TIL my morning coffee has been tasting sour because I was grinding way too fine

For months I thought my new bag of Ethiopian beans was just super acidic. My friend came over last Tuesday, watched me make a cup, and just said 'your grinder sounds like it's working really hard.' I checked and I had it set to a 4 on my Baratza Encore, which is basically espresso fine for a pour over. I dialed it up to a 15, tried again, and boom. All those floral notes came through and the sour bite was totally gone. I feel like I just wasted half a bag figuring this out. Anyone else have a simple setting that just works for most light roasts?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_craig42mo ago

Feel your pain, wasted a whole bag of Guatemalan once. @john430 is right, it's crazy how one click changes everything. My Encore lives on 14 now, no more sour mornings.

john4302mo ago

My old Encore has been on 18 for years, ever since I made that same mistake with a Kenyan coffee. I mean it's wild how one tiny dial change can make your whole morning routine feel broken or fixed.

tessacarter1mo ago

Oh man I feel this way too hard... I spent three whole bags of a beautiful Yirgacheffe thinking I just didn't like light roasts anymore. Turns out I was just grinding so fine my water basically had to fight its way through the coffee grounds. My Encore now lives at 16 for most light roasts and I'm honestly embarrassed it took me that long to figure out. I guess that's what happens when you trust your grinder settings from three years ago and never question them...