What is our shot window?

• A. 17-27 seconds
• B. 10-20 seconds
• C. 30-40 seconds
• D. 5-10 seconds

Answer: (A)

The shot window is the time frame during which an espresso shot should be pulled to achieve a balanced extraction. If the shot finishes too quickly, you’ll under-extract, leading to sour, weak flavors. If it runs too long, you’ll over-extract, bringing out bitter, harsh notes. The target range—17 to 27 seconds—gives enough time for desirable flavors and sweetness to come through while avoiding the harsher compounds that come with longer pulls. This window can shift with changes in grind size, dose, tamp, and machine temperature, so baristas calibrate to keep shots within this span for consistency.