What should you do if espresso shots are taking too long to pull?

What should you do if espresso shots are taking too long to pull?

• A. Adjust the grinder to make the coffee grounds finer
• B. Adjust the grinder to make the coffee grinds coarser
• C. Increase the dose
• D. Raise the water temperature

Answer: (B)

Grind size controls how easily water can pass through the coffee bed. If espresso pulls are taking too long, the bed is offering too much resistance. Coarsening the grind reduces this resistance, allowing water to flow more freely and shortening the shot time. This directly targets the flow rate and is the most effective way to speed up a slow pull. Be mindful that grinding too coarse can lead to under-extraction and weak flavor, so adjust gradually and taste. Increasing the dose would usually increase resistance and slow things further, and raising water temperature can alter extraction in unpredictable ways, so they’re not as reliable fixes for a slow pull as adjusting the grind.

Grind size controls how easily water can pass through the coffee bed. If espresso pulls are taking too long, the bed is offering too much resistance. Coarsening the grind reduces this resistance, allowing water to flow more freely and shortening the shot time. This directly targets the flow rate and is the most effective way to speed up a slow pull. Be mindful that grinding too coarse can lead to under-extraction and weak flavor, so adjust gradually and taste. Increasing the dose would usually increase resistance and slow things further, and raising water temperature can alter extraction in unpredictable ways, so they’re not as reliable fixes for a slow pull as adjusting the grind.