The Translation: “Dialing in” is the trial-and-error process of adjusting your coffee grinder so that your espresso tastes perfectly balanced—not too sour, and not too bitter.
Use It In a Sentence: “I just bought a new bag of beans from a local roaster, so it’s going to take me a few tries to dial them in this morning.”
Why You Care: Every single bag of coffee beans is different. You can’t just set your grinder to “level 3” and leave it there forever. You will constantly hear the community say “dial it in” because finding the exact right grind size for your specific beans is the core skill of making good espresso.
Hobby Lingo 