Why it matters in the cup.
Coffee glossary
Dial-In
The iterative process of adjusting grind, dose, yield, and sometimes temperature or pressure until the espresso tastes and flows as intended.
Filed under
What the barista is doing
What the barista is doing
What it means
The iterative process of adjusting grind, dose, yield, and sometimes temperature or pressure until the espresso tastes and flows as intended. Espresso is sensitive to small changes in coffee age, humidity, and grinder behaviour, so even a recipe that worked yesterday may need correction. Changing too many variables at once turns it into guesswork.
Keep going
Where this leads
Each one pushes this into the cup, compares it, or helps you act on it.
What the barista is doing
Puck Preparation
Workflow matters most before the water hits.
Build a repeatable prep routine and protect it, especially when service speeds up.
The numbers that define the shot
Dose
Good workflow protects consistency.
Use a scale for every dose when dialing in. Precision here saves time everywhere else.
Tools that help you see mistakes
Naked Portafilter
Use tools when workflow breaks down.
Use a bottomless portafilter when dialing in or training, even if you return to a spouted one for service.
What the barista is doing
Pulling a Shot
Stay inside what the barista is doing and compare a nearby term before widening out.
Use the phrase freely, but keep the focus on what the shot is doing in the cup.