Espresso Troubleshooting: Why are my shots spraying everywhere?

[@brianharman82]

I had major issues with spraying during my extraction, it began with my Breville Barista Express and carried over to my new Rocket Giotto Evo R. This told me it was a me problem so I began trying new things like different distribution tools, finer or coarser grind, even a puck screen but still I had some spray towards the end of my extraction. About 2 months ago I purchased a WDT tool with .4 mm needles and this was a 100% fix! I stir clockwise starting at the bottom of the basket then move up to the middle and finish with a raking at the top. This almost fluffs up the coffee grinds and gives me a smooth feeling tamp, but bottom line is I get a perfectly even start when extraction begins and the stream comes from the center very quickly. I was so happy when I fixed this issue it was driving me crazy, I really hope this helps someone fighting this annoying battle! Good Luck and have fun with it!

[@jacobmierendorff1833]

I just got a barista express and I am having the same issues! Hope this fixes it 🙏🏼 Thanks for sharing 😊😊😊

[@brianharman82]

@@jacobmierendorff1833 Awesome machine, I still have mine on the counter even though I no longer use it everyday, keep us posted. If you get small sprays every so often don't be discouraged, it's hard to make a perfect puck each and every time. Your goal should be to limit the constant spraying that causes a major clean up!

[@clivecoffee]

This is great! Thanks for sharing!

[@jacobmierendorff1833]

Good news everyone 🎉 Spraying has reduced significantly, I get tiny sprays every now and again but it’s so much more consistent and tastes great! Super thankful for your comment, and for this great video! 🤩❤️

[@hsavin6069]

Definitely gonna try this on my express. Just did my first bottomless shot and had a clean up on isle 4. Thanks for the info!!

[@zarkozi]

Video starts at 3:40 And I would also add - dirty grinder. If your grinder isn't mainained and properly cleaned, it may cause additional clumping and uneven grinds. And use WDT tool. Also high presures. Barista express with its 15bar is more likely to cause channeling than eg barista pro with 9 bp.

[@akmar1984]

@Blake Valley It's the grinder !

[@penultimatename6677]

Use to have the problem. Probably took a couple of months of terrible shots to get the hang of it. I also upgraded my grinder as well as the tamper and distributor to Bravo. The Bravo distributor and tamper are pricy but well worth it. Recently added a WDT to remove clumps. Now using a bottomless portafilter the shot is perfect every time. My only issue is when I buy a new bag of whole beans. Might be different elevation, process, roast, etc. I wish there was a simple density tool to check one or two beans. Allowing one to make a better educated guess when setting the grinder.

[@clivecoffee]

Thanks for sharing!

[@CDdogg303]

I just seen a video that suggested crushing a bean or two before hand with your thumb which will start giving you an idea of density. Maybe a decent idea, I'm going to start trying it

[@mateuszmatuszczak5331]

I think you are forgetting about the most obvious culprits of spraying: limescale and worn-out gaskets. Espresso machine maintenance is very important and we tend to ignore it. Limescale and worn-out gaskets cause leaks, uneven pressure, and water blockages. Recently I had problems with pulling good shots on my Gaggia Classic. Turns out I had to clean the solenoid valve and the shower. I also changed the worn-out gasket (it didn't hold the pressure anymore) from a rubber one (which tends to dissolve over time) to a silicone one. Now there are no more pressure leaks and the shots are just beautiful - no more spraying. I use a naked portafilter so I can directly observe the water flow.

[@clivecoffee]

Totally! There can be many causes for coffee spraying & espresso issues. For this video, we focused on coffee-related problems but we'd love to create a video addressing those concerns. Will add it to the list. Thanks for the feedback!

[@noob19087]

@Blake Valley For the limescale I can say that after owning a Lelit Anna for around a year now, and living in an area with very soft water, this is the first time I've descaled it and I did not regret doing it. The flavour became clearer and my shots have become more evenly extracted. The acid rinse water that I used came out green and tasting very minerally, so it must have definitely dissolved something from there. It's not a big task so I'd say do it fairly often, it's better to overdo it than underdo it I think.

[@dchauvin]

I have a Breville Bambino....I seem to really be having a lot of channeling as of late. I'll work through some of the suggestions here to help some of my techniques to work through the problem. Surprisingly, the shots aren't tasting too bad when they channel, but boy howdy do they make a mess. Great video. Thanks Sam!!

[@clivecoffee]

Cheers! Happy shot pulling.

[@ukaszpodgajny4891]

I had a major issue with coffee spraying from my botomless portafilter and tried everything included in the video. The advice that helped me is shortly mentioned at the end of the video - poor quality basket. Once I replaced it with a quality one, the problem disappeared instantly.

[@clivecoffee]

Glad it helped!!

[@BobMacNeal]

Recipe and freshness are solid tips but have little to do with the spattering observed out of a bottomless portafilter. In my experience, puck prep (i.e., even distribution and pre-infusion if possible ) are the only ways I’ve found to limit spatter. Another consideration is group head pressure (e.g. some stock machines produce an excess of pressure - on the order of 15 bars without jury rigging an aftermarket hack).

[@razorpit]

How long do you pre-infuse?

[@BobMacNeal]

@@razorpit About 8 seconds. Helpful video on pre-infusion here (if you happen to have a Gaggia Classic Pro) kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6C9poyXedZor8U

[@clivecoffee]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dr.phelps]

JERRY rigging ;)

[@CDdogg303]

​@@razorpit Videos suggest about 10 seconds but its also something to play around with

[@witzfud8619]

I hardly ever get spraying anymore. The main benefit for me of using a distribution tool is that it helps me get a level tamp. I use a Pullman precision basket, which I think helps as well. I also stick to my favorite beans, so I don't often need to make major adjustments to grind size.

[@clivecoffee]

Thanks for sharing!

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Reduce pressure to 6-8 bar and grind courser but make sure you de-clump (less of an issue if you grind courser) and distribute properly before tamping.

[@chilipalmer2428]

Or dump the espresso machine and let gravity do the work via pour over method?

[@chilipalmer2428]

In addition to the WDT stir suggestions, I found using a metal puck screen reduced spray by about 2/3rds.

[@kylekirouac3035]

In this video one of the reasons you mention for channeling is “coffee that is ground too fine” however, upon EXTENSIVE searches, the whole of the internet is telling me that if the bottomless portafilter sprays, it’s because the coffee isn’t ground fine enough. Guess I’m looking for some follow up information as to why the suggestion in this video contradicts everything else I’ve read

[@clivecoffee]

If your coffee is too fine, initially, you'll see very low flow, but eventually, the water will bust through the puck and create channels. If your coffee is ground too coarse, spraying and channels happen because there isn't enough resistance from the espresso puck for an even extraction. Channeling will occur if your coffee is too coarse OR too fine. Both things are true.

[@taylerphillips-uc2qv]

This video was so easy to understand and so helpful! I’m not kidding when I say that I’ve probably watched about 50 videos (or more) to solve this issue! Thank you! Where is your grinder from?

[@clivecoffee]

Thank you for the kind words! glad to be of service :) that grinder is the eureka mignon xl. we sell it!

[@galartsi]

The video title is very different than the content. This is more of a "basics of espresso" video than actually diving into channeling...

[@clivecoffee]

We also have a video that focuses specifically on channeling if you're interested! clivecoffee.com/blogs/learn/what-is-channeling

[@speedster21auer73]

Thanks for the advice it should be very helpful for me having just gotten a good machine and having some channeling problems

[@thibaut5345]

The first tip is just out of your imagination. Newly roasted coffee is known not to be the best tasting, and it does not make sense scientifically that more CO2 in the beans decreases the spilling.

[@clivecoffee]

It depends on how many days it is off the roast.

[@Mr2Badboybrown]

I got a bottomless portafilter a few weeks ago I'm having some Channeling issues but the main problems I have are getting the right grind size and fast shots

[@clivecoffee]

If your grinder isn't grinding fine enough for espresso, it may be time to look for an upgrade. Feel free to hit us up!

[@GC987]

What a very enjoyable and informative video to watch. Thanks !

[@clivecoffee]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@damnhockey]

Thank you for an excellent, well thoughtout video, great information

[@clivecoffee]

Thank you!

[@full_metal2452]

Channeling caused by too fine of grind and puck cracks from pressure

[@LivingTheLifeRetired]

I’m going to up my dose from 17g to 18g and see if that will allow me to grind slightly coarser. My machine can also preinfuse so maybe that is something else to play with.

[@drumsbyjones]

Too kind of you, waiting for us to buy new espresso beans! 😄 Subbed! 😊👍🏻

[@realMartinHamilton]

Great information here. This explains several problems very well. Thanks.

[@clivecoffee]

Glad it was helpful!

[@krismeaney2841]

I find this kind of unrealistic to think that most people can buy espresso that was not roasted over 10 days ago! Supermarket coffee, even the most expensive beans are all going to be older than that. . . you would have to buy your beans from a specialty place that roasts their own beans, I would think. My Kirkland coffee bag does not even have (not that I could find anyways) the roasting date. Kirkland brand uses Starbucks beans. Maybe not the best, but certainly not terrible coffee.

[@clivecoffee]

It's actually not that unrealistic in 2023, especially since you can purchase coffee on the internet, roasted to your door, from anywhere. Mistobox, Trade, etc., are great subscription services.. Most cafés worth their salt will cycle out beans that are older than 3 weeks old and repurpose them. The problem with purchasing coffee from the supermarket, while convenient often don;t have roast dates at all, OR if they have a roast date, they're super past prime! The best rule of thumb is to drink what tastes good to you, and if the coffee you're drinking tastes good to you, that's amazing and we support that!

[@emmanuelnalli]

great , thanks

[@MrsCloudLee]

Omg thank you so much for the video!

[@clivecoffee]

Our pleasure!

[@kimbridge5592]

i have an 14 to 18 gram basket. so i am assuming i can just use 18 grams if i want. but can thet make the puck soggy because there is room to put more. but can it still tase good.

[@clivecoffee]

The amount of coffee you put in your basket really depends on 1. the size of your basket, so you identified how much coffee your basket can take. great. and 2. what your espresso ratio is. Soggy pucks usualy don't matter.

[@SwervingLemon]

Thanks for this video. I was apparently grinding too fine.

[@clivecoffee]

Our pleasure! Glad your shots are pulling nicely now.

[@fahryht991]

I use a naked porta filter where it shoots everywhere🤦

[@ozpain1]

Man, I just got some beans from Japan. Shop said I need to grind extra fine. Using Ceado e37s, RDT, WDT, distributer, bottomless PF and a quick miss pathfinder. Ground a bit extra fine and channeling was super messy. Ground way fine and choked up the 83mm burr set. After cleaning thoroughly, I went a bit more coarse in an assumed safe range to prevent choking. The channeling was still very present, like, all over the counter. Any help would be super appreciated!

[@bmtr11111]

Ty!

[@FaithAndCoffeeBean]

Love the good knowledge drop!!!!! ☕️👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽😀😎

[@jose09841]

The freshness of the coffee beans affects the extraction if the beans are old and stale you will need to use the pressurized basket to get a better extraction. I would only recommend using the non pressurized double shot basket when the coffee is within a week of roasting and can produce a great shot. Also I would use a WDT tool if you have a less quality grinder that leaves clumps in the coffee grounds and this should ensure a smooth extraction.

[@clivecoffee]

We don't recommend using pressurized baskets at all, but recognize that some people do. We always recommend using coffee for espresso no longer than a month in normal situations.

[@MrStratos18]

i have the machine (DELONGI DELICA) for more than year and a half, i brought Bottomless Portafilter from amazon, first same coffe amount and all normal i hav a good Coffe of espresso, i grind my self and find how fine is ok back then ,now whn i extract with this i have zero cream and coffe is blant also the extraction spashing around,i try other bean also same, the factory portafilter works ok even now. ALSO my pour is very fast

[@clivecoffee]

You may need to make a grind adjustment or the coffee you're using is too old.

[@MyMusiqueLive]

Love your outfit!

[@clivecoffee]

thank you!

[@G_ShuShu]

What will be the recommended dosage of coffee for a 4 cup 51mm basket and the idle extraction time?

[@clivecoffee]

Not sure what a 4 cup basket is, We do not have any machines that take 51mm baskets.

[@ERA71K]

I'm getting channelling, but it's not technique. I have a simonelli nuova musica and uts pissing water out of the head in all different angles without the group handle being there. I've back flashed it and I can't figure why it's doing it

[@Tahirlalani]

Hahahaha I love this introoo❤❤😂 Subscribing nowww

[@clivecoffee]

appreciate ya! Always feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you just want to chat coffee.

[@uncle-k3m]

Are very fresh beans (roasted 1 day ago) a possible cause of channeling/spraying?

[@clivecoffee]

Yes, the sweet spot for using coffee for espresso is about 5-7 days off the roast. This is because it has had time to off-gas, and extractions will be more consistent.

[@michaelleibsonthinkingmusi2895]

I'm using dark roast beans thru a Varia grinder and a Flair 58 (manual) home espresso machine - had no spray issues until I began freezing my roasted beans in order to preserve their "best by" dates. Can using frozen beans contribute to spraying?

[@mejasiu]

It shouldn't but I guess it depends on how you are freezing them. Make sure they are not getting any mostiure on them in anyway since that could be bad for you beans. You may want to try freezing small batches and find if all your frozen batches have the same issue or if some do and other don't. Maybe you can his can help you figure out what the actual issue is

[@meenalagarwal6481]

My machine makes a pressure sound , like the gasket is going off and then sprays coffee all over. Is it a machine parts issue

[@rodrigonitrini7144]

Great video ! I do have a question: just changed beans (super fresh, recently roasted, from good source). 18 grams into the portafilter. But unlike previous coffes, this one takes too long to start dropping (10 seconds in Breville Barista) and it basically drips, without continuous flow. After 25 seconds, cup has about a 1/3 of a normal shot. I reckon the grinding should be coarser, aside from good distributing and tamping. But it's been a struggle. Does coarser sound about right?

[@jayirwin3190]

late reply, but definitely grind coarser

[@akmar1984]

I would invest in Niche Zero grinder. I had the Breville Barista Express and it was a nightmare to dial in after a while. Now the coffee and the shots are amazing. I also bought the La Marzocco Micra. I'm in heaven!

[@graciekattan6618]

I also have the Breville Barista! You probably got it by now but I believe that is an over extraction problem. Either you tamped too hard, put too much coffee grinds into the portafilter, or the grind is too fine which in that case you’re right the grind needs to be courser. I also had that problem several times and it was also one of those 3 problems (:

[@fredlacroix6865]

use paper for portafilter easy

[@clivecoffee]

That's one thing that can help. Doesn't replace good technique, however.

[@SlickSonicTitan]

Ive just got a puck screen and its made shots ten seconds quicker, now getting 16/18 second shots. Whats up with that?

[@clivecoffee]

Strange! Could be a lot of things. So many variables go into pulling a shot of espresso, we find that the simpler the better.

[@squishyAvcdo]

The espresso recipe is Dose:18, Yield:36, Time:30 seconds, so what would the recipe be for a double shot?

[@clivecoffee]

This is a recipe for a "double shot".

[@emonkhan1443]

I'm having lots of gushing, does coarse grind and using single dose amount of coffee in a double shot portafilter cause this?

[@Koofteh]

Every basket has a specific amount of capacity. So you can't make a single shot using a double basket. 5:20

[@jackmesiha960]

If 14 grams of coffee to extract 28 coffees, how long will the extraction time ?

[@clivecoffee]

That's dependent on your dose and your yield.

[@bobweiss7348]

Thanks for the video. Is your recipe of 18 grams of coffee with a 36 gram yield for a single shot?

[@clivecoffee]

18 grams // 25-35 seconds brew time // 25-40 grams out is a good range to get started with!

[@engineer52]

I think the question was whether that is a single or double shot.

[@aaron0505]

What are the scales being used?

[@clivecoffee]

Acaia Pearl & Lunar scales.

[@ckoh7948]

Which grind size do you recommend for espresso?

[@clivecoffee]

That depends on the coffee and the grinder you're using. There is no one size fits all for espresso.

[@ehg02]

Could it be the grinder?

[@clivecoffee]

100% could be!

[@ehg02]

@@clivecoffee any you may recommend? I tried everything from newly roasted coffee, to new tamping tool and WDT, and even new filter basket, but seeing your coffee ground, I believe it is the grinder. I even tried to slightly wet the beans before grinding, but it did not improve the sputtering. The consistency was definitely more liquidy.

[@SK_SANOWAR_786]

Can I get a shot here without a distributor just by tamping?Is this necessary for a perfect shot or not?

[@clivecoffee]

You don't necessarily need a distribution tool, but more even distribution leads to more even extraction.

[@SK_SANOWAR_786]

@@clivecoffee But for that we can change the grinding size espresso machine right? It's necessary!!

[@clivecoffee]

You must distribute the coffee evenly in your portafilter basket before tamping and pulling the shot. @@SK_SANOWAR_786

[@realretrorelapse]

What if it is extracting very slow?

[@clivecoffee]

Most likely, you will have to coarsen up your grind setting.

[@dmmfitnessandnutrition5117]

I am having this problem

[@clivecoffee]

Did watching this video help resolve any of your issues?

[@MrKaipay]

Why is soggy pucks a bad thing? In another video Clive Coffee says it doesn't matter if the puck is wet/soggy.

[@clivecoffee]

It's not always a bad thing. It could mean that you have too much head room in your basket and need to dose more coffee into your portafilter basket, for instance.

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

▪️ Because they're NOT CUTE. 🟥

[@seanmanuelcasino]

Great video! Is that the stock mignon grinder dial? If it's not, I'd love to know what kind of dial mod you're using, and where I could get one. :)

[@Jaroslav.]

That dial comes as stock with the Mignon XL. Hope that helps!

[@clivecoffee]

Yes, this is the stock dial for the Mignon Oro XL, which is what we are using in this video.

[@rxonmymind8362]

I have gone through two bags of coffee fresh and old and still get spraying. I have yet to get a single good espresso shot. I have a WDT tool, The needle thingy and leveler. I have a 51 mm espresso basket that takes about 14 g to 15 g. I have stepped my grinding from coarse to extra fine Both with and without the puck on top of the coffee grounds. My machine does nothing but spit coffee and leak down the handle onto the countertop. I have tried 12g of coffee and went through the seven grind settings and it's still spits and leaks coffee. Ready to throw this espresso machine out In the garbage can. There's no way in hell you could go through two bags of coffee and not get a single espresso shot. Not one. I have used fresh roasted coffee grounds and I have used old Ross clearance Starbucks coffee grounds. This machine likes to spit coffee. Any help is appreciated.

[@clivecoffee]

Hey there! I'd recommend taking our Coffee School classes! Super huge resource: clivecoffee.com/collections/coffee-school

[@rxonmymind8362]

I finally got it. Thank you.

[@clivecoffee]

@@rxonmymind8362 Amazing! Congrats and happy shot pulling.

[@maxjansen8110]

4:43 says tamp evenly, tamps unevenly

[@clivecoffee]

Every barista has their off days.

[@aec258]

Still waiting…

[@gwvaio]

Is it because I have a cheap machine that can’t produce 9lbs of pressure?

[@clivecoffee]

It could be...? If you've tried all the tips, and you have a great grinder, it could be time to look into other machine options. We are here to help!

[@evil_twit]

Actually never use beans fresher than two weeks.

[@clivecoffee]

you totally can

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

▪️ Idk where to find fresh roasted beans in my city... 🟥

[@darrellmunoz7420]

This was so fun!! Easy video ranking - Promo'SM !!

[@clivecoffee]

Glad you liked it!!

[@peacenzmiddleast]

Yeah sorry but recommended good coffee is like preaching to the choir, if you clicked play on this kinda video you’re already using good coffee..

[@clivecoffee]

It's surprisingly untrue. After coaching hundreds of baristas online and in person, this is the most common issue we see amongst new home baristas! (A tragedy!) We will be continuing to release more advanced content as we progress :)

[@johnwet6969]

@@clivecoffee But how to recognise a good coffee? I'm starting to become crazy and I'm frustrated quite long time. When in the past I made filtered V60 coffee or "so called espresso" in cheap DeLonghi Dedica 685 almost all shots taste good, sometimes great. Not so strong, little watery sometimes, but smooth, clear, lovely taste. Also with nice brown crema, nice smell etc. I was using precise levelling and tamping technique and precision dosing and solid conical grinder. After I purchased dual boiler with 58,8mm basket and calibrated pressure gauge everything goes away, faaaar away! I'm not able to pull any drinkable shot. Everything is sour, or bitter, or sour and bitter together, almost always astringent in same time. Coffee shots looks nice, sometimes gets ratio 20/40 in 27-30 sec., nice crema too, but no nice smell and taste is horrible. Many times I have channeling issue and mostly have problem with coffee beans, that water runs through it like Niagara even when grind is very, very fine. I'm using only fresh (5-30 days) beans from local roastery, medium roasted and mostly single origins Arabica and few times espresso blend from Arabicas too. Only one blend was quite good and I was able to pull almost drinkable shots, but when I changed to some other coffee, water goes fast again and taste was gone. Finer grinding didn't help. I'm using WDT, good grinder, precision 58,5mm leveler, precision tamper, mg weight and timer. Spending tons of time and result is nowhere. :-( Any suggestion?

[@cy1454]

I found myself of being guilty: just starting to learn on how to pull a good shot, thought it would be wise to use older beans to dial in. I wasted about 6 shots today, tweaking every factor while still getting bad channeling etc. I was getting frustrated. Will get some beans tomorrow.

[@yankalu2000]

This was not helpful.

[@clivecoffee]

Apologies, mate. If you want some one one-on-one instruction, we got you! clivecoffee.com/products/coffee-school-one-on-one-coaching?ref=coffee-school

[@thetiredtourist3927]

It's ridiculous , brand new fresh coffee, a million dollar grinder, timed shots... you wonder why Nespresso machines became so popular, go buy one or visit your favourite coffee shop. This is strictly for the hardcore.

[@clivecoffee]

Anyone can make great espresso if they're interested in putting in the practice it requires to learn the fundamentals. No one said making espresso was easy!

[@thetiredtourist3927]

or cheap@@clivecoffee

[@Raph333]

its not that hard 😂

[@m.r.a.9149]

That's typical American 🤣 I am from South Italy, we've the best coffee shots in the world and I have NEVER EVER seen an old Barista here using so much theory or equipment. The coffee here is just good. Use gut feeling and your heart and leave those theories for Germans or English guys BTW: your espresso is quite too blonde and thin

[@johnwet6969]

Can you help me? I'm not American, nor English or German. But how to recognise a good coffee? I'm starting to become crazy and I'm frustrated quite long time. When in the past I made filtered V60 coffee or "so called espresso" in cheap DeLonghi Dedica 685 almost all shots taste good, sometimes great. Not so strong, little watery sometimes, but smooth, clear, lovely taste. Also with nice brown thiner crema, nice smell etc. I was using precise levelling and tamping technique and precision dosing and solid conical grinder. After I purchased dual boiler with 58,8mm basket and calibrated pressure gauge everything goes away, faaaar away! I'm not able to pull any drinkable shot. Everything is sour, or bitter, or sour and bitter together, almost always astringent in same time. Coffee shots looks nice, sometimes gets ratio 20/40 in 27-30 sec., nice crema too, but no nice smell and taste is horrible. Many times I have channeling issue and mostly have problem with coffee beans, that water runs through it like Niagara even when grind is very, very fine. I'm using only fresh (5-30 days /if they don't lie) beans from local roastery, medium roasted and mostly single origins Arabica and few times espresso blend from Arabicas too. Only one blend was quite good and I was able to pull almost drinkable shots, but when I changed to some other coffee, water goes fast again and taste was gone. Finer grinding didn't help. Sometimes my gauge goes up to 9 bars and immediately fals down to 7-8 bars and speed up too much. I'm using WDT, good grinder, precision 58,5mm leveler, precision tamper, mg weight and timer. Tried 19, 20, 21g of coffe in, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 80g out, tried 22s, 25, 27, 30, 33 seconds... All bad... Spending tons of time and result is nowhere. :-( I'm feeling like an idiot. Any suggestion? Is it about roast, or total freshness, or robusta blend, or what?

[@DR.ELEKTRIK]

All this could easily be avoided if you use puck screens!

[@7531monkey]

Upgrade to a portafilter with a bottom, problem solved

[@clivecoffee]

hahaha touchè