If you take a look around Google, you will find a whole lot of folks wondering why their cup of espresso has started tasting or smelling like burnt rubber. And true to its form, the internet has plenty of answers, some of them true, others not so true. If you have been experiencing this kind of problem, then there are a number of reasons why that would happen.
Here's 7 Reasons Your Espresso Taste Burnt Like Rubber
- 1A long extraction process - if you keep the grinds extracting for too long, then you will end up burning the rubber that comes as part of your machine’s sealing, and this will dramatically change how the drink feels, smells and tastes in your mouth.
- 2Low quality coffee beans - if your beans are not off top the drawer, then you will have all sorts of tastes and smells to contend with. Just be sure to buy high quality grinds.
- 3If your espresso machine has not been properly cleaned, then rubbery smells and tastes are highly likely. White vinegar is considered a great cleaning solution.
- 4If your grinds have high amounts of Robusta, then there is a slight chance that your brew will taste like rubber. This however happens in a distinct minority of circumstances.
- 5Sometimes, the rubber sealing on your group head grows too old and might need replacement to keep your machine from churning out a rubberish drink.
- 6When your pre-grind coffee stays in the hopper for hours on end, then that is considered sufficient time to induce that smell you would rather not have.
- 7If you are using bad (non-filtered or non-bottled) water, then you can always expect some really nasty taste from your cup. Simply go for the best, purest water you can find.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are using Sumatra Mandheling or Ethiopian Sidamo, there are certain instances in which you will taste that distinctive rubber smell in your espresso. Sometimes, it could be simply that your new machine is trying to find its groove. At others, it is a deeper problem that requires you to change the way you clean your machine or go about the extraction process.
