Hey guys, first time poster here, I'm usually on the CG forums.

But to get to the point, I just converted my machine from a pressurized basket to and non-pressurized basket.
I also made a naked portafilter for it.

Before, when I had the pressurized basket I was getting plenty of crema, like 80-90% crema shots. (I guess it was fake "pressurized" crema).

Now that I have changed and wasted about 3 pounds of coffee, I just can't get any crema at all and if I do, its just a thin white ring around the outside of the mug. It looks over or under extracted.

I have played with my tamp and my grind but again, the same results every time.

Also, when the pour starts, it starts a little early, then it begins to channel to the center of the naked pf like it should, and its nice and dark. In about 10 seconds it all of a sudden starts to spray coffee and water everywhere and just looks like drip coffee. WHen the pour stops, I am left with a perfect puck. I just don't understand?!?!?

Please guys, help me!

- Matt


NOTE:

delonghi cafe chic machine, and a delonghi 18 setting burr grinder (yeah i know its a lot of cheap delonghi crap) with local high end espresso shop beans. They are their own blend, "Coffee and Company espresso". They assure me its all in the day or two after roasting, but I'm doubtful.

Hey Matt!

Welcome to HB!

What are you using for a grinder, beans, and a machine?

Sounds like it could be bean age...but I'm not totally sure. I'm sure some of the more experienced members will chime in but be sure to tell us what your setup is.

Welcome to the exciting and frustrating world of brewing real espresso, without the "assistance" of a pressurized filter basket. The results can be great, but it can also be unforgiving at times. Don't give up though.

It sounds like either you're grinding too coarse, or your grinder just isn't up to the task because it's grinding inconsistently. This is assuming that your coffee really is fresh. You may need to look into getting a better grinder, like a Rocky or Macap or Mazzer. I know you probably don't want to hear this, but I doubt that your Delonghi grinder is capable of grinding fine enough or consistently enough to make great espresso. Upgrading the grinder will make a huge difference.

Also, just because the beans are fresh doesn't mean they're going to make great crema. Some blends and roasts are better for espresso than others. You should look for a medium roast bean without any surface oils, like Intelligentsia's Black Cat or Vivace's Dolce or Vita blends. If the coffee you're getting locally is the typical dark, oily "espresso" roast that many shops sell, it's too dark and bitter to make good, crema laden espresso. You might want to see if they sell a lighter roast and try that.

the roast that I have now is about a full city and has little or no surface oil.

It sounds to me your grinder isn't up to the task. I don't know the Delonghi stuff at all, but what you're describing sounds like the grind isn't working.

Can you grind fine enough to choke the shot completely, so that you get no extraction within 30 seconds or more? If so, I'd get to that point and then back the grinder off (coarser) as little as possible and try again. If there's a point where one setting chokes the shot, and the next available setting lets it run too much, then I'd try on the one that chokes it (the finer one) and work on adjusting the amount of coffee dosed down to a point where it will pour acceptably and see how it works and tastes. At that point you may end up with less espresso in the cup, but it might at least be good enough to enjoy.

What volume are you getting and how long is it taking to get it?

I can not choke the machine for more than like 8 seconds, no matter how hard I try.

Even on the finest grind setting and like 40-50+ pounds of tamp pressure.

AND after about 10-15 seconds the espresso channeling towards the center on my naked portafilter breaks up and sprays everywhere, even after if I get a solid perfect puck.

I have a good feeling its the grinder.

How much difference will home roasted beans make?

Well, we can't rule out very much just yet... I would guess the grinder first, the beans second, and finally the technique. If cost of the grinder is a major concern, many people have excellent results with handmill grinders. Posting a video of the extraction might be helpful. In lieu of a video, a blow-by-blow description of shot preparation might help (how you dose, distribute, tamp, etc.)

In the future, please avoid cross-posting as many HB members frequent multiple sites.... you have two pages of valid suggestions on CG already, here.

I recently switched to Intelligentsia Black Cat blend. I grind fresh before each espresso, which usually means every morning. I also ditched the crappy plastic tamper that came with my Gaggia Evolution and bought a stainless steel 58mm convex tamper. The result of the two is that I get a much more consistent crema than before. The coffee made a big difference, and the tamper helps prevent uneven extraction.

I am finding the grinder also makes a big difference, too. I don't think my grinder (Capresso Infinity) is capable of the perfect setting, so I had to play around until I found one that didn't choke the shot product too much.

Hope this helps.

jesawdy wrote:In the future, please avoid cross-posting as many HB members frequent multiple sites.... you have two pages of valid suggestions on CG already, here.

Sorry, just looking for a second opinion.