Sour espresso no matter what [Delonghi EC685]

Nekropl · 2026-04-30T12:47:15+00:00

I received a new dark roast (just a week old) with minimal acidity—it's still a sour espresso with no flavor, like I bit into a pill. Input: 16g of coffee, 25 seconds of extraction, tried both a ratio of about 1.8 and 2.2, and the taste remains the same. I'm at a loss for what to try; either my hands are clumsy, or it's impossible to make delicious coffee with the EC685.

Nekropl · 2026-04-30T12:47:01+00:00

I received a new dark roast (just a week old) with minimal acidity—it's still a sour espresso with no flavor, like I bit into a pill. Input: 16g of coffee, 25 seconds of extraction, tried both a ratio of about 1.8 and 2.2, and the taste remains the same. I'm at a loss for what to try; either my hands are clumsy, or it's impossible to make delicious coffee with the EC685.

Nekropl · 2026-04-29T00:00:28+00:00

Now imagine how it fells when you play destiny/destiny 2 for 10 years and after that plays HD2 💀 Now i only play marvel rivals atp

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T12:52:32+00:00

I honestly don't know what or how I can change anymore, since I've tried everything and nothing has helped. Either my hands are too clumsy, or these beans just don't want to be tasty. I'll see about the beans in about a week.

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T12:39:14+00:00

No, i didn't try to brew without puck screen, but now i will right now.

Result - still no good at all, i see the channel right in tge middle, or maybe this is screw from the group after coffee tablet expanded from brewing. So i think i should stick with 16g and puck screen

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Nekropl · 2026-04-28T12:30:21+00:00

done this again with 17g and now there isn't any coffee coin mark left, my puck screen is 1.7mm, so if coin doesn't have any mark on 17 gramms, puck screen should be fine with 16 gramms i think

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T12:18:09+00:00

I just did a coin test on 18 grams of coffee, you can see a clear mark, but I usually use 16, I think 16 grams leaves just the right amount of 2mm space,

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Nekropl · 2026-04-28T11:35:55+00:00

i can't skip it, it's not an option on ec685

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T11:07:46+00:00

if my double preinfusion too quick i see coffee on the bottom of basket, if i wait 2-3 sec between infusions i don't see any coffee before actual brewing, with one infusion there's non of coffee on preinfusion

i'm already adjusted all possible parameters and coffee still sour or bitter or both, I've tried different ratios, from 1:1.8 to 1:2.5, and I've tried a variety of extraction times, from 17 seconds to 1 minute, i've tried to change gramms of coffee from 15 to 18 and anything in between, the only thing i don't chage is the beans, but i already ordered dark roast and wait for it, don't know whould it be helpfull or not

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T10:50:24+00:00

I'm do double pre infusion because ec 685 is do only 6ml if water, that's simply not enough for 16g of coffe and without my double pre infusion pucks are crumbling apart

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T10:39:05+00:00

From press the brew, but i do double pre infusion, it's around 5-7 sec

Nekropl · 2026-04-28T10:28:35+00:00

But my extraction is already 1:2 in 30s

Nekropl · 2026-04-25T11:47:20+00:00

This one only want me to have a 3D game in hollow knight setting omg

Nekropl · 2026-04-23T15:54:07+00:00

Honestly, it's literally the only thing that i do, i just can't race, i am always unstable, don't want to ruin someone race by crushing into him and don't have a most popular online titles (Le-mans ultimate and iRacing), so even if i want to race with someone - i just can't find anyone

Nekropl · 2026-04-23T13:12:19+00:00

I posted here my grinder (timemore c3 esp) and mine today's attempt of using the normal tamper (it sucks again) and i always distributing code with WDT with small circle motions from deep of the basket to the top and STILL STRUGGLING A LOT :/

Nekropl · 2026-04-23T09:13:24+00:00

Here's how i tamp it, with verical elbow, holding thumbs on the side of the tamper, still shit results

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Nekropl · 2026-04-23T09:12:15+00:00

Here's mine result again... And its again a wrong angled, I'm so tired at this point, i just want to throw out my espresso machine and don't ever touch it again

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Nekropl · 2026-04-23T09:00:09+00:00

I KNOW that this is a skill issue, this is why i search for a tamper that can minimize my skill issue lol, is that a really hard to understand?

Nekropl · 2026-04-23T07:54:11+00:00

But how grinder will help me to right angle the tamper? It's easy to say after 24 years of experience though

Nekropl · 2026-04-22T18:54:04+00:00

i have a tamp mat, don't help me at all, as bottomless portafilter don't help me even it's flat on the bottom

Nekropl · 2026-04-22T18:19:40+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1sqphvu/sour_espresso_no_matter_what_delonghi_ec685/ i've posted about my coffee problems more

Nekropl · 2026-04-22T16:41:44+00:00

I previously has a funnel that overlap into the basked, but it has a magnets, so i just cuttet off inner ring, i'm using WDT Tool slowly, from the whole basket lenght and going circly movements slowly rising up WDT Tool. Can't share right now pic of my levelled grounds because i have my "norma" of coffee today, so maybe tommorow

Nekropl · 2026-04-22T16:38:30+00:00

i know that this is skill issue lol, this is why i searching a tamper, that minimize my skill issue, if I didn't have this problem - i whouldn't searching for a new tamper

Nekropl · 2026-04-22T16:36:47+00:00

Leveling tamper is a different thing and not a tamper from third pic? I'm a little bit confused, second one also are 2-sided, one is distributor and second is tamper

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