Why Espressos don't taste the same

There is such as thing as the perfect espresso - it exists in your mind. Like the perfect holiday, it is difficult to replicate again and again and there are many facets that go into the make up.

On a basic level, you need the right coffee and a good clean machine a grinder and a cup. But this is like saying that for a good holiday all you need is an aeroplane and a passport.

Temperature and humidity, sharpness of the grinder blades, residue build up on group head pipes, scale, pump pressure, age of the coffee, skill of the barista, heat of the cups, shape of the cup, water temperature, atmospheric pressure etc etc etc and that's just for an espresso. Add milk into the equation and well......

Each one on the the above list is subject to a seperate discussion, but the elusive replicability of the perfect espresso is far from an easy one to explain.