Over one and a half month of testing now, yet still nothing seems to works

#1: Post by **Esphir** » February 5th, 2023, 4:17 am

Wasted by now way too much money, seen/read countless guides on "How to fix your Espresso", tried out so much diffrent hacks and tricks where I'm at the point of this becomming nothing more than an unrewarding chore I need to force myself to do so, since there's still not the slightest improvement when it comes to the shots.

It's like the more it should go into the right direction, the worse it becomes.

I've started to make logs of every cup so that I can improve the previous ones errors, pre-heat everything from cup to portafilter, switched to a local roastery when it comes to beans and just in genetal bought way too much extra stuff like an 0.1g scale, an OCD typa distribution tool and even recently crafted myself an little WDT in hope to fix stuff like channeling, but still in the end, nothing works.

The thing is, it sometimes doesn't even make sence anymore.
Like achieving the 1:2/1:3 ratio mark is just ridicolous hard for me. I grind finer to slow things down, it clogs and/or channeling shows it's face again, but when I grind just a bit coarser, it results in at least an 1:5or6 (when looking at the 25-35sec time rule). And when I'm finally getting it done, or am close to it, it just results in a sour mess, like 90% of all the other shots that I do, no matter how long I let it "brew" and how big I'm making the ratio in hope to get at least something drinkable.

Besides of that, also never achieved the slightest bit of "sweetness" or somewhat of an chocolatey note, even tho I know that it exists in there, since couple of weeks ago, I've struck a once in a million and somehow, due to weird channeling, I've pulled an so called turbo shot that was the best thing I've ever tasted when it comes to coffee. Unfortunatelly couldn't recreate it ever since, so I'm stuck with my awefull shots again.

In the end I don't even know if I'm just bad, unlucky or if the machine is the problem here, since it's quite a cheap one (got it on sale for ~70€) with as good as no adjustibility yet temperature control.

So yea, maybe you guys got some tricks/ideas to help me out of my misery here.

Currently I'm at the 13g-15g dose range (quite limited when it comes to doses with my 51mm portafilter puck) and move between the grind size of 10-5 on my Sage/Breville Smart Grinder Pro if that helps.

Edit:
The machine I'm having is called "Beem Espresso Select Touch"

#2: Post by **espressotime** » February 5th, 2023, 4:29 am

What's your machine? Welche Machine benuetzt Du?

February 5th, 2023, 6:07 am

I'm sitting here with a "Beem Espresso Select touch"

Name sounded promising and (regretfully) bought it before I knew basically ANYTHING about Espresso/Coffee making.

#4: Post by **espressotime** » February 5th, 2023, 6:20 am

Looked it up and there's your problem.

#5: Post by HB » February 5th, 2023, 9:23 am

To elaborate on the point above, the low low entry point espresso machines are among the hardest to use because they have poor water dispersion, poor temperature control, poor brew pressure control... this is why they almost always come with a pressurized portafilter.

Esphir wrote:...when I'm finally getting it done, or am close to it, it just results in a sour mess, like 90% of all the other shots that I do, no matter how long I let it "brew" and how big I'm making the ratio in hope to get at least something drinkable.

The "sour mess" is probably due to temperature instability, i.e., the temperature starts out too low and plummets. You might be able to trick it into a brew temperature closer to what's needed by flicking the steam switch on for a few seconds before starting the extraction. That will temporarily boost the starting temperature and then the final temperature driving that sourness might not be so bad.

#6: Post by **drgary** » February 6th, 2023, 3:45 pm

There's good information here for choosing capable equipment that fits your budget.

FAQs and Favorites

Especially this:

Newbie Introduction to Espresso - Buying Advice [video]

Long ago I started with equipment that left me frustrated too.

#7: Post by **coyote-1** » February 8th, 2023, 12:00 pm

espressotime wrote:Looked it up and there's your problem.

I hate to agree with this.. but I agree. And with its electronic (instead of manual) switches, I doubt it could be adequately modified to function well in an unpressurized 'enthusiast' setting.

#8: Post by **erik82** » February 8th, 2023, 12:49 pm

Looked up both the espresso machine and grinder and both are your problem. Espresso is very demanding and those cheap options just don't work, althogh they claim they're capable which is just marketing crap. It won't get better whatever you do with your current machine and grinder.

If you're really into espresso invest in good quality equipment and it's pretty easy to make very good espresso.

#9: Post by **drgary** » February 9th, 2023, 11:52 am

There's a follow-on thread where the OP has started getting good results.

Finally pulled my first good shot ... after almost throwing it away due to being an absolute failure on paper