hello all,

its been a while, but i did take the advice here and got a bz07 which has finally arrived. (my grinder is still on the way).

i did a few shots and it looks that all my shots are weak in terms of taste. does it mean that it is under extracted? i do have a smaller tamper to tamp with, its a bit harder to get it right. i use 8g coffee and the single spout portafilter.

here is a shot of the extract:


ps: wow, this machine is a steam freak.

You mentioned your grinder is on the way, so I'm assuming you are using preground coffee now. I'd guess that it is too coarse and is under extracted.
I've tasted preground coffee in great machines and it was worse than Starbucks. I'd wait for the grinder before worrying about your technique.

also, I read somewhere that doubles (14-16g) are much easier to start out with than singles. (I still only make doubles)

BZ07 is a wonderful machine! The grinder and fresh coffee is the whole point!

Me and my BZ07:

Obviously a proper grinder and proper beans are going to solve your problems, but what is the size/volume of that stainless steel pitcher you are using? The smallest size that I can regularly find in the US is 3 Ounces / 89 ml.

If yours is that size, and you are filling it up all the way with a single shot, it will always taste weak compared to the approximately 0.75 to 1 ounce standard single shot.

hello all. thank you for the quick reply.

i use pre-ground coffee from costa until i have my grinder. my pitcher is exactly 2oz, but i do not use the pitcher as a measurement, i measured the coffee to be 1.35oz. shall i go down to 1?

also, what i noticed is that the flow is not constant from the portafilter, it has small bursts. i can record a video if that helps.

trollklint wrote:BZ07 is a wonderful machine! The grinder and fresh coffee is the whole point!

Me and my BZ07:

is it a double? i will compare my timing to yours. i definitely do not have the foamy flow what you have at the end.

i use pre-ground coffee from costa until i have my grinder. my pitcher is exactly 2oz, but i do not use the pitcher as a measurement, i measured the coffee to be 1.35oz. shall i go down to 1?

also, what i noticed is that the flow is not constant from the portafilter, it has small bursts. i can record a video if that helps.

You shouldn't expect the flow to be normal until you are grinding freshly roasted and rested beans using a quality grinder that is dialed into your your BZ07 and espresso blend. Also, which grinder are you expecting to arrive to you?

About the volume of espresso, 1 ounce is just an estimate for a single shot. Many users stop when the espresso flow becomes visibly lighter in color (blonding). Others measure by weight in addition to the visual cues. If you are not concerned with extracting the precise aromas that the coffee roaster says you should experience, then you should experiment with different volumes and settle on the one that tastes best to you. Ultimately, you will need that grinder to do any of this.

The BZ07 is an exceptional machine. Your problem lies in the lack of a grinder and fresh beans. Just turn off the machine until they arrive. You will not get anything drinkable from pre ground coffee. You may want to read It's the Grinder, Stupid for further insight.

the grinder is a Macap M5.

here is a video of my extract: