Hey,

I have been confused on how to "properly" pull a single shot using the LM single basket. The confusion is how you fill and tamp the single basket. I have found two video's which both use a different technique...

"Standard"


"Different"


Now, anytime I pull a shot using my sinlge basket, I have done it like in the first video. but, after watching the second video, I am wondering if i am doing it "wrong". The shots taste good, yes. The puck is'nt really a puck, more an absolute mess. So, which is correct? Or better yet, which way do YOU dose the single basket. I know the first video doesnt use a LM style single, but you can still see the huge difference in technique. (Funnily enough I was watching these videos trying to find some more info on the BZ07..and this came up)

Im quite curious about how people do it..Thanks!

Hi Jman!

I am a big fan of the single basket shot. Actually, my whole espresso world revolves around it jeje

So far I've been having very good luck with the sifter distribution technique (not trying to advertise it). See couple threads bellow. My minimum for the single LM basket is 8 grams. With my current blend, I usually dose about 8 to 9 grams. Flavor changes fast at that dose level. The mess is normal for tapered baskets and low dose.

Cheers

OH I agree.. Big fan of the single.. Well..I became one once I got a LM single basket.. Before that, I could NEVER pull a good single shot using the standard E-61 single.

The thing I like most about it, is HOW the flavor changes so much with such a small change in dose. I should note, that the majority of shots pulled using the single basket are SO shots.. Namely DP Ethiopian, Kenyan, Costa rican.. Stuff that is very fruity and on the brighter side. Using these SO's in a double, or even the triple, renders a shot that is VERY acidic, and not enjoyable, to me. Using the LM single, the floral aromatics are there in full force, and the fruit is not overbearing. Most blends, like the "popular" ones.. Black Cat, Belle, Toscano etc etc.. Dont really do to well in the single basket, rather as a ristretto from the double basket.

Ive been workin on a couple pounds of Organic Ethiopian Birbissa, home roast, taken to either just before, or a crack or two after second crack. Its amazing as a single shot, and works equally well as a small (4-5oz) americano. Shame on me for only buying 5lbs.. I would love another 20 to work with, but, hey..

However.. HOW do you dose the basket.. Do you only put coffee in the depression where the holes are, or do you fill the basket like you would a double(up to the line..ish), and use a 58mm tamper to tamp?

You'll probably get advice from different people and they all will be different. Each will probably work better depending on circumstances.

I can only speak for my way of doing it which is not very popular btw because it takes time. My personal way to prepare the basket is by weight. If the weight is too low I get thin coffee (it has a thin shiny crema). If it is too much weight, I get a cloud that covers the good stuff and it is unpleasant for me (depends on blends). After a few tries I identify the right spot of density. Then I fine tune the flavor with temperature.

The 'sifter distribution' works like snow. All grounds lay with the same pressure into a mountain. All you need is a medium mesh colander, a funnel and a brush. The funnel I bought it locally at Homedepot, the colander at Walmart.

If you have good hands and hold the funnel steady, and just move the brush in circles with the other hand, you'll craft a perfect mountain 100% of the time. No need to touch it, just tamp.

Cheers

I used to use the sifter method when I had the delonghi and i was using my PeDe. In the beginning, with the PeDe, it was very consistent for about 99% of the dose, but there was some slightly larger chunks.. after a while, it went away and the PeDe turned into the best 80 bucks I ever spent.


What you said about different people having different technique is too true.. I guess I will just continue doing it how I have been.. like the "Standard" video up above. The shots DO taste good, so i guess it doesnt matter??

So, if I wanted to make a "traditional" single, using the LM single basket, I would need a tamper that is the diameter of the impression, not a 58mm.. Am i understanding that correctly? I too thought the method in the second video was more wasteful then I care to be.. But Im sure I could use the basket in that manner and not waste nearly as much coffee.. I just dont have a tamper that size.. Smallest I have is a 51-ish.

But, as for what coffee's I use the single basket for.. Mainly Ethiopian SO, but some costa rican and kenyan's have been tasty as well. I do also pull them at around 14-15gr in a double basket as well. But as for the popular blends, like black cat, belle and such.. I dont use the single basket for them.. Those are dosed at a minimum 17grs, and up to 24-25. I agree, that is where they truly excel.

I really had no idea that was how you used a single basket, traditionally. Before I saw these videos and questioned it, anytime I used a single basket, I used it in the same manner I would use a double.. It would be updosed, but only at about 10grs.. But that would still put the coffee, when tamped, just under the retaining springs ridge. Ill have to find myself a tiny tamper and try out this new-to-me method.

I detailed the process I use to dial in a single basket on the VBM Domobar Super bench article. I find the dose to be very critical with a single.

Hey Dave,

I remember reading something about single shots in that review.. Thank you for the link. i have to agree with you that the dose in a single basket has a great effect on the shot..

But, I notice, in that review you were using the basket which came with the VBM.. makes sense, because you are reviewing that machine.. but, I have never had any luck with any single basket but a LM. Ive got two E-61 singles, a 6gr and 7gr, a Gaggia Single, and the LM. Even using the technique in video one, filling to the ridge and tamping with a 58, the LM gives me some great shots. The E-61's, for me, are the most unruly, and they have been forever banished to the task of "Tamper Holder".

Im going to be ordering my long awaited custom reg this week, and now, because of this discussion, i will be ordering two bases and a handle. a 47mm base, a 58mm us curve base, and a handle. SWEET.

Soo, yesterday morning, sunday, I had four single shots of Ethiopian Birbissa.. Its a shame SM is out of that bean.. It makes an awesome americano, and an even better single shot. Doses for all four shots were 10.5grs, which was JUST enough so the convex tamper didnt bottom out on the basket. I also tried my 50-50 blend(brazil/sumatra) from the single.. It wasnt bad, but no where near the flavors that emerge from a double basket. The single basket opened up a whole new chapter of espresso for me and anita, and its awesome.

Here's a thought, though... I wonder how the texture and mouthfeel of the shots will change(or not) when just filling the inner-mini basket. I want to guess they will all be thicker in general, but Ill have to wait and find out.. Any thoughts?

The lowest I've gone is 4 grams but it wasn't that great. I did it with the normal tamper (~57mm) but with a Rancilio basket. It was so small that it just filled the middle of the basket. The only problem I see with single baskets is the head clearance. I guess all machines don't have the same.

Do Italians use special tampers for singles? Do they sell such tampers anywhere?

Cheers

Well, Jim noted above that the "widget-tampers" that are on most grinders will tamp a single basket, sans the LM basket.

Especially with my standard E-61 baskets, as there is almost no wall for the mini-inner basket. Its more of a steady slope to the bottom. Considering how the LM basket is designed.. I wonder why baskets like the E-61 single exist.. It kinda completely defeats any attempt at a good distribution.

With the LM basket I do from ~8 till ~11.5 grams. You can do less than 8 but then the tamper touches the metal basket. For lower than 8 grams I use other flatter basket or maybe could use a smaller tamper as suggested. I get a nice choke with single baskets. The single baskets choke more than the doubles (less holes). The tamper in my Macap CPS is smaller than 58mm.

Cheers

here is how I do it; no scales, no distribution or levelling. being careful with basket ridges and grind fine, tamp light

then here is a question, "what's the roast date of that preground coffee in italian dosers?"

what we complain about cafes in general that they fill dosers hours ahead of time. that's also a common action here in turkiye. whenever I get a chance I ask why? regular answer I get "because that's how they showed us during our education". as you can guess "they" represent either an italian instructor or a turkish instructor who got educated by an italian instructor or an italian company. yes dosers are full in italy, we know that part. though there is a detail almost none of us pay attention. we don't have any info about the roast date.

here in istanbul there's a company very famous with their turkish coffee and 99,9% of their sales preground. to be able to buy 50-100gr preground coffee people get in queue before their door. sure there are many other reasons for that, but what I don't understand is the coffee will go stale within minutes right? right. so the last time I was there I asked about the roast date. the guy treated me as if I'm insulting him and the company. showing the huge "working" roaster behind, he said "what do you mean? we roast daily and grind instantly"

huh??? what about "beans resting time? releasing some excess gas out of their chest?" of course I couldn't ask that much cos he had turned his attention to next customer

so, what if cafes in italy get ultra fresh coffee, preground, let it rest in dosers a few hours, letting coffee age "faster" and get ready for the next customer? you know there's rarely a queue for espresso at cafes where we all live, but they have in italy and on daily basis. any italian with an answer?

kahvedelisi wrote:huh??? what about "beans resting time? releasing some excess gas out of their chest?" of course I couldn't ask that much cos he had turned his attention to next customer

Pre ground does away with the out-gassing. That is a trick you can use on to fresh coffee. Grind it and let it sit for 3 minutes (or there about). The coffee will out-gas very fast. I believe it is a surface to mass issue. Ground coffee has a much higher surface to mass ratio than whole bean so it oxidises faster. Grinding fresh from the roaster coffee and letting it sit and rest before you brew will speed the out-gassing although it does little for flavour development. It is simply out-gassed, not matured, but can help get rid of the baking soda taste if you cannot wait a couple of days for the coffee to rest.

The amount I use ranges from 7 to 8 grams, depending on the bean. I use an LM single and the small end of a Vivace Ergo Packer. I grind, fill the "inner basket" half way and tamp lightly (maybe one pound of pressure) and then fill the rest of the way. To get the rest of the grinds into the inner basket I run my finger around the edge of the basket making a mound in the center, then I tamp again lightly.

The puck is soupy when it comes out, but I rarely eat the puck.

Once I get my lathe setup I plan to make a small tamper for the LM single. If I remember correctly it is about 40mm.

So, I did some experimenting today with the single basket and a triple basket, using Ethiopian Organic Birbissa, and Yemini Mokha Harisi.

-Vitals Quickmill Anita, Mazzer Major, US Curve tamper/Wooden Dowel, WDT

Single Basket-Birbissa
-3 filling the "whole" basket, and using the 58mm US curve tamper, at 15lbs(bathroom scale), dosed at 11 grs.

-3 Filling the "mini" basket, Tamping with about 3lbs, using the wooden dowel that fits perfectly, grinding exceptionally fine, dosed at 8grams.

Shots were pulled as ristrettos, ending up with just over 20ml, in 28-30 seconds. Shot temp was ~202F

Both types of shots beaded evenly, and flowed evenly as well. The main difference in the shots, was the amount of flavor and clarity from the second 3. Lots of melon and berry flavors, with some very milky chocolate on the end. The larger doses were still fruity and chocolaty, but the fruit was darker, like blackberry and fig-ish, and the chocolate was also darker, slightly bittersweet.

Seems for this basket/coffee combo, filling only the mini-basket really made a better shot. Sweeter, richer, much more clarity. I think the finer grind and pseudo-tamp made an impact as well.. I notice, even in double shots, fruitier stuff does taste "clean and clear" when using a very fine grind, and almost no tamp, just a slightly firm level.

So, with this, I have changed how I pull singles. Closer to a traditional dose, only filling the Lm "mini" basket.

Basket/Coffee Comparison

Pulled 6 shots of the Yemen as a single ristretto. 3 and 3, same as above.
Pulled 3 shots of the Birbissa as a triple ristretto, 25 gr, 40+lb tamp, ~1.75oz in 30-32 seconds. Shot temp, ~202F

-The "two types" of single shot yemens did not show any noticeable clarity of muddling of flavors. The flavors of all of them were rather boring. Earthy, with an overwhelming amount of spice, no dark fruit or chocolate that I could detect. I did not enjoy them very much at all.

-The Triple shots of the birbissa, while different, were equally un-enjoyable. Sharp fruit flavors, and rather acidic. It was not your typical, thick syrupy triple ristretto.. They were on the thin side, and just plain unenjoyable. I expected this though, A fruity ethiopian is not my 1st choice for a SO triple ristretto.

My conclusion on the single shots, is that a fruity, brighter SO can make a surprisingly good shot, and the single is where that is, if at all. On the other hand, a dark, winey, spicy SO makes a rather boring, flat single. ON the flip-side, its exactly the opposite. The dark, "heavy" SO does well as a "heavy" triple ristretto, and the bright, fruity "light" SO, does well as a "light" single ristretto.

Now that I type that, it makes sense. What better coffee(s) to use for a single shot, or a "light" shot, then a Fruity, Bright coffee? In the past, I have reserved the single basket for coffee someone had specifically told me was good as a single, or, the end of a bag, when all that is left is <10gr anyway. However, after todays tests, I feel i have a better grasp over the single.. How to use the "best" single basket and which coffee(s) to use, to get the best possible shot from it.

Ill need to consider buying a tamper made to fit a Lm "mini" basket. I imagine the single basket is going to see more use.. well.. relativly more use. Ill be hard pressed to find something to get me off of triple ristretto blend of Yemen/Brazil/Salv/Sumatra habit.

As an aside, if anyone has any Ethiopian Birbissa, I highly suggest it in the Vacpot... Really good stuff.