Why Is My Espresso Watery? Fix It Quickly & Easily This Way

Why is my espresso watery? 

Ever wondered that? If so, it means you haven’t been brewing great coffee lately and there might be a bunch of different reasons why this is happening. Stick around, I have compiled a comprehensive guide that goes over all the possible reasons an espresso tastes watery and provides simple solutions to each that can dramatically improve the taste of your coffee. 

Let’s jump straight in.

Why is my espresso watery?

Your espresso is watery because you probably used too finely-ground coffee which makes water run through quickly without extracting much flavours and aromas of your coffee which results in a watery espresso shot. Espresso channelling is another common reason that makes an espresso taste too watery. 

What does watery espresso mean? 

Watery espresso means that your coffee isn’t strong enough, it has a loose texture and weak taste. Many of us drink coffee to kickstart the day or to keep going in the afternoon, and of course, if you’re coffee is

9 reasons why an espresso shots turns watery

Let’s go over 6 common reasons why a shot of espresso tastes watery. 

1. Too thin coffee grounds

Let’s take a step back and talk about how an espresso machine works (it will help you understand why it’s not wise using too thin coffee grounds).

You place the coffee grounds on the inside of the portafilter and then put it on the espresso machine where a small amount of water sprays the coffee grounds to achieve better coffee extraction. Then hot water runs from the water tank towards the coffee grounds. Ideally, the water needs to find resistance and this way coffee flavours and aromas are extracted from the grounds. 

If the water finds no resistance (which happens when the coffee is too finely ground) the end result is going to be loose coffee with zero to no taste of coffee and rather watery.

How can you fix this? 

Your best bet is to go and refer back to the manual of your espresso maker manufacturer. There should be a section that they recommend a specific grind size for your machine to make the perfect espresso. 

If you don’t have the manual, consider talking to the manufacturer’s customer service and make an inquiry. 

2. Too strong tamping

Tamping is an essential part of making espresso with an espresso machine. 

As mentioned above, creating resistance is vital to brew great espresso and tamping helps to create resistance so flavours and aromas from the coffee grounds end up in your cup and don’t stay in the used grounds. But you have to find the soft spot when tamping your coffee grounds. Not too strong tamping won’t create much resistance, while too strong tamping creates channelling. 

What does channelling mean?

Because the coffee grounds are tamped too strongly, the water can’t run through them and it creates a little hole on the edge of the portafilter to run through. 

The result of this?

The espresso is (you guessed it) watery. Because water extracts the flavours and aromas of a very tiny portion of the coffee, the espresso has a strong taste of water. 

What’s the solution to this problem? 

Take a look on the inside of the portafilter it has a mark that indicates the right level of tamping. As long as the coffee grounds are tamped way deeper than this mark you’ll be jst fine and won’t experience coffee channelling. 

3. The water temperature isn’t right

Making an espresso is more of a science than art.

What do I mean by that? 

You need an exact amount of water, coffee and temperature to make an espresso shot that tastes delicious. If just 1 of these variables isn’t right, the odds are your espresso is going to taste weird. 

As you might have guessed the right temperature is a necessity to brew an espresso full of taste. 

What’s the right temperature for an espresso? 

It ranges between 92°C and 96°C (197°F and 205°F)

Guess what happens if you go below that range.

You’re right, it’s called under extracted with a small amount of coffee flavours and aromas slipping through your brew. 

What if you go over the recommended temperature range? 

It’s called over extraction, meaning that your coffee is going to be too bitter and undrinkable. 

How can you fix this problem?

Make sure you use a thermometer to measure the temperature and see whether it reaches the right level or not. 

If you notice that your machine doesn’t hit this temperature level, the odds are that your brewer is malfunctioning and in this case it’s wise to hire an espresso brewer professional to help you resolve this issue. 

4. The pressure isn’t right

Let’s say it 1 more time: 

Coffee is more of a science and less about abstract and artistic (don’t get me wrong it can be artistic too but that’s a topic of discussion for another time). 

For this reason you need the right level of pressure to brew a shot of espresso the correct way.

The pressure helps to emulsify the coffee oils and create a thin layer of crema on top of your espresso which doesn’t necessarily add an extra layer of taste but it makes your coffee look more appealing. 

5. Not enough coffee grounds in the portafilter 

Have you run out of coffee grounds?

It happens sometimes you crave for a latte or americano, there’s some coffee grounds in the bag but not enough to pull an espresso shot. You try it anyway but let’s get real the taste of the espresso is watery. 

The solution to this problem is obvious: Make sure you buy coffee grounds when you’re running out of coffee grounds. It’s crucial though not to buy too many coffee grounds and keep them unused in the cupboard; the odds are that they’re going to go stale and the taste of your coffee is going to get spoiled. 

6. Not clean machine

Does your espresso maker look brand new? 

I can’t stretch enough the importance of keeping your coffee machine clean. 

Think about it, the cleaner your espresso machine is, the longer it will last. Plus, the taste of your espresso shot is going to be spot on. 

If your brewer isn’t clean enough the chances are your coffee will have a spoiled taste of hard water minerals including magnesium and coffee residue.

How often should you clean it?

It depends on how often you use your espresso maker. If you brew too many espressos per day it’s good to clean it at least once in 15 days. If you brew around 1 espresso shot per day (a dose good for you), cleaning your espresso machine once a month will be sufficient. 

7. Not fresh coffee grounds

When did you open your coffee pack?

If it’s been a long time ago and you notice the colour of your coffee grounds has slightly changed, consider throwing away this coffee and purchasing a new package. 

Here’s a quick tip: in general it’s better to buy coffee beans instead of pre-ground coffee; it lasts and stays fresher for longer. In fact, coffee beans can last from 1 week to up to a month once opened while coffee grounds stay good for maximum 2 weeks. 

In any case, it’s a good idea to estimate how much coffee you’re going to consume, so you don’t leave much of it unused for long. 

8.The wrong coffee bean type has been used for coffee making

Did you use the right type of coffee to make an espresso?

There are different types of coffee and it all comes down to the way that has been roasted.

These are some of the most popular types of coffee:

• Espresso
• Coffee maker coffee
• Bustello
• Instant coffee
• Greek/Lebanese coffee

If you use coffee grounds for a coffee maker your drink is going to be somehow watery. Make sure you buy coffee grounds for espresso. 

9. Too little time to brew

This is a common issue that happens to those who brew with a Moka pot. 

Typically, it takes 5 minutes to brew espresso with a Moka pot. If the brewing time is way less than that it means that something went wrong throughout the process and your espresso shot is going to be watery simply because not much of the coffee flavours and aromas was extracted. 

Make sure you keep your Moka pot in top condition – give a keep wash each time right after you’re done with the brewing.

Why is my espresso too thick? 

If the crema is too thick this is a good sign. 

Normally, this means that your coffee beans/grounds are very fresh and most likely your coffee is going to taste great.

It’s important to mention that you’ll only achieve a crema layer if you’re brewing espresso with a machine. Because of the high pressure (9 bars) it’s used, the espresso shot has a cream layer on top.

What about espresso made with a Moka pot? 

Way less pressure is used (around 2-3 bars) to brew espresso with a Moka pot and in this case it’s almost impossible to achieve this wonderful layer. 

But don’t fret the cream doesn’t necessarily make your coffee taste better; it makes your espresso look more appealing. 

Let’s wrap it up

Do you know why your espresso is watery? The reality is that there are many different kinds of reasons that can make your espresso taste watery. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the best practices and you’ll be just fine. Stay tuned, more articles about making excellent espresso are in the pipeline. 

FAQs

Let’s go over a bunch of frequently asked questions to help you learn more about watery espresso.

What does soupy espresso puck mean? 

A soupy espresso puck means that possibly coffee channelling happened. Although you expect some kind of moisture in your puck, an overly wet puck means not much extraction happened during the brewing process. 

Can you brew an espresso shot twice?

You can brew a espresso shot twice in theory, but it’s not going to taste great. It’s going to be too watery and there might be coffee residue in your cup. 

What if you add more espresso coffee grounds to the portafilter? 

If you add more espresso coffee grounds to the portafilter it’s likely your coffee will be very loose and taste watery as the water won’t run through the coffee grounds and the coffee extractions won’t happen the right way. 

What’s the right type of coffee beans for an espresso

The right type of coffee beans for an espresso is espresso beans. There are coffee beans ideal for a drip coffee maker; if you use those in your espresso machine your brew is going to have a weird taste. 

Espresso watery no crema

If your espresso is watery and has no crema, consider following the best practices for making a great espresso such as keeping your brewer clean, use fresh coffee grounds and make sure the water temperature is what the manufacturer recommends. 

Why is my espresso watery Breville

Your espresso made with a Breville machine is watery because you probably haven’t kept your machine clean enough. It’s wise to clean you Breville espresso machine frequently. 

Why did my espresso taste burnt?

Your espresso tastes burnt because you either burnt your last brew so there’s some of this burnt coffee residue on the inside of your machine. If this is the case it’s a good idea to clean your espresso machine thoroughly. The other possible scenario is that you brewed your espresso shot longer than you had to and this caused your coffee to be burnt. 

Why is my espresso watery Delonghi?

Your espresso Delonghi is watery because you possibly don’t follow the brewing practices of the manufacturers. Go find the manual booklet and read how to use your machine the right way to make an espresso shot. 

Why does Keurig coffee taste watered down?

You Keurig coffee tastes watered down because you used too thin coffee grounds which leads to under extraction and makes your coffee taste watery. Ensure you use the right coffee ground size Keurig recommends.