Troubleshooting

Some general troubleshooting tips are given below:

Symptom	Possible causes
More than 30 ml of coffee in the cup.	Grind is too course Insufficient coffee used Coffee not packed tightly or evenly enough Extraction time too long
Less than 30 ml of coffee in the cup.	Grind is too fine Too much coffee used Coffee packed too tightly Extraction time too short
Crema is too thin or light in colour.	Grind is too course Grind not even (grains not the same size) Insufficient coffee used Coffee not packed tightly or evenly enough Machine not warmed up
Coffee tastes bitter.	Extraction time too long Coffee type - try another brand

Frothing milk

Most espresso machines will also produce steam for heating and frothing milk. If your machine is an inexpensive type, draw the espresso shot first before switching to the steamer mode. Place a small saucer over the espresso shot to keep it warm while you froth the milk. When the steamer is ready, expel a little steam first to remove any water. Then position the steam nozzle to the bottom of a jug of cold milk and open the steam valve. Slowly lower the jug to draw the nozzle closer to the surface of the milk so that it can draw in a little air. If you position it right, a whirlpool motion will be happening in the milk and you will get an even mix of bubbles throughout. The frothed milk should be about 70-75° C. Do not scorch the milk or allow it to boil! Turn off the steamer and prime the unit if necessary for your machine. Bang the milk jug down on a flat surface to break up any large bubbles, and swirl the jug around a few times (or mix the frothed milk with a spoon).

Add the milk slowly to the espresso shot to make the desired coffee drink in the appropriate cup or glass. To make a macchiato, simply "stain" the coffee with a little of the frothed milk. Flat white and latte coffees contain about two thirds frothed milk. Cappuccino is made like a flat white but contains additional froth on top and a sprinkle of powdered drinking chocolate.