I currently own a Rancilio Silvia vs3 with PID. I use a styrofoam cup with an instant read thermometer at 199. I have tried Intelligentsia recommendation of 18 gram shot for 27 seconds. It tastes bitter. I have also played with reducing temperature till it turns sour. so this temp seems about right. I have tried coarser grounds as well so shots are at 23 seconds. I just cant seem to get the sweet spot. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

Peety

I just finished a pound and found it worked best at a coarse grind, heavily updosed at 199.5F. YMMV.

made a double this morning, 93 C with 20gs

I finished a pound quite recently. used a moderately coarse grind (by espresso standards), dosed what I'll guess to be about 18 grams in LM double basket, and pulled 1.75 oz shots in about 28 seconds. I do not have PID or any temp readout on my Isomac, but my ritual is so firmly established that my temps are consistent - somewhere around 200 F.

The current incarnation is not by any means my favorite Black Cat, but the shots were definitely not bitter.

Phaelon56 wrote:The current incarnation is not by any means my favorite Black Cat, but the shots were definitely not bitter.

+1

Hmmm....I really enjoyed my last pound of the Black Cat, and am currently running through a pound of the Black Cat organic. The organic BC is a SO Brasil that's closer to comfort food espresso...

This latest incarnation of the Cat suited my tastes quite well. I enjoyed the lighter treatment and the subtle balance, and I didn't have any trouble dialing in at all. Of all the terms I might use to describe the shots I made while exploring different combinations of grind & dose, "bitter" never entered my mind.

pgottstein wrote:I currently own a Rancilio Silvia vs3 with PID. I use a styrofoam cup with an instant read thermometer at 199. I have tried Intelligentsia recommendation of 18 gram shot for 27 seconds. It tastes bitter. I have also played with reducing temperature till it turns sour. so this temp seems about right. I have tried coarser grounds as well so shots are at 23 seconds. I just cant seem to get the sweet spot. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

Peety

My personal experience:

Before I changed baskets I was having a heck of a time pouring good shots. Using recommended 18g dose (I weigh each does and grind only 1 dose at a time) and my usual 40# tamp in a new curved style Nuova Simonelli double basket (which is below the ridgeline tamped.) Getting great ristretto shots (I like them better), 30 sec pour, all crema initially. After 1 minute of watching the "guiness effect" I get 1.5 oz liquid, ~ 0.5 oz crema. The roast dates I've used so far are Aug30, Sept 3. Not one bitter shot.

Have you been able to pour good shots with different coffees? How is your technique? Is the puck even? The recommended temperature is 198 F so you could try starting below and go up 1 deg at a time and stop when the shot is not bitter. Keep in mind I think when they recommend 198 F means at the brewhead, not in the cup.

Black Cat has been nothing but a disappointment in the last year and a half that I've tried it. Once you dial it in right, it is mediocre at best. I've even had shots pulled at Broadway - very thin, a bit of citrus with maybe a hint of almond. I've tried the blends with Guatemala, El Salvadore, and Honduras and nearly always was very disappointed with the results. I think they need to re-source the Brazil base that they are using, it just doesn't have the intensity and depth of flavor that it once was known for. For the windy city roasters, you can't go wrong with Metropolis Redline - it's very consistent and the depth of flavor is incredible.

Kyle Glanville told that Black Cat will be stellar this year and that he had never been as excited as he was before. Maybe just pub, but looking forward to it.