Brewing
Espresso at home
Home espresso goes wrong in a few predictable ways: a shot that runs sour, a puck the water tunnels through, milk that turns to bubbles instead of foam. These guides take each problem in turn, and compare the two kinds of machine that make espresso at home, the portafilter machine and the bean-to-cup, including how each one handles milk.
Espresso Channeling: What It Is and How to Stop ItWater is lazy. If there is an easy path through the coffee it will take it, and the shot will taste sour and bitter at the same time.
Under-Extracted Espresso: Why It Tastes Sour and How to Fix ItA sour, thin, salty shot has not had enough dissolved out of the coffee. The signs, the usual causes, and the order to fix them in.
Microfoam: What Good Steamed Milk Actually IsNot froth, and not hot milk. A single mass of milk and air with bubbles too small to see, which is why it pours instead of sitting on top.
Bean-to-Cup or Espresso Machine: Which One Suits YouOne removes the skill, the other rewards it. The honest split is whether you want the coffee or the making.
The Three Milk Systems on Bean-to-Cup MachinesA carafe, a two-part system or a wand. The choice decides both your latte and your washing up.