7 mistakes to avoid when making espresso

There's nothing more frustrating than buying good coffee only to find your espresso tastes sour or ashy. However, while there are many reasons why an espresso extraction might go wrong, they are all easy to fix. Here are the main ones:

1. Use coffee that is not freshly roasted or freshly ground

As soon as your coffee is roasted and comes out of the oven, it begins to age, or more precisely, to oxidize. Generally, connoisseurs agree that coffee is at its best between 2 and 5 days after roasting. Use fresh beans, ideally no older than 7 to 14 days, and store them properly .

Freshly ground coffee will also be the freshest and most flavorful. The most subtle aromatic compounds in coffee deteriorate within minutes of grinding; therefore, you should only grind the amount needed for the number of cups you will brew immediately!

2. Do not purge the machine

Failing to purge your machine will result in brewing your coffee with overheated water that has been sitting in the brew group; this is definitely not what we want. The water in your machine will often be too hot, so purge it to ensure you have the correct water temperature for a perfect cup of coffee!

3. Not using milk properly

Two mistakes should be avoided when discussing espresso recipes with milk. First, we advise against using low-fat milk: you'll end up with a voluminous, bubbley milk lacking texture and consistency, and the coffee will be less smooth, balanced, and sweet. Whether it's the consistency of a cappuccino's foam or latte art, it's all about the milk and, as you might have guessed, the barista's skill.

Next, never, ever overheat your milk! Steaming milk for too long can cause dehydration and oxidation, resulting in a loss of nutritional value and unappetizing flavor compounds. In other words, avoid overheating!

4. Not tamping your coffee down properly in the handle

You should never tamp your coffee grounds too much … it's impossible! If your coffee is dripping slowly, adjust the grind or use less coffee in your portafilter. Furthermore, if you tamp unevenly, leaving the coffee puck broken or not applying enough pressure, your extraction will result in a poor-quality espresso.

5. Not respecting optimal ratios when using a balance

The brewing ratio is central to any espresso recipe. It's measured by weighing the amount of ground coffee in the portafilter relative to the weight of the extracted liquid in the cup. For example, if you put 20g of ground coffee in the portafilter and pull a 40g shot of espresso, you'll get a brewing ratio of 20:40 or 1:2.

Determining the best brew ratio is not always simple: it can vary depending on your coffee and preferences, but generally, dark roast coffees will be better with smaller ratios, while light roasts will be better with higher ratios.

6. Neglecting to clean your machine

It is essential to purge your group head and nozzle before and after each cup of coffee. These quick and regular cleaning procedures minimize the buildup of dirt. We're not talking about periodic cleaning, like descaling; this is simply a quick clean that ensures your machine is in top condition for brewing your perfect cup! We recommend a complete cleaning approximately every 90 coffees.

7. Leave some coffee in the filter basket after brewing your espresso

Leaving used coffee in the filter holder is not the best idea: this bad habit accelerates the formation of coffee oils and grime inside the group head and filter holder.