The more I learn about espresso, the less I know about espresso...

"it is annoying" sums up the process of dialing in espresso perfectly! I love it now I've learned more about dialing in but it was definitely hard to begin with! I can't think of many food/drink preparations that are so finicky to get right. Tiny changes in particle size or a few extra ml extracted can be the difference between perfection and a bitter or sour coffee. When it's right though, it can be incredible. Great content as always!

I've had that reaction to sour espresso, but I've never had the echo, no matter how loud I yell. That only comes from being a TRUE Espresso Master. Great video as always Lance!

Once I was so desperate from going finer and finer and still getting sour that I just went in the other direction because what the heck else I was supposed to do. And you guessed it, I got sweeter! that was a revelation. And now I finally understand why and hopefully will be able to make a more informed decision in future. Thanks Lance!

Bruh is a genius. IQ 9000. A coffee master in every possible way. Great teaching, amazing video quality.

Best explanation I’ve ever seen in my 10 years of sour/bitter shots. Very understandable.

Tried my first straight espresso shot this morning…and it was the worst taste I’ve ever had from a drink. 🤣 So thankful for your video and KZfaq’s algorithm this morning.

If after all of that, you can’t drink that espresso because is still “sour “, make a cappuccino, move on and be happy 😂

Great video!! I was struggling because I was trying to pull a 30g shot from 20g of medium roasted beans and no matter what grind size I was using it was tasting sour. Upped it to 35 and suddenly the shot was sweet! Subscribed ❤️🤝

I had a regular problem with sour shots when I was experimenting with an early model Flair lever machine. Shots times were good, prep seemed good. Eventually I figured out that the main issue was temperature management, it was difficult to get the temperature of the group high and keep it there during the shot. I had to soak the whole steel group in near boiling water, reassemble it, and then do the shot as fast as possible before it lost too much temperature (without burning my hands). Tricky!

Dude you nail it every time! Thank you for your help.

I've been watching some of your older uploads... and then I watch this one. The step up in presentation is phenomenal dude!

I was getting sour espresso on the absolute finest grind setting on my grinder. Was so confused until I realised even at the finest setting my grinder wasn’t grinding fine enough. So I brought out my manual grinder and after a few practice shots, I was getting perfect, delicious espresso. I’m so chuffed!

Lance this is the best video on explaining the concepts of coffee extraction. You have a super human talent for breaking things down and making them easy to understand. Well done !!

The best thing I ever did for better tasting shots is puck prep, especially WDT. WDT was a game changer for more satisfying espresso. Whether the shots are long, short, middle or turbo... it always tastes better with WDT. It very much helps with the bitter and sour issues.

This video could not have come at a better time for me, i just got a grinder and was so excited to taste the espresso only to find that it was super sour!!

Just saved an under extracted shot of James Hoffman's "Il Grifone" by transferring the puck to my Hario Switch. The under extracted shot in the cup and 180 ml 85 celcius water in the dripper - let it steam for 1 min and release to the cup and mix. Made a very decent cup of coffee and then we dialed in the grind size for a very nice espresso. Zero waste of precious beans.

i always enjoying watching Lance's KZfaq, easy to understand and a strong sense of humor.

This is great advice man. Thanks. I’ve been struggling with grind size being too fine. I’ll try more coarse to see if things get better.

Lance, that is a great detailed video, thanks for your advice. I bought and tested the equipment and it greatly improved the quality of my espresso. Thank-you, so much!

My coffee was constanly sour although I nailed everything to an extent you'd not believe. In the end, the reason was THE TEMPERATURE! It does way more than you think at least for light roast coffee but I guess that's why you are here! So IF YOUR SPECIALTY COFFEE IS STILL SOUR, RAISE YOUR TEMP TO 96 deg C / 205 f and see what happens. MAGIC. From there lower it slowly to fine tune. De rien.

That's really helpful info. Could you create a cheat sheet that lists all those situations and explains how to spot and then to fix them?

Bless you, letting my shots run longer to the 1:3-1:4 lungo range really cut down on sourness and let alot more sweet flavors through. I'm sure a grinder with finer adjustments, or a better machine would make true proper espresso, but not everyone has the time and money to make 100% perfect shots.

Great video. Yeah, espresso isn't rocket science, but it isn't simple either. Many people simplify their approach and assume water is going through the puck evenly. Your explanation is straight forward and genius and I have used it with my friends who complain about "sour espresso". Brilliant Sir.

love the lights

Your videos are exactly what most of us need. I just made a sour coffee with proper timing and ratio..and i find this video 😅 thank you! Your hair is amazing ❤

Those curls were the first thing I noticed on my 4K TV! 😍

Thank you for explaining how under-extraction can be caused both by having it too course as well as too fine.

Sometimes sour gets mistaken for acidic. So don't always just pour the shot down the sink. Make a latte with it. And if the sour tasting shot makes a tasty latte.. chances are the shot was acidic and not sour. I recently discovered this when I switched from a high to medium roast coffee bean. I thought my beans were still too fresh and full of CO2. As I thought it was sour tasting. I poured the first couple shots down the sink. Then thought I'll just use the 3rd sour shot in a latte instead of wasting it. The latte tasted just as good as the latte I bought from the coffee shop where I bought the beans from

A lot of this was basics, but there were a few nuggets that's were super helpful. I'd love the bitter side of this discussion too

Love the details!!! Dang I always learn a lot from you Lance! now we need the “bitter” version!

Great video. The scenario of too fine a grind creating a fast extraction is a real sleeper case. Getting puck prep consistent is a must before diagnosing and assuming other culprit.

Made what I would consider an unoptimal extraction yesterday and it tastes great and pulled it near perfect today only to be super sour. Glad I found this video

This was helpful for me, and also I one hundred percent subscribed because of your on-fleek curls.

bro litreally , you cleared all my doubts. SUBSCRIBED

Depending on the beans I had also great success using the blooming allongé extraction. I get more fruitiness snd and no sourness which is also easily explained by your extraction tipps and tricks

Well, that's something we can work with... Many thanks! Mate of mine sold his stuff out off pure frustration 😂

Ha!!!! That reaction at the beginning. Too damn funny! 🙌🏻

How's nobody mentioning that insane intro? Amazing work, Lance!

Love the mic a d the voice. Very clear! Great job Lance

Curl game intense Lance! 🎉

Thanks for the tips. Just pull a sour one: 18g in - 38g out - 60sec. Gonna try coarser grind tomorrow while keeping other variables the same. Really learn something from your explanation! Great job!

You’re stepping your game up with the intros! Beautifully done!

New Lance Hedrick vid ? Today is a good day :D

I want my Lelit now! BTW Lance, congratulations on the production and editing of your new videos! They are really awesome!

Thank you Lance! And yes, your hair looks so shiny, amazing!

His humor is my favorite 🤣

I gotchu on them hair products homie. Lmk if you need some curly tips. Love the videos. Keep the tips coming.

7:31 thoughts arrive like butterflies 🦋

I bet the espresso he sipped at the beginning wasn’t even that sour 😂

I bought a De'Longhi La Specialista Arte a few weeks ago and despite having rusty but decent skills as a barista in the early 90s (not Starbucks), I've had a hell of a time trying to dial in a decent espresso. I'm close, but thank you for these awesome videos and hopefully these tips help.

well i'm impressed simply for the fact that you are a coffee professional and coffee drinker (and professional coffee drinker lulz) and yet you are wearing a white shirt and it seems to be spotless.

Surprised you didn't mention temperature much. Although some machines you don't have much control over that, but you do have control over grind size and brew times and ratios

"There's no such thing as a catch-all in espresso because it is annoying." Now THAT is what I need on a t-shirt.

So start watching it from 10:30 -on to jump immediately to the summary! :)

thank youuuu for this. I’ve been watching a lot of videos trying to find the answer because mine have been really sour but take too much time to reach the right volume. will go a bit coarser!! tysm

Excellent reminder of some basic principles and timely since I’ve had a lot of sour happening recently. Also kudos for the use of “en flique”, sadly no product or tips will bring back my locks.

I have no interest in coffee, but I subscribed to your channel because you have the best intro on KZfaq.

I am struggling with sour or underdeveloped espresso shots, and it confused me a great deal when my espresso still had bitterness in it, though obviously under extracted, and I also experienced that sourness tends to increase when grinding finer, which was confusing as well. Thanks for addressing these seemingly odd phenomena.

the curls are immaculate Lance. my hair is too short at the moment but do link them in the description box!

So wait, you're not supposed to just give up and turn every shot into an Americano with cream..?

Solid video. As a non native English speaker, I find that one simple thing not done enough is simply, erm, clarifying the terms "bitter" and "sour" which seem to be used interchangeably in English, even if they mean completely different things.

Great vid Lance! Appreciated the sour v acidic distinction, something I definitely conflate at times. Keep the awesome content coming!

Great practical information! I imagine this would be useful for most people entering the confusing world of coffee. I also enjoyed your “bad” jokes.

lmaoo these videos are hilarious and insightful, keep it up bruddahh!

Hi Lance, very informative, hope I can turn it into practice. P.S. 13min. without grasping for air... very good

Here in the UK 🇬🇧 we have the ultimate fix to sour or bitter coffee and it is so simple... Tea!

One problem I have is: when I grind finer, I either clog my filter or I get a really fast extraction (50g+ in 25~30 seconds), using a Delonghi Dedica, JX Pro, WDT, bottomless PF. After MONTHS of trying new things I gave up and accepted it's something with either my grinder or machine. My hacky solution is to get water that is very rich in sodium bicarbonate (300~600mg/L), which mutes the sourness quite a bit and also makes the coffee extra creamy haha

Love the Tai Zonde reference!!

Thanks Lance, great video as always. This lines up to my experience of puckering sour shots that are extracted too long and have small yield.

Great video lance. I went courser and way better. I have an older breville duo temp using a double shot double lined high pressure basket. I think that’s why it was so sour before because I had the grind way to fine

Thank you Lance. I dont think anyone could have said it better. Yeah go on, link them.

Temperature would have an impact too.. depending on roast. If puck prep is good, check temp.

I wish I could give this video a hug!

At first I thought you pulled a good espresso and just pretended it was sour for the intro but the end of the video convinced me otherwise. I like it! 😄

My home roasted makes sour espresso, my experimental store bought Lavazza has no sourness with the same machine and process. I believe how you roast makes a big difference

Finally fixed my sour espresso due to my grind being too fine! Thanks!

Mind blown. I've been subscribing to Verve coffee and been struggling with the sour notes (20g/30sec/40g). After watching this, I went back to my grinder, set it to finer grind (20g/60sec/38g) and it was still sour. Then I went to the opposite extreme with a courser grind (20g/23sec/41g) and it was PERFECT. Seriously guys! Literally just had to pull 2 shots to solve the problem. It's amazing how only a few seconds can completely transform the flavor. Ironically, the Verve website recommends those settings and I never even thought to look. 😖

Excellent video Lance! Really nice explanation. Cheers from 🇮🇹

I can feel the Glow Lance

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: ☕ Understanding the extraction process: Coffee extraction involves three main phases - sour, sweet, and bitter. 🧊 Sourness indicators: Sourness in espresso can stem from underextraction, characterized by sour and watery shots, or overextraction, leading to bitterness and dryness. 📏 Fixing underextraction: If your espresso is sour and underextracted, adjust by fining the grind and allowing more contact time for better extraction. 🏋️‍♂️ Fixing overextraction: If your espresso is bitter and overextracted, coarse the grind to promote even water flow through the coffee puck. 🔄 Adjusting extraction time: Tailor extraction time to achieve the desired flavor profile, whether it requires lengthening or shortening the extraction process. 📐 Consistent preparation: Ensure consistent and thorough preparation methods, such as distributing grounds evenly and tamping consistently, for better extraction. 🚫 Tamp pressure myth: Tamp pressure doesn't significantly affect extraction; focus instead on grind size, extraction time, and coffee-to-water ratio. 🌟 Aim for sweetness: Apply these tips to brew sweeter espresso and improve overall coffee quality. Made with HARPA AI

This was such a helpful video, you have no idea. Thank you!

your son has the right idea, straight lemon is quite delicious

Appreciate the theory and knowledge. One suggestion: it might help people more if you demonstrate what you’re talking about as you talk about it.

To be a great coffee person I must, therefore, have great hair. I understand... now I have work to do. Thank you for this video!

So I just stepped up to a real espresso machine, got a bunch of coffee from my fav local roaster and nothing I did gave me anything other than a sour/salty cup. Going finer and finer didnt do anything to help, going coarser never helped. Finally sat back and saw what was actually going on with pressure, temp, and time. Realized my prep wasnt as thorough as I was expecting it to be, finally troubleshot that, got the grind size right by looking at pressure after I got puck prep right, now I'm more or less experimenting with yield. 1:2 seems good but seems like more work to be done. Finally getting things locked in. Only cost a full bag of coffee and about a week to get it done. I'm in the right zone now, I think I still need to play with some of the grind size. I have it right now just fine enough that it slows extraction down to a) hit full pressure. any coarser and it wont ever reach the full pressure or if it does it drops off quickly and b) is almost right at a 28 second contact time. much finer and it drags out past 30 seconds My shots are 1000x better than they were before this machine, but I still have some dialing in to do.

From one guy to another because I know we usually don't enough compliments. The hair and moustache is looking mighty fine on you. No opinion on the product. Probably no harm in just linking it. Have a nice day and thanks for the coffee knowledge

Good advice and explanations as always. I have a Breville built-in grinder with my Pro. Puck prep and a WDT tool made a huge difference. Next on the list… grinder upgrade. I’m actually glad I went with a built in grinder. It will make me appreciate a better grinder even more.

Thanks, very helpful. The curls look good!

Wow. Awesome Soundquality! The rest is also great, as always😉

Lance, when do you start your timer? When you flick the switch or from the first drop ?

Clearer sound quality. Nice.🙂👍🏻

Thanks Hance. That was a lot of help 👌 btw, what effect does pre-infusion have on the taste?

Thanks Lance! Awesome video

“Cuz it’s annoying” truest statement ever 😂I need help! I’m using a delonghi-it doesn’t have times?

Love your personality! Thanks for the vid!

I was listening very carefuly ultil 4:46 and that awesome reference 😂🍫🌧

Loving these new intros!

Thanks for the video, really helpful. Although i recently found out that my dedica is common for not getting very hot water temp, how imperative is that. Increasing my yeild did reduce the sourness. I think your curls are awesome and the mo

Thanks!