Switched to non-pressurised portafilter... result is non existent crema - Page 2

[rickoshea]

thanks Jim ... ok , Tranquilo doser with the Chrome finish it is then - purely cause I like the look !!

[2xlp]

thanks for the replies . I've just pulled 5 shots and my average double shot time for 1-1.5 ozs each is around 23 secs ... a bit fast from what i gather . I can try a finer grind and more tamp pressure and see what works . At present I only get a outside crema ring which does nothing for my aesthetic appreciation of my ( lack of ) skills or my taste buds !!

i think your beans are old or bad. what are you using?

1-1.5oz / 23s should have a fair amount of crema in it. it should also pour rather thick

what does the stream look like coming down? thin / watery ?

also, how does it taste ? sweet syrupy good ? or sour / bitter and off ?

what does the puck look like? is it possible that you're choking the machine except for a tiny channel?

[rickoshea]

yup - i think the beans i have been using are stale added to a poor grind . The pour is thin and the taste is definitely bitter . My Tranquilo is ordered ( went for doserless eventually ) ... can anyone give any recommendations on where to buy good fresh roasted coffee beans on the net ? , its impossible to buy where I am .

[mattwells]

What Rick, there aren't any golf-cart accessible roasters? (Funny only if you have been to Peachtree City)

Check out the sponsors of this site, all have wonderful espresso blends. Intelligentsia's Black Cat and Counter Culture's Toscano are personal favorites.

[rickoshea]

hahaha !!! .... someone that knows about the worrying golf cart culture here . I did some research and have ordered some Ambrosia blend from Caffe Fresco . It'd be stale by the time I got it back if I used the cart !! .

[JR_Germantown]

Don't sweat it too much. In my opinion, **all** grinders suck when it comes to shot by shot usability, either at home or in a business; dosers and doserless just suck in different ways. The main thing is to get a grinder that grinds really well, and secondarily, is relatively durable and quiet.

The Cunill grinds very well, is durable and relatively quiet. It also comes in both versions, read all the opinions, then follow your instinct, pick whichever looks cooler, or flip a coin -- there isn't all that much riding on this decision.

As a doserless Tranquilo owner, I couldn't agree more, nor could I have summed it up any better. Regardless which you choose, the Tranquilo needs its throat cleared regularly when grinding for espresso. It will leave a plug after every dose. I think if you're grinding several shots in a row, you can get away with clearing it at the end of the session. Since I usually grind for only one double at a time, and grind only enough beans for the shot, I end up clearing it after every shot...if I forget, my PF comes up short. This kinda makes the doser pointless.

Jack