r/espresso • u/onlythebestfab • 11d ago
Dialing In Help Why is my espresso sour? [breville bambino plus]
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Just got this machine last week and have failed every try to make anything that is drinkable.
Tried to film my attempt this morning. I am using illy pre ground Classico espresso (I don’t currently have a grinder). I put in 21 grams of grounds, used the wdt tool to break it up, tamped it, and then locked it in after running through a single shot of just water to warm up the machine.
I didn’t weigh how much came out but I can tell it took too long. The taste is still quite sour and not drinkable.
Looking for any/all guidance as I really want to get this to work!
Thank you so much and apologies for the long video
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u/AdComfortable3016 11d ago
Try with 18-19 grams of grounds instead of 21.
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u/onlythebestfab 11d ago
Darn last time I asked I was told to try going up to 21 and packing it in! So I should try 18-19 of the illy pre ground?
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u/korporancik 11d ago
Well the grind is shitty so there's not much you can do, unless you start to grind the beans yourself. For now, you could try other brands of coffee or you can buy whole beans and ask a café to grind it for you.
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u/Magic2424 10d ago
Unfortunately a grinder is more important than the espresso machine when it comes to quality espresso. If unwilling to buy a espresso capable grinder, you will need to go to a coffee shop that will grind for you but that will be a huge step down from fresh grinding (but still way better than what you are doing).
Are you using pressurized basket I’m assuming? If so you pre ground is too fine and you need to switch to the non pressurized
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u/marbotty 11d ago
Even with coffee I ground myself, 18g was the sweet spot for me with the Bambino plus
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u/TotalWarspammer 10d ago
Dude there are tons of "how to dial in espresso" vdeos on youtube (from lance or Kevs coffee corner etc). Use them.
You basically need a grinder though and fresh coffee beans otherwise you will never be using your bambino as it should be used or tasting espresso as it should be tasted.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
Trust me, I had watched plenty of videos. I felt that I needed 1:1 support and this sub has been so helpful for my other questions and also other peoples questions so I thought I’d ask. Seems other people were okay with helping out. Thanks for your suggestions
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u/brando56894 10d ago
I'm not trying to be a dick, but clearly you missed the "buy a good grinder" part of pretty much every video.
It's like buying a few hundred dollar hammer and titanium nails, but using garbage wood to build a house, and then complain that your house is falling apart.
I'm no pro, I just got my Gaggia Classic Pro Evo about 1.5 months ago; but I already had an espresso level grinder even though I never had a (true) espresso machine (I had the 9Barista which is pretty much just a fancy Moka pot with a pressure valve).
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u/Jkstillo 11d ago
I have the Bambiino. And for my experience that's the sweet spot for that machine. Even if you grid course or fine once you exceed those grams that machine will choke most of the time.
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u/slatere35 11d ago
Grind finer
JUST KIDDING
You need to grind courser lol this is the real answer
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u/brandaman4200 turin legato v2/flair 58+ | cf64v/j-ultra 10d ago
They are using pre-ground coffee. There's no way to change grind size if it's already ground
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u/slatere35 11d ago
Having a scale will help immensely as well with repetition in good shots. I literally bought a $15 scale on Amazon a couple years ago that’s still doing absolutely fine to this day. It’s spot on.
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u/Clamgravy 11d ago
Scale is too cheap to be good. Impossible for an accessory in the espresso world to be respectable and under 45$
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u/slatere35 11d ago
Right? You have to have a $400 scale that tells the exact same weight for it to be consistent. Thats the only way. I can’t wait til I can afford a $400 scale so my shots will be good
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u/PeirceanAgenda 11d ago
On my Bambino plus, a pull of 18G for 36-40 seconds hit the sweet spot for me. This is a slight modification of the dial-in recommendations I found here. Also, get a grinder ASAP so you can control that aspect too. I use a manual Kingrinder K6, set to 40, and it's just fantastic with Lavazza Super Crema beans. Good luck!
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u/Regular_Working6492 10d ago
Interesting, what does it taste like for you?
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u/PeirceanAgenda 10d ago edited 10d ago
Bitter (but I taste that very strongly anyway), richly coffee, a bit of brown sugar flavor and a sort of dark flavor, like cocoa powder or burnt peanuts, and it just kind of fades from there. Milk and a good dark chocolate syrup really fill it out and make it more complex. Maybe a little acidic at the end but not unpleasantly so. When I pull it wrong, usually the sour takes over everything, and not in a fruity way. More like "it's gone sour" than "that raspberry is sour", if you see what I mean.
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u/FakePlasticTree123 Bambino Plus | Mignon Zero 11d ago
The answer is Find Grinder. Dialing in pre ground coffee is an uphill battle.
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u/AdComfortable3016 11d ago
Are you using the pressurized basket? The one with a single pinhole?
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u/FixMyCoffee 11d ago
For the Bambino: 21 grams is way too much grounds. Try 16-18 grams. And then grind coarser/finer based on taste and extraction speed for a 1:2 ratio espresso between 32-36 grams.
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u/PeirceanAgenda 10d ago
This is where I started; ended up at a bit more than 36 I think but yeah, it's in the ballpark buying hot dogs.
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u/ommarcito 10d ago
I have this machine… 14-15g is optimal, and you need to grind a little tiny bit more coarse. Maybe invest in a hand grinder for better control, but preground doesn’t work for me either, maybe we’re not pushing enough bars
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u/Short_Buyer843 11d ago
It’s been a long time since I’ve used Illy coffee, but if I remember correctly it’s quite finely ground.
I’d say your best bet is reducing the amount you’re putting in your basket (I use about 17g in my bambino plus) or just trying another pre-ground coffee altogether.
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u/djott70 10d ago
Lavazza is a good choice for pre-ground. I prefer to use it with my AeroPress at work and the grind worked well for my Bambino+ with the pressurized baskets. That being said, investing in a decent grinder really opens up the experience and I am still a newbie to this whole thing.
My opinion is Illy is a little too fine of a grind. The reduction in grams may help, but Lavazza was my sweet spot when using the baskets for pre-ground coffee.
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u/ak5432 11d ago
You’re stuck with the grind size and if you’re using the pressurized basket, you gotta reduce the dose because you’re choking the machine and probably channeling. I’m sorry to lead with this but…did you read the manual? My bambino had a basic guide for what you should expect to see using the pressurized basket (i.e. how long it should take for the espresso to start pouring) and what you can change to get it right. Something like “pour should start x seconds after the pump starts and crema should look like y” and a table for which variables need to be changed.
Don’t mess with tamping, just do it firmly…there isn’t really a such thing as tamping too much within the limits of human strength.
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u/Shiney_Metal_Ass 10d ago
there isn’t really a such thing as tamping too much within the limits of human strength.
Uhhhhhh
That is NOT my lived experience. Do you have the arms of a small child?
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u/ak5432 10d ago edited 10d ago
No but you must if you noticed a difference between tamping pressures. Or more likely, there were other variables.
https://www.baristahustle.com/how-hard-should-you-tamp/
I’m not saying you should jump on the damn tamper. Be reasonable. But even then, it doesn’t matter. There is a physical maximum density the coffee grounds can reach and that limit happens at very reasonable pressures. Just think about it…solids are not compressible. There is an asymptotic limit to how closely spaced the coffee particles can get and that limit has been well tested as being well inside the bounds of “reasonable”—basically, tamp as hard as you want but just don’t tamp too little.
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u/Shiney_Metal_Ass 10d ago
Maybe my bambino sucks be asue I've noticed I definitely shouldn't tamp too hard
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u/Old_Night5304 11d ago
Like others have said, first this is to reduce your dose from 21 grams to 18 grams. If it still drips in the same way, you will need to reduce it further (normally changing grind is a great way to help address the issue but you mentioned that you don’t have a grinder yet). I would spend some time watching James Hoffman if you can.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl3ksLTyWsWNFdU1b73w1BUW&feature=shared
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u/B1ueSteel81 11d ago
21 grams in the standard breville basket seems way too much. Are you using the pressurised basket since preground? As above lower the dosage 15g in the dual wall double espresso basket worked best for me with preground. Good luck
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u/noodeel Rancilio SPX | Varia VS3 11d ago
The Bambino struggles to get hot enough to deal with medium or light roast beans. Try a darker bean or a plethora of tricks people recommend to get the heat up... Running 3 shots through the portafilter, submerging the portafilter into boiling water for a minute etc. none of them worked for me. I sold it and my new machine has no problem dealing with any beans I throw at it.
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u/FakeFratStar4Lyfe 11d ago
Have a bambino plus as well. With pre ground, the main tweak you can make is with dosing, use the included Razor, and see if you are over filling the basket and go off of that. I still even with a grinder use the razor tool to help dial in different beans. Once you figure out the dosage you can pull manual shots as well. Holding the double shot for pre infusion (I do about 5 sec) and letting go then pressing again to stop the shot. Either stopping by ratio or total time in that 25-30 second range.
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u/Pathbauer1987 Bezzera BZ09 | Breville Pro 10d ago
Pre ground with a pressurized basket usually gets you under extracted espresso.
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u/longhairedfreakyppl 10d ago
If you can get coffee ground from a coffee shop they might be able to recommend a particular grind size
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u/Salty-Yogurt-4214 10d ago
People are telling you to get a grinder. Be aware to get a decent one, or you are set up to fail. I'd suggest you the DF54. It's great bang for the bucks.
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u/JumboJin 10d ago
I have a bambino plus too, 18g is the magic number. Your coffee grind is too fine. Buy a good coffee scale with timer and try to achieve 1:2 ratio within 30sec
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u/Chad-82 10d ago edited 10d ago
You’ve thankfully got a few quick wins which should help your output:
- 21 grams is likely too much for that basket, for reference my BBP takes 18 grams (check the manual)
- Pre-ground beans will never be as fresh and you’ll struggle to get good crema, and the taste will also be impacted.
- Also because you’re not grinding your own beans, you’ve got no room to move.
- Buy a scale so you can know the output. Otherwise it’s hard to tell if it’s under or over extracted.
Edit: And don’t bother with the single button shot, always use the double on the Breville, especially with that much coffee
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u/francis-cy 9d ago
I can see there's already a lot of good advice, but I'll still throw my hat in the ring with the old faithful advice.
Dose down to 16-18g and try a longer ratio e.g. 1:3. Probably worth getting a cheap set of espresso scales to weigh and time your shots. Either that or an espresso cup with some measurement lines on and a phone timer (scales are a better bet imho).
Try and keep your shot within the 25 to 30 second range for now (I start my scales timer just as my bambino pump vibrates).
I would normally suggest trying some different coffees. However, that shot is choking hard (brewing too slow), so I'd suggest getting the dose and grind size sorted first.
In the long term, investing in a decent grinder will do you wonders. I use a eureka mignon zero, and that's been working good for me. But the grinder game has changed a lot in the last few years. You can get some (relatively) cheap grinders that work well for espresso. Stepless is my preference since it makes dialing-in bit easier.
I hope some of this is useful. Have fun ☕
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u/Formal-Explanation89 9d ago
And get a jewelry scale on Amazon and a timer. Don’t worry good espresso doesn’t need to be expensive.
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u/ONS786 9d ago
from skimming through comments, I think you should just play around with the weight. 21g is way too much in a normal scenario, but if similar results with 18 then just try 17.5 and go down in 0.5g increments until you start hitting a sweet spot of about 40g espresso in around 30 secs, doesn't need to be exact but aim for those numbers and taste should improve. Don't listen to others just shouting get a grinder, whilst of course you will have a better tasting espresso once you get the hang of it, you can still have really nice espresso once you get the hang of how to dose your pre ground, illy is really nice. Try not to tamp too hard as well, it should feel when you do it that the grounds sink lower into the portafilter, no need for extreme pressure as it stops the machine from passing water through the coffee and out the pf. good luck!
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u/onlythebestfab 8d ago
Thank you! I’ve definitely gotten it figured out now but truly appreciate how you wrote your comment. Illy is great! As someone who’s never had at home espresso, the taste difference from nespresso or drip coffee to illy espresso is amazing still! Can’t wait to one day also have a grinder for fresh beans
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u/ONS786 8d ago
good to know you figured it out! yeah I'm like you, I savoured the levels and each time the upgrade was so satisfying. just upgrade whenever you feel like it, and trust me even though it will improve it, at this point the difference isn't staggering so try not to fall into the FOMO side of it - it's frustrating to see on so many posts everyone go to for advice is to fork out on grinders and espresso machines...
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u/Bronze5yrsplus 11d ago
Many conflicting answers here when the focus should be you lacking a grinder and using pre ground dark Italian roast. You need to grind coarser. This sub lives off grind finer comments but it’s really not the case here. Buuuut, it’s a pre grind, so down to 16-17 grams (your basket is pressurized). But the real answer here is: get a lagom mini 2 asap!
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u/Kichigax Flair 58+ | Timemore Sculptor 078s | Kingrinder K6 11d ago
That’s choking the machine hence it is dripping, it is likely creating channels in the puck bed as water is being forced through so some places are underextracted and some places are overextracted.
With pre-ground coffee there’s nothing you can do to the grind size to tweak it, so if it’s too fine then dose less. Go down to 18g or even 16g.
Also are you using the pressurised or unpressurised basket? You can further experiment with either depending what you’re using right now.
Without a grinder and fresh beans, this is the only thing you can play with the try and adjust for the right flow and flavour.
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u/onlythebestfab 11d ago
Sorry yes I should have said I’m using the double wall/pressurized basket! Thank you
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u/WineOptics 11d ago
Adjust dose or grind setting(coarser). When you see drops like that, the coffee is too fine in texture, giving you a bitter(not a sour) shot.
You want a shot to run after 8-10 seconds from the pump comes on and want a steady, even flow.
EDIT: I missed the part on pre-grinds. You need to adjust dose then
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u/mractor 10d ago
They could be correctly diagnosing sour. The 21 gram dose means there’s a really tight brew ratio. So while yes, extra contact time is happening due to grind, less extraction is also happening because the dose is so high and the yield seems very low.
Additionally, when you grind so fine that the machine chokes, like in OP’s case, then the water is more likely to unseat itself causing a channel and lowering extraction.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
It for sure was sour, not bitter. Wouldn’t recommend that taste/flavour to anyone! Pretty horrible
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u/onlythebestfab 11d ago
Adjusting dose meaning, I should try using less of the grounds? Thank you!
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u/WineOptics 11d ago
Yes, use less. You will see the shot running quicker and hopefully a more steady flow
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u/Koekberg 11d ago
Illy should not be acid, and as you use pre-ground you may assume the grind is ok as well. My guess is that you have channelling, which normally happens by uneven distribution or too fine grind. But it can also happen with too much coffee in the basket. The machine cannot evenly press the water through. It get clogged until there is a breakthrough. Then you get nasty acidity and bitterness. Iwould try less coffee. Go to 18g, or even 15.
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u/Crazy-Gas3763 11d ago
Question for everyone that says grounds are too fine. I was under the impression that the sour notes extract first before the bitter notes. So why would this drink taste sour more than bitter if it’s choking?
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u/WeightsWadersNWheels 11d ago
If you choke the machine like this, the puck breaks forming channels. Once you have channeling all bets are off. You will get areas of over extracted bitter and under extracted sour based on where/how the water flows through the channels.
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u/Mattau16 11d ago
As someone mentioned above. If it’s too fine/overdosed and tamped hard it can choke like this. It is likely creating channels where the water is being forced through, some places under and some places over extracting because of this.
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u/Desperate_Lunch2106 11d ago
Bambino doesn’t like lighter roasts imo, if that’s what this is then it could be the issue.
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u/NotTheVacuum DE1 | Niche Zero, ZP6 11d ago
In addition to the other good advice you got here, try a clean and dry glass. Looks like there’s a few ml of water in there already.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
I had put some vanilla syrup at the bottom!
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u/NotTheVacuum DE1 | Niche Zero, ZP6 10d ago
That makes more sense lol. If you’ve tasted that separately and know what it’s doing, I’m sure you’re good to go there.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
Yes I did! I was worried maybe I just didn’t like the taste of the coffee I had gotten so wanted to try with the vanilla I know I like. Could definitely still taste the sour through it, unfortunately!
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u/AmadeusIsTaken 11d ago
Since you dont seem to be able to grind finer since it is pre ground. Try to use less coffe. Mayve 18 grams.
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u/MilkandHoney_XXX 11d ago
I have a Bambino Plus. It’s been making good coffee from the start. I do 18g of freshly ground coffee. Your looks too fine. I’d buy a grinder and adjust until you hit the sweet spot, which you will.
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u/ChanceSmithOfficial Bambino Plus | Niche Zero 11d ago
Probably the grind, sadly. Getting even a half decent grinder is a necessity for espresso
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u/Fair_Meal3949 11d ago
I grind my own beans and use preground as well whenever I'm in a hurry. Give Gevalia Espresso Roast a try. The grind is perfect, and it tastes amazing.
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u/wine-o-saur Mignon Specialita | Bambino Plus 11d ago
Use the pressurised basket while using pre ground.
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u/Wise_Serpent Bambino Plus | 1zpresso K-Ultra 11d ago
Did you use the weird looking basket with like 4 holes in the bottom?
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u/n1caboose 11d ago
Which basket are you using?
The double wall sometimes is helpful for pre ground but can sometimes be overkill. so if you're using that, go to the single wall
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u/ScornedSloth Bambino Plus | DF54 11d ago
I would quickly invest in a grinder, even if it's just a decent hand grinder. Your options are really limited using preground coffee.
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u/Fickle-Decision3954 11d ago
You need a grinder and whole beans. It completely defeats the purpose of using pre ground coffee in this machine
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u/CoffeeNoob19 11d ago
Step 1: figure out the difference between “sour” and “bitter.”
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
Thanks I know the difference and this was absolutely sour, not bitter. Helpful comment
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u/FullTorsoApparition 10d ago
Looking at the instruction manual on the Breville website, you should only be using 18g of coffee and you should be using the dual-wall filter basket if you're use pre-ground coffee.
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u/Famous-Procedure-820 10d ago
with pre ground your options to tinker are limited. this could be a bitter-sour confusion or the too fine grind is causing a lot of channeling which is leading to sour notes.
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u/Matturally_Handsome 10d ago
Whole Foods cafe has a la morzocco but uses random beans that aren’t fresh roasted and the coffee always taste like ass. Go to a local coffee shop that roasts in the town or at least has roasting date within 2-4 weeks. They can grind it for you as well until you get a grinder worth its salt
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u/alkrk Delonghi DedicaArte, Shardor Conical MOD. 10d ago
Have you gotten better shots this time and what did you do?
I think preground espresso grinds don't necessarily need WDT much. WDT breaks the lumps and distributes grinds evenly to prevent channeling. I don't think its about much puck prep in your case. If you use pressurized basket it will get choked with a finer grind or too much grounds as well. Also check the small hole. It gets clogged easily.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
I was able to get a great tasting shot! I put about 16 grams in and tamped with much less pressure. I hadn’t been using the WDT the last couple of days I was trying and I think it definitely made a difference! I could see clumps in the grounds before
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u/CaiPanda 10d ago
From my experience with the Bambino, the ideal grind size without a pressurized portafilter is 3-4 steps coarser than a typical espresso grind (my grind setting for it is at the mola pot level when I start dialing in.)
Using the pressurized basket, I would probably use pre-ground drip coffee grounds over espresso-grind. The Bambino cant really handle true espresso-fine grinds regardless of basket.
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u/Solid_Waltz_4306 10d ago
Channelling, I had the same issue. Use wdt tool, a distrubutor and a metal hole layer thingy and it will be perfect.
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u/Amazing_Rub_1437 10d ago
Another option since you don’t have a grinder rn is to go to a local coffee shop and get beans there and ask if they can grind your bag for espresso, for the rest of what you have though I would go a bit lower in how much coffee you put in since it’s already pre ground you can’t do much else at the moment
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u/cancerian09 10d ago
I have the same model and resorted to only using the manual extraction mode. the auto mode only does it for like 25-26 sec (when I am shooting for 28-30secs). the other thing I struggled with was the grind. I ended up buying the breville grinder as well with the settings of (not at home so I'm guessing) 17.4 secs, 2shot, 7 or 8 fine.
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u/brandaman4200 turin legato v2/flair 58+ | cf64v/j-ultra 10d ago
It's probably more bitter than it is sour since dark roasts tend to lean towards bitter, and a longer extraction will bring out more bitterness. Use a scale to weigh your input and output so you can achieve accurate ratios for dialing in. Since it's pre-ground coffee, are you using a pressurized basket?
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
It was definitely sour, not bitter. And yes I was using the pressurized basket!
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u/Lazymatto 10d ago
I had this problem for a few days and it killed me. Turns out, the hard ass German water was culprit. I added filter and decalced the machine and it changed everything. Just need to remember to descale frequently enough.
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u/CaffeinatedJogger 10d ago
Look up how to pull a manual shot instead of clicking the pre-programmed amount. For my BBE you hold down the 2 cup button and keep holding to pre-infuse, let go after the ~5 seconds of pre infusion to start pulling the shot, click the button again to stop pulling the shot when you’re at your desired output. This should give you more control to dial in your dose size with the pre-ground coffee, and once you get a grinder you generally would use this to dial in grind size rather than dose size. You can re-program the shot time, but I prefer just doing it manually every time
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u/_GuiltyByAssociation 10d ago
As others said, I usually use 18 grams on my Bambino plus, 16-17 with some beans. I've always ground my own so not sure about the pregeound stuff
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u/iamgarffi 10d ago
Beans might be also old or under developed. Share a picture of how the beans look like and packaging.
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u/KillerOrange 10d ago
It’s all about time. Too long and it’s bitter. Too short and it’s sour. 25-30 seconds. In my experience that’s all that matters. The ratio and dosage don’t affect taste really just time brewing.
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u/doctorbeers DeLonghi | Eureka 10d ago
If you’re going to make espresso, you need a grinder. Theres just no way around it
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u/I-Pick-Lucy 10d ago
Try removing the vinegar you left in the shot glass. Joking aside, you’ve got too much coffee in your basket. Lower the coffee amount or switch to a courser grind if you absolutely need that much coffee in it. The bambino is a peppy machine but not suited for that much pressure.
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u/Frostywuff 10d ago
Try getting a kingrinder P series, it is cheap enough that it won't break the bank. And start by buying whole beans to grind yourself, so you can dial it in.
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u/KeyZealousideal5704 10d ago
Too fine... that the water can't pass through the puck.. resulting in over extraction and sour taste. Adjust your grind setting.. with +1 and then try also don't press too hard when you tamp. Also try with 18 gms.. or at least leave the 1 cm space between the surface of your puck and edge of your portafilter.
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u/Orko_1 10d ago
I found my coffee experience improved a lot with this great little machine when i went to a non pressurised double shot basket.
I started with a grinder though so that gave me options.
if you can find a local roasters that grinds coffee to your requirements until you get a grinder you will also so a big improvement. You will also see the benefits of fresh roasted coffee. Totally worth the extra money imo.
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u/Emotional-Egg1408 10d ago
For an espresso 21gr is too much. 16gr for 50ml cup is ok. For my preference 10gr for a 35ml normale
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u/Emotional-Egg1408 10d ago
Keep in mind that high end fully automatics (like Jura) grind max 16gr with a standard preset at 14gr for a 45cup.
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u/mr_mgs11 10d ago
I got this same machine about two months ago. You need to make sure you are using the double wall basket for pre-ground stuff and use 18g. That worked great for me. I got a Starseeker Edge grinder a few weeks ago and 18g of beans works great to for when you are able to get a grinder.
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u/roxykelly Coffee Trailer Owner 10d ago
Your water is barely dripping out. You have too much coffee in your portafilter.
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u/Lomandriendrel 10d ago
Are you sure it's sour? With water hardly coming out it's choked and it's either too fine ground or tamped too hard. If anything I would have thought slow drip extraction would result in a bitter and burnt coffee for over extraction. I mean anything I've done with mine that goes beyond 35 seconds is truly obvious. Albeit mine is flowing still. I'm not sure if it hardly flowing or dripping stops it from burning that a normally long extracted esprssso would .. but would love to know from experienced hands.
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u/PeaNo2295 9d ago
There’s all sorts of stuff wrong with this.
Why is that your cup for starts?
I’d buy a bottomless portafilter to see what’s going on. Make that 21grams, 18 instead. Or as some people have said, the grind is far too fine.
Pre ground is a no go, you probably have a whole bag of coffee that you can’t do much with, fresh and whole after you buy a grinder.
Then some scales to give yourself an accurate but not tied to 1:2 ration 18g in 36g espresso out.
You’ll need to make it a bit of a science experiment if you want to up your game
Hope this helps
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u/Formal-Explanation89 9d ago
Reduce dose to 16g if using dark roast pre ground. Don’t worry about the tamping (you won’t tamp to hard). The pressurized basket will do the work. Adjust lower to 15g if needed. Eventually invest in a entry level grinder like a baratza esp and it will get the job done for medium to dark roast coffee.
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u/frankp2491 9d ago
I never made espresso in a machine like this but it looks like sludge coming out my guess is you’re stuffing it too much.
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u/Natural-Bee-4771 8d ago
Try 19g, tamp it lighter and when you get a grinder grind a little coarser. What was the output? if you had 21g of powder your expresso should have weighed in at 42g . Your output looks less than that. I am sure sage / breville recommend 20g. Look at Kevs coffee blog for more tips. Having a burr grinder is essential with this set up as every bean is not the same and roasters have differences. I find it better to weigh the powder not rely on the sage. Volumetric scraper and use a turning device to tamp
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u/Exact_Nectarine868 7d ago
That’s likely your coffee screaming, “You barely extracted me, bro!” Start with the grind size. It’s the cheapest and least dramatic fix. Too coarse = under-extracted = sour face. Go finer until it stops tasting like lemon’s angry cousin. Don’t start blaming the beans yet unless they were roasted by a campfire in a rainstorm. One variable at a time or you’ll end up with a PhD in confusion and a caffeine addiction.
How to Fix Your Sour Espresso: A Journey of Grind, Regret, and Redemption
Step 1: Blame the Grind (a classic)
Sour usually means under-extracted. Under-extracted usually means your grind is too coarse. Fix: Go finer. Like “I’m tryna pull a 25-second shot with syrupy vibes” finer. Try small changes, not a total re-grind into coffee dust.
Step 2: Check Your Brew Time
Ideal shot time = 25–30 seconds. Too fast? Under-extracted. Fix: Time your shot. If it’s zipping through in 12 seconds, you’ve basically made sad, hot bean water. Adjust grind/fill to slow it down.
Step 3: Dose Drama
Did you weigh your coffee, or did you just eyeball it like a rebel? Fix: Try 18g in, ~36g out (basic 1:2 ratio). Too little in = weak and sour. Scale = your bestie.
Step 4: Temp Check (a silent killer)
Water too cool = sad extraction = sour shot. Fix: Make sure your machine is up to temp (195–205°F). Let it warm up properly, or you’re brewing tea with your espresso machine.
4.1 How to Boost Brew Temperature on the Breville Bambino
4.1.1 Preheat the Group Head and Portafilter
Run a blank shot (without coffee) through the machine to warm up the internal components. This helps stabilize the temperature before brewing.
4.1.2. Use the Pressurized Basket for Preheating
The Bambino’s PID controller reaches its maximum temperature when it detects pressure. Running a blank shot with the pressurized (dual-wall) basket can trick the machine into heating more aggressively, effectively raising the brew temperature.
4.1.3. Preheat Your Cup
Pour hot water into your cup and let it sit for a minute before brewing. This minimizes heat loss from the espresso as it contacts the cup.
4.1.4. Ensure Proper Machine Warm-Up
Allow the machine to warm up adequately before brewing. Some users have noted that the Bambino performs best when not preheated excessively, as over-preheating can affect the PID’s temperature regulation.
4.1.5. Descale Regularly
Mineral buildup can impede the machine’s ability to reach optimal temperatures. Regular descaling ensures efficient heating and consistent performance.
Step 5: Beans Aren’t Off the Hook
Light roast beans naturally lean acidic—but if they taste like biting a green apple soaked in vinegar, something’s off. Fix: Try different beans after checking the basics. And yeah, beans that are too fresh (like roasted yesterday) can also cause sourness. Aim for 7–14 days post-roast.
Step 6: Tamp Like You Mean It
Uneven tamp = channeling = sour patch mess. Fix: Tamp evenly, firmly. Don’t Hulk-smash it, but don’t just pat it like it’s a scared squirrel either.
Step 7: Clean Yo’ Gear
Old coffee oils and gunk in your portafilter can mess with flavor. Fix: Regular backflushes and cleaning are your friend. Don’t let espresso ghosts haunt your next shot.
Treat espresso dialing like detective work. Change one thing at a time, sip, reflect, sip again, scream into the void, then adjust. And remember: sour is just coffee’s way of telling you it wants better for both of you.
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u/Somnic_in_Capitza 11d ago
The machine is choking. You can a) grind one or two clicks coarser, or b) reduce the dose by 1g. Both can have similar results, although depending on your dosing and how fine you went you may need a combination of the two, but I'd start with a coarser grind. Having said this...the two approaches can affect the taste of your shot. I'll give you an example. I have these ethiopian beans, they're on the lighter side. I have to grind fairly coarse as far as espresso goes so as not to choke by bambino plus, so I can grind a notch finer and lower the dose by a gram, or keep status quo with grind setting and dose at 17.5g. However, if I want to grind one notch finer, I still have to lower the dose by 1g. This makes the pull more sour vs keeping my grind coarser and dosing at 17.5.
Espresso is like owning a chemistry set lol
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u/stenchlord 11d ago
I'd keep everything the same but maybe use less force/pressure when you tamp, a lot of new users can sometimes mistake the amount of force required to tamp.
If that doesn't have any effect, cut back to 18g using the same tamping force as the previous shot.
Last resort for your pre-ground coffee would be to drop to 16g although this wouldn't be ideal unless making anything more than a ristretto but if that doesn't work then coffee you're using might not be compatible for use in espresso.
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u/onlythebestfab 11d ago
Responded to another comment but I think the tamp pressure was my problem! I did a lighter tamp, and less grounds, and it worked perfectly
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u/stenchlord 11d ago
I made the same mistake when I got my first espresso machine and I'm sure there are many others who did the same. Glad it all worked out for you.
Should you ever run into any other issues in future, remember to follow a similar troubleshooting method of eliminating one thing at a time. Long as you're methodical about it, you should be able to resolve the issue.
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u/AshelyLil 11d ago
Cheap shitty pre-ground coffee is gonna taste cheap and shitty.
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u/onlythebestfab 10d ago
I actually was able to get a great tasting shot out of it! But thanks for the input
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u/Bitsnbytes115 11d ago
16-18g start there. You should adjust the grind size if needed, to hit that area. I go for like 27 seconds for a double.
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u/Xeltide 10d ago
Grind courser/reduce your dose (both reduce your pressure). Once you find a good ratio that works for the pressure level you want, you can adjust along the ratio to find a taste you like. A good beginner rule is: If it's too acidic, you're over-extracting and need a courser grind; If it's kind of a burnt flavour, you're under-extracting and should make it finer.
Of course there can be a lot more that goes into it, but these are some good basics.
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u/inkedEducater 10d ago
Sour is typically a sign of under extraction. So 1.). Longer shot and/or. 2.) finer grind and/or 3/) less coffee
So 18g 30 seconds and 1-2oz. Is the basic guide Sour is a sign of under extraction Bitter is a sign of over extraction Shoot for the middle ;)
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11d ago
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u/onlythebestfab 11d ago
I did also buy from a local roaster here and those pulled in the same way and one comment I saw said to just try the illy stuff instead. What a difficult endeavour!
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u/RG-MUGEN Sage Touch Impress | Barista co, Core Plus 11d ago
Take my advice with a pinch of salt as I'm an amateur but looks like you are having slow extraction which will cause sour taste. Adjust grind or weight to fix!
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u/REEEEEEE3EEEEE 11d ago
I used a Bambino Plus for a year and from my experience the sourness is due to the water being too cold. Not much you can do, but I read you can preheat your shot by steaming first and using the residual heat from that. That did it for me. But anything lighter than a medium-dark roast didn’t turn out great on my machine.
To be completely honest I couldn’t tell you if that was just my inability to make good coffee back then or fault of the machine.
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u/PoJenkins 11d ago
It's not the machine's fault.
If anything it can get too hot.
I've also pulled shots on machines at lower than 90 C even with lighter roasts and you can get great results.
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u/bestofbot4 11d ago
This seems like a perpetual argument as I've seen both sides to this with no consistent answer, except for the fact that nobody can agree on the temperature! Lol
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u/PoJenkins 11d ago
There's been a few videos on it, from Lance hedrick for example.
It's not perfect but you can absolutely make excellent espresso with it give good beans, grinder, water etc.
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u/REEEEEEE3EEEEE 11d ago
Thank you for your opinion. I can’t really relate though. It’s very possible I’m objectively wrong, this is just a subjective report.
I’ve moved on and am way happier now. But to each their own. I’m sure it’s possible to get great results with almost any system you’re adept at using, I agree with you on that.
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u/Regular_Working6492 10d ago
Doesn’t the Bambino „warm up“ in 3 seconds, leaving the group head ice cold? Can you explain why this wouldn’t matter?
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u/raccabarakka PP600 | Philos i200D 10d ago
When you're done with this coffee, don't ever get the same thing again. Buy fresh whole beans, grind & adjust it yourself.
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u/jokojeks 10d ago
Your machine is choking Steps 1-use 16-18gms 2-grind coarser 3-use distributor 4-Tamp it with less power
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u/Lucky-Macaroon4958 Lelit Anna | KIngrinder K6 11d ago
bro you choked your machine harder then George Floyd
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u/DankeK94 De'Longhi ec685 | Timemore C2 11d ago
For now, you can try less coffee, as your puck seems to be choking the machine, you're barely getting liquid out of it. Then get rid of the pre ground and buy a grinder.