Wet Puck... Grinds on shower screen

[hyper_dermic]

So ive had some good progress in getting my shots right.

Aside from pinhole leaks and the random crappy shot, most come out quite nicely.

One thing i have noticed, is the puck seems to be a bit wet after extraction, and a fair amount of grinds end up on the dispersion screen.

The grinds are not touching the screen before extraction (i put the full portafilter in place, then removed it and checked the puck/screen)
But after extraction, i notice a good amount of grinds all over the screen.... i wash them off right after pulling the shot, but i cant help but to think this is not normal.
Along with the wet puck, is this a symptom of some flaw in my technique?

im tamping around 30-40 lbs... with under 17g of beans. the portafilter is just over full when ground/dosed into basket. after distribution, there is very little waste grinds.
puck is then tamped to under the level of the ridge in basket.

I tried searching around but i couldnt find anything..

thanks for the help!

-hyp

[HB]

Along with the wet puck, is this a symptom of some flaw in my technique?

No, I don't think so.

During preinfusion, the puck expands to meet the dispersion screen. This expansion can help seal fissures and reduce channeling. If you downdose, the puck may not expand enough to meet the screen, resulting in a soupy puck. Which dosage level works best depends on your technique and desired flavor profile. Jim Schulman has taken a fresh look at dosing as a means of manipulating the extraction yield in SOME ASPECTS OF ESPRESSO EXTRACTION. It's not light reading, but changed my mind about downdosing. It's now part of my regular toolbox of barista techniques (typically I'll start at 15 grams and dose up to 18; previously I would start at 17 and updose as high as 20 grams).

I tried searching around but i couldnt find anything..

Search on "puckology" for other thoughts on the subject.

[hyper_dermic]

Thanks again for the heads up!

im trying to get my technique down with as few variables as possible before i go messing around with other things like temp (longer or shorter cooling flushes) and up or downdosing..

i think i have hit a sweet spot here at 17g , but im sure ill play around with it as soon as i can pull consistent tasting shots....

-hyp

[cannonfodder]

The amount you can put in the basket really depends on your machine, or more specifically, the distance the dispersion block drops from the group gasket. Elektra has a very deep dispersion block, my normal dose is 15g, and at 17G the puck is hitting the shower screen. On my Isomac, I can jam around 19g of coffee into a double basket before the puck hits the shower screen. Keep in mind, an espresso pulled from a 15g dose will taste much different than an espresso pulled from a 17g dose.

Try them all, stick to what you like best then repeat the test with the next blend. Keep notes so the next time you go back to coffee A, you know what to dose for the cup that suites your taste.

[Jasonian]

puck is then tamped to under the level of the ridge in basket.

And there you have it. The cause of your symptom.

It's not a bad thing. It's just a thing. Don't sweat it.