Took me 2 years to fix a sour espresso problem that was super basic

I kept pulling sour shots every single morning with my Gaggia Classic. Tried different grind sizes, messed with temps, bought a fancy distribution tool, even switched beans three times from local roasters in Portland. Ended up chasing my tail for about 24 months thinking it was my machine or my technique. Then one Saturday my buddy watches me prep and says "dude, your portafilter basket is upside down." I flipped it and the first shot tasted like actual caramel and fruit instead of lemon juice. Felt like an absolute moron, but also kind of relieved it wasnt my equipment. Has anyone else spent forever on a fix that was just a dumb physical mistake like that? How long did you chase it before figuring it out?

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hollyramirez20d ago

Nah, bet it was the beans, not the basket.