What is a God Shot?

MOQ

We often read about legendary God Shots. I'm sure I've had a few at one cafe with a double ris they have served me on at least four separate occasions. My own espresso quest is to try to emulate what I tasted on these unusual occasions. I say unusual because I go there weekly.

But I don't think I've ever come across a definition of a God Shot. I've seen a few references here to how it looks, how it pours/oozes/drips  ... all visual indications but I don't think I've read how it might actually TASTE. I've read Scott Rao's book and I don't recall him mentioning how it tastes despite him referring to it occasionally.

What I tasted was a honey-like sweetness to a dbl ris that was jaw dropping. The first time the barista served it I said "you know I do not take sugar" ... his response was "there is none". HUH?

It was achieved on a different single origin beans, they had "hit their peak", and the barista was able to tweak his magic to knock them out (and me). Interestingly neither the cafe owner nor I were able to replicate what the barista did even though "in principle" we have an understanding of him dropping the initial flow into the tray to maximise the sweet spot pour, and our attempt was the day following the honey pour when the barista wasn't working.

I know coffee taste is personal preference, that everyone is free to choose to follow their own deity or none whatsoever, but what are members' thoughts on what they are trying to achieve in taste if they are aiming to produce God Shots?

I'm more curious about perceptions/expectations at this stage than actual equipment is "needed" to do this.

MOQ's God Shot objective - honey-sweet double ristrettos

thebookfreak58

Comment on the ris... A ris is usually defined (by my understanding) as a tight shot where the flow rate is a bit slower than your average (30mL/30sec) style shot. Now, the idea is, that the slower shot creates more pressure at the puck, which decreases the flow rate, increasing the temperature and giving a 'sweeter' taste. Basically what is being done is the sugars are completely being caramelized in the extraction, giving that sweet honey like taste. Which is great!! But, the thought is...if you are caramelizing (ie. converting to sweetened sugar) the beans each shot, for every bean. How can there be a big distinction in the flavour profile? Every bean, from every origin, at every roast depth would taste 'sweet'. While you get something 'nice' in the cup, soon every coffee starts to taste the same and it gets boring...rather than extracting depending on the bean/roast depth/origin and extract to suit the acidity/sugar levels as the cup suggests

Brett H

I always thought the 'God' shot was any text-book extraction fit for a deity!  That's all.  When I owned a Silvia invariably one in every two or three shots was the 'Go od' shot... That was mine... despite not having a congregation of worshipers dedicated to my praise and exultation.

MOQ

on 1389234318:

Comment on the ris... A ris is usually defined (by my understanding) as a tight shot where the flow rate is a bit slower than your average (30mL/30sec) style shot. Now, the idea is, that the slower shot creates more pressure at the puck, which decreases the flow rate, increasing the temperature and giving a 'sweeter' taste. Basically what is being done is the sugars are completely being caramelized in the extraction, giving that sweet honey like taste. Which is great!! But, the thought is...if you are caramelizing (ie. converting to sweetened sugar) the beans each shot, for every bean. How can there be a big distinction in the flavour profile? Every bean, from every origin, at every roast depth would taste 'sweet'. While you get something 'nice' in the cup, soon every coffee starts to taste the same and it gets boring...rather than extracting depending on the bean/roast depth/origin and extract to suit the acidity/sugar levels as the cup suggests

Thanks for your comments TBF58 From my perspective the honey-like sweetness did not detract at all from the other flavours present in the cup. What I tasted in four different SO's was four different flavour profiles but each time there was a glorious sweetness that was stunning. Along the same reasoning as wines, Cab Savs all from Coonawarra or wherever all taste different for the same vintage. I'm definitely not after achieving sameness, yes that would be boring! When I did an intro barista course recently one thing that was mentioned was that green beans turn brown because the sugars are being heated. Presumably then lighter roasts "should" exhibit more of this sweet characteristic than heavy dark roasts. Now that you've mentioned a ris pour mechanics, I've just pulled out a SO and will experiment!

MOQ

on 1389234906:

I always thought the 'God' shot was any text-book extraction fit for a deity!  That's all.  When I owned a Silvia invariably one in every two or three shots was the 'Go od' shot... That was mine... despite not having a congregation of worshipers dedicated to my praise and exultation.

OK, maybe it's just me but there's no way my making coffee would ever align with sharing it with a deity if it achieved what I was looking for! Mind you, if I did and the deity got to taste, her likely response would be "So you think this is a God Shot? I'll show you a God Shot" What an opportunity that'd be  :D

askthecoffeeguy

on 1389235798:

OK, maybe it's just me but there's no way my making coffee would ever align with sharing it with a deity if it achieved what I was looking for! Mind you, if I did and the deity got to taste, her likely response would be "So you think this is a God Shot? I'll show you a God Shot" To me a god shot happens when all of the elements are sligned: Perfectly roasted coffee,  preferably single origin,  but not exclusively so,  with ideally 7 to 10 days post roast on it, extracted to perfection, and served as an espresso And it has to pass the distraction test; as in you stop whatever you're doing and say, "wow - get a load of that! " If it doesn't rock your socks then it's probably not a god shot... What an opportunity that'd be  :D

Lacehim

Personally I think a God shot is just YOUR idea of a perfect shot, and YOUR perfect taste.  I say YOUR because everyone will have a different opinion about what they like in the cup.  I started off my coffee journey worrying about numbers, times, grind/variables, is it a Monday, are my beans 1 day too old, but it never got me anywhere.  As a good friend of mines says "It's what's in the cup that counts!". I'm sure you've already pulled some so pat yourself on the back.

MOQ

on 1389252923:

Personally I think a God shot is just YOUR idea of a perfect shot, and YOUR perfect taste.  I say YOUR because everyone will have a different opinion about what they like in the cup.  I started off my coffee journey worrying about numbers, times, grind/variables, is it a Monday, are my beans 1 day too old, but it never got me anywhere.  As a good friend of mines says "It's what's in the cup that counts!". I'm sure you've already pulled some so pat yourself on the back.

True, I also believe it's a personal taste thing, that's why I'm curious as to what others are trying to achieve in this regard if indeed that is what they are striving for. Maybe the question is a bit too personal ... ? My shots are steadily improving, the biggest advances came recently with the K3 PEG mod and meticulously weighing every dose. The grinds are so much more consistent and it's easier to fine tune the grinder now. However I am yet to come remotely close to a honey-sweet ris. Most of what I make tastes very nice (wife approval factor included), it certainly makes going to a lot of cafes a let down. I'll get there I'm sure. I hope I get some good news on my BNZ parts soon!

Lacehim

Beans play a lot in what you get in the cup I've found, part of that is the roasting.  What I mean by that is if you are looking for X in the cup, but buying Y beans all the time you may never find it.  You need to try different beans, techniques etc.  It really is a never ending journey. I've been trying to convince C-Man to build a KKTO because I think that way he can try a variety of beans to see what hits his sweet spot. Every day is different with roasting/espresso at home, and it's one of the things I enjoy about coffee.

MOQ

on 1389255206:

Beans play a lot in what you get in the cup I've found, part of that is the roasting.  What I mean by that is if you are looking for X in the cup, but buying Y beans all the time you may never find it.  You need to try different beans, techniques etc.  It really is a never ending journey. I've been trying to convince C-Man to build a KKTO because I think that way he can try a variety of beans to see what hits his sweet spot. Every day is different with roasting/espresso at home, and it's one of the things I enjoy about coffee.

I'm lucky in that I am able to order the (5 Senses) beans from the cafe, one less variable. Knowing that I can buy bean X and also knowing how it tastes across a wide variety of drinks when prepared by a guy with obvious skill gives me my reference points too. What's a KKTO?

C-man

The sweetest shot I had was from Grumps using my  same exact beans just sayin.

C-man

on 1389263075:

The sweetest shot I had was from Grumps using my  same exact beans so it had to do with either pressure, temp or flow because we we using the same grinder and the same beans.

C-man

Michael I will buy or build a roaster, just first I want to make the best possible coffee using professional  beans first.

Brett H

MOQ mate.... A KKTO is Paul (KK)'s gift to the home roaster.  Imagine the satisfaction of pulling a God Shot from beans you've roasted yourself!!  Happens at my place all the time thanks to people like Paul and forums like this!!  http://www.koffeekosmo.com/

Ol Grumpy

I had a similar quest a while back on the forum here... I wondered myself, "What is a God Shot?" In the interests of self enlightenment... I started a thread called, "Show me your best God-Shot"... It had some enthusiastic responses with members showing photos, etc and others reminding me that interspersed through the forum are lots of pics of God Shots... And others saying how sometimes it wasn't till after they tasted it, that they thought, "Wow, that's what a God-Shot looks/ tastes like..." Pic opportunity- down the hatch. It was a flash in the pan thread, but fun while it lasted... I discovered that looking at a God Shot was interesting, but not very satisfying... Like going to a wine-tasting... To watch others taste the wine... I found with photographs/video, the missing element of 'Taste' was leaving me wanting... And yet another aspect of how the cup tells you everything you need to know.... The answer lies in the cup... That's where you'll truly find your God-Shot.

MOQ

To be honest, I agree that the taste is the only decider. I had started this thread having read Ol Grumpy's original thread of "show me" whereas I was curious (more than anything) in members' personal interpretations of what they perceived a God Shot to be as a taste. Maybe my interpretation is way off beam, I don't know. I guess my interpretation derives from the varying words used to describe pours & tastes such as "nectar", "honey", etc. which made me think that a degree of sweetness was the objective. My broadest assumption (and roast me if I'm wrong) is that nobody here would really get a thrill out of drinking an acrid bitter pour, unless one was old-school Italian. I was told by same barista that this is how they like it. I don't add sugar to anything, and if a coffee can be consumed sans-sucrose then it scores some "points" automatically. A guy I know (skinny as all hell) can only drink a coffee with FIVE sugars. The t/a when I got it was dumbfounded when I told them what he was after, I just took a handful of satchels with me. Yes, he emptied five in, didn't bother to see if it needed it, dump stir scull. My DS Pic was