Please help a newbie with fast extraction -- illy coffee = soaking wet puck!

[puppysnugg]

Hi everyone,

I am a total newbie to the world of espresso and I've been trying to do my homework, but I'm at a loss with this one..

I just got a Cuisinart EM 100 as an engagement gift & I've fallen in love with making my own espresso each day.

I've been practicing on Lavazza ground beans (I know they're garbagey but I wanted to learn how to properly pull a shot before I went wasting the illly) and I pretty much was able to perfect getting a nice puck after each pull...So I went and got the illy beans last night... This morning I've had two exploding shots that were left soaking wet each time!!! This has never happened to me before!!

The first time I thought I probably tamped it too much -- so the next time, I tamped less & it still came out a soupy mess & made a small "popping" noise when released.

Using: illy dark roast ground fine beans (I am waiting for a burr grinder to be delivered).

Any advice would be MUCH appreciated... Do I need to tamp less for this particular grind? I've been pulling a double shot w. the illy for about 25 seconds.... Thanks & sorry for the long winded post!!!

[djmonkeyhater]

Hello.

Your machine looks like it could have a "crema enhancing" device in the portafilter. You can tell by taking out the stainless basket that you actually put the ground coffee. If you can't see through the spouts that the coffee comes out of, you have one of these more than likely and your machine will always have wet pucks.

If you want people on the internet to have you tearing apart your new engagement gift, the device can be removed/disabled for less manipulated espresso.

With pre-ground beans, you never know what you are getting so this will all be extraordinarily difficult to advance without a good grinder.

wes

[puppysnugg]

I know my machine does have a crema enhancing portafilter. I've read that if I remove this it will help but I'm definitely nervous to do this as I am such a beginner.

I've managed to get dry pucks in the past with the lavazza beans after some experimenting but the illy like I said was a soupy mess.

May I ask you if I do adjust the tamping do you think this would help? Thanks so much for your help!!!!!

[HB]

Search on 'pressurized portafilter' and 'preground coffee' in the FAQs and Favorites Digest for background information. The long and short of it is that crema enhancing devices are designed to make stale coffee look like drinkable espresso by creating foamy coffee. Tamping harder or softer will not revive preground coffee since it's stale coffee. Using fresh roasted coffee and a good grinder will dramatically improve your espresso.

BTW, be careful about what some manufacturers call burr grinders. Jim's Home Barista's Guide to Espresso shows how to recognize "fake" burr grinders.

[puppysnugg]

Perfect!!! Thanks so much, I look forward to checking out those links. I've been using the cheap stuff & working my way up so as not to waste good fresh ground beans.

I'll be sure to check out the link regarding the grinders as well. I've gotten a Capresso Infinity Grinder but maybe I can find a better one that way. Thanks again for the help!!!

[joellawry]

The other thing to bear in mind is that illy is roasted in italy.
If you factor in 2 weeks for shipping to the us, then maybe another 2 weeks minimum before it gets to your local store then the coffee has been ground and stale for a month.

Try looking for a local roastery, they will be able to sell you much fresher beans. Also if you buy beans in small lots 2-3 times a week and get them freshly ground as you buy them you will find that using beans 3-4 days post roast that were freshly ground too will greatly improve your coffee.

If you can't find a roastery near you then there are a few online sellers, intelligentsia and kid-o's are names i have heard, but i live in New Zealand so im not entirely sure - there are others here who would be better suited to help.

[Elbasso]

Soupy pucks are not a good indicator of the quality of a shot. The reason why the Lavazza gave you a dry puck is because it's ground very coarse and it's stale. The water simply pours through it.

Read this for more info on puckology or search the forum for this term.

You might want to skip the "upgrade" to expensive Illy cans with whole beans. If it's way to your kitchen is too long then you're just creating your own stale grounds.

Good luck!

Bas