My Morning Routine | Short & Sweet Ristretto Cortado

Cortados are one of my favorite espresso based drinks, and a ristretto shot is a cheat-code for a sweeter, more syrupy extraction that pairs very well with milk. So in this installment of my morning routine I break out my barista skills on Ascaso UNO and the Mx.COOL Aries.
What I'm brewing with:
- Espresso Machine: ascaso-usa.com/products/ascas...
- Coffee: elixrcoffee.com/collections/e...
- Grinder: mxcool.com.tw/en/portfolio-it...
- WDT Tool: sworksdesign.com/WDT-Tool-p38...
- Tamper: www.pantechnicondesign.com/pr...
- Espresso Scale: mxcool.com.tw/en/portfolio-it...
- Glassware: www.notneutral.com/vero.html
- Milk Pitcher: www.slowpoursupply.co/collect...
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#sprometheus #ascaso #espresso #asmr

[@Fuuntag]

While the world burns, we make coffee and we have a moment of peace and serenity. ❤

[@Sprometheus]

Indeed. SERENITY NOW!

[@daniel635biturbo]

Yes, Coffee and relaxation goes together in a weird way for me, too. Maybe It's a way to take a healthy little pause, and be back in fully caffeinated strength half an hour later. ❤

[@cdey3886]

"The world around us is burning but we're so cold"

[@jonderagon]

Insanely good production quality on the video and beautiful equipment - I was mesmerized.

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you for watching and the kind words!

[@Bradtheone]

Just something special and calming to kick off the day. Love it. Thanks for showing the gear in such creative way 😍

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you for the kind words and you’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed.

[@mxcoolstudio]

Wow～！The entire workflow feels very smooth! It's perfect to watch while brewing coffee, very enjoyable!

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you my friends! Enjoying the Aries as well!

[@joeycorcoran4763]

This is the best cove coffee video production I’ve ever seen. Also great barista skills and flow.

[@jacobkarnes]

A Cortado has always been my go-to drink. I’ve never made a ristretto Cortado until this morning after I watched this video. I have a new go-to!

[@AndreVSWorld]

OOooo this is the kind of Friday morning context I didn't know I wanted, very well done

[@Sprometheus]

Happy to deliver! Enjoy your weekend.

[@Dwyane1st]

the composition when you were pouring the milk is quite fantastic

[@stevewilcox6375]

Great Video to wake with ,alongside my first pour over of the day! Thanks!

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you for the kind words, and you’re welcome my friend! Cheers!

[@Simssss888]

love these videos!

[@aydendebeer9791]

That was really relaxing to watch.

[@davidivey2790]

love the asmr style content!

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you my friend!

[@CarlosVargas-js8qz]

Awesome option for a happy Friday! Cheers

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you my friend, have a great weekend!

[@mikepanton]

That was oddly entertaining and relaxing.

[@allen.t]

Absolute bliss

[@Sprometheus]

Much appreciated! Cheers!

[@djordan7979]

Your best video to date. Everything you need and nothing you don't.

[@Kiaulen]

The Ascaso is such a beautiful machine. I love the design

[@Sprometheus]

It’s definitely a handsome piece of coffee kit!

[@youtubeaccount7137]

​@@Sprometheusare you still satisfied with it? And why did you not go for the duo?

[@felixranesberger3846]

Really enjoyed watching this video!

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@Psychoh90]

Oh mate! That’s what I do for me and my gf almost every Saturday. It’s just feels right on a Saturday to get a ristretto in a cortado.

[@Sprometheus]

Absolutely. Ristrettos always hit different in smaller milk drinks!

[@benstayman5399]

​@@Sprometheus😅😅😅😅😊

[@aureliocastro6478]

Keep doing this kind of videos!

[@jggimi]

I still can't get over your single camera setup. So. Much. Effort. My usual morning start is 2 cortados before breakfast. Though I've never tried pulling a ristretto. I should, when I have a sufficiently dark roast on hand.

[@gabrielmc5893]

Short tip: Using a funnel (or keeping the shaker) during WDT allows you do distribute well without throwing the coffee out... =)

[@joeycorcoran4763]

Hahahahahha

[@lm2212]

Great video. 5.34 Did you notice the join on the front panel of the machine widen when you inserted the portafilter?

[@cheekster777]

Thank you my friend.

[@Sprometheus]

Of course! Thanks for watching and enjoy your weekend!

[@MavicHeroFilms]

Great video and editing! What camera and lenses are you using? I just got my Ascaso duo but in black!

[@scottscottsdale7868]

Lot of flex in that housing on Porto entry.

[@davidrogala7597]

I like this

[@alexjj231]

Your temping was not level. There are tampers that help with the leveling you should try for better extraction. What is this scale you are using?

[@NevrNewd]

Never pulled a Ristretto at home. Guess I get to try something new tomorrow morning!

[@Sprometheus]

They definitely are a cheat code for sweeter more syrupy shots. They really hit different in smaller milk drinks too.

[@MrJeff2048]

My morning routine: just a short half-hour later, I have hot, delicious coffee!

[@dman4435]

Ascaso were on deep discount this November...... thinking next November. Looks like it works great. Ristretto sounds like my kind of drink.

[@youtubeaccount7137]

What is the price with discount?

[@macehead]

Yes

[@Sprometheus]

Double yes.

[@markiedev]

I also pull ristretto for cortado. I'm dosing 17g in 17g out in 17-18secs it coming out a bit sour. Not sure if this is just a taste note on medium roast beans or it's under extracted. If I tighten the grind size and longer extraction 22secs, it's also sour but probably from over extracting. Also you have another video about ristretto 20g dose, 15g yield in 15secs has your method changed since when pulling a ristretto?

[@troym3219]

What's your blue LED set up behind your machine? It looks like you're using a smart outlet as well?

[@bumblew3i]

hey! understand that this is an old video, but I am curious to know your thoughts on how ascaso as a machine/brand is holding up?

[@donfitz69]

Nice video. Just curious if you mostly do ristretto's with more of a medium roasted coffee.

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you. Yeah I most often find ristrettos work best with medium to dark roasts. Lights in that tight ratio can be good, but can also be extremely intense. It really depends on the coffee really.

[@donfitz69]

@@Sprometheus ty

[@hatzz]

What basket do you use with your UNO?

[@barcatitlova2134]

What tempure for steaming milk you have set? Do ho have any tips how to steam milk on Ascaso, please? 🙏 I do not have problem to steam milk on professional La Marzocco, but on Ascaso I have no idea😕

[@user-js2fi7qw2i]

Great video, man and calm music! Now Ascaso replaced LM GS3 at Your desk:) Next year La Marzocco will launch kind of GS3 successor (I know it) and something new in Micra/Mini style. It’s a question if they go into Sanremo You side. Anyway nice coffee before weekend! Thank You!

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you! And the Ascaso was a loaner to review, the GS3MP remains my go to. I would be curious to see what LM will come up with, as their latest release was pretty mediocre.

[@user-js2fi7qw2i]

I hope next LM GS3 will look more modern and probably will have advanced menu (like Sanremo You) to operate it. I see it’s a problem on the market with coffee machine that has a pressure profiling. So in my opinion still GS3 is a leader. Sanremo You looks good, but no one knows longbterm quality of that machine. Maybe 2024 will give the answer. All the best my Friend!

[@youtubeaccount7137]

​@@Sprometheusdid you like the ascaso in terms of making coffee

[@ianguile7214]

I'm so curious as to how the MX Cool compares to the Sette; from the outside they look similar (ish). What are your thoughts as to how they compare?

[@Sprometheus]

I would need to get a Sette to do a side by side, but I can immediately tell you the low RPM burrs can really do a lot with clarity in comparison to other conicals I’ve tried.

[@xx0samey0xx]

Isn't 11 bar a bit too high? I thought you could adjust the opv externally with a screwdriver on ascaso machines?

[@brentroman]

Hey Spro- This may be a naive question - but do you adjust your grind (finer) in order to pull your ristretto? (i.e. getting your 1:1 within a certain time that is similar to a "normal" pull?) I've seen different folks out there espouse different techniques for ristrettos. I was just curious about your opinion/thoughts on that. ((I hope that all made sense to you))

[@calvin.]

ristrettos and espressos can differ from cafes to cafes, sometimes a "normal" pull of good espresso can even take 40s depending on all sorts of factors. you can try starting of with a finer than usual setting, and then adjust as you taste!

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah I think I'm picking up what you're putting down. There are multiple schools of thought for ristretto, but generally I grind a little coarser. That's because I usually prefer to pull them at around 1 gram a second once it begins to extract. This means if I'm using pre-infusion I don't begin the 1 gram/second count until it's flowing freely. So usually the shots are shorter, closer to a turbo shot timeline 20-23. But that also can be something that is dialed based on personal tastes, the coffee and dose.

[@kimbridge5592]

2 single did you say one for steam one for brewing

[@robelfermano5808]

Very nice video, but I must say that when you tighten the portafilter to the machine a saw that the was a gap opened in the corner of the machine, made me question the quality?

[@blutcherama]

Spro, how much is the grinder?

[@thowi]

Great vid! Why use the 11 bars from factory? Why not your usual 8? Would 11 bars not promote too much channeling?

[@chrismitchelmore9379]

Also curious about this. Just got my machine yesterday and struggling to get shots that last more then 15 seconds even at super fine grind. My pressure also maxes to factory 11 rather than the 9 that is suggested. Was wondering if this was my issue but seeing your shots, I Guess not :/

[@KevinJaako]

I sure hope this was actually your second coffee of the day… all this work & cinematography before caffeine is just too much :) looks great as usual. And yea, blind shakers suck.

[@JuliusSP1]

Why the Acaso over the LM GS3?

[@tackoo]

Awesome video! One question: I thought fruity roasts like these require even more extraction than 1:2. I would imagine a ristretto shot would taste too sour. Isn’t it the case?

[@bradyvilhauer4445]

I’ll let a professional answer this but espresso has no set rules, if he or others enjoy 1:1 ristretto, it doesn’t matter :-). Play around and find what you enjoy the most

[@rrstne]

Just got this machine, which function are you using to flush the grouphead? Are you just flippinh and hoding the coffee switch for a few aeconds?

[@youtubeaccount7137]

You can program single shot toggle for 5 seconds and use it as flush toggle

[@HoppyQ-mu8xf]

The workflow on that grinder seems lengthy. I stick a dosing funnel on my Niche Zero and grind directly into the portafilter. No Spritz of water needed.

[@maribelrivera9115]

Sooo….Lelit Bianca or Ascaso Duo? I’m between the two and trying hard to decide on one.

[@heiko3048]

I don’t know the Lelit but I own the Ascaso for 5 months now. I mainly chose the Ascaso for the design and the size (WAF). What’s really annoying is that the OPV sits after the flowmeter. Therefore you always have to use a scale in case you dial in the machine to limit the pressure by the valve. I still try to dial in by setting the pressure limit to >13bar and setting the grind size so that the pressure during extraction does not exceed 10-11am. The result is still not perfect. Also the pump is quite loud and it vibrates so strong that my cup moves. The Bianca should not have these problems as it has a rotary pump and the flowmeter after the OPV. Very positive with the Ascaso is the low energy consumption and the ultra fast heatup time. Since it is a Thermoblock design, cleaning is also much easier. Perfect for me would be my machine with a rotary pump and a better OPV design.

[@Drzahman]

7am before work routine? Wow 😂

[@JWomack]

Man. I still love my Ascaso professional, and the new ones continue that industrial yet chic design ethic. I'm so torn b/c it's time for a new machine after almost 15 years ,but I just don't think I'll be happy with those thermoblocks - especially on the steam side.

[@youtubeaccount7137]

I think the duo is similar or even better then a e61 HX like the lelit mara x. And dont forget the dual thermoblock can go forever with steaming

[@JWomack]

@@youtubeaccount7137 yeah I'm not set on HX, or even a boiler for the group for that matter. I feel like the tech has come far enough that the pid can keep a very consistent temperature at the group. I know it's greener, but that blasted thumping of the thermo block when you're steaming along with the extra time it takes vs a dedicated boiler is what I'm doing having trouble digesting.

[@youtubeaccount7137]

@@JWomack but when you have the dual thermoblock set up you dont need to wait u can instant steam with the version 2

[@JWomack]

@@youtubeaccount7137 I got that, but ideally gimme a dedicated boiler for steam. Sure, it takes a bit for that boiler to come up to temp from cold but it will be there by the time I finish pulling my shot anyway. That way I have great steaming power and no thump,thump,thump.

[@youtubeaccount7137]

@@JWomack i understand if u want max steaming power then a boiler is the better choice. But i had a e61 group espressomachine with boilers it consumes too much and even maintance is harder u have to bring it for service and u cant descale it youself. So for home use the ascaso with dual thermo blocks are really a good compromise

[@bjfeerus]

☕☕☕ Love Is Important ❤ .....

[@Sprometheus]

Indeed! Thank you my friend.

[@NubRusty]

Ascaso is so pretty !

[@shaunlimks]

Hi whats the amount of milk there or glass size? Just curious

[@Sprometheus]

The glass is the Vero cortado, so its 4.25oz

[@shaunlimks]

thank you@@Sprometheus

[@MathewBT81]

That scale is a fkn flex 😅

[@edwarschilka8411]

Why do they put the valves on the side of the coffee bag that you pour out the beans? Its in the way! Klatch's bags are the same, Blue Bottle's aren't. Things that make you go "Hmmmm".

[@shaunlimks]

Degas

[@craigm9145]

bean jumped at 3:50...

[@notme123123]

Show off!

[@Sprometheus]

Correction: Spro Off

[@notme123123]

Touché!

[@Mandragara]

I think you need a self-levelling tamper, that tamp looked misaligned

[@thecount888]

Probably has more to do with getting an angle for us. Pretty sure he knows how to tamp an espresso and I think he's said before he prefers that tamper style.

[@Mandragara]

@@thecount888 Good point

[@jbilou7350]

le remarque acec l'écoulement du café Nouveau

[@daniel-eunbum-lee]

Hey, your boss called and said you’re fired.

[@jbilou7350]

😅

[@aboodqaq2395]

I just watched a 9 minutes video and it felt like 30 seconds

[@bobok760]

11 bar? it cannot be a good espresso for this pressure

[@moukafaslouka4796]

Let me do simple math: Espresso Machine: $1500 Grinder: $1600 That's over $3000 right there. Who spends this kind of cash on a just two kitchen items used for coffee?

[@arianyazdannik968]

This was supposed to be key😢😂

[@Sprometheus]

A $2000 paper weight haha

[@stephendenagy3396]

I dunno. Peaceful. Tedious?

[@handshake883]

That's the 125ml vero glass? Isn't cortado supposed to be 1:1 coffee to milk? This is more like a flatwhite.

[@ThePoisonousFish]

you might forget: volume of steamed milk != volume of liquid milk

[@Sprometheus]

The semantics of coffee will never not be a debate. It’s coffee and milk, call it whatever you want.

[@BillB33525]

Looks like a Gibraltar: The Gibraltar is the American version of the Cortado. It was created by Blue Bottle Coffee Company and named after the cup it is served in. The Gibraltar is served in a 4.5 oz Gibraltar glass made by the Libbey Glass Company. The Gibraltar is typically served with one shot of espresso (1.25 fl oz) to 2 parts of steamed milk (2.5 fl oz).

[@jubeman]

nothing like a flat white bro, they are much larger. but i prefer my cortado (better known Down Under as a Piccolo) as 1:2 double shot, then milk to fill the 120ml glass.

[@handshake883]

@@jubeman I thought the ratio dictates the type of a drink (what he made is 2 parts milk 1 coffee) but I suppose you know what you're saying

[@StandStillRushing]

Uneven tamp.

[@ThePoisonousFish]

machine 👍, grinder 👎. and lol yes, first puck in the morning ends up uneven like in the vid here and then 😇😅

[@Sprometheus]

I’ll take the grinder over the machine personally, but to each their own.

[@ThePoisonousFish]

@@Sprometheus to my experience, all plastic parts below ('after') the burrs get sticky after a few months of use, increasing retention and in some models therefor shifting particle range towards the fine end - regardless of cleaning. so unless that huge black part there is metallic i'll call this grinder flawed.

[@jontpt]

Kind of a crooked tamp, just sayin'...

[@Sprometheus]

Wow, you caught. Finally exposed for the fraud I am.

[@jontpt]

@@Sprometheus It;s been a long time coming, so I'm happy to have been the fraud buster fighting for tamping integrity!

[@adamharris5003]

@@Sprometheusdon’t cry

[@dannyquiroz5777]

You lost me at 0:36 when you started punching in morse code on this thing.

[@Sprometheus]

Jokes on you, the morse code is the upcoming power ball numbers.

[@dgasmd1]

No offence to you as I do appreciate your review content, but if I had to do all that routine for a espresso, I probably would have given up coffee before even starting. KISS................

[@Sprometheus]

Well, no offense to you but normal people if they don’t like a video they just move on and don’t insult the creator.

[@dgasmd1]

@@Sprometheus Was nowhere near an insult, but ok. We can both move on I guess.....

[@Sprometheus]

@@dgasmd1 hot tip, starting your sentence with “No offense” literally means that the following statement is likely to offend.

[@vilddyr]

Most pretentious nonsense I have seen in years.

[@Sprometheus]

Amazing how someone who makes niche music stuff finds other people’s hobbies pretentious. Perhaps look inwards and reassess your attitude.

[@vilddyr]

@@Sprometheus hahahaha. Nice try 😂 Prentious Nonsense doesn't have to be a bad thing. Look at James Hoffman. But yes, in this case it is.

[@NoyPi6step]

My fav type of video from you ! @sprometheus

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks for watching!