Espresso

Why is my espresso sour?

Sour espresso is almost always under-extraction: water left the puck before it dissolved enough of the sweet, soluble material. Grind finer first, and if that is not enough, raise your brew temperature and pull a longer ratio.

Why is my espresso bitter?

Bitter espresso is usually over-extraction: grind coarser, shorten the ratio, or lower the brew temperature. If none of that helps, the bitterness is coming from the roast, stale beans or a dirty group head rather than your recipe.

How do I stop channeling in espresso?

Channeling means water found a low-resistance path through the puck instead of extracting it evenly. Fix it with prep: stir the grounds with a WDT tool to break clumps, tamp level, and make sure your dose actually fits the basket.

What espresso ratio should I use?

Start at 1:2, meaning 18 g of coffee in and 36 g of espresso out in 25 to 30 seconds. Then move looser for light roasts, up to 1:2.5 or 1:3, and tighter for dark roasts and milk drinks, down toward 1:1.5.

Why does my espresso shot run too fast?

A gusher means the puck is not offering enough resistance: grind finer, and check that your dose matches the basket. If finer grinding makes no difference at all, you are channeling or your basket is the wrong size for your dose.

What temperature should I brew espresso at?

Start at 93 °C (about 200 °F). Go up toward 94 to 96 °C for light roasts and down to 88 to 91 °C for dark roasts, and give the machine 20 to 30 minutes to reach thermal stability before the first shot.

How do I dial in a new bag of coffee?

Fix your dose and ratio, then move only the grind until the shot lands in 25 to 30 seconds, then taste and adjust temperature or ratio. Budget three to five shots, and expect to re-dial the same bag as it ages.