No need to worry. A double shot is made using a double basket and can be any size you want.

Styles and definitions have moved on alot since a double shot was, had to be 2oz of espresso made with 14g of coffee.

A double doesnt have to be anything other than tasty and made with a nominal double basket.

 

Shot ratios have generally got shorter towards the restretto end of the spectrum since the rise of milk drinks. There's no right or wrong though. If you prefer a 1:3 or 1-4 ratio with the beans you're using instead of the 'supposedly magical' 1:2 then keep doing what you're doing.

 

If we are gonna use names then 1:2 is normale. Your 1:4 is lungo way

Me I call ma drink Derek

 

If we are gonna use names then 1:2 is normale. Your 1:4 is lungo way

Me I call ma drink Derek

I'd like to congratulate you on your new coffee.....

(I am sure you used to drink Trevors)

 

OK. I can understand that as long as the taste suits it doesn't matter what it's called, and ending up with something you like is the most important thing. What I'm finding hard to wrap my head around is if using twice as much coffee to water ratio how is full extraction happening.

Am I overthinking things and need to just accept that 17g coffee to 35g shot in around 25 seconds IS WHAT WORKS!

 

OK. I can understand that as long as the taste suits it doesn't matter what it's called, and ending up with something you like is the most important thing. What I'm finding hard to wrap my head around is if using twice as much coffee to water ratio how is full extraction happening.

Am I overthinking things and need to just accept that 17g coffee to 35g shot in around 25 seconds IS WHAT WORKS!

It only works if your grind is fine enough, without causing channelling/stopping the puck from fully permeating. Some can get a full extraction at 1:1.5 or less. That said, it is not something that universally "just works", as you can see by any number of posts in any number of forums where people are confused because their shots don't taste how they want - despite being 1:2 in 30-40s.

Brew ratio is dependent on useable grind size, so if your shots are sour at 1:2 & going finer chokes the machine, go longer on the ratio. Go as long as you need to for a tasty shot, but if this gets too weak by the time you achieve it, look at your prep (grinding into a cup/pot & transferring to PF, checking grounds weight in the PF, good distribution in the basket before tamping, tamping flat & even) & if that doesn't work, look at your grinder.

 

What's a full extraction?

 

I suppose for me, as a real novice, it means the good tasting bit we're after in the cup. There's probably a better term for this so apologies for any confusion.

Things are on the up.