# Help please _ sour shots via Miele CVA6805



## paulrm71 (Aug 13, 2017)

Hi all,

First of all, I have a confession to make....I am a coffee addict, getting through around 8 cups a day (including horrible instant whilst at work!), or if at home four or five double espressos each day. Which makes my recent problem of sour shots drive me up the wall!!

I usually drink black coffee, two espressos, a little water and no sugar. Everything has been ok for the last two years of use, but recently I found that my supermarket brand of Italian beans began to taste flat and lack body.

I decided that the beans may have been kept by the supermarket too long, as I would buy half a kilo per week and use within that week. So I went direct to Has Bean and bought two packs of beans, the second of which was Black Hole, described as 'heavy bodied with low acidity', which is exactly the flavour profile I am looking for.

After thoroughly cleaning the brew unit and water unit, I brewed my usual double espresso, but found it to be very sour, almost undrinkable in neat format and barely drinkable with some hot water in. I can change some of the parameters of the machine so have experimented with grind (going finer), brewing temp (from maximum to low temp), amount of coffee (using more), and whether pre brewing is required ( either short, long or off). I have also tried changing the water from mains to filtered.

Everything I have experimented with so far has failed. Whilst I can get the sourness lower, its still there, and fairly unpalatable. The crema is great and a light nut brown colour.

I regularly clean the machine (with water as per Miele instructions), and have recently decided to thoroughly rinse out the brew unit twice a week rather than the once Miele recommend.

Apologies for the length of the thread, but any advice would be much appreciated. I am beginning to wish I had purchased an espresso machine and separate grinder!!

Thanks

Paul


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Hi paul

There are not alot members who use these machines so you may struggle to get alot of ideas.

Have you tried contacting mile? As it sounds like you have done everything you possibly could if your coffee is fresh and your machine and water are really clean there's little left to do.

Is there any part of the machine that's got badly stained with coffee that you could steep in puly cafe or similar product as washing alone won't remove the tainting of old coffee oils?


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## paulrm71 (Aug 13, 2017)

Hi tiny tamper,. Thanks for your reply. Everything in the machine looks fine, so I think i will contact Miele next.

Cheers paul


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Is the machine getting up to its correct temperature ? you may need to check the temperature at the brew head ( not just because a light says it is )

Has the machine been de-scaled ? scale on heating element can lower the water temperature. Are you allowed to run cleaner through the machine ?

oil and coffee residue can cause a bitter / sour taste.

As Tiny said can you clean machine / components with Puly Caff.?


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## MikeBookham (Sep 3, 2016)

Hello,

The sourness will be due to the coffee being under extracted, therefore you'll need to do one or more of the following:

1) Increase the brew time.

2) Decrease the water temperature.

3) Set the grind size finer.

I've had a quick look at the manual and you can change the grind size (page 39) & temperature (page 40-41).

I'd suggest making a note of the current settings and then setting the grind as fine as possible and the temp as low as practical to see if you can get a bitter taste. Then adjust from there.

Noting it is stated:

'The altered grinder setting will not be

used until after the second coffee has

been dispensed.'


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Decreasing water temperature will not cure under-extraction, it will do the opposite.

I cured my sour shot issue by increasing the brew temperature to near 93*c. Depends on the roast level and bean as to how much temperature will affect taste.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

On superautomatic B2C machines, the higher the temperature setting the better the brew (European B2C machines are factory set to run "cool")

A finer grind will also give a better espresso with a good crema.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

Make sure the machine is clean.

If grinding finer and raising temperature doesn't help then change to a different bean. HasBean tend to roast light/medium so the often require better technique to extract properly. Something easier to work with (like say Colombia Veracruz or Brighton Lanes from CoffeeCompass.co.uk) may work out better for you.


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## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

You should try this...

Increase the brew time, without increasing the yield (your espresso amount in volume)

And...

At the same time, try throwing away the first 20%-30% of the espresso, by intentionally letting it flow down the drip tray, and start catching with your cup of choice the remaining two - thirds.

You'll find that sourness is fairly concentrated at the beginning of the shot.

Hope it helps..


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Buy your beans from somewhere else for a start, there are a few blends from HasBean that are easier to use, but most of them are lightly roasted and an absolute bastard to get 'right'. With a much 'better' machine and grinder i really struggle with most of their roasts.

For an easy bean try Rave, Italian job or signature are two very reliable easy to use beans.

Don't waste your HasBean, use it for brewed (which is where HasBean shine)

Also follow the rest of the advice on this thread of the bean doesn't help.


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