I am enjoying my espresso journey. I have been working on dosing, tamping and distribution techniques (all the things I have learned here and other places) and have been pulling some pretty good (at least to my palate!) shots. A friend gave me a grinder (Kitchenaid A-9... I know.... his heart was in the right place!) and I am finding it to be very inconsistent. It is very difficult to adjust even with the modification (screw removed.) But, I have ordered a Mazzer Mini, and it should be here soon. Until now, I have also been working only with Illy beans, and have ordered some fresh roasted coffee, and am looking forward to trying that. I guess my next step may be to get a bottomless portafilter, but I have actually been having fun experimenting based on flavor, and a feel for the process. Any thoughts on that?

OK.. first question: When I ordered the new grinder, I had the option of ordering a separate (and smaller) hopper at a reduced price. I ordered it (along with a lid that was not included) because I do make decaf espresso from time to time as I am not supposed to be taking in a lot of caffeine. When I get this grinder, is it acceptable to store the fresh roasted beans in the hoppers? My plan was to put high test beans in one hopper, and decaf beans in the other, and switch them out as needed.

Second question: I have noticed on my last several shots that there is a little bit of water dripping around the portafilter from the group head during the extraction. Is this normal? If I tighten the portafilter, it seems to go away. But, this is making my portafilter handle be a lot further over than usual, and that throws off my drip spouts. Maybe I need to clean the group head better? I have been following all the usual recommendations in regards to that. My machine is a Pasquini Liva 90 semiauto.

Thanks for any advice or comments. I am always open to suggestions and any criticisms.

Mike

Horseshoot wrote: Until now, I have also been working only with Illy beans, and have ordered some fresh roasted coffee, and am looking forward to trying that. Any thoughts on that?

The Kitchenaid Grinder is great for a good many things. There are those that suggest that espresso isn't one of them. It does have its fans, though. I'd love to have one, but I'd use it for other things. While Dr. Illy has a great knowledge of all things coffee, I'm not sure that shipping whole beans bathed in nitrogen is the perfect solution. I think that you'll enjoy the recently roasted much more. There are other things that will affect extraction times. Bean age is only one of them. Temperature, humidity, time of day, position of the moons of Venus, etc. Some of it is still a mystery to me, too. Occasionally, I just have to dump the shot in the sink and start over.

Horseshoot wrote: When I get this grinder, is it acceptable to store the fresh roasted beans in the hoppers? My plan was to put high test beans in one hopper, and decaf beans in the other, and switch them out as needed.

I tend to dose into the bean hopper, and keep my beans in the fridge in an airtight, light tight, container. Oddly enough, my decaf beans are in an old Illy container with the degassing valve on the bottom! An airtight container that will keep moisture and oxygen and the aromas of other foods out will be better than the hopper. Hoppers like that are really designed for two purposes: 1. To keep a pro barista from having to go in the fridge every sixty seconds (thirty on a two group) for beans that are going to be used up in the next hour or two anyways, so won't have a chance to stale, and 2. a place for lazy people who don't care about the quality of their coffee to stale their beans over the next two weeks. Truthfully, your method should be fine, but why tempt fate? I live in the desert where it gets really warm, so I 'fridge 'em, and keep them in sealed containers.

Horseshoot wrote:I have noticed on my last several shots that there is a little bit of water dripping around the portafilter from the group head during the extraction. Maybe I need to clean the group head better?

It could mean that it's time to replace the PF gasket. If you haven't done that in a year or so, you might as well give that a shot. Since we don't know your cleaning method or frequency, it's kinda hard to say that you need to do it better.

Thanks for your comments. My machine is only a couple of months old. So, I hope it is not a gasket at this early stage. I clean by backflushing every few days (as per the instructions that came with the machine) and with detergent about once a week. I also do a wiggle-wash between shots.

How far to you have to crank the portafilter handle to stop the leak? I was going to suggest the same group gasket replacement but if it is a new machine with only two months of usage on it, that should not be the case.

Are you using the stock portafilter?

Yes I am using the stock portafilter. I am maybe 5 degrees right of center with the handle (to keep the leak away.) I did forget to mention that this is with an extraction that is slow, and only producing about 3/4 of an ounce in about 30 seconds... so maybe that has something to do with it. Thanks!

That is not too bad. I would not worry about it.

You can order larger gaskets. There are two different 'standard' sizes, an 8.0 and 8.5. You probably have the 8.0 gasket however the 8.5 would probably be too thick. They also make paper spacers that go between the gasket and group for those in between sizes.

Even if you choke the machine, you should not get water flowing around that seal. When you backflush, do you have the same problem? Put you basket on a flat surface and check it for dents in the rim.

Well.... i got new coffee today (Black Cat Espresso Blend) and it is wonderful!!!! It is the largest improvement in my shots since I began pulling shots. The new Mazzer Mini has not arrived yet but I cannot wait to pair it up with this new blend. The gasket leak has not been a problem, since I began making sure I hadn't overloaded the portafilter. I noticed deep impressions of the screen in the puck, so I fixed that. I am so impressed with the taste of the Black Cat, and the crema is wonderful! I really got to get a naked portafilter to go one more step. My wife thinks I am mad!

Headspace is important. You must have an even space between the puck and shower screen across the entire face of the puck. I find that the curvature of the tamper is an often overlooked detail. IMHO, the shape of the tamper piston should match the shower screen.

When you dose and tamp, you should be able to lock the portafilter into the group then remove it without the shower screen contacting the surface. After a shot, a slight impression of the shower screen on the surface of the puck is normal, but a deep impression could be a sign of over dosing.

I think you will be surprised at the improvement the Mazzer makes. The espresso machine is an accessory for the grinder. My wife thinks I went mad some time ago.

I believe (and hope) you are right about the Mazzer. As it is, I am making great strides in dosing, distribution, and tamping. But the grinding is driving me nuts. I just cannot easily adjust grind with the machine I am using at present.