This is a technique question. When ending extraction by weight, is it better to just pull the demitasse out from under the extraction stream with the pump still running, or is is just as good form to stop the pump ahead of time, and let the last handful of grams dribble in with the pump off? This is presupposing that you have the skills to get your exact weight either way.

-Peter

Peter, I brew exclusively by weight. I stop pump about 2 grams before desired weight on my machine. That gets me very close to desired brew weight...

Brewing by weight can be a real eye opener!

Guys, I brew by weight, too. I was inquiring about the technical pro's and cons as they affect the espresso, of ending the pour by: stopping the pump ahead of time and letting the rest dribble in, (poor man's pressure profiling?), versus pulling the cup away from a fully running stream with the pump still running. Presupposing both techniques result in the correct weight, of course, which is better?

-Peter

Ah, I see what you are asking. Well, on normal extractions when I turn off the pump I get about 2 grams into the cup after doing so. That means that if I brew say 28 grams total by weight the "dribble-in" is about 7% of total beverage. I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever in the taste since those two grams by the time I turn off the pump are already in coffee puck anyway...

Are you sure the 2g is not a lag in the scale update? 2g is 2cc of water. As the espresso stream is part crema, it would take a large volume to equal 2.g

FWIW, on an e61, less than 1cc drips out of the spouted PF after the pump stops.

cafeIKE wrote:Are you sure the 2g is not a lag in the scale update? 2g is 2cc of water. As the espresso stream is part crema, it would take a large volume to equal 2.g

Its probably combination of both. I was just going by the observation that I need to stop pump about 2 grams away from my target brew weight... Give or take 1 gram...

2 grams is about what I get after stopping the pump, too. I think it's a combination of the last few drops and scale settling time.

What's important is the weight in the cup after the stream has stopped and the scale has settled. For that reason, I don't think it's wise to pull the cup out from under the running stream. First, the scale may not be showing the exact weight in the cup. Second, you can't avoid a little extra getting into the cup as you pull it away. If you shut off the pump and wait for the last few drops to go into the cup and for the scale to settle, you can be sure of the beverage weight.

There's another reason I wouldn't pull the cup away -- the scale will get wet! I've had coffee get into my scale numerous times and have had to take it apart to clean it out (I'm not a big fan of trying to cover it with plastic wrap, etc.)

I agree that a couple of grams beverage weight one way or the other won't make much difference, though it wouldn't surprise me if cuppers with very sensitive palettes could tell the difference in strength.

You can't shift the scale with the cup? Or use a spoon to catch the last drops as you move the cup?

aecletec wrote:You can't shift the scale with the cup? Or use a spoon to catch the last drops as you move the cup?

You can shift the scale with the cup, but dripping coffee will get on the scale (and possibly inside it) as the edge of the cup moves past the stream.

You can use a spoon to block the stream, but then you need three hands: one to move the cup (and probably the scale with it), one to hold the spoon and one to turn off the machine. OK, you can move the cup and then turn off the machine. But all this sounds very awkward to me (and probably messy.)

Besides, while these moves would protect the scale, they wouldn't solve the problem of the scale not having settled before you move the cup.

It's just a whole lot simpler to shut off the pump a couple of grams before the target weight is reached. What's wrong with that?