Channeling is another word you come across when searching for espresso and how to brew a good shot of the kind. Here, we’ll help you understand the term and the context in which you’ll encounter it. And although it’s a term you’ll come across, it’s actually one of those we should try to avoid in practice.

What is channeling?

In short, channeling is when water finds a narrow path out through the coffee beans in the handle rather than flowing out through the entire surface.

This typically happens if you squeeze the coffee wrong, so the water runs the short way around the coffee.

This spoils the coffee’s clear taste, as some of the coffee, the one that has run the narrow way, runs through faster, affecting the flavour balance.