Why Does My Espresso Bean Grinders Taste Bitter? How to Fix ?

It happens to almost everyone with a new espresso machine: You set up your machine and grinder, look up the right coffee-to-water ratios, set the grind to very fine, and start brewing. You might even notice that your shot comes out too fast, so you grind even finer to slow it down. Then you get a rich, dark shot that looks great but when you taste it, it’s too bitter. Don’t worry  your machine is probably fine, and we are  here to help. 

Understanding Extraction

Brewing coffee is all about extraction, pulling flavors from the coffee grounds using water. The goal is to get just the right amount of coffee flavor by controlling temperature and how fast the water flows through the coffee. An espresso bean grinder can produce bitter espresso if the grind size is too fine, leading to over-extraction.

Your espresso machine handles the water temperature and pressure. From there, you adjust the grinder to get the right grind size, which controls how fast the water flows. This is called “dialing in” your grind.

Now, back to the bitter shot. This usually means over-extraction  when the water flows too slowly and pulls too much from the coffee, making it taste bitter. On the other hand, under-extraction is when water flows too quickly, and the shot tastes weak or sour. So how can you fix it?

Fixing a Bitter Shot

To fix bitterness, first check that your machine is heating and pressurizing correctly (which it usually is unless something is broken). After that, the key thing you can adjust is the grind size.

If your shot is bitter, try a slightly coarser grind. This lets water flow more easily, reducing over-extraction. Aim for a shot time of about 25 seconds but if it tastes good, that’s what really matters.

Still too bitter? Go a bit coarser again  in small steps. If the shot then flows too fast and tastes sour, just go a little finer. You’ll need to do this “dialing in” every time you use a new bag of beans, and sometimes even with the same kind of roast. Small differences in the beans can require slight grind changes.

After a few tries, you’ll get the hang of it. Soon, you’ll be able to dial in new beans quickly, with fewer wasted shotsLoved what you saw? Don’t wait to explore more on our official website today!"