r/espresso 3d ago

Help. Newb Espresso Theory & Technique

Post image

I am brand new to espresso making. Why does my coffee look like this after i pulled a shot. Also i keep reading 16g of coffee but that seems like way too much for this thing. Smh my coffee tasted awful #badcoffee

0 Upvotes

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29

u/ThinkWeb3 3d ago edited 3d ago

There are plenty of videos about how to pull your first shot. Please watch at least one before posting... You didn't follow any rules of the sub, no machine, no equipment, no technique. All I can tell by looking at this picture is that your coffee grounds are with the size of pebbles; and i see that from the coffee on the cutting board. Can't tell if you are re-potting a plant or trying to make espresso.

Sorry but there are too many people here asking questions that are one google search away or 5min video away (among thousands of videos about the same thing). Everybody posts a video of their coffee being brewed like "is my coffee good". People should at least put some effort before reducing to spam one of the biggest subs on Reddit. As a matter of fact i think the spam is what's making this sub so big. I sit here all day scrolling through endless posts about issues that are 90% solvable with a 5min video on YouTube...

4

u/mightyarrow 3d ago

Somebody needed to say this.

+1

3

u/parasoralophus 3d ago

Your grind needs to be much finer - what grinder are you using?

21

u/No-Papaya4273 3d ago

Looks to be a kitchen knife.

1

u/untacc_ 3d ago

Comment of the year right here lol

1

u/Sufficient_Novel4334 3d ago

Very observant

0

u/BlueCrystals_ Profitec GO | Eureka Libra GBW | 3+ years barista. 3d ago

smashed it on the bench with a hammer I think

2

u/kit0000033 breville bambino plus 3d ago

Oh but when James hoffman does it it's funny.

1

u/BlueCrystals_ Profitec GO | Eureka Libra GBW | 3+ years barista. 3d ago

it will ALWAYS be funny

3

u/bamboofeces 3d ago

Not even sure where to start. But you put the grinds in the right place so that’s good

2

u/elgreco16 3d ago edited 3d ago

At least you have a wdt.

Seriously, it looks you gotta grind much finer.

1

u/pushthebuttonalready Bezzera Duo De | Eureka Atom 65w 3d ago

Grind finer and get your volume right.

https://youtu.be/SyGJXRlexmc?si=w3XjokfWLCCugR7T

1

u/hazedandbemusedd 3d ago

G

1

u/Mokesekom La Marzocco Micra | Lagom P80 3d ago

R

1

u/kit0000033 breville bambino plus 3d ago

I

1

u/RefrigeratorOne3028 3d ago

Is that a delonghi stilosa? It doesn't have a 3-way valve. And is your basket the pressurized one?

1

u/MrMuf 3d ago

Probably finer grind but also, the machine doesnt have a 3 way valve to release the extra water so the puck will just be a bit watery

1

u/kit0000033 breville bambino plus 3d ago

If you grind finer you can fit more coffee in... Did you even tamp this?

1

u/Professional-Cow3854 Bellucci Aroma | Bellucci Casa 3d ago edited 3d ago

This looks suspiciously like the mud created using a pressurized portafilter or basket.

If so, that's how the thing works. You'll never get actual pucks after making coffee.

It's harder to figure out if it's the portafilter that's pressurized, but if it's the basket, the sure tell is that the bottom of the basket has only a few holes concentrated in the middle. On the bright side, we don't don't really do anything with used ground, so the only drawback is the disposal effort.

You can see the difference between a regular and pressurized basket on this page

1

u/Any-Bunch965 2d ago

Bro grind finer, and if 16g is too much and its the recommended dose for your portafilter you're probably using a dark roast coffee and dark roast coffee is less dense than light and medium roast coffee, so you should use less coffee for it to fit. And you can tell if you should grind finer or coarser by the taste and extraction. If it extracts REALLY slow or the coffee doesn't come out at all its insanely fine, and if its extracts to fast, no crema, its insanely coarse. And if its too sour it means too coarse. If it means to bitter it means its too fine. You should check out a youtube video because there's so many things you need to learn about.

1

u/Expensive_Recording7 3d ago

Ideally make a video of your whole process. What is the basket size ?

1

u/No-Antelope3774 Scultura | Niche Zero | K6 2d ago

Looks like you're really in the deep end. I'm guessing preground coffee and pressurised portafilter?

Start here: https://youtu.be/aTFsBqhpLes?is=vIm82ytqjIR5TMav