Should 18 grams require "striking off"?

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SonVolt
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#1: Post by SonVolt »

I'm not sure how to phrase this question, but here goes - many videos show the baristas leveling the grinds in the portafilter with their finger while striking off the excess. When I grind 18 grams with my Forte AP the coffee sits below the top of the portafilter so I couldn't strike off if I tried. This also makes it harder to level because I can't use my finger since the coffee level is too low. How are you guys getting these big mounds of coffee where you can level and strike with your finger? Are you using more than 18 grams? Is my filter basket too big? I'm using the default double basket that comes with the Profitec Pro 700.

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TomC
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#2: Post by TomC »

It's solely a matter of basket size (primarily) and bean density.
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Nunas
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#3: Post by Nunas »

John,

Are you sure it's not a triple basket you have? The Double on my Magister Stella just nicely takes 14 grams (I use a Baratza Esatto scale). I strike off with a metal spoon handle, working the grounds around to fill any voids. If I do it just right the basket is perfectly level with hardly any grounds struck off onto the counter. When tamped, the level is just at the bottom of the grove in the basket sidewall. Now, if I use my triple basket, then what you describe happens.

Maurice

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shawndo
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#4: Post by shawndo »

Different grinders produce a different "fluffiness" volume/weight ratio.

Also, baristas leveling off in videos is applicable to a shop thats already dialed in and are just reproducing same shot with the same beans/age over and over within a few hours, so dosing by volume can be appropriate.

If you are making a couple shots a day, you are hitting a moving target with regards to dialing in the coffee (dose/age/etc) so the weight is much more important so "striking off the excess" is less applicable, I think. Once you grind the 18 grams for your dose, you do whatever you need to to get that 18 grams distributed properly (NSEW, stockfleths, WDT, whatever) and all in the basket.
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Randy G.
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#5: Post by Randy G. »

My Vibiemme E-61 58mm double baskets take about 16.5 to 16.7 grams. I would need a mallet to get 18 grams in there and then a bung hammer to get the portafilter to lock in the group. The correct amount of coffee is the mass that makes the best tasting beverage.
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Prescott CR
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#6: Post by Prescott CR replying to Randy G. »

I would pay money to see this happen.
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forbeskm
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#7: Post by forbeskm replying to Prescott CR »

I too would watch this video :D

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baldheadracing
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#8: Post by baldheadracing »

SonVolt wrote:I'm not sure how to phrase this question, but here goes - many videos show the baristas leveling the grinds in the portafilter with their finger while striking off the excess. When I grind 18 grams with my Forte AP the coffee sits below the top of the portafilter so I couldn't strike off if I tried. This also makes it harder to level because I can't use my finger since the coffee level is too low. How are you guys getting these big mounds of coffee where you can level and strike with your finger? Are you using more than 18 grams? Is my filter basket too big? I'm using the default double basket that comes with the Profitec Pro 700.
Your situation is exactly what Scottie Callaghan invented his dosing tools for:
However ... you're not in a café, so perhaps try using WDT or 'slap shot' or grinder interruptus (like Heather Perry and, IIRC, Gwyllim Davies) or whatever, together with a dosing funnel? It is something that may not make sense in a café so you're not going to see pro barista's doing it, but at home, a dosing funnel results in much less mess ... for example: (scrub ahead to 1:00)
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Marcelnl
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#9: Post by Marcelnl »

There is no 'should' as already indicated before, and it's more a matter of beans, grind setting and basket dimensions. Just go with what dose works best for you and try to be consistent in reaching it, picking up practical tricks of other people works yet there is no need to copy all of them...

I'm using a darkroom timer with my grinder, but have to dial in new beans so I revert to weighing every now and then. Also, the grinder has an exit chute added to the doser, making a funnel not really necessary.
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SonVolt (original poster)
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#10: Post by SonVolt (original poster) »

Nevermind, I confused myself. I've been using the ECM bottomless Portalfilter that I purchased seperately, not the portafilter that came with the Profitec. The basket for the bottomless is indeed much larger than the Profitec's double basket. Apparently it comes with a triple basket.

http://www.creativecoffee.ca/Parts-and- ... ter-p1222/

With that said - can I switch out the basket of my bottomless with the double basket? Not sure if there's anything special about bottomless baskets...

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