Hey guys - I just got my Baratza Preciso in this week and I had a few questions. I read online that a good guide for Espresso would be settings 10G (depending on beans). I'm using freshly roasted beans from a local roaster and I'm using the setting 2A. Should I be concerned about this?

What is a good rule of thumb in regards to what I should be feeling the coffee? I was going to purchase the Vario but budget cuts made the Preciso a more viable option. I hope I don't regret my decision.

Thanks.

dhunt wrote: I'm using freshly roasted beans from a local roaster and I'm using the setting 2A. Should I be concerned about this?

No cause for concern; you still have room to go finer. If you find a bean where the finest settings aren't good enough, then you can pull the case and change the calibration. Baratza has online guidance about that. Don't pay much attention to the settings used by others, it can vary quite a bit between individual machines.

dhunt wrote:What is a good rule of thumb in regards to what I should be feeling the coffee?

I've never been able to tell much by feel. Be sure to read this: Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste

Great! Thanks! Also - my machine (Breville Dual Boiler) only gets up to about 5 bars of pressure when pulling a shot and I read it should be near 8 or 10. Is that cause of concern too? Also, my shots run about 19 - 20 seconds, should it be longer?

Grind finer, I typically try to choke a machine first and then dial back at same increments. You will soon discover that on your equipment combination what each setting will do to the timing of the shot. Also, the reason I start on the finer side is so that I can create a ristretto and just pull the cup earlier for a shot that still meets my taste preferences.

You will get it soon, there really is no replacement for taking the time and beans to experiment.

I'm assuming choke a machine = goes fine as possible? Sorry I'm still learning! I may need to adjust the calibration then.

I agree, when learning it's good to experiment with a nearly choked shot and move back from there. Choked simply means that the coffee is hardly coming out at all, takes over 30 seconds to get much less than an ounce in the cup. You can try setting your grinder down at 1C or so and try a shot. If that doesn't choke it then I think you do need to open it up and adjust the calibration ring.

P.S.
If you open it up and the calibration ring is already over as fine as it will go, then you may need to call Baratza - they will tell you how to pull the shaft and change some shims so to make it grind way finer.

OK Great thanks for all the information! I'm going to adjust the calibration now. If it's on the coarse end should I go to the middle or go to the fine side?

dhunt wrote:If it's on the coarse end should I go to the middle or go to the fine side?

If you never do French press, you can push towards the fine side, otherwise I'd say try putting it in the middle.

I adjusted the calibration to the fine setting and its still not fine enough. Baratza is closed today so ill call them tomorrow. Is too coarse coffee the main reason the shot will be underextracted? Is there anything I can tinker with until the new grinder comes? I've tried coffee amount and tamp pressure. I set my pid at 202.

Is too coarse coffee the main reason the shot will be underextracted?

Yes, but another potential cause of a fast extraction is channeling - the coffee finding a fast path through an unevenly distributed or badly tamped puck. Make sure you have a reasonable dose (depends on the coffee, but 17-18g should be plenty) and have distributed it carefully, tamped it straight and smooth, then you should expect a choked shot on your finest grinder settings.

I think your next step on troubleshooting your grinder is here - https://www.baratza.com/wp-content/uplo ... -Issue.pdf You've probably already seen that, but if not is something to go through before calling them.