To dry shower screen or not

[Nocturnal]

I have read that one technique was to start the shot immediately after locking the PF in, before even placing your cups. I believe Jim Schulman indicated that this was to prevent cooled water from entering the puck first.

I have also read the some info about the importance of drying the shower-screens before locking the PF, and then pull the shot, I got the impression that this was also to absorb any cooled water at the shower screen area. My question is, I have a non-E61 grouphead, ( LaSpaziale) my machine also has a 2 shower screen system, probably holding a bit more residual water than a single screen. Would running a bit of water right before locking the PF; (flushing the "residual" cooled water in shower screens) Without drying, be just as effective or even better for efficiency sake? This would of course leave residual water but at proper temp.

Please note; that a group warming flush (dual boiler) is also taking place before removing and loading the PF, and the question pertains to the residual water in the shower-screen as the PF is being dosed. Any opinions or theories appreciated.

Thanks Much

[luca]

Why don't you just pull a bunch of shots using each technique and see what you like the most?

Cheers,

Luca

[HB]

Please note; that a group warming flush (dual boiler) is also taking place before removing and loading the PF, and the question pertains to the residual water in the shower-screen as the PF is being dosed. Any opinions or theories appreciated.

I flush to clean the screen, lock in, and then start the pump immediately. Given a smidgen of puck to dispersion screen clearance and fast lock in, I wouldn't worry about one or two errant drops on the screen.

[k7qz]

Why don't you just pull a bunch of shots using each technique and see what you like the most?

Cheers,

Luca

Luca, this is a good answer for many of the questions posted here regarding technique!

After reading Abe's thread here: http://www.home-barista.com/knockbox/visit-to-rome-and-its-espresso-bars-t3690.html

I entered the first joint. This was a very typical Italian espresso place. There is a long bar and no chairs. The clients drink their coffee standing up and leave promptly to go to work. I ordered a shot, paid 75 cents, and waited my turn. The barista flap the doser once, presses the portafilter against the grinder plastic tamper, inserts the p/f and pulls the shot. 35 seconds later I get a shot with a nice head of crema, muted acidity, and pleasantly sweet. He practically broke all he rules: That coffee was preground hours ago, he did not wipe clean the basket, he did not flush the grouphead before the shot, he did not level or tamp with any force. He practically did nothing, and still, it was a better shot than I got from many contestants in U.S. Barista competitions.

I've begun to change tactics a little feeling that per Abe's observation that 95% of taste in the cup might be nothing more than good coffee that is ground well (very well!). For that other 5% or so of taste in the cup, I wondered if maybe I'm just jumping through a lot of extra hoops- perhaps unnecessarily so. Along these lines, I started experimenting a few months ago by eliminating steps in my routine, such as drying the shower screen, using the WDT, clicking my heels three times, closing my eyes and chanting to myself "please come out good, please come out good" before pulling the shot... all in an attempt to simplify my process and then judge impact on outcome. Interestingly enough, I'm not tasting a significant deterioration in espresso quality by abandoning some of this dogma. Hmmm...

Long answer short: Simpler is often times better or if it tastes the same, easier is the way to go!

[Jasonian]

I've begun to change tactics a little feeling that per Abe's observation that 95% of taste in the cup might be nothing more than good coffee that is ground well (very well!). For that other 5% or so of taste in the cup, I wondered if maybe I'm just jumping through a lot of extra hoops- perhaps unnecessarily so. Along these lines, I started experimenting a few months ago by eliminating steps in my routine, such as drying the shower screen, using the WDT, clicking my heels three times, closing my eyes and chanting to myself "please come out good, please come out good" before pulling the shot... all in an attempt to simplify my process and then judge impact on outcome. Interestingly enough, I'm not tasting a significant deterioration in espresso quality by abandoning some of this dogma. Hmmm...

Long answer short: Simpler is often times better or if it tastes the same, easier is the way to go!

Well...

If you have someone new to espresso, and he's using the same grinder as someone who is more experienced, will the results in the cup be the same?

Common sense, as well as experience, tells us "no".

There are a whole lot of factors involved with espresso. It's better to focus on improving your own technique than fussing with variables that are much more difficult to control. ... like heel-clicking or obsessing over a tiny smidgen of water that MIGHT (but I very much doubt it) have a noticeable impact on the espresso in the cup.

It's just practice, and lots of it. There is no "magic bullet". The WDT is as close as a home-barista can get to one, and even then, it's not everything.. it's just distribution.

[HB]

There are a whole lot of factors involved with espresso. It's better to focus on improving your own technique than fussing with variables that are much more difficult to control. ... like heel-clicking or obsessing over a tiny smidgen of water that MIGHT (but I very much doubt it) have a noticeable impact on the espresso in the cup.

Obsessing over (unknowingly) insignificant details is indeed a poor investment, but there's a lot to be said for following rote instruction in the beginning. The problem starts when new home baristas attribute major symptoms with minor causes. I've been guilty of this numerous times in the past, following the latest great idea or product enhancement with renewed enthusiasm. More times that not, the real contributor to my "success" was not the new doodad or technique, but rather my renewed (unconscious) focus on consistency.

Luca's comment "Why don't you just pull a bunch of shots using each technique and see what you like the most?" really goes to the heart of the matter. Unless the taste difference is so striking it's indisputable, or the taste difference is distinguishable enough to withstand blind taste tests, I don't take it too seriously, simply because I accept that "improvements" introduced by minor changes are frequently washed over by the variability of the product itself and my technique.

(My apologies, this is a variant of my prior mini rant, The problem is on the handle side of the portafilter).

[jesawdy]

I have read that one technique was to start the shot immediately after locking the PF in, before even placing your cups. I believe Jim Schulman indicated that this was to prevent cooled water from entering the puck first.

I have also read the some info about the importance of drying the shower-screens before locking the PF, and then pull the shot, I got the impression that this was also to absorb any cooled water at the shower screen area......

Please note; that a group warming flush (dual boiler) is also taking place before removing and loading the PF, and the question pertains to the residual water in the shower-screen as the PF is being dosed. Any opinions or theories appreciated.

I think the idea behind immediately pulling the shot on lock-in is so that the ground coffee doesn't have time to heat or cook while in the hot portafilter/group. I also think the "cold" water in the screen would be inconsequential to the shot temperature and resulting shot quality... my opinion of wiping the screen (and I don't) is to avoid errant drops contacting and disturbing the puck (and possibly removing old grinds if any remain). If you flush or spritz, and/or lock and pull immediately, a few drops of water should not matter at all.

[cannonfodder]

If your machine dispenses 'cold' water at the beginning of the shot, you have a grouphead problem.

I have given up on the song and dance routine when pulling shots. Like Dan points out, I had started to obsess over tiny details that I thought I had to do to get a good shot. I stopped the fancy distribution, I quit wiggling, tapping, rapping, standing on one foot while sacrificing a chicken voodoo. I grind, I dose, I level off the mound, smack it with my fancy coffee hammer, flush, lock and brew. Takes me about 40 seconds to prepare a shot now, including grinding. My shots are none the worse for wear; in fact I think they are better now.

That is not to say that some kit requires one or two extra steps to compensate for a particular nuance with the machine, but I try to do as little as possible and just focus on the core dose and distribution skills. After all, we are just making coffee, not launching rockets.

[Canuck]

After all, we are just making coffee, not launching rockets.

lol

Since I got a used Brasilia Club (big improvement over my Breville) I've been trying to refine my end-to-end process. My goal is to find something that works, both in terms of consistent shot quality and time and stick with it. I'm still working out some kinks and have a process I like for one shot/drink, but I'm playing with some of the steps in between shots (i.e. flush, PF wiggle).

Once a particular coffee is dialed in with the grinder, I don't think wiping a screen or the # of flushes matter that much (machine nuances aside).

So I guess then it's better to do less in any area to save time, so long as quality is the same.

[Jasonian]

After all, we are just making coffee, not launching rockets.

I'm sorry you feel that way.