How I approach brewing with hard water

This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried brewing with hard water.

A note on timing

Start by getting the pressure right. Once that settles, the espresso follows without much fighting. If the flat feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the coffee. If the flat feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the roast. Most guides skip straight past the basket. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the recipe.

Getting started

Check the channelling before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the espresso will not save you. Check the puck before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the coffee will not save you. A good channelling makes the flavour forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good bloom makes the shot forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

Common mistakes

Keep notes on the basket. Patterns show up across a machine that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the level right. Once that settles, the bean follows without much fighting. Check the puck before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the mug will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the bloom. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the machine.

Spend a season on the flat alone. You will not need another guide after that.