James Hoffmann Teaches Dan How to Brew and Drink Espresso | What's Eating Dan?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Brewing espresso at home can be fun and rewarding, but also quite complicated. Coffee expert, UA-camr, and author James Hoffmann is here to guide Dan through the process of brewing (including dose, ratio, grind size, temperature, pressure, and brew time) and drinking the best espresso.
Check out James' channel: / @jameshoffmann
Check out James' book: amzn.to/3Ax1Xeg
Read our review of espresso machines: cooks.io/3u0xPGX
Follow Dan on Instagram: / testcook
Follow Dan on Twitter: / testcook
Follow Dan on Facebook: / dansouzacooksillustrated
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America's Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
cooksillustrate...
/ cooksillustrated
/ testkitchen
/ cooksillustrated
/ testkitchen
two absolute titans of their industries what a time to be alive
OMFG NOW YOU'RE HERE TOO! I'M OVERWHELMED
I love you dad
I know I could not believe the thumbnail this morning. It’s like Dan and British Dan, or vice versa.
Dude with you here it's like my holy Trinity of Food related UA-camrs!
Absolutely loving that net shaq showed up
When considering getting an espresso machine you must ask yourself, "do I want a cup of coffee or a new hobby"!?
Exactly. It’s crazy how complicated it could get. I went with the more idiot proof auto type.
And how much counter space do I want to sacrifice? After my espresso maker died after 6 months I went for a moka pot instead and claimed my counter back.
The one wisdom that James teach me.
I do LOVE coffee, But I'm too poor to have a new hobby right now
Thank you for the reminder. I want to save money at the cafe, but not sure if I want to get so obsessive about another food.
This, which is why I stick to our over, which is a bit less of a hobby - thanks to James.
America’s test kitchen and James Hoffman combined… I have a feeling 2022 is gonna be my year.
Same
I mean depending on the kinda person you are... but I assume that since you like both these things (ATK and James Hoffman).. I am going to guess that this comment has aged poorly.
Hope you had a great year!
When you talked about loving crema I was surprised James didn't have anything to add. Then when we got to the final tip I smiled at his very British (diplomatic) "Crema is amazing, but try scooping it off" 😆 ☕
A double dose of James this morning. Nice.
What a morning treat: Dan, espresso, and James. Perfection
Isn't it "expresso"? lol
These two dudes have contributed to my nerdy inhibitions for years its nice to see them together. Also, for the group $900 is how much the espresso machine costs the grinder is a little less.
One thing of note in Dans process is that using a cake tester or something as thick, may end up causing more channels than it’s going to fix. If you go finer with the tool you use, you’ll get better results. Most folks are finding that 0.3mm needles are giving the best results, you can buy a cheap set of acupuncture needles and push them through a wine cork, or even just tie them to a wine cork so they’re spaced out, it’ll work really nicely! For anyone who hasn’t heard of this, it’s called “wdt” and some kinda thingy with needles is known as a wdt tool.
Fascinating! Thanks, good tip!
A match made in heaven. I love Dan and James’ videos and together they provide the perfect nerdgasm. Thanks guys!
I need support
Oh goodness.... the collab I wanted is finally here!
Hi Dan, thanks for inviting James Hoffmann …he always has knowledge to impart. La Pavoni, is a sight to behold!! What a beauty!!
James Hoffman is a rock star!!! Still the best. His style, explanations, and common-sense statements perfectly fit this format. I watch almost all videos with James.
Two giants at the top of their game! Love this episode
The very first coffee drink I had that I liked was made by a coworker on a pavoni just like that. Before that I thought I hated coffee. I bought a Gaggia Berra after that and still use it daily. Changing this many variables might still be a bit overwhelming for me, but I found this video fascinating. Great work guys as always.
The collab we all wanted!
Dan and James, two of my favorites on UA-cam! Thanks for making this happen.
My husband loves watching you both and when I told him there’s a UA-cam video with Dan and James about espresso, he said, oh they finally got together… I got to see this one!
Two all time favorites together at last!
😊 ☕️
This video accomplished three purposes: answered many of my questions, showed me how much I don’t know, and made me really want to have some RIGHT NOW!
Thank you for collab'ing with James!
James wants to flat out say that espresso without crema tastes better but is afraid of getting banished from the coffee community. 😂
I went to a new espresso shop near where I worked and asked for an espresso, straight. I was handed a cup of liquid that was quite bitter. I mentioned to the woman that pulled the shot that it was bitter and she glared at me, put her hands on her hips and proclaimed that it was espresso, it was supposed to taste bitter. No one can argue with an expert, but I never returned to that coffee shop. One thing I have learned by watching James is that espresso Should taste sweet, not bitter. Thanks James.
That's the quality that made me love espresso when I first tried it. It was sweeter and smoother than drip coffee. No coffee should only have bitter flavors.
espresso also needs a light or medium roast, dark is too much.
My two favorite food people. This deserves a coffee
This way of discussing between 2 highly intelligent talented experts is very much appreciated. Thanks.
Watching you and James together is the real treat. You guys are amazing.
Terrific. Nice to see Mr Hoffman.
There’s an added benefit to a lever style machine that adds a new variable. By increasing or decreasing the pressure you exert you can “profile” your espresso, essentially you can extract different flavors by pushing hard then letting the pressure decline at the end or starting slow and ramping up the pressure. It’s a feature that’s done with a small paddle on my Profitec and pricey slayer machines. It’s not necessary by any means but it opens you up to very different flavors with a simple pull of a lever c:
Biggest takeaway and why I love James... enjoy what you enjoy... there shouldn't be rules around food and drink... what tastes good to you is subjective... if you like black coffee then that's great... but if your best friend or spouse likes coffee with half a cup of cream and 5 sugars then that's what they like... you can still enjoy coffee together... that's what it's about... the shared experience 😊💙
That being said... as a Chef if you order your prime steak well done with A-1 on the side I'll make sure my team prepares it exactly to your liking but we will talk about you in the kitchen and question your reasoning 😆
it is this video that introduced me to James.
he has upped my coffee game by orders of magnitude
Awesome video. I love coffee and espresso but it took me 50 years to get an espresso machine in my house. Of all the ways to enjoy coffee I love espresso the most. SO rewarding making a cappuccino at home! Thank you for this overview video to remind me how to easily balance the variables and spend as much energy enjoying a shot as I do brewing one.
The collab I've been waiting for!!!
I just started applying the temp principle discussed for my French press coffee. It's amazing that a few degrees can make such a difference!
Finally! I've been waiting for "foodies" to embrace 3rd wave coffee for what seems like forever, instead of treating it like a complete afterthought. What a great synergy!
FINALLY. OUR FAV GEEKS OMG
I can't believe this video is real! Dan and James together is THE dream :)
I love when two UA-camrs I follow have a collab. I get excited like when Mork showed up on Happy Days
Very helpful collaboration! Thanks ☕️
Thanks for sharing this trove of actionable advice! Sadly the review linked hasn't been updated since 2017. There's been a tremendous amount of innovation in the under $500 category these past 5 yrs, and your viewers just getting into home brewing would benefit greatly to know about. Keep up the great work, and please more coffee!!
Love James. His channel is so informative.
DAN! AND JAMES! IN A SINGLE VIDEO! OH. MY. GOD! This is a dream come true! Fantastic video! I watched this last night and this morning I was tempted to scrape off the crema before turning my espresso into an Americano, but I couldn't bring myself to do it! Maybe tomorrow!
I'm impressed with James's knowledge, and his hair
Sipping an instant coffee mixed with hot water and wondering where my beloved tea is. Good work Dan.
That tiny strand of hair standing up on the back of James' head is ADORABLE
Once I noticed it, I couldn’t not notice it!
So happy to see this collaboration!!
A dream video, ATK’s Dan meets James Hoffmann. Thank you Dan and James!
Holy cow! THANK YOU James & Dan! ♥♥♥
Two guys who are enjoyable and logical. Thank you.
Cuban here, you've never had great espresso until you Make some through What I call the sock method.. Boiling the coffee sugar and water together until it almost boils and straining it through a cloth strainer nothing like it!
Great video! I liked the conversation style to deliver information.
World's are colliding!! Love James Hoffman and his channel
Seriously, I love James and the fact you brought him into your show amazballz!
James Hoffman , I clicked so fast. I love him. Thrilled to see him working with ATK
When I lived in England I met James a couple of times. He cares about coffee as much as America and Italy combined! :-)
The collab that I didn't know I needed.
The collab of two legends I didn’t even know I needed
I binge watch both these UA-camrs religiously. Had to rub my eyes when I saw this thumbnail. 😂 MCU step aside, the greatest crossover ever is here.
I have a small tip for the La Pavoni. Raise the lever most of the way before you lock in the portafilter. This way you're not sucking air through the puck as you raise the lever and potentially creating channels before you've even started. (yes, it is entirely possible to not get channels while raising the lever, but this method takes that variable out of the equation).
O.M.G. When my two worlds come together! Holy Ish!!!!!!!! Two of my favorite dudes!
I gave this a try and was pleasantly surprised. I will be doing this from now on as it indeed does have a massive effect on the taste. After removing the crema, I throw in some MCT oil to increase the thickness/body/creaminess you lose when removing the crema... it's worth giving it a try.
I love james. He's awesome. I've been watching his channel for a long long time.
I love what's eating Dan. Do one on Szechuan peppercorns, please.
I was absolutely salivating from beginning to end. Can't wait to make my next 'spresso!
Just wanna say this was great! Love the collaboration between 2 such highly revered voices. Keep em coming!
Biggest improvement in preventing channeling has actually been a very cheap puck screen over the bed. I use a relatively cheap machine and basket and all the puck preparation in the world couldn't get rid of channeling reliably. The puck screen really made a difference and only cost a couple bucks unlike most other coffee gadgets.
18:12 ”Lost in the variables dream” Love it! I can so relate with that way of enjoying my coffee, it’s like half-hedonism half-diagnostics, even if it’s a perfectly good cup. :D
Barrington Coffee is top notch, I first got wind of them because of coffee stouts from Trillium, but Exhibit A Brewing's Sunday Paper is is my favorite coffee stout out there, and the Barrington Coffee is a major contributor to this awesome brew. Great video, and James is the best, as always.
This was bliss to watch. Two of my favorites
Best episode yet. I learned so much. Thank you both.
Haven't watched yet but this is a collab the world deserves.
Honest to goodness, I watchEd what you went through just to make that dinky little cup of espresso, and my first thought was, ‘I’d rather spend the time learning bookbinding.” Not sure what about that machine made me think of bookbinding, but I definitely think I’m sticking to coffee. However, what a thorough and fascinating video from you both.
Awesome collab! James’ expertise filtered through Dan’s chill energy! ☕️
Such fun to see a new episode from ‘What’s Eating Dan?’ 👏🏽
Nicely done - love the La Pavoni... had mine for 3 years... dark roast, 14gm... NDT and leveler have improved my puck game... and so nice! Naked porta filter... all the way!
Best explanation ever! Thank you.
James is taking over youtube
love this, everything I learned and forgot over years of James' videos is all summed up in here.
Wow!!! You have explained espresso grind/over extraction very well!!! thank you!
James is the go-to expert amongst aficionados. I've got a signed copy his World Atlas of Coffee sitting on my coffee table.☕
Love seeing the La Pavoni on here. I'm a 3-times-a-day la pavoni person. It's truly the best item in my kitchen
Now this was a video worth making, love Dan and James is my coffee god, he makes me wanna up my coffee game after every video I watch
First the new York Times, now ATK. 2022 is The Year of James Hoffman, even more people will be nerding out on their coffee
James God-ing things up as usual. I watch as many of his videos as I do of you guys. Standards are good to have.
Good choice in picking a direct lever machine. Contrary to popular belief, a direct lever machine in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing is actually way more versatile and forgiving than a semi auto. The amount of pressure control you have in a lever machine gives you so much more options to avoid channeling and also achieve optimal extraction.
Great video. I'll add that James' videos on espresso dialing are a great next step for anyone interested to go from here. Nice collab! Subbed!
Great video, good starter pointers presented clearly and succinctly!
This collaboration was amazing!!! I would love to see more video collabs with James
Really enjoyed your video
Dan,
I want to thank you very much for this video. I didn't know anything about espresso until I watched your video. I may even go out and buy one.
Thanks
I love how the fewer the ingredients, the more you the technique can totally change the result. I really enjoyed how systematically you went through them all. So good!
p.s. is this how metric creep starts?
Mmm yes that's how the metric wormhole is opened up, the need to get more reproducible results and maybe even refine the last cup
Great video!
Fantastic and surprising collab!
What a great combination. I hope you do more videos together. Really enjoyed it!
BEST. CROSSOVER. EPISODE. EVER.
Great collaboration!
I have never clicked a video faster
This video has everything I needed to know to up my espresso brewing game. Thanks 🙏🏽
I love Espresso, and now I love it even more!
As a long-time (nearly 60 years) eSpresso drinker and fairly-recent La Pavoni owner and James Hoffman fan, I've spent quite a bit of time trolling the Internet for hints on improving my shots with the La Pavoni. One easy tweak I've found, which I noticed you didn't do, Dan, is to only gently insert my portafilter before raising the handle, then locking it in place only when the lever is about to the point where water is released into the grouphead. The reason for doing this is that you're creating some vacuum as you raise the piston in the cylinder with the lever. If you're locked down when you do that, the pressure will have to equalize by pulling air up through the portafilter, disrupting your carefully-prepared puck and increasing the likelihood of channeling. I've had more consistent success since doing this. However, be SURE to lock in the portafilter before water is released into the grouphead, or you'll have a bit of a mess to clean up (speaking from experience).😂
you also have the risk of damaging the seal around the edge of the puck when you knock it.
Wow, James Hoffmann on ATK, what a pleasant surprise!
Really great video, glad it came out as I'm about to get a machine!