variables

Dialing in is a balance of four numbers. Treat them as starting points, not absolute rules:

• Dose: how much ground coffee goes into the portafilter — usually 18-20 g (check your basket size)
• Yield: the weight of espresso in the cup — dose × 2, i.e. a 1:2 ratio
• Time: from first drip to stopping the pour — roughly 25-30 seconds
• Grind: the one "adjusting" variable, controlling how fast the shot flows

A scale is non-negotiable. Eyeballing the dose is the single biggest source of inconsistency.

Dial in, step by step

Fix the dose first. Take 18 g, for example, and stay at that weight every time. Then set a target yield — for 18 g that's 36 g of espresso.

Now pull a shot and watch the time. If 36 g runs too fast (say 18 seconds), grind finer. If it runs too slow (40+ seconds), grind coarser. Change in small steps and pull a fresh shot after each adjustment.

With a grinder beside the Sanremo (a Mazzer, for instance), purge a little old grounds after each change — leftover coffee in the chamber will skew the result.

Troubleshoot by taste

Even when the numbers look right, taste has the final word. Two core rules:

• Sour, sharp, "raw" taste → under-extraction. Grind finer, extend the time, or nudge the yield up.
• Bitter, drying, ashy taste → over-extraction. Grind coarser, shorten the time, or lower the water temperature slightly.

The ideal shot sits between these two ends: sweetness, balanced acidity and a clean finish. Change only one variable at a time — otherwise you won't know what caused what.

Keeping it consistent

Working with cafés across Baku, the most common mistake we see is dialing in once in the morning and never checking again all day. As the bean ages past its roast date, as humidity shifts, and even as the room warms up, the grind drifts.

• Treat the first shot every morning as a dial-in shot
• Re-dial whenever you switch to a new roast batch
• Freshly roasted coffee is most stable after 7-10 days of rest

That's exactly why we put a roast date on every bag — you need to know where the bean is in its life.

Equipment and your next step

Good espresso is a chain: a stable Sanremo machine, a precise grinder (Mazzer or Comandante), proper tamping and freshly roasted beans. If one link is weak, the numbers won't save you.

If you're looking in Baku for a Sanremo machine, a grinder, or fresh beans for espresso, browse our catalogue or get in touch. And if your team needs training on dialing in and extraction, the barista and alternative brewing courses at BARISTICA Academy are made for exactly this.