Dose
also: dry dose, in
The mass of dry ground coffee used for a shot or brew, measured in grams.
Dose is the mass of dry ground coffee you use, weighed in grams. In espresso it is the “in” of your shot: the amount you put into the basket before brewing. A typical modern double-shot dose sits around 18 to 20 g, though it depends on your basket size and target style.
Why it matters: dose is the foundation of consistency. Together with your yield (the liquid out), it defines your brew ratio, which is the single biggest lever on strength and balance. Change the dose without adjusting anything else and you change the ratio, the puck depth, and the resistance the water meets, all of which shift how the shot tastes and flows.
This is why a scale is essential rather than optional. Eyeballing or volume-scooping introduces gram-to-gram swings that make troubleshooting impossible: you cannot tell whether a sour shot came from grind, distribution, or simply too little coffee. Lock your dose, weigh it every time, and you can adjust the other variables with confidence. Keeping dose fixed while you tune grind is the heart of dialing in.