325xi wrote:Tried WDT (at least I think it's WDT ), stirring coffee in a basket with a toothpick, and I still have channeling. Do you guys have any video with WDT, just to make sure I do it right?

Sometimes I see pro-barista on TV - I couldn't notice any tricks or any special efforts for distribution - and it works for them every time... WTH?

Dmitry,

As other members advised above --> CHANGE the beans you're using. Otherwise whatever you try WDT, DDT, HDT even HB won't work. None of these suggestions do wonders unless you use quality fresh beans. I did a little search in coffeegeek.com (since the site owner is canadian I thought I could find some info about montreal coffee scene, but what I learnt from 15 minutes reading... ahem close to zero.. okay 0.15 maybe all I found was this --> http://www.caffeartjava.com/ )

Posting from Turkiye, I'm probably the last person here to advice you places for quality coffee over there, even so, I remember reading many good recommendations about roasters from Canada (not in montreal though) whatever, you can always order online. Just ask people to advice quality fresh coffee or roasters from Canada.

Illy, lavazza, Arcaffe, Segafredo or similar store bought pre-packed coffee won't give you the results you expect, even if you're using the best machines and all tricks known in the coffee book.

Seriously...

EDIT: maybe this one will help --> http://www.49thparallelroasters.com/wheretobuy.aspx

kahvedelisi wrote:As other members advised above --> CHANGE the beans you're using.

Thanks
As I mentioned in the first post, I tried about 7 kinds of coffee, including one roasted a day before, two others shipped from Toronto about a week old, and many kinds of packed beans. I also recall more then a decent espresso made for me from Illy beans (those huge cans you find in some cafes).

So while I certainly agree that I'm better to have freshly roasted beans (and I do when possible), the problem is most likely with distribution and then with grind. And considering the fact that I often see channeling, I probably need some ideas on how to deal with Mazzer Mini Electronic distribution issues first.

325xi wrote:So while I certainly agree that I'm better to have freshly roasted beans (and I do when possible), the problem is most likely with distribution and then with grind. And considering the fact that I often see channeling, I probably need some ideas on how to deal with Mazzer Mini Electronic distribution issues first.

then lets do a test.. read this and do at least once what I did exactly there (I mean skip first part and check out pictures where you sift coffee into your portafilter directly with a sifter, you can use a bottomless yoghurt cup or a paper folded as cone to prevent grinds from spilling around) -->

2-50-solution-for-mazzer-mini-conversion-to-doserless-t6712.html#p79736

and

2-50-solution-for-mazzer-mini-conversion-to-doserless-t6712.html#p79739

That way your coffee will be distributed evenly and without any clumps, after that If you're still having channeling problems then we'll for sure know it's not related to your grinder

PS1. Of course I advice doing this is just for once or twice (or a third time to be sure) to detect if your problem indeed related to your grinder, dosing and distributing like that everytime you get a shot, will be pain in the a**

PS2. while sifting --> I didn't shake the sifter vigorously, just hold it in place (over your portafilter) and slightly tap with your fingers from sides, you don't need too fine sifter, a coarse one will also work

This is one seriously cool idea, I'm going to try it ASAP.

If it works I'll have to find a way to install a sifter in Mini Electronic funnel...

325xi wrote:If it works I'll have to find a way to install a sifter in Mini Electronic funnel...

"BUT" If it doesn't work then you'll have to turn your eyes either to your beans or to your silvia.. so lets HOPE it works and your problem is indeed related to distribution and clumping, it's easier to solve you don't need a sifter all the time

PS. If it doesn't work and if you're still having channeling problems, go to finest setting your grinder lets you to, from there step by step move to coarser, you'll eventually find the sweet spot. Still not working?? Then it's time to question your technique.. For rancilio silvia check out this video -->

325xi wrote:Tried WDT (at least I think it's WDT ), stirring coffee in a basket with a toothpick, and I still have channeling. Do you guys have any video with WDT, just to make sure I do it right?

Here's a WDT video. Not great quality, but it shows how little fuss is involved. BTW, I do not recommend a toothpick. A dissecting needle is still my favorite WDT tool.

325xi wrote:Sometimes I see pro-barista on TV - I couldn't notice any tricks or any special efforts for distribution - and it works for them every time... WTH?

1) Stop being so hard on yourself. 2) Start giving the pro baristas more credit.

Do you wonder why pro athletes are so consistently good? Talent and experience, baybee, talent and experience. The pro baristas you see are using far more expensive equipment, and more importantly, they are some of the best espresso meisters on the planet. They probably pull more shots in a day than you do in a month.

Get some good beans and a naked portafilter, and keep practicing - you'll get the hang of it! Good luck.

Didn't really have a chance to practice today, but one shot I did (with no tricks) was somewhat better then my average, I guess it's a result of simply paying more attention on distribution and temperature control.

RapidCoffee wrote:Get some good beans and a naked portafilter, and keep practicing - you'll get the hang of it! Good luck.

Trying to follow you advice I'm currently in quest for a good bottomless portafilter for Silvia - I posted in the other forum here on it. The problem is that many complain on leaking and attaching problems with one portafilter sold in different places under different names but looking surprisingly similar. There are very few places that offer their own version, or the original one with cut bottom - and they either don't ship to Canada, or ship for 100% of portafilter's price. I'm just puzzled how can I get a good one here...

Hello,

Although I cannot help with the bottomless portafilter, I do can give you an idea where to get fresh beans that are excellent!
Go to Union Café on Jean-Talon, just a little west of Clark.
Then ask for the beans they roast for Café Italia.
They roast once a day, so the beans are always fresh.

I sense in you some of the frustration I felt early on in the learning
process. It's been a year for me and that is not very long. I remember
how powerless it felt staring at shot after shot not only wondering
why the espresso sucked but why it sucked differently every time! Your
problem is... well more precisely.. what is keeping you from
finding your problem is too many variables. Do the following..

BEANS! Don't assume anything. Take people's advice here and get proper
beans. I know you are looking for some light roast but for now just
get something quality and get your extractions working first. I've
found Intelligentsia's Black Cat to be some of the most forgiving
beans around. They ship. Don't assume anything you've used up till
this point is quality. Get some Black Cat or something else shipped to
you that's recommended here and know that that part of the equation is
dealt with.

GRIND! Set your grinder to ultra fine. You have a good grinder so that
is not likely your problem. Dose into your basket using WDT. It's
overkill but it works. What you are trying to do at this point is
remove variables and this works. So grind into your basket with yogurt
cup insert, stir the grounds around a bit, remove the yogurt lid, use
a ruler or the back side of a knife to strike the grinds off the top
of the basket, leveling them off. Don't compress the grinds just
strike the extra grinds straight off.

TAMP! There are varying techniques here but the goal is consistency so
I'll explain what I do. Take your nicely leveled basket and insert it in
PF if you haven't already. Secure the PF in such a way that you can
apply even, downward force without moving or rocking the PF, don't
tamp yet. Place the tamper in the basket using just it's own weight to
lightly compress the grinds. Remove the tamper and tap the side of the
PF with the tamper a couple times to remove excess grinds from the
basket walls. Now place the tamper in the basket again and give it a
single, firm, downward movement. Don't over do it! Firm, nothing crazy
is required. The important thing is that you can repeat a similar pressure next time. Lastly, make sure the lip of the basket is clean.

BREW! Ok now lock in your PF and brew! Did you clog your machine with the ridiculously fine grind? Good! Go back to step one and coarsen the grind ever so slightly then repeat the entire process until things are looking good.

Good luck.

If you get no crema, the cause is most likely stale beans. If you are getting some light crema, then it is time to talk grind/distribution/tamp, but in my experience the only time I have ever seen no crema (i.e. black coffee) is from stale beans. I always have crema from beans I roast myself - even from badly tamped pucks. Seriously, you cannot do anything with stale beans. There is no cure or technique that will recover the fugitive freshness from the past.

Consider the cafe-crema: a coarsely ground and very lightly tamped puck produces a cafe-americano type of cup with a light layer of crema on top (with fresh beans of course). (Disclaimer: I read about the cafe-crema technique from a post on this site and tried it myself, so possibly I am not describing the technique accurately.)

Maybe post a photo of your shot after extraction?

good luck,
don