How to Measure Your Espresso Extraction Time
If your coffee tastes sour or bitter, one of the first things you should check is your espresso extraction time.
Extraction time is simply how long it takes for water to pass through your ground coffee, measured from the moment you press the button on your espresso machine.
What is the ideal espresso extraction time?
For most Revs coffees, we recommend aiming for an extraction time of around 30 seconds, for both single and double espresso.
If your espresso runs too quickly, it’s likely to be under-extracted. If it runs too slowly, it can become over-extracted.
What does under-extracted coffee taste like?
An under-extracted espresso hasn’t had enough contact time with the coffee.
You’ll generally notice:
- Less colour, flavour, aroma and body
- A thin or weak espresso
- A noticeably sour taste
Think of that sharp, unpleasant sensation you get from biting into a green banana.
What does over-extracted coffee taste like?
When an espresso runs for too long, you can extract flavours you don’t want in the cup.
The coffee can taste bitter, harsh or burnt, with an unpleasant flavour that seems to hang around on your teeth.
How do you fix your extraction time?
Every coffee roaster should provide a recommended recipe or extraction time for their beans. Once you know your target, you can adjust your espresso to get closer to it.
One of the main ways we control extraction time is by adjusting the coffee grind.
And that’s the next thing you need to learn.
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