SwingT wrote:After pulling the first shot - is it better to wipe the portafilter out between shots, or rinse the portafilter before pulling the second shot?

I have a small issue with OCD (or CDO to put them in proper alphabetical order) so I tend to use the same microfibre cloth that I've cleaned the steamwand with to wash the basket and the steam pitcher afterwards.
This keeps the hardware clean, and rinses the cloth at the same time.
I do not use detergent on any of these, save the JoeGlo or Cafiza that gets used for the detergent cleaning once a week or so. Then they all get soaked with the dispersion screens, just no quite as long.

I tend to use the same microfibre cloth that I've cleaned the steamwand with to wash the basket and the steam pitcher afterwards.This keeps the hardware clean, and rinses the cloth at the same time.

So, by "wash the basket" with "microfiber" cloth - and "rinses the cloth" at the same time - do you mean that you "rinse" the portafilter and wipe it with the cloth, before pulling the next shot?.

Since this thread is about "seasoning" with the first shot - I got to thinking are we removing " seasoning" from the portafilter if we "rinse" it? versus just wiping it out with say a paper towel? When going on to the next shot?

I don't mean at end of session, I mean prior to next shot being pulled.

Psyd wrote:This makes my CDO look sub-clinical!

Also known by it's full scientific name as Compulsive Dosing Obsession.

SwingT wrote:So, by "wash the basket" with "microfiber" cloth - and "rinses the cloth" at the same time - do you mean that you "rinse" the portafilter and wipe it with the cloth, before pulling the next shot?.

Nope, I do dishes as I finish each session. Pull the shot, steam whatever milk I nay or may not be using, build whatever drink I'm having, and take the first sip.
Knock the puck out.
Drop the basket in the sink.
Take the second sip.
Flush and wiggle(rinsing the steam pitcher if applicable, in the flushed water)
Third sip.
Take the pitcher and cloth to the sink, do the dishes, wring the cloth and hang the pitcher and baskets up to dry, wipe down the machine with the damp cloth, and take my drink somewhere to relax.

PF's are kept in the groups, baskets are kept in a drawer.

CRCasey wrote:Also known by it's full scientific name as Compulsive Dosing Obsession.

Oh, no! It's still and Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder, but I've arranged the letters in their proper alphabetical order.... ; >

PSD, in your reply - you never indicate what the proper procedure is if pulling one shot, then pulling another shot -

Or if you did, I missed it, I only read it as pulling one shot and ending the session.

SwingT wrote:PSD, in your reply - you never indicate what the proper procedure is if pulling one shot, then pulling another shot -

Oh, that's easy! I reach in the drawer for another basket and lock in both nekkids to both groups!

Yeah, I know, that's probably not helpful to a lot of folk.
If I were limited to one basket and one group and one PF handle, I'd probably use another microfibre cloth (one for the steamwand and dishes, one for the PF's and baskets, and one to dry...) to wipe it out and dry after a flush.

'Zat better?

SwingT wrote:After pulling the first shot - is it better to wipe the portafilter out between shots, or rinse the portafilter before pulling the second shot?

I often rinse the portafilter a bit between shots - after the portafilter wiggle -

More importantly for me: I have two single baskets that I use - in succession - I dry the baskets with a towel, between shots and let them warm, and dry on the ledge of my Elektra before each use.

Howard

Let me ask this another way.

From the original post of this thread

2nd shot's almost always tasted better that the first. No amount of grinder tweaking, shot volume or temperature adjustment could ameliorate the problem.....Someone needs to invent an inexpensive reusable puck or restricted-basket to make pulling blank shots convenient..... I've been collecting up the grinder purges through the day and pulling tomorrow's 1st shot with them. Directly into the tray! Let the group sit for a bit to allow the coffee to 'work'.

If everyone agrees that the Second shot is better than the first -

Then, is it best to "rinse" out the portafilter basket between shots, possibly removing some of the oils - fresh oils that we wanted to get there in order to have a "better second shot"

or are we better to merely "wipe' the basket, say with a paper towel prior to pulling the second shot

In terms of "sinking the first shot" it seems to me that we may well be better to not "rinse" the portafilter, and instead to merely "wipe" it -

I'm not even sure what cafes do on this, I have never noticed.

What do pro barisata's do to the PF basket between shots?

So, in order to get the "best" second shot - do you want to merely wipe out the basket, or "rinse"

SwingT wrote:What do pro barisata's do to the PF basket between shots?

"Good" ones wipe the basket but don't rinse it - but it's only marginally relevant in this case due to the benefits of working in a high volume environment.

SwingT wrote:Then, is it best to "rinse" out the portafilter basket between shots, possibly removing some of the oils - fresh oils that we wanted to get there in order to have a "better second shot"

The 'first' shot [ partially ] clears away the old oils from the day before. Once that's taken care of, pull at will.

As far as rinsing and wiping, I rinse under the instant hot water and then wipe. It's too bleeding messing with soggy pucks to just wipe. I'd new a new towel every shot.

I rinse under the instant hot water and then wipe.

Duhhh, so obvious I didn't think of it. There's a small sink to the right of my machine that I have been using.

Hot water from the machine is lots better.

HB wrote:I believe Jim is making the point that if we are to meaningfully compare our experiences, we need to agree on some basic ground rules. For example, nobody disputes the practical benefits of agreeing what the colors red, yellow, and green are. However, there's no need to agree that everyone's favorite color is green. The same analogy applies to taste descriptors.

Thus, in 1990, Professor Ann Noble of the Enology & Viticulture Department at the University of California at Davis invented The Wine Aroma Wheel -- an attempt at "standardizing" descriptors to provide a more meaningful discussion . . . .

Sorry if this was covered before in this thread (didnt read all 8 pages), but it's much more likely that this whole 2nd shot is better than the first phenomenon is due to the grinder.

When you make your first shot you are getting any old grinds out of the chamber and replacing it with fresh grinds.

For the second shot you are now getting remnants from a much fresher grind.
Some of you pulse grind with a small amount of beans before pulling the next shot of the day, but try this experiment:

instead of sinking the first shot of the day, grind enough for say a single.. throw those grinds out

then grind again for a double, make your espresso (1st)

make a 2nd espresso

Compare 1st to 2nd now...

godlyone wrote:When you make your first shot you are getting any old grinds out of the chamber and replacing it with fresh grinds.

Methinks not. As Ian frequently mentions, he purges stale coffee beforehand. Below are highlights from his previous posts on the subject.

cafeIKE wrote:I grind into the bin before every shot.

cafeIKE wrote:Almost all grinders, save the Versalab, have issues with grind retention. Solution: grind half a dose into the bin before grinding for the shot to clear stale residue.

cafeIKE wrote:At the start of the day, it's a good idea to run half a dose [or more] into the bin to clear out the stale grounds sitting around the burrs.

cafeIKE wrote:I prefer to grind ~1-2g of stale coffee into the bin before I charge the PF with fresh coffee.

cafeIKE wrote:FWIW, anytime the grinder sits more than 15 minutes, I clear it with ¼ dose into the bin.

cafeIKE wrote:Any time the grinder is adjusted, grind ½+ shot into the bin. Anytime the grinder sits for a few minutes, grind ½+ shot into the bin. The next day, grind ½+ shot into the bin.

cafeIKE wrote:Any time you change the grinder setting, grind half a shot [ ~4g ] into the bin to clear out the detritus. If your grinder sat for a while, say more than 15 minutes, since the last shot, do the same.

depends on volume
i probably averaged 3 towels in a shift