Why isn't my espresso coffee nice and strong?
I have just purchased an expensive espresso coffee machine (American) but the taste isn't nice and strong as I expected. Does it depend on the coffee beans? What characteristics should I look for (in the coffee or in the preparation)?
Best Answer
You do not tell us too much about your equipment, so I guess that you are in the same situation me.
I was in the same situation when I bought my machine. I purchased a Rancillio Silvia, without a grinder. I blamed it on the coffee at first, but it turned out that all the pre ground espresso coffee I was buying in shops was simply not made for such a machine. I was so lucky that I got to grind the my beans at a local coffee shop, using the same find grind as they did in their machines. Only then I got the crema and punch that I wanted from my espresso.
Symptoms to look for:
- Do your espresso come out too thin?
- Extraction time less than approx. 25 seconds for a double espresso?
It didn't take me a long time to understand that I needed a own grinder to get exactly the espresso I wanted.
If your grind is just a little too coarse it is possible to counter this by increasing the tamper pressure. But from what you explain you need more than this.
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Quick Answer about "Why isn't my espresso coffee nice and strong?"
Oily residue, or worse, can taint the taste of your otherwise great espresso shots. UNBALANCED - Fresh whole bean coffee that you grind with a burr grinder will yield better tasting results. If you do not have a burr grinder it is better to use pre-ground coffee rather than a blade grinder.How do you make espresso taste stronger?
If you're using a regular drip coffee maker it is suggested that you use 2 tablespoons of ground to 6 oz of water, therefore to make strong coffee, add more grounds. Choose a lighter roast. The lighter the roast the stronger the flavor.Why does my espresso taste so weak?
Your espresso will come out watery for several reasons, including under-extraction, improper grind size, brew temperature, dose, and tamp size. If the tamping is not good and the coffee is too finely ground, your espresso will also come out watery.How do you make espresso coffee strength?
Espresso in a Drip Machine \u2013 3 Simple Steps:How can I make my espresso more intense?
Increase the wet dose if your shot is too concentrated or if it tastes under extracted. By letting the shot pull longer to increase the yield, you allow the grounds and water to be in contact for longer, which leads to more extraction. Adding 2-4 grams of yield is enough to make a very noticeable difference taste-wise.WHY ISN'T THERE A GAME LIKE THIS ALREADY??? (game idea stunlock)
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Answer 2
I don't know what kind of coffee you use, but I think that any coffee powder specifically made for espresso should be fine, at least to start with. But, bear in mind that the coffee quality is not the only factor that makes the good espresso, it counts a lot, but there are many other aspects to take into account.
- Blending. Don't buy coffee beans and blend them by yourself, unless you have a good coffee beans blender, because you risk to not blend to the correct size, not uniform, and also to burn the cofee.
- Freshness matters. Always buy coffee roasted not more than three weeks before.
- Water. Use purified water, without minerals or poisoning elements. The ideal temperature is 90°C
- Quantity. Use about 7 grams of blended coffee beans. Put some pressure to guarantee proper water flow.
- Turn on the espresso machine. first drop should fall in 5-10 seconds, and the flow should go on for 20-25 seconds to reach a total of 25 ml (cream included) coffee.
- Serve immediately.
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