Would you prefer volumetric or timed dosing? - Page 2

[cafeIKE]

The idea for a machine that ends the shot based on color wasn't a serious commercial suggestion, just a musing about what the possibilities are for geeks that find this kind of experimentation fun....

I'm one of those geeks : My day job is sensor data collection and analysis. In spite of what they show on the boob toob, it ain't all that easy.

Reminds me of Fast, Good and Cheap : Pick Two.
More Accurate <- More Data <- Slow <-> Fast-> -> Less Data -> Less Accurate

Best I could do is probably tell "you should have stopped here" or "you stopped too early" or "nice one", all after the fact.

[roblumba]

I confess, I like to use the volumetric dosing when pulling shots directly into mugs for latte's. I use manual shut off for espresso's because I can watch the progression of the shot and the color. But for latte's I'm concentrating on steaming the milk and sometimes feel like I accidentally cut it off too early when I'm trying to steam and watch the extraction. So I go with the volumetric. But then again, sometimes it goes just a second or two too long. But in a latte with Vanilla Syrup it doesn't make too much of a difference anyways. It still tastes good.

[malachi]

More than once, I've asked someone to re-make my ristretto, as it isn't very "restrained." AND more than once I've just had my coffee and left, not wanting to explain to the overwhelmed employee what is wrong with 10-12 people standing in line . . .

Ordering a ristretto shot in a busy cafe is, to be honest, pretty unrealistic and quite unfair.
To pull a good ristretto shot requires a change to the grind.
In a busy cafe, there is no way you're going to change the grind for one person's shot and then change it back. For one thing... you'd have to change it, pull a test shot, tweak, and then pull a shot -- and then repeat to get back to normal.
So at that point, if the barista isn't going to do that, they're going to have to pull you a not-good ristretto shot - either by just stopping the shot short (your "not restrained enough" complaint) or by updosing to a random degree.
When I used to work the bar and people told me they wanted a ristretto shot I would simply tell them no and explain why not and tell them that I'd make them a good tasting shot - but it would be a good tasting shot to our specifications rather than something unique to them.
It was the best solution I could come up with.

[miKe mcKoffee]

Ordering a ristretto shot in a busy cafe is, to be honest, pretty unrealistic and quite unfair.
To pull a good ristretto shot requires a change to the grind.
In a busy cafe, there is no way you're going to change the grind for one person's shot and then change it back. For one thing... you'd have to change it, pull a test shot, tweak, and then pull a shot -- and then repeat to get back to normal.
So at that point, if the barista isn't going to do that, they're going to have to pull you a not-good ristretto shot - either by just stopping the shot short (your "not restrained enough" complaint) or by updosing to a random degree.
When I used to work the bar and people told me they wanted a ristretto shot I would simply tell them no and explain why not and tell them that I'd make them a good tasting shot - but it would be a good tasting shot to our specifications rather than something unique to them.
It was the best solution I could come up with.

Chris makes an excellent point, one which I've now contemplated and agonized over as a shop owner. Have thought to charge at least double for a ristretto exactly because it wastes at least a couple shots worth of coffee and also takes more time, but haven't yet. Like the idea of simply saying no with an explanation, but still considering saying yes with an appropriate $ uplift.

[roblumba]

Chris makes an excellent point, one which I've now contemplated and agonized over as a shop owner. Have thought to charge at least double for a ristretto exactly because it wastes at least a couple shots worth of coffee and also takes more time, but haven't yet. Like the idea of simply saying no with an explanation, but still considering saying yes with an appropriate $ uplift.

Why not just have a separate grinder for shots? At Barefoot Coffee Roasters they have a bank of grinders. I don't know exactly why, but I would think it would be wise to use one of those grinders for double ristretto shots. Especially if it's a busy cafe, there's no time to be adjusting. Just set up a grinder for double ristretto.

[miKe mcKoffee]

Why not just have a separate grinder for shots? At Barefoot Coffee Roasters they have a bank of grinders. I don't know exactly why, but I would think it would be wise to use one of those grinders for double ristretto shots. Especially if it's a busy cafe, there's no time to be adjusting. Just set up a grinder for double ristretto.

We already have 4 espresso grinders, all for shots pulled normale. Shots of main blend, decaf, SO/guest blend, & Kona. Considering the extremely few requests for a ristretto shot versus normale, doesn't pay to buy a fifth espresso grinder just for a ristetto. Then again of course we'd actually need eight not five grinders since who's to say it's gonna be a ristretto request for our main blend not one of the other three shots offered. Truth be told don't have space for eight espresso grinders (two for each coffee being offered) even if it made economic sense, which it does not.