How to fix a sour one espresso

Have you ever brewed one? espresso at home and wondered why it tastes so sour that you almost recoil? Don't worry, because in this guide we'll go over how you can improve your espresso brews and turn a sour cup into a balanced and sweet treat.

Why is espresso sour?

The acidity of espresso usually depends on underextractionWhen coffee is brewed, the flavors are extracted in three phases:

1. Sour flavors comes first.
2. Sweetness appears in the middle.
3. Bitterness takes over About the extraction continues for too long.

About your espresso is sour, the extraction has ended too early and has not reached the stage where the sweetness balances the acidity. But sometimes the problems can also be due to uneven extraction or poor puck preparation.

Common problems and solutions

1. Too fast extraction (underextraction)

Symptom: Your espresso is ready in under 20 seconds and tastes sour.

Solution:

• Grind finer: A finer grind creates less space between the coffee particles, which prolongs extraction.
• Increase extraction time: Let the espresso brew longer to give the coffee more time to extract sweet and balanced flavors.

2. Too slow extraction (under-extraction due to uneven flow)

Symptom: Your espresso takes 50 seconds but still tastes sour.

Solution:

• Grind coarser: Too nice Grind can cause water to only flow through certain “channels” in the puck, resulting in uneven extraction. A coarser Grind provides smoother flow.
• Improve puck preparation: Make sure the coffee is evenly distributed in the portafilter to avoid uneven flows.

3. Uneven puck preparation

Symptom: Your espresso tastes uneven – a combination of sour and bitter.

Solution:

• Use WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique): Stir gently About the coffee in the portafilter with a thin needle or a WDT tool to break up any lumps.
• Knock and level out: Make sure the coffee is evenly distributed before tamping.

How to fix the acidity in espresso: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Identify the problem: Is the extraction too fast, too slow or uneven?
2. Adjust the grinding degree:

• Too fast → Grind finer.
• Too slow → Grind coarser.

1. Adjust the extraction time:

• Try letting the espresso run for a few seconds longer to capture more sweetness.

1. Check ration:

• For dark roasted coffee: Start with 1:2 (20 g coffee → 40 g espresso).
• For light roasted coffees: Try 1:2.5 or 1:3 to bring out more balance.

1. Improve puck preparation:

• Avoid uneven compaction of the coffee by using the WDT or gently tapping the portafilter before tamping.

1. Experiment with brewing temperature:

• Lightly roasted coffee benefits from higher temperatures (~94–96 °C).
• Dark roasted coffee tastes better at slightly lower temperatures (~89–92 °C).

What not to do

• Change the tamping press: The pressure you apply when tamping does not affect extraction time, as long as the puck is evenly packed.
• Blame it on the coffee right away.: Sour espresso usually trades About extraction, not About the coffee beans.

Final words

To brew espresso is both an art and a science. The key is to understand how the different variables – grind size, extraction time, ratio and puck preparation – affect the taste. By fine-tuning these, you can avoid sour espressos and instead enjoy a balanced, sweet and full-bodied cup.

Remember: There are no sour coffee beans, only sour extractions. So adjust, experiment and above all – have fun on your way to the perfect espresso!