Bitterness is part of coffee. But when it’s sharp, drying, and lingers in a bad way, something went wrong in the shot. Most of the time, bitter espresso isn’t a roast problem. It’s an extraction problem — specifically, over-extraction. If you’ve already read our breakdown on adjusting one variable at a time (https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/change-one-variable-espresso-adjustments ), this follows the same logic: diagnose, adjust one thing, test, repeat. Let’s walk through it. First: Bitter vs Burnt vs “Strong” Before changing anything, identify what you’re tasting. Bitter (over-extracted) Dry, harsh, medicinal. Often coats the back of the tongue. Burnt (roast issue) Smoky, ashy, charred. That starts with the bean, not your dial-in. Strong (concentrated) High intensity but still balanced. If you’re unsure what that means, review espresso ratios here: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/espresso-ratios-ristretto-lungo A strong shot shouldn’t taste aggressive. If it does, it’s usually extraction. Why Espresso Turns Bitter Bitterness usually means the water stayed in contact with the coffee too long or extracted too much. Here are the main causes. 1. Grind Is Too Fine Too fine = too much resistance = too much contact time. If your shot drips slowly, takes forever to reach yield, or chokes the machine, that’s your first suspect. Think of the grind as the throttle. Too tight and you’re squeezing every last compound out of the puck. If you’re not sure how grind interacts with dose, yield, and time, revisit this guide: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/how-to-dial-in-espresso-dose-yield-time Fix: Go slightly coarser. Small moves. Re-test. 2. Shot Ran Too Long Even if the grind looks close, you might simply be pulling too far. Extraction happens in stages. Early = acids. Middle = sweetness. Late = bitterness. If you’re running a 1:2.5 or 1:3 ratio and it’s harsh, shorten it. Need clarity on ratio? Start here: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/espresso-ratios-ristretto-lungo Fix: Cut the shot earlier. Test 1:2 before changing anything else. 3. Channeling This one’s sneaky. Water finds a weak path through the puck, over-extracts around the channel, under-extracts elsewhere. The result? Muddy bitterness and astringency. Signs: Spraying from a bottomless portafilter One spout flowing more than the other Early blonding Uneven flow If that sounds familiar, read this: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/espresso-channeling-signs-causes-fixes Fix: Improve distribution. Level tamp. Break up clumps. Keep it simple. 4. You’re Compensating for a Watery Shot Sometimes bitterness shows up because you tried to “fix” weak espresso by grinding finer or extending time. If your original issue was thin, watery espresso, start here instead: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/watery-weak-espresso-fix Fixing the wrong problem creates a new one. 5. Crema Confusion Dark crema doesn’t mean better extraction. In fact, very dark, speckled crema often shows up in over-extracted shots. If you’re judging quality by crema alone, read: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/espresso-crema-meaning-myths Taste always beats appearance. Slow Shot: Fine or Clogging? Both create long extraction times. They’re not the same. Slow because fine Even but slow flow Uniform resistance Shot looks steady, just sluggish Slow because clogging (channeling) Sputtering Uneven flow Sudden changes in speed Fine = adjust grind. Clogging = fix puck prep. Different problems. Different fixes. Dark Roasts: Less Forgiving Dark roasts extract faster. They’re more soluble. That means the line between balanced and bitter is thinner. With dark espresso: Lean slightly coarser Keep ratios tighter Don’t chase long yields They reward control. They punish guesswork. The Fix Ladder (In Order) Slightly coarsen grind Shorten yield Re-check ratio Inspect puck prep One change at a time. If you adjust everything at once, you learn nothing. That’s why we emphasize single-variable adjustments here: https://bilgebrew.com/blogs/from-the-bilge-blog/change-one-variable-espresso-adjustments When You’ve Fixed It The bitterness softens. Sweetness shows up. The finish feels complete, not drying. Balanced espresso isn’t mysterious. It’s controlled. If your shot tastes bitter, it’s not random. It’s telling you exactly what happened. Listen to it. Adjust. Repeat.
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When you’re leveling up your home coffee game, a French press is one of the smartest first upgrades you can make. It’s simple, consistent, and it reveals something most people miss: the exact same beans can taste totally different depending on grind size, water temp, and how you brew. If you want French press that’s full-bodied and clean (not muddy or bitter), this is the professional baseline I’d give any coffee drinker.
Pulling a great espresso shot isn’t luck — it’s inputs. At Bilge Brew Coffee Co., we treat espresso like a system: the beans, freshness, roast profile, and extraction all have to work together. Espresso is high pressure, short contact time, and zero tolerance for sloppy coffee. If the beans aren’t right, the shot won’t be either.
Cold brew has gotten popular for a reason: it’s smooth, naturally sweet, and typically lower in acidity than hot coffee. In this guide, we’ll break down how to make cold brew the right way, how it’s different from iced coffee, and which variables actually matter (ratio, grind, time, water, and filtration) so you end up with a better cup every time.
