RyanJE wrote:So do you use a naked PF? If so, not Halo start or channel/spritz?

I have wicked hard troubles getting a solid start even using WDT.

I usually do, not bad (donut around the edge, not really spritz etc). The HQ baskets are on the large side, I have a VST size tamper (58.35) and it still leaves a decent gap, I need to have a tamper made, I could go over 58.50 easily to fit more snug. If your using the stock CC1 tamper, though it is quite nice vs the flimsy crap that comes with many machines, its still slightly undersized for the basket imo.

The CC1 also has that very slight ridge on the outside where the screen recesses into, I was finding that depending on the bean/blend/roast type, 18g in the stock basket could be too much. Some pucks expand more then others, Paradise Nuevo pucks really expanded, the Sweet Blue I'm using right now doesn't really in comparison.

CC1 comes with large baskets for a stock machine, but try the HQ21 double ridgeless. Cheap and excellent basket thats forgiving. Yeah I only use my bottomless, my spout PF I keep the blank basket in for flushing.

edit - also some beans can just be picky, like Paradise Nuevo I had to WDT as was getting spritz even using Pergers method, others beans pull no problem. Some beans I can grind and basically level quickly and tamp and pull no prob.

Just finished a 5lb bag of redline..it's been a favorite for years.

You can get a lot of different tastes by adjusting dose and brew ratio, as suggested on their brew parameters flyer. I ended up preferring 18g dose, 35g yield or so, in about 24 seconds. Temp is a touch cool around 197-198.

Thanks for the input! Interestingly, the actual bag I received said 18.5 g dose and 34 g out. But that is far different from their website parameters..

The blend will vary year to year and even every few months so what you see on their web page may be outdated. Just email them and ask for starting parameters based on the current iteration. Been a while since I ordered some, sounds like it is time for a revisit.

I've always been a big Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic fan. However, every time I try Redline, I'm not pleased. Just finished a bag of Redline about two weeks ago and wasn't thrilled once again. Next time I may order a few pounds to allow more time to play around with dosing and extractions.