With your own working semi-automatic machine and coffee grinder

Learn to assess dosage, duration and taste

Barista Focus 90 min Β· Barista Master 120 min

1–5 participants Β· one upfront total price

Dialing in espresso: learn what to adjust on your grinder

Is your espresso flowing too fast or too slow, or does it taste different every day? Often, you change the grind setting without knowing exactly what changes in the cup. During my private adjustment workshop, your coffee grinder, coffee beans, and semi-automatic espresso machine come together. We measure how many grams of ground coffee you use, how much espresso you brew, and how long it takes. Then we taste and adjust one setting.

You practice at home on the machine you use to make coffee every day. Whether you have just bought a semi-automatic machine with a built-in grinder or have been using a separate grinder for years: you will not only learn which setting works now, but also how to readjust it yourself later with different coffee beans.

Would you also like to cover coffee beans, maintenance, and milk frothing in detail, in addition to espresso? Then read about the full private barista workshop at home.

Espresso-extractie uit een Sage Barista Express Impress in een shotglas tijdens een workshop over crema body en koffiekeuze

You adjust the grind size, but you don't know why the shot changes

You make an espresso, taste sourness, and set the grinder finer. The next shot barely flows at all. Or you keep the same grind setting, but a new bag of coffee beans suddenly gives a different result. This is a common experience when dose, yield, and brew time are not considered together.

During the workshop, we compare the numbers with what you taste. This will give you a method you can replicate at home instead of constantly guessing.

  • Your espresso runs too fast or much too slow

    The water runs through the coffee in a few seconds, or the espresso only drips out of the machine. You adjust the coffee grinder, but you don't know how much to adjust and when to stop.

  • Sour, bitter, and watery alternate

    The flow rate sometimes seems reasonable, but the taste remains unbalanced. Without fixed dosing and espresso yield, it's hard to see which variable is causing the problem.

  • New coffee beans bring you back to square one

    An institution that worked with the previous coffee gives a different result with a new bean. Therefore, you don't just want to receive one recipe, but learn how to systematically adjust each new coffee.
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Geert-Jan helpt een thuisbarista de koffiemolen en espressomachine afstellen tijdens een privΓ© workshop aan huis

How do you properly match a coffee grinder and an espresso machine?

We choose a fixed amount of coffee, weigh the espresso in the cup, and time the extraction. Then we taste it together. Is the shot too fast, too slow, sour, bitter, or watery? I’ll show you which change is best to try first. We don’t change five things at once, because then you won’t know what made the difference.

The goal is a clear, repeatable process. An adjustment is not technical maintenance, a repair, or a permanent guarantee for every bean.

For whom is this adjustment workshop relevant?

For beginners and experienced home baristas with a working semi-automatic espresso machine and a built-in or separate coffee grinder. Also suitable if you’re still pulling inconsistent shots after a year. You don’t need a separate steam wand if you only want to dial in your grinder and espresso; you will need one to practice with milk, though.

Key Details

Private workshop at your home using your own semi-automatic machine and coffee grinder.

Barista Focus: approximately 90 minutes, one or two areas of your choice. From €179, exclusively for locations within a short travel distance of Utrecht.

Barista Master: approximately 120 minutes, the full program. From €219, exclusively for locations within a short travel distance of Utrecht.

For any other location, simply request a no-obligation all-inclusive price, including VAT and all travel costs. The workshop price covers one to five participants.

You will receive exactly one free 350-gram bag of coffee beans per booked workshop, regardless of the number of participants. Follow-up support by email is included.

Why a fixed adjustment method yields more than arbitrary adjustments

If you change the grind size, coffee quantity, and extraction time simultaneously, you won't be able to determine afterwards which adjustment improved the result. As a result, dialling in costs a lot of coffee beans, and it remains difficult to replicate a good shot.

A fixed dial-in method gives you a reliable starting point. You dose consistently, measure the amount of espresso, and keep track of the extraction time. Then you taste whether the espresso is sour, bitter, thin, heavy, or balanced. Based on that, you change one component and compare again.

This method is also important when you open a new bag of coffee beans. The correct setting is not a permanent number on the coffee grinder. Therefore, during the workshop, you will not only learn what the grinder setting should be today, but more importantly, how to arrive at a usable setting yourself later on.

You learn what to measure and taste to choose the next phase yourself.

Geert-Jan de Baristaman legt tijdens een privΓ© barista training thuis uit hoe je koffie zet met de eigen espressomachine.

This is how we set up your coffee grinder and espresso machine

First, I’ll watch how you make coffee now. Then we’ll weigh, time and taste a few shots. I’ll explain why a change works and let you pull the next shot yourself.

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1. We map out your current setup and working methods

We'll look at which semi-automatic espresso machine and coffee grinder you use, how long you've been using them, and what challenges you face. You'll show us how you normally grind, dose, tamp, and brew your espresso. Then we'll make a first espresso as a baseline measurement. We'll look at dosing, espresso yield, extraction time, and taste. This way, we don't start with random settings, but with a concrete picture of what's happening now. Small user errors or unclear steps will become immediately apparent. Technical repairs and internal machine adjustments are not covered in the workshop.

2. We always adjust one variable at a time

Next, we brew and taste several espressos. You'll learn what happens when the grind becomes finer or coarser and how this relates to resistance and extraction time. We keep dosing and espresso yield as constant as possible, so that the effect of the adjustment becomes visible and palpable. If the espresso runs too fast, too slow, or tastes sour, bitter, or thin, we discuss the logical next step. You perform the actions yourself. This means the workshop is not just a demonstration, but you get to practice directly with the machine and coffee grinder you'll be using daily afterwards.

3. You know how to readjust it at home

What to do at step 3?
Geert-Jan helpt een thuisbarista de koffiemolen en espressomachine afstellen tijdens een privΓ© workshop aan huis

What you can do yourself after the adjustment workshop

You can recognize when a shot is off

You will learn to link an espresso that is too fast, too slow, sour, bitter, or watery to measurable values and a logical next step.

Geert-Jan de Baristaman begeleidt een deelnemer tijdens een privΓ© barista workshop aan huis bij espresso-extractie op de eigen espressomachine.

What you can do yourself after the adjustment workshop

You work with your own equipment

All operations are performed on the semi-automatic espresso machine and coffee grinder you use daily at home. You no longer have to translate from a training machine to your own kitchen.

Hand houdt een roze kopje onder de espressomachine

What you can do yourself after the adjustment workshop

You can reconfigure another coffee bean.

With the same scale, timer and test steps, you can re-evaluate a new bean or changed brew time at home. You don't need a magical fixed grind setting.

Request your personal total price
Geert-Jan de Baristaman geeft een privΓ© barista workshop aan huis op de eigen espressomachine van een deelnemer.

Choose Focus for setup or Master for the entire program

"Wat bieden wij?"

For home baristas who want to better understand their own setup

Whether you practice alone or with your partner, family, or friends: one to five participants are all covered by the same price for the chosen workshop session. The session duration remains the same, so with a group, you will share the practice time. Please specify which machine and coffee grinder you use and what you mainly want to learn in your request.

Because the machine, grinder, coffee beans, and brewing method together determine the result

Here's why you should get this offer:
Deelnemers oefenen samen met hun eigen espressomachine tijdens een privΓ© barista workshop in de keuken thuis.

Focus of Master: first your personal total price

Barista Focus takes approximately 90 minutes. You choose one or two main components, for example, espresso and coffee grinder adjustment. From €179 for a short travel distance around Utrecht.

Barista Master takes approximately 120 minutes and covers all main components: coffee beans and cleaning, espresso and grinder adjustment, and milk frothing with basic latte art. From €219 for a short travel distance around Utrecht.

Outside the immediate area of Utrecht, these starting prices do not apply as a fixed offer. Request a no-obligation personal quote. You will receive one total price before booking, including VAT and all applicable travel and other costs. The same price per workshop session applies for one to five participants.

You will receive one free 350-gram bag of coffee beans per booked workshop. You will use my scale, shot glass, and other tools during the training; they remain mine. Cleaning supplies and other products are not automatically included.

Request a no-obligation comprehensive quote

Feel free to request your total price and available workshop times. Once agreed, you can book a slot and pay for the workshop in advance via a personal Shopify payment link.

Assessment of your own grinder, semi-automatic machine, coffee beans and current approach

Making espresso together, weighing, timing, tasting and improving with a specific focus

A consistent adjustment method that you can use again later with other beans

One free 350 g bag of coffee beans per workshop, follow-up email and time for brief follow-up questions
πŸ’¬ Bespreek je hulpvraag via WhatsApp

Answers about adapting to your own equipment, Focus or Master, prices, participants and follow-up.

Frequently asked questions about adjusting a coffee grinder and espresso machine

What does it mean to calibrate a coffee grinder and espresso machine?

During the workshop, you will adjust the espresso extraction and daily workflow. You will work with a fixed dosage, measure how much espresso comes out of the machine, keep track of the extraction time, and taste the result. Afterwards, you will learn to determine whether the coffee grinder needs to be finer or coarser and when another adjustment is necessary. This is not about internal technical calibration, repair, PID adjustments, or modifications to the boiler or machine.

Which espresso machine and coffee grinder are suitable?

You need a fully functional semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in or separate coffee grinder. Consider suitable models from Sage, ECM, QuickMill, Gaggia, Lelit, De’Longhi, or other brands. Please specify the exact brand and model in your request, so I can determine whether this workshop is suitable.

A steam wand is not required if you only want to make espresso and adjust the grinder. If you also want to froth milk, your machine must be suitable for this. Superautomatic, capsule and pod machines, classic manual lever machines, and faulty equipment are not covered by this training. This is not a repair service.

Should I choose Barista Focus or Barista Master for a dial-in issue?

We're here to help you get the most out of your water sports adventures. Below, you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

What does the in-home workshop cost?

Barista Focus is available from €179 and Barista Master from €219, only within a short travel distance around Utrecht. For other locations, including those in the Randstad area or further afield, I will provide a no-obligation personal quote after receiving your request.

You will see a single, all-inclusive price upfront, including VAT, the workshop, and all costs applicable to your location. You will receive the final total price and available dates before you decide whether to book. Payment is made in advance via a personal Shopify payment link.

Can I participate with multiple people or espresso machines?

You can participate alone or with up to five people for the same price per workshop session. Everyone practices within the booked 90 or 120 minutes. One free 350-gram bag of coffee beans is included per workshop, not per participant. Let us know how many people and machines you want to use; then we will discuss what is feasible.

I have another question...

You can contact Geert-Jan the Baristaman here

A grinder that understands you and espresso you can fine-tune

I provide private workshops at your home using your own working semi-automatic espresso machine and coffee grinder. I am based in Utrecht; I work extensively in the central Netherlands and the Randstad, and also travel to other parts of the Netherlands upon request. You will always first receive a personal all-inclusive quote, including VAT and all travel costs.

Before the workshop, please have your espresso machine, coffee grinder, and own coffee beans ready. For the practice sessions, I will bring a precision scale, shot glass, and barista tools. You will receive one free 350-gram bag of coffee beans per workshop; the brand may vary. Cleaning products or accessories are not included as a gift and are not part of the standard workshop price. After the workshop, I will email you the key information and relevant reference material.

You can give the entire workshop as a gift: let me know in your request that it is a gift, pay the full personal all-inclusive price upon confirmation, and receive a printable gift card; we will schedule the date together.

You can also give a gift of your choice via the gift voucher for a private in-home barista workshop. The recipient uses this amount as a contribution towards the workshop quoted later, not automatically as full payment.

Would you like to practice with your own grinder and espresso machine? Request your personal workshop quote and available dates here.

Request your personal total priceView the full workshop setup

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