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- Sour espresso
Fix it
Sour espresso
The shot tastes sharp, thin or salty.
The fixGrind finerOne or two steps, then brew again
The coffee is under-extracted: not enough has dissolved into the cup.
What to do
- Grind finer by one step.
- Let the shot run a little longer or to a slightly higher yield.
- Make sure the water is hot enough, about 92 to 96 °C.
- Change one thing at a time.
How big is one step on your grinder?
| Grinder | Smallest step | Steps for about 30 µm |
|---|---|---|
| Comandante C40 MK4 | 27.9 µm | 1 step |
| 1Zpresso K-Ultra | 7.7 µm | 4 steps |
| 1Zpresso JX-Pro | 4.6 µm | 7 steps |
| 1Zpresso J-Ultra | 2.5 µm | 12 steps |
| 1Zpresso Q2 | 11.5 µm | 3 steps |
| 1Zpresso X-Ultra | 5 µm | 6 steps |
| Timemore Chestnut C2 | 33.8 µm | 1 step |
| Timemore Chestnut C3 | 40.7 µm | 1 step |
| Timemore Sculptor 064 | 27.8 µm | 1 step |
| Kingrinder K6 | 8.6 µm | 3 steps |
| Kingrinder K4 | 8.4 µm | 4 steps |
| Baratza Encore | 25.4 µm | 1 step |
| Baratza Virtuoso+ | 25 µm | 1 step |
| Baratza Sette 30 | 24 µm | 1 step |
| Fellow Ode Gen 2 | 9.5 µm | 3 steps |
| Fellow Opus | 23.3 µm | 1 step |
| Eureka Mignon Specialita | 25.1 µm | 1 step |
| Niche Zero | 12.4 µm | 2 steps |
| Hario Skerton Pro | 150.5 µm | 1 step |
| Hario Mini Mill Plus | 63.2 µm | 1 step |
| Breville Smart Grinder Pro | 10.5 µm | 3 steps |
| Wilfa Svart | 46.5 µm | 1 step |
| DF DF64 Gen 2 | 9.7 µm | 3 steps |
| Kinu M47 Classic | 16.5 µm | 2 steps |
| Option-O Lagom P64 | 10 µm | 3 steps |
| Porlex Mini II | 58.3 µm | 1 step |
Particle size changes are estimates from one shared scale fitted from the Honest Coffee Guide. Use them to size the change, then taste.
Related
Questions
Sour espresso: what should I change first?
Grind finer by one or two steps, then brew again. The coffee is under-extracted: not enough has dissolved into the cup.
How much should I change the grind?
One or two clicks or numbers on most grinders, about 30 µm. Change it, brew again, and taste before changing anything else.