The heart of a great coffee experience often lies in that small, potent shot of espresso. But what happens when that promise of rich flavor and velvety crema turns into a watery disappointment? Whether you’re a café owner aiming for customer satisfaction or a home barista pursuing the perfect cup, the frustration is real. With the right techniques and equipment care, you can consistently extract rich, flavorful shots topped with that golden layer of crema that defines a perfect espresso.
Let’s look into the common reasons for watery espresso and actionable solutions to ensure richer extractions and improved crema in your coffee machine.
We at PartsFe offer a wide range of coffee machine parts for various models from top brands throughout the UK. Browse our large inventory of food equipment parts such as oven parts, fryer parts, dishwasher parts, coffee machine parts and many more.
What Causes Watery Espresso Shots?
Before you can fix a problem, it helps to understand what’s causing it. Watery shots usually result from one or a combination of the following:
- Grind size too coarse
- Incorrect dose of coffee
- Poor tamping technique
- Low water temperature or pressure
- Channeling during extraction
- Old or stale beans
- Dirty or poorly maintained equipment
Each of these factors affects extraction, the process of pulling soluble flavors and oils from the coffee grounds. A weak extraction leads to underdeveloped flavor and poor crema.
How to Fix Watery Shots and Improve Crema
Let’s break down the solutions step-by-step.
- Use the Right Grind Size
The grind size plays a vital role in how well your espresso extracts. Too fine of a grind means the water moves through too fast, making the espresso weak and lacking in crema.
Solution:
- Use a burr grinder to get uniform grind sizes.
- For espresso, aim for a fine, slightly gritty texture, like table salt.
- Adjust your grind setting finer if shots run under 20 seconds or taste weak.
Pro Tip: Always make small adjustments and test after each change to avoid over-extraction.
- Check Your Dose and Yield
The amount of coffee you put into the portafilter (the dose) must match your desired output (the yield). Too little coffee results in fast, watery extractions.
Solution:
- Use a digital scale for accuracy.
- Standard double espresso: 18–20g of coffee → yields 36–40g of liquid in 25–30 seconds.
- Maintain a consistent ratio (commonly 1:2 for espresso).
- Tamp with Even Pressure
To ensure that water passes through the coffee bed uniformly, tamping compresses it. Uneven tamping can cause channeling, where water flows through weak spots and bypasses the rest of the puck.
Solution:
- Tamp with consistent, even pressure usually around 30 lbs of force.
- In order to have uniformity, use an appropriate tamping tool.
- Avoid tapping the portafilter or disturbing the coffee bed after tamping.
- Maintain Optimal Brew Temperature and Pressure
Espresso extraction requires water at 195°F to 205°F (90–96°C) and pressure at 9 bars. Anything below these values can result in under-extraction and poor crema.
Solution:
- Ensure your machine reaches the proper temperature before brewing.
- Use a machine with PID control or temperature stability features.
- Check pump pressure if your machine allows it; consult a technician if unsure.
- Use Fresh, Quality Beans
The formation of crema occurs when carbon dioxide is trapped in coffee oils. Older beans have less gas and oil, producing little to no crema.
Solution:
- Select beans that have been roasted within the last couple of weeks.
- Keep beans safe from light, heat, and moisture by keeping them in an airtight container.
- To obtain more crema, opt for medium to dark roasts (light roasts naturally produce less).
Pro Tip: Espresso-specific blends are often designed to enhance crema and body.
- Purge and Preheat Your Equipment
Cold equipment or stale water in the machine can affect extraction temperature and pressure.
Solution:
- Purgethe group head for 2–3 seconds before each shot to flush out cold water.
- Run a blank shot (without coffee) to warm up the portafilter and cup.
- Always use clean, filtered water to prevent scale buildup and off-flavors.
- Clean Your Machine Regularly
Old coffee oils and residue can clog screens and affect pressure, temperature, and flow.
Solution:
- Backflush your machine daily with water and weekly with espresso cleaner.
- Remove and clean the shower screen, portafilter, and basket regularly.
- Use a descaling solution monthly or as recommended by the manufacturer.
Pro Tip: It’s crucial to have a clean machine for both flavor and crema.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you’ve addressed all the above and still get watery shots or poor crema, your machine may need a technical inspection. Issues could include:
- Faulty pressure pump
- Damaged gasket or shower screen
- Blocked solenoid valve
- Inconsistent temperature control
In these cases, contact a certified espresso machine technician for maintenance or repairs.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be real, nobody wants watery coffee. So next time your espresso comes out weak, don’t toss it and troubleshoot it. The cool thing about espresso is that often, just a few little tweaks can make a huge difference.
Make sure you grind it correctly, use the correct amount of coffee, stir it well, and keep your machine clean. By addressing these factors, you can transform weak extractions into rich, flavorful shots topped with the desired crema.
At PartsFe UK we’re passionate about supporting your hassle-free day with high-quality coffee machine parts you need to keep your machines performing at their best. We are your one-stop appliance parts store for all kinds of food equipment throughout the UK.