How Do I Fix Old Tasting Espresso????
So I've been having a problem with my company's espresso for the past few days. The espresso we use is normally pretty floral, chocolaty and sweet. For the past few days, however, it has been tasting very old, charred, and smoky (in a bad way). I'm using a La Marzocco FB 80 with triple baskets. The machine is set for 202 degrees and the espresso was roasted on the 7th. Ive tried different doses and drop times but nothing really seems to help. Is there anything else I can try?
The weather is also horrible outside. Its super humid and hot out. I'm not sure if that would contribute to it at all...
The weather is also horrible outside. Its super humid and hot out. I'm not sure if that would contribute to it at all...
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Shadow on
-
Is the machine being cleaned/backflushed on a regular basis? How about the grinder(s) being cleaned thoroughly often as well?
Yes weather can certainly play a part in espresso. Any way you can measure average temperature/humidity near the machine/grinder? We are mobile and experience large fluctuations in weather that greatly affects what we do. I installed a digital thermometer/humidity gauge in the van not far from the machine/grinder to monitor changes to help develop a baseline in order to make grind changes as needed instead of merely guessing.
-
Permalink Reply by April Whitcher on
-
In terms of cleaning, yes the machine is backflushed regularly. The grinders are wiped out and the old grinds brushed out of the chamber. We don't actually run cleaning agents through it though. As of right now there is no way to measure the average temp/humidity.
Shadow said:Is the machine being cleaned/backflushed on a regular basis? How about the grinder(s) being cleaned thoroughly often as well?
Yes weather can certainly play a part in espresso. Any way you can measure average temperature/humidity near the machine/grinder? We are mobile and experience large fluctuations in weather that greatly affects what we do. I installed a digital thermometer/humidity gauge in the van not far from the machine/grinder to monitor changes to help develop a baseline in order to make grind changes as needed instead of merely guessing.
-
Permalink Reply by Adam Wilson on
-
I'm not exactly a troubleshooting expert, but just to throw out a few thoughts:
- Check your grinder burrs. If they're not clean and sharp, your taste profiles can be pretty crazy due to heating the beans. I run minute rice through ours every month or so (we're fairly low volume) to keep residue off the blades.
- Do you have a way to test your incoming water supply and/or make sure your filtration system is working properly? Different mineral contents can have some seriously strange effects on the taste of your coffee.
- If you have something like a Scace temp/pressure gauge, it might be helpful to double check that your machine is actually producing brewing water at 202° and 9 bar.
- Before messing with any of that, have you run your espresso through a french press or drip brewer? If not, it would be a good idea just to make sure the beans themselves are the same quality as usual.
-
Permalink Reply by Brady on
-
If you've cleaned everything that the ground coffee touches (including the throat of the grinder, burrs, chamber, and hopper), thoroughly backflushed with espresso cleaner, soaked the baskets and handles, and verified the temp then that sounds under control. Let's ask some more questions...
Does your espresso usually taste good at 12 days from roast?
Has your roaster recently made any big changes to the roast?
Any chance that this batch was stored any differently than usual?
A couple of things to think about.
-
Permalink Reply by Chris on
-
Brady said:
Does your espresso usually taste good at 12 days from roast?
Has your roaster recently made any big changes to the roast?
Any chance that this batch was stored any differently than usual?
A couple of things to think about.
Yep! This is where my thinking went!
One thing to be really conscious of at this point is whether or not the change came with a change in the batch of beans. If you've been using the same roast batch for twelve days, it'll change over those twelve, especially if they're exposed to light, heat, and/or excessive humidity.
Get some fresh roast and see if that cures it. If it does, you've found your problem.
-
Permalink Reply by Kendal Calquhoun on
-
most of your Q's hav bin anserd excipt for the one about the weather .. and to anser that one yes the weather and the humidity and temp and exposher to the sun all can chang the bean.. make sher that your beans from the time they come in to the time they enter your baskits..
-
-
Add to my earlier questions... have you tried pulling from different/newer bags?
-
Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on
-
Muted flavors, extra flavors, off flavors.. may be bar-end problems.
When the flavor is not even close to the same, (especially when "floral and chocolate" turns into "burned") I tend to assume it is a roaster-end problem.
cup it or press it. How does it taste? If burned and old, I would call your roaster. I wouldn't be afraid to return a defective product, including coffee.
This may not be the case, but try other brew methods to see how it tastes. If it's the same basic flavor profile as your espresso, it's probably not the machine.
-
-
Oh, she's long gone. Last login was the day after OP.
[remainder of comment removed, as it was unnecessarily negative and whiny]
-
Permalink Reply by Kristin McMillan on
-
I agree with Jason. I would cup it or press it and see if there is a change in flavor. Also, do the beans look the same as usual? Maybe your roaster is changing his roast style without telling?
-
Permalink Reply by Alvaro Sanchez on
-
Hello April,
Quoting you:
"We don't actually run cleaning agents through it though."
I bet you a bag of Luwak, your showers creens are caked with old coffee oils and that's where the taste is coming from. Get a screwdriver, take out your screens and check it out.
You must use a cleaning detergent. If you are concerned about using detergents try the Evo (organic one) but by avoiding chemicals you are getting a tar build up that is making your coffee taste burn and will eventually clog your machine.
I hope it helps :)
Cheers
-
Permalink Reply by Ali Hojeij on
-
Well i think the temp of water should not be more then 192 . Temp and pressure can effect the taste of coffee and also as some mentioned cleaning all porta filters with PULLYCAFE by placing 2-3 gram of pully cafe on the flat screen and flush the head so many times until you see all black old coffee are going out. After using the pully cafe run a double shot of coffee to make sure all chemicals are removed and soak all porta filters, screens and the attached screen after removing by loosing the screw in the middle. Soak aover night with very hot water and 7 to 10 gram of pully caf, then next day scrub the porta filters and wash them and for sure the taste will change.
Also we do have to look into the characteristic of WATER.
Ali Hojeij
Barista Exchange Partners
Barista Exchange Friends
Keep Barista Exchange Free
Are you enjoying Barista Exchange? Is it helping you promote your business and helping you network in this great industry? Donate today to keep it free to all members. Supporters can join the "Supporters Group" with a donation. Thanks!
© 2024 Created by Matt Milletto.
Powered by
