Thanks to a lot of help from folks around here, I've now been up and running for a month or so with my new setup: a refurbed Mazzer Major and a new Gaggia Classic. After 10 years of using an old Starbucks Barista with a cheap grinder, I've learned a lot. And I've pulled a lot of REALLY good shots.

But I'm having a issue keep cropping up. Most of the time I make americanos for me and my wife, so it's two drinks and very simple. Here's what keeps occurring: I feel like I have my grind and tamp all dialed in nicely, and the first shots (for her!) are amazing - beautiful, consistent, lovely. Then I move on to the second shots (for me) and with what seems to me like the same dosing and same tamp, I CHOKE the machine. I usually then back off either by underdosing a little or tamping lightly and end up with drinkable shots, but not nearly as great as the ones I just gave her.

I'm drinking Counter Culture's Espresso Toscana, blended half and half with Counter Culture's Decaf Sumatra. The beans are about 10 days old and only 2 days out of the freezer.

The only theories I can come up with are:

1. My grind is actually TOO fine, but the old leftover grinds in the chute of the Major are counteracting this. So I get the "right grind" in the first shots, but then I have too fine a grind when I actually use the completely freshly ground coffee for the second shots.

2. Something to do with static on the second shots? I'm using the 2L bottle conversion, and I don't seem to notice much static - and no problems with clumping. But there is a little more static with the second shots. (General question: what are the ill effects of static - just clumping, or something else? I definitely don't have clumping.)

Any thoughts would be much appreciated...!

fronesis wrote:My grind is actually TOO fine, but the old leftover grinds in the chute of the Major are making counteracting this. So I get the "right grind" in the first shots, but then I have too fine a grind when I actually use the completely freshly ground coffee for the second shots.

This sounds like the most likely cause. Your Major's grind chamber and chute holds at least 3-4 grams of stale coffee. Try sweeping the chute with a small brush and purging a few grams of coffee at the start of each session.


From Best $1.25 I have spent on my grinder

fronesis wrote:General question: what are the ill effects of static - just clumping, or something else? I definitely don't have clumping.

Messy countertops.

Thanks for the confirmation. I've got a brush - I've just been too lazy to use it. So I'll be more diligent to make sure I've gotten rid of all old ground, and we'll see if that fixes the problem.

Maybe you can do a little experiment. Don't change your technique. Grind shot #1 and save it. Then grind shot #2 and pull that one first. If it chokes, you probably have your answer. Then pull #1.

I had the same idea as Dan. My money is on old grinds in the grind path. I try to stop just a little short of my dose, then brush the grinds out of the chute to finish my dose to minimize waste. Then before the next shot I give the grinder a two second pulse to purge any that are left in the chute, dose those into the catch bin and grind my next shot.

Use the first part of the grounds to make YOUR Americano. The second shot will be for your wife, so if it chokes, it will not be nearly as annoying.

Thanks, all! I can now say that the difference between first and second shots was definitely old grinds in the chute. Doing a diligent job of cleaning them out led to similar results.