c/coffee-enthusiasts

Took me 3 months to figure out why my espresso shots were channeling every time

Turns out I was over-tamping with too much force and the distributor tool I got off Amazon was actually making it worse, has anyone else dealt with a tool that made things harder instead of easier?

2 comments

the_stella•1d ago

Had to pick between a $15 bag of single origin beans or the $8 store brand blend

Ngl I stood in the aisle for like 10 minutes weighing this out last Tuesday. The single origin was from some fancy roaster in Portland and smelled amazing but $15 for 12oz hurts my wallet. I went with the cheap blend cause bills are due this week and honestly I regret it. It's just flat and bitter no matter how I brew it. I added a pinch of salt and some oat milk and it's drinkable but barely. Has anyone else had a similar experience where you saved money but totally regretted the coffee choice?

2 comments

shane_fisher37•2d ago

Coworker said my espresso routine was just performance art

Guy I share an office with watched me dial in for 15 minutes, pulled a shot, and said 'you realize that's just you putting on a show, right?' It hit different because he drinks gas station coffee and doesn't care, but now I'm wondering if I'm doing all this ritual for me or for the gram. Anyone else get called out like that?

c/coffee-enthusiasts

Took me 3 months to figure out why my espresso shots were channeling every time

Had to pick between a $15 bag of single origin beans or the $8 store brand blend

Coworker said my espresso routine was just performance art

Tried a pour-over at a tiny coffee shop in Austin and it wrecked my whole routine

A barista in Denver told me my pour was too slow and it fixed my coffee

Just realized those cheap blade sharpeners are actually legit

Barista told me my water temp is ruining my pour over brews

Stop Rinsing Your Pour-Over Filter With Hot Water Before Brewing

A barista at Blue Bottle gave me brew advice that was totally backwards

The one piece of feedback that changed how I brew at home

Debate: spending $250 on a proper grinder vs. buying pre-ground from the roaster?

Bought a bag of beans from a tiny roaster in New Mexico and it flipped my routine

PSA: My pour-over game went from hot mess to actually drinkable in one switch

Took me 2 months to figure out my grinder was the problem with uneven espresso shots

Hit 1000 customer conversations in my shop and it hit me different

Changed my mind about pour-over after hearing a barista at Blue Bottle

Three months with a French press and I finally see the difference

Why does nobody talk about how finicky pour-over kettles can be?

Finally stopped rolling my eyes at the fancy burr grinder thing

Cold brew vs espresso for iced drinks - which is really better?

Finally pulled a decent shot after 6 weeks of bad ones

I finally figured out why my morning pour over was inconsistent for months

Remember when getting a good espresso meant a lever machine? I went electric instead

Shoutout to that random coffee fact I came across today

Am I the only one who thinks cold brew is way better if you skip the 24 hour steep?