Topic · 4 guides
Troubleshooting.
Sour shots, channeling, leaks, quirks.
The cornerstone
Why is my espresso watery?
Watery espresso is almost always under-extraction: grind too coarse, dose too low, or yield too high. Here's how to diagnose and fix it.
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More in this topic
02 03 04
Why is my espresso bitter?
Bitter espresso is over-extraction. The three real causes, in order, plus the cleaning and bean issues that masquerade as a recipe problem.
Espresso troubleshooting: a decision tree
Diagnose any bad espresso shot in order: taste, then time, then prep, then machine. The branches most home baristas skip and shouldn't.
Why is my espresso sour
Sour espresso is under-extracted. Diagnose the cause in order (grind, time, temperature, dose, beans) and fix the right thing.
Looking for something else?
All topics → N° 01 Pulling shots Technique, dialing in, dose / yield / time. N° 02 Milk & drinks Steaming, latte art, drink builds. N° 03 Cleaning & maintenance Backflushing, descaling, group head care. N° 04 Equipment guides Machines, grinders, scales, tampers. N° 05 Beans & roasts Choosing, storing, roast levels, freshness.