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A Beginner's Guide To Fixing Bad Espresso by James Hoffmann

1. Essential Requirements: Grind and Freshness​

Before troubleshooting, the video establishes two non-negotiable requirements for good espresso:

  • You need a Quality Grinder: You must use an adjustable burr grinder to grind fresh coffee. Pre-ground coffee, even if labeled for espresso, is almost certainly ground incorrectly for your specific machine and recipe, and goes stale extremely quickly.
  • Is Your Coffee Fresh?: Coffee should be used 2 to 6 weeks from its roast date. If the bag lacks a roast date, you cannot guarantee freshness, and the coffee will not taste its best. Look for coffee with good traceability and a clear roast date.

2. Recipe and Puck Prep​

If your coffee is fresh and you have a good grinder, the next step is perfecting your technique and recipe:

  • Is the Recipe Right?: Espresso is controlled by three main variables: Dose (grams of dry coffee in), Yield (grams of liquid espresso out), and Time (seconds).
  • Goal: Most roasters provide an ideal recipe. If not, a good starting point is a 1:2 ratio (e.g., 18g coffee in, 36g liquid out) in a 25 to 35-second brew time.
  • Control: Your grind size is the primary tool to control the brew time. Grind finer to slow the shot; grind coarser to speed it up.
  • Equipment: Use a small digital scale for consistent dosing and yield measurement.
  • Avoid Pressurised Baskets: Some beginner machines come with pressurised baskets (designed for pre-ground coffee) [06:00]. These create a fake "crema" but result in poor flavour; switch to a proper basket designed for genuine espresso brewing wherever possible.
  • Puck Preparation ("Puck Prep"): The goal is to ensure the bed of coffee is as even and level as possible before tamping. An uneven bed (a "mound" of coffee) leads to uneven water flow and bad taste (channeling). Tamp until the coffee feels solid and compact—you don't need to press excessively hard.

3. Flavour Issues: Sour vs. Bitter​

If the espresso tastes bad, you must correctly identify the dominant unpleasant flavour to fix it: Sour (under-extracted) or Bitter (over-extracted).

Is the Coffee Too Sour? 🍋​

Sourness is an unpleasant acidity, often felt as a tingling sensation. If the coffee is too sour, it is usually under-extracted (the water didn't pull enough flavour compounds from the coffee).

  • The Fix: Grind finer to increase resistance, slow the shot time, and allow for greater extraction.

Is the Coffee Too Bitter? 🍫​

Bitterness in coffee is typically experienced in the finish and is often harsh or unpleasant. If the coffee is too bitter, it is usually over-extracted or due to other factors.

  • The Fix: Grind coarser to reduce resistance, speed up the shot time, and limit extraction.
  • Other Causes:
    • Roast Level: The coffee might be too dark of a roast for your preference, which inherently increases bitterness. Switch to a medium roast.
    • Cleanliness: Unpleasant bitterness can come from a dirty machine. Regular cleaning and back flushing are essential.

4. Less Common Culprits​

If the initial issues are resolved and the coffee still tastes bad, the problem may be one of these less likely factors:

  • Water Quality: Water should be soft enough to prevent scale buildup but contain enough minerals to extract flavour and prevent corrosion.
  • Recommendation: Avoid distilled or pure water. Water that is softened will result in a massive leap in quality, especially for lighter roasts. Water with very low bicarbonate can manifest as unpleasant acidity.
  • The Grinder: If you have an extremely cheap "false burr" grinder (typically under $50/£50) with small ceramic burrs, it will produce a poor, inconsistent grind that makes good espresso impossible.
  • The Machine: Issues with the machine are very rare. This is only a possibility if you've ruled out every other step. Potential machine issues include not reaching the correct temperature (water not hot enough) or a mechanical pressure problem.