Learn How To Fix Your Bad Espresso Shots
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- A big question I get asked is how to fix bad espresso. Your coffee comes out tasting bitter or sour, but even after adjusting you just can't get good flavours out of it. What gives?
I'm going to talk about all the factors that might mess up your espresso, including:
- Changing Coffee
- Dialing your grinder too fine or too coarse
- Channelling and overextraction
- Using your bottomless portafilter to diagnose problems
☕ If you like my videos, buy me a coffee ☕ www.buymeacoff...
👕 I made t-shirts. Do you want one? homecafecharli...
👪Join the Home Cafe Community👪
Patreon: / homecafe
Instagram: @homecafecharlie
Discord: / discord
🛒Links to Gear🛒(Affiliate sales give a small amount to support my channel, thank you❤️)
► Rancilio Silvia: bit.ly/3rZPdJ3
► Acme Flat White/Roman: bit.ly/3dTbRNy / bit.ly/32Tbooa
► WPM Grinder: amzn.to/36grGrj
► Air Removing Glass Coffee Container: amzn.to/2OgCRth
► Hario 0.1g Coffee Scale: bit.ly/3s3Wl7c
Music Licenced from Artlist.io
SUPER important mistake I made here guys. I said if it comes out too slow then it's under-extracted, which is WRONG. I did like 200 takes for this video to use maybe 18 or 20 videos, so I think I just got the words mixed up. Too slow is over-extracted because the water has too much contact time with the coffee, and underextracted is when it comes out too fast and didn't extract enough. Sorry for the mistake, but I hope you enjoy the rest of the video!
Picked up on this! Thanks for the video ❤
My tips for palate;
"Bad" bitter: chewed medicine
"Bad" sour: vinegar
"Good" bitter: dark chocolate
"Good" sour: passion fruit
Aim both the "good"
Nice, thanks
Unfortunately my circumstances don't allow me to buy a good grinder so I'm stuck with pre-ground expresso which really does not work with a bottomless filter. Have to use the regular filter which is better with pre-ground and try and save enough to buy a decent grinder but thanks for the vid anyway. If anyone has any affordable tip would be appreciated, cheers.
Brilliant and very pragmatic video good man. Thank you. Really appreciate it.
Bottomless portafilter helped me a lot
Thanks heaps for the video. Awesomely done. Great info! Just got a new Wega Mininova Classic this week and still tweaking the extractions. Time for new grinder now...
Glad it helped! The grinder is super important, so don't be afraid to spend a little more on that 😜
Thanks for the informative video ⭐️
Great video, but I think the "labels" are wrong: drip by drip coffee would not be underextracted but overextracted as it will have more time to pull the shot and will dissolve more solid into the coffee. The same applies the other way around: a coffee that pulls really fast would be underextracted as opposed to overextracted, as there will be not that much time and exposure to the water so there will be less solids dissolved in the espresso shot.
Haha yeah I need to make a quick "I screwed up a lot of things" video about how many coffee mistakes I have made in coming to learn about this hobby.
@@homecafecharlie I'm there too haha... I just recently used 2 bags of coffee and "none" of my shots were good. (I'm leaning into thinking that the coffee is the one's at fault here hehe). No matter what I adjusted nothing seemed to work. I just received a new bag of coffee beans, pulled a shot an even though it was underextracted and tasted a bit sour, it wasn't as awful as the other shots... so I'm glad I used up all the other beans haha.
Very helpful video. Bit late for an espresso now but I'll take another look tomorrow morning before my morning coffee!
Love your video. Informative, clear, and concise.
what do you suggest for high bar machines like the cheaperish Delonghi things? they are 15 bar and always seem to be fast and channel/spurt no matter what I try. I'm using doses from the 14 to 16.5g (can't get much more into a 51mm basket) using different grinds and tamping methods. I am using a medium roast decaf coffee that is fairly new.
Otherwise, if you are being pretty consistent with your tamping and preparing the basket but you are still getting under-extractions, do you grind finer then and try again? I'm trying to learn with my gear and I'm this point where 16g to 18g is always really fast and under extracted for a 2oz cup, its always pretty sour. I do use a decaf medium coffee.
Same problem here, any tips?
Thank you for this great video. Do you have any book suggestion for a detailed, technical explanation for espresso?
I haven't learned mostly from books. I recommend RUclips creators who are knowledgeable since they will be able to keep up to date better than books. Some people other than myself who I like and trust are Lifestyle Lab (Matt), Lance Hedrick, Sprometheus, Xris, and Emilee Bryant.
I have noticed that I only get a single stream of coffee from the get go using the naked portaflter if I tamp really, really hard. Updosing and tamping with a lighter pressure always gives me 3 or 4 channels eventually morphing into the single stream. This tells me tamping with less pressure causes some channeling. I am using a Vario grinder with an Expobar Brewtus.
That might be distribution - make sure to tap and distribute well. I haven't experienced the same thing and with only a distribution tool I generally get a single stream quite quickly. Without seeing the bottomless extraction it's hard to give good advice. Good luck!
I just read the Flow Chart , Do you count espresso shot 20-30 second from first drip?
Yes that's right!
I thought it was counted from the moment the water is engaged as it’s in contact with the grounds prior to hitting your cup.
I've only ever experienced a God shot once. It was a special moment.
nice video i would say that you cant actually truely tell if your shot it over or underextracted by the time it takes to come out think that part is quite wrong but the rest very interesting
You're quite right, it's an indicator rather than proof. I'm gonna have to do an "all the things I got wrong about espresso" video one of these days 🤣
Claro y preciso
I am sorry but you have your terms under extracted and over extracted mixed up. Your coffee is over extracted when it comes out drip by drip very slowly because it has too much contact area and that's why it's over extracted and it tastes way too bitter.
Yes I think I recorded this too many times and got them mixed up.
Great video. I wonder if you can help me with my puck prep please? I weigh my coffee, grind itvwith a qualiry bur grinder, remove the lumps with a tool, level it with a leveller, tamp it and I still end up with it squirting as it comes through my open portafilter. Any suggestions greatly received.
Jump on my discord and send a video in the coffee questions chat 😉
▪️
Whenever I tap my portafilter and the coffee grind puck folds out, I can't help but think
"MAN THAT THING IS CUTE!!!"
🟥
I’m confused about bitter versus bland? Wouldn’t bitter be very strong and sharp? I bought a bravo tamper (to make the tamping pressure the same every time) and now I’m having a problem with very bland lattes. I guess I will try grinding more course, and adding another gram or2 into the Porta filter.
▪️
Yeah, I hear ya. The whole thing seems weird to me, too. That's why I punch myself in the jaw very hard before I sip on my coffee shot, that way I don't really care about how good the espresso is... I'm just glad the jaw pain is fading.
🟥
Nice video. Really enjoyed it. Was informative. I know you're trying to keep things as accessible as possible. And as someone who was making (great) espresso on a Gaggia until 2 weeks ago (modified with a PID and precision basket and shower screen), I get it. But, I'd also be interested in seeing you work with a machine with pre-infusion and flow control. if you can possibly get your hands on one. I'm working with an ECM Classika with flow control now. It's been a learning experience but after a week and a half I'm starting to pull really good shots. Not better than my Gaggia yet, but working on it. (I loved that Gaggia, but was up for the next adventure).
I will definitely be doing videos on that kind of thing when I can upgrade - looking at a Decent DE1+ for the near future but they are rather expensive. If you're subscribed you will know when I get the machine because I'll be doing tons of videos about it
Hi i have the gagia classic with a preinfusion.set up 3 second to wett the coffee and 5 for soak..pulse method.i 20 grams coffee 40 grams out.un belevable shoot🙃😉 i love my gagia.if i find a method to control the presure..i rowast my own beans and always fresh coffee in to a level that i wond.with my mazzer mini grinder all works perfect😉
@@pmakris Oh! You're making me miss my Gaggia. It's a great machine. Check out Shades of Coffee for springs that will lower the pressure - from 12-14 bars to 9 or less. Gaggia sets the pressure too high to accommodate pods and pre-ground coffee. Shades of Coffee sells the springs very cheap and they are quite easy to install.
@@alexlazaridisf.7276 alex eise ellinas?meilas ellinika?
@@pmakris Ναι, ειμαι Ελληνο-Καναδος. Εισαι Ελληνας και εσει;
Thank you for your video
I’m struggling dialling in my sage oracle. I think I’m experiencing channelling but whenever I’ve ground coarser the shot has got even worse. There are 45 grind settings and I’m on 6(1 being finest). Could the dose influence the channeling?
Dose is super important too, so try a smaller dose. When I had the barista express I found the sweet spot to be around 17g. Also try some of the puck prep things I talked about in my puck prep video, the best of these being the WDT (I use a wine cork with some needles stuck in it) to distribute and reduce the chance of channelling.
Good luck!
0:07 i have a bottomless portafilter and the coffee flow is really nice from the center of the filter. but i have a few really fine splashes squirting everywhere. what might be the reason for that? I also use a distribution tool to level the coffee powder.
Sounds like a problem with pressure, it might be high on your machine, or it could be building up from going too fine with the grind. My Silvia is around 9 bar, but I think the Gaggia Classic was around 13 bar and I noticed that it caused some spray. I wouldn't worry too much as long as it sprays into the cup ;)
I have not yet invested in a grinder, as I just got my espresso machine and have started learning. Yesterday I had the local roasters grind it for me, and it is much finer than my first bag. I am still getting too much, like a 1:2.5 ratio and it is too thin still. I have noticed the crema on it is also lacking. Any tips besides buying a grinder? (I will soon)
Without buying a grinder I'm not sure what you can do. You need to do micro-adjustments to improve the coffee and get that nice rich crema. Try to hit that timing of ~25 seconds, 1:2 ratio (so something like 18g in and 36g out). If that's too fast, ask the people nearby to grind it finer for you while you wait for your grinder. Which one are you thinking to get?
@@homecafecharlie Any suggestions? I was looking for one that I could put my portafilter directly under so I get fresh doses every time.
@@thebabblingbrooke6659 There are lots of options but it depends on your budget. I have the DF64 now, and I love it. Did a video recently if you want to know more. If that's a bit outside your budget, something like a Sette 270 is a really good option for a home user on a budget. I'd say best to save up and get a good grinder, and it will bring you joy every day :D
▪️
I just got some store bought espresso until I got my grinder... A dog is a man's best friend.
🟥
When do you start counting?
I used to start from the first drip but now from when I hit the button so I can see how long until the coffee comes out
@@homecafecharlie so 25 seconds from button press ? What about pre infusion? My machine lets me do 3 seconds pre infusion before doing the shot, should I aim for a different time or count after it or what?
My only problem is channelling, channelling, channelling.
How to fix it?
Distribution! Distribute evenly and you'll be golden!
▪️
You could pour milk into an ice tray, but I doubt that would fix your problem to be honest.
🟥
Have you ever tried the Flair manual espresso maker? If so, I have barely seen the crema, is it my beans that aren't fresh? Thanks!
I haven't tried it before but I did a video on the ROK which is very similar. If you had no crema it might be that you need to grind finer (harder to measure timings with manual machines) or make sure you're using fresh beans (within a week or two off the roast).
My shot is the same as the one on 0:30 second from the video. Is this an example of bad shot? I'm getting the same flow interuptions as the one showed on the video. Also does it mean that I'm facing channeling?
I don't think it is channelling, but hard to tell without seeing it. I think the broken flow is common with single boilers with this kind of pump. I'll look into it and make a video of it is something worth talking about 😃
Question- I bought some Volcanica Decaf (I can't drink regular coffee unfortunately) and when trying to brew 18 grams of espresso in to 36 grams out, it is way way way too sour- (Using Cafelat Robot, using water right off of boil,)
I have had to drop the grams down to 14 in, and up the output to 60 grams (2 ounces out) just to get it drinkable without the serious sour kick to it- Even at this ratio- the drink still has some sourness, BUT, it is more pleasant than face hurting- Tried 11 grams in 60 out, and it was even better, more drinkable-- Why do i have to dilute it so much? Is it because it is Decaf? It's a medium roast - so it shouldn't be overly light/sour notes- Is it perhaps just a bad bag of beans? People seem to love the Volcanica decaf- though they brew it as coffee- as Espresso- it seems way too sour unless i dilute it a lot?
Hmm, I wouldn't adjust the dose to change the output other than the ratio. So 14:60 ratio is like a lungo. If it is sour I would suggest grinding finer, and with the robot you can control the pressure so don't overdo it with that. Maybe even set up a timer while you're pulling the shot and aim for a slower pull to give the water more contact time with the coffee grinds (sourness is usually because the coffee is underextracted). Let me know if that helps!
@@homecafecharlie Thanks Charlie- I did go to the very finest grind setting with my new Sette 270- and it barely even choked the robot- the pressure was a bit more, but it still went through in 35 seconds- still sour at the 2-1 ratio. Way too sour- So i again went with 11 grams this time, with 60 out at that grind, and it was very drinkable, but as you can imagine, weak tasting. The one thing i didn't try was increasing the time- i will hae to try that tomorrow- I'll move the ratio back up to 2-1 or maybe 2 1/2 to 1 even, and try for around 40 seconds, just to see what happens- I'll start off with the baseline control of say 27 seconds for the first shot to compare the 2 to- I'll have to try tomorrow- I'm all coffeed out tonight lol
@@homecafecharlie Well, I tried going longer with higher dose (18- then 16)- up to 48 seconds for the longest one, but the taste was still very off- I heated the water higher, pouring it while boiling- also too sour still- The only way i can make it drinkable is to lower the dose, and keep it around 30-36 seconds or so pull- I bought a roast at a local store called Timor Decaf- it's a bit lighter roast than the Volcanica, which to me would indicate a more 'fruity drink' ie more acidity, but I was able to do 16 grams in, 2 ounces out, and it was ok- drinkable at least, with just a bit of acidity- a little strong- but not too strong liek the Volcanica- I ground some of the Volcanica and ran it through a regular coffee maker (K-Cup with refillable filter pod), and it tasted pretty good- not even a hint of sourness really- Course it was pretty watery- like coffee- I wonder if it's just not meant for espresso? The local brand i bought I think i can get a pretty good pull from it if i go longer time-
Hello i use the breville barista pro with the finest setting but the shot is inconsistent could be due to channeling and its also hard to get a 53mm bottomless portafilter. Im thinking of getting the fellow ode with ssp burr do you think its a good home grinder?
From what I've heard of the Ode it is not suitable for espresso at all. Would recommend a Sette 270, or a Eureka Mignon depending on your budget
@@homecafecharlie ive heard that sette 270 is easy to break and flat burr is somehow better than conical. Mignon is good but i have to wait for it to come in two months.
I think I have had my beans pretty fine enough, very powdery and I can shape the pile if I want to. However, I still can't pull a cup of espresso in 20s, usually around 18s for 2oz. Is that too fast? How shall I fix it? I have a Rocket Faustino Grinder and Appartamento. I normally use fresh medium roast beans.
That sounds like a decent setup and you should be able to pull a perfect shot. First, try weighing the shot as it comes out. Go for the 2:1 ratio, so if its 18g in, 36 grams of espresso comes out. Keep everything consistent except the grinder dial, and if you can't dial any finer with that grinder, there might be an issue with it because it's a better grinder than I'm using, so you should be able to go much finer. Let me know how you get along with it!
@@homecafecharlie You are right! It was grind size. I made it a bit finer, and now my espresso tastes phenomenal!!!
Couldn't believe my grinder could make beans so FINE, finer than the fine...
Hi, I’ve just started with my first espresso machine, Sage BB Express, I’m struggling to dial in my espresso. Grind size 4, 18 grams, pressure running just over the recommended gray ‘espresso range’ but it’s a quick shot, 22-25 seconds, very under extracted, sour taste. What would you recommend? Trying to keep the tamp constant!!
Just read the other comments, my timing is from pressing the double shot button.
Hey Thomas, without seeing the machine and the coffee it would be hard to diagnose, but if the coffee is coming out too fast then dial finer - also the BE has a pretty long pre-infusion, so I would say to start the timer when the first drip of espresso comes out, and aim for 25s (+/- 5 seconds). Let me know how you get on
Por favor fale mais lento, para que possamos entender melhor a explicação
my shot was channeling like it shoots coffee water everywhere and makes my machine messing up. my struggle is it happened to my one coffee beans (Medium Roasted), but the other beans (light,medium,dark roasted) that I've dialed in don't have any problems about neither channeling nor shooting/splitting my coffee everywhere.
I had tried to adjust grind sizes, tamping, appropriate dosing(20grams), but it does not work just with this beans. so frustrated.
Does anyone know how to solve this problem?
I'm using bottomless portafilter. Don't know if it was a normal problem of using this type of the portafilter or not.
It's usually a sign of channelling. You might be dosing too high, or not prepping your puck well enough to avoid channelling. First try lowering your dose to 18, then if it's still a problem get or make a WDT and do good puck prep. I did a short about how to make a WDT and a video about puck prep too!
@@homecafecharlie thank you so much.
▪️
So I just use that dual wall basket. Does that make me Lazy???????
🟥
thanks for the great vid!...but, for posterity's sake, you might want to correct where you say that "drip by drip" is under-extraction
ruclips.net/video/4d8ZHKLv3X8/видео.html
Yeah I think I will need to do a mini-video or a part of a video with corrections. I've made lots of mistakes and get confused, but it's all part of the journey.
Home Cafe by Charlie really?...i only noticed the one error...great info, great production value...keep it up!
Both described shots can be sour…
I really wanted to throw away my grinder, it has huge limitation. I can't achieve the desire results of brewing time within 20-25seconds. 😭😭
What grinder do you have? It's not as expensive an upgrade as the machine, and in the £250-400 range there are a lot of great options where a better espresso machine might set you back £1000-3000 depending on the features you need. Maybe make a promise to yourself to earn £400 extra this year and buy it for yourself as a Christmas present! You can do it 😁
Home Cafe by Charlie Hi, I owned a Cuisinart Burr Grinder DBM-8. The best shot I can get is 18g/40g over 20seconds which including Pre-infusion time of 8 seconds....this is the best it can achieve.
That's pretty fast if it's the finest it can do. Looks like it's time for an upgrade!
@@BaysviewPg that grinder is trash, best cheap one is JX-PRO
@@djlinux64 I had replaced with Breville Smart Grinder Pro more than a year ago😀
What causes espresso to come out cold
Machine problems with the heating element, or maybe not waiting long enough for the machine to heat up?