Mountain Air Black Balsam

Beginner and pro baristas share tips and tricks for making espresso.
cmin
Posts: 1379
Joined: 12 years ago

#1: Post by cmin »

So I had a 5lb bag come in, I hesitated ordering for awhile as I remember so many post seemed 50/50 split. My wife made me a drink the first time and I was like that was good, then I found out she added a bit of caramel syrup and I'm like damn these beans rock lol, thinking that was the blends flavor. So since then been trying to dial in for shots and drinks and past couple weeks I just can't get it right. Done from 17-19.5g, adjusted grind a ton of times, seems to channel no matter what or start flowing just "ok" then start pouring and bonding fast, most of the time it's always two pours out of the bottomless that either stays like that or eventually merged but shot is still verging on gushing. Guess I'm one of the guys that just can't get this blend dialed in. :|

Not my technique, as works fine with other beans and just pulled some of bodkas sweet blue no problem. Tried wdt, pergers shake method etc. Remember people saying they had a hard time getting this dialed in or just pulling, but not sure what could make it hard? Varied temps (at 203 now)

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johnny4lsu
Posts: 775
Joined: 12 years ago

#2: Post by johnny4lsu »

It's too dark for my liking.. Not that it isn't good but that's not what I'm after.

cmin (original poster)
Posts: 1379
Joined: 12 years ago

#3: Post by cmin (original poster) replying to johnny4lsu »

Hmmm mine doesn't seem dark, seems on the lighter side, doesn't look that much different then the sweet blue I have on hand. I just cannot get any nice syrupy flowing stream at all.

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johnny4lsu
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#4: Post by johnny4lsu »

I tend to prefer light roasted SO coffees.. It's dark compared to that.

LukeFlynn
Posts: 1293
Joined: 10 years ago

#5: Post by LukeFlynn »

Pretty light for me. I pull 18 grams in and 36 out in about 26 seconds. 200 degree boiler

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johnny4lsu
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#6: Post by johnny4lsu »

All about perspective for sure.

brianl
Posts: 1390
Joined: 10 years ago

#7: Post by brianl »

cmin wrote:Hmmm mine doesn't seem dark, seems on the lighter side, doesn't look that much different then the sweet blue I have on hand. I just cannot get any nice syrupy flowing stream at all.
Give up those finicky VST baskets and join the HQ 14g basket darkside :twisted:

Having the most even extractions of my life (or it could be the new grinder wearing in :roll: although I switch back to the VSTs occasionally and nothing changes).

LukeFlynn
Posts: 1293
Joined: 10 years ago

#8: Post by LukeFlynn replying to brianl »

I'm using VSTs, the HQs seem to cut down on the body for me personally.

brianl
Posts: 1390
Joined: 10 years ago

#9: Post by brianl replying to LukeFlynn »

Not here. Actually find the opposite. Then again I don't pull anything above 1:1.5 usually.

cmin (original poster)
Posts: 1379
Joined: 12 years ago

#10: Post by cmin (original poster) »

brianl wrote:Give up those finicky VST baskets and join the HQ 14g basket darkside :twisted:

Having the most even extractions of my life (or it could be the new grinder wearing in :roll: although I switch back to the VSTs occasionally and nothing changes).
Haha, my baskets are HQ lol, love my 21,best all around basket I've ever used.
LukeFlynn wrote:Pretty light for me. I pull 18 grams in and 36 out in about 26 seconds. 200 degree boiler
can you take a video of a pull? B/c man I tried in that range and it was gushing and spritizing like crazy and almost immediately blond.

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