I always have some fine coffee grinds in my espresso after pulling. I have an expobar lever and a macap M4 stepless.
I wouldn't expect grinds in there! What could be the source?
A bad portafilter basket? too fine grinding? (shouldn't be, 30 ml water is flowing in 28 seconds)

You're timing is good. I just finished pulling four shots and hadn't cleaned up yet. Checking all four cups, I don't see any coffee grounds in the bottom of the cup. Are you using a spouted portafilter? Sometimes the ends of the spouts will be contaminated with grounds while tamping. If it's a bottomless portafilter, the bottom of the basket may be picking up some grounds while tamping. It happens, they get everywhere...

So it's not that the fine grounds is coming through the basket? wouldn't make sense!
But i will check on contamination on the spouts first time i go on the machine again.

for me this issue tells me its time to clean the grinder. i have a feeling that even these higher end grinders still make some dust eventually. this gets in the cup. i noticed it happening. then i cleaned my grinder and it stopped. didn't change grind setting either. thats how i noticed it happening, then not happening, after i cleaned up the mazzer.

if it has been some time since you cleaned the grinder it may not hurt to clean up anyway. if you still get grinds in the cup you know they are fresh at least.

i also noticed that for me, these fine particles seem very regular in size. maybe they get small enough to pass through the holes?

on a naked PF/basket. it could pick up dust/grinds off the table onto the outside bottom of the basket? if you tamp on the dirty surface it could happen. maybe you can wipe off the bottom of the basket or at least look at it before the brew.

perhaps grind slightly coarse and then dose a slight bit more?

just some ideas.


thanks for the time.

jon

I have this too. It does not bother me much, but I'll give my Mazzer a bath - let's see if it fixes the issue.

I would think it strange that owning the macap only 2 weeks and making roughly 50 espressi, it already needs disassembling? i hope not!
This morning i checked closely what i was doing. My grind is certainly not too fine, pull is too quick (but good enough for a wake-up cappu) my desk is clean, portafilter rinsed and dried before dosing. the grinds appear on the side of the cup during the pull, not right away but the moment the pump is going for full pressure. so pressure buildup, nothing; 10 seconds after start and you hear the pump going for full pressure a few grinds appear at the side of the cups. I don't notice them in the cappu, but i have to check on the afternoon espresso for this.

FWIW, I will sometimes find some grinds in my cup, but nothing significant. I think that some fines *will* pass through the filter, but not enough to produce a sludge on the bottom of the cup, just a peppering of some fines.

So, as someone who is only making espresso since 2 weeks, i don't have to be scared of doing something wrong, at least not to cause this problem of a few fine grounds in the cup.

but i am still not sure it is something that should happen. extremely spoken, i never would get into a barista final this way, would i?

petje wrote:extremely spoken, i never would get into a barista final this way, would i?

Sensory judges never drink to the bottom of the cup, so your secret is safe.

FWIW

i will take a pic of the aftermath of a espresso and a cap from his morning. just got up and machine is even at pressure yet. give me a couple of hours.

here is one from a while back a youtube vid of the after glow. there may be some grinds in there somewhere?



i sometime enjoy a few grounds at the end. i bet its less than 100 particles at the most.

im sure you are fine. if it tastes good then you are on your way to nirvana.

enjoy.

jon