The last note to be extracted in an espresso is the bitter taste Generally, an espresso shot that tastes harsh, bitter or burnt has been overextracted. It can also be the result of an extraction that was too slow (36-40 seconds). If your espresso tastes bitter, the extraction time might have been too long. Why … Read more
If you’ve got these initial steps down, your espresso should take somewhere between 20 and 25 seconds to brew. The stream of espresso coming out of the portafilter should look something like thick, warm honey. The finished shot should be golden and have a crema thickness of about 1/4″ to 1/3″ What are the 4 … Read more
The espresso shot should pour steadily and remain golden in colour, with just a little blonding at the end. It should look like a long ‘mouse tail’ The first shot of the day will always be a bit quicker than the next one and then the next one, so we will time 3 shots before … Read more
To balance out bitterness and acidity, your perfect espresso—and all coffee, actually—should have a noticeable sweetness to it , which is easy to forget or disbelieve when you become so used to the bitter edge or the sometimes-intense tartness. What does sweet espresso mean? Definition: An espresso is sweet when the bitter and sour flavors … Read more
Super automatics make great espresso , but beneath all that automation there’s a fair amount of maintenance work that has to get done. Making coffee is a dirty process. These machines do their best, but they aren’t able to eliminate that mess. They can only hide it for a while. How long does a Superautomatic … Read more
Any sign of channeling is telling you something about what’s going on inside the puck during extraction The surest way to spot it is by looking at the underside of your portafilter while your shot is pulling. Spraying, gaps in extraction, and the way the first drops come through the filter can all be warning … Read more
The secret to achieve a good crema on your coffee is to use fresh coffee and be sure to use an espresso grind When tamping the coffee be sure not to compact the grounds too tightly so water can flow through the ground. Be sure not to overfill the coffee filter, using 1 measuring scoop … Read more
Switch on the coffee machine by pressing the ON/OFF switch (1): the lights of the three buttons (2), (3) and (4) will flash in sequence. 2. The lights (3) and (4) flash to indicate that the machine is warming up to the set temperature. How do you turn on a Smeg espresso machine? Switch on … Read more
There’s a difference in how coffee is produced to create a sour-tasting cup of coffee and one that is bitter. The former causes a biting sensation on your tongue whereas the latter leaves a pungent aftertaste Is espresso supposed to be sour? How is a true espresso supposed to taste? True espresso is supposed to … Read more
A brown colour is usually the correct colour for crema The colour does depend on the coffee you are using however as some coffees will result in a lighter or darker crema. A light yellow and thin crema usually means that your coffee is not so fresh. What color should espresso crema be? The finished … Read more