I have been having major issues getting a good shot since I received my replacement Preciso last Friday. I didn't have this much trouble when I was learning the very basics of pulling a shot... No matter what I do, when I flip the brew switch I get a blond gushing explosion (I am using a bottomless PF). The only other time I have seen this is when I was curious about what would happen when using stale coffee. I know... I have read it many times here but I had to see for myself. Yea, I'm one of those people .

Here is what I am doing as consistently as I possibly can:
I dose 16g into a double basket, WDT with a yogurt cup in basket (never had to use this before till now), level it off, tamp 30lb. While trying to figure out what is going on I also experimented with 15g, 17g, and 18g. Before this issue came about I was dosing 17g without issue, getting 1.75-2 oz in 25-30 sec.

I am using the same beans I usually do (redbird) and had to attempt to use other beans from a local roaster since I ran out trying to figure this out. I have used the local roast before without issue also. The beans are all between 3-7 days from roast.

Besides for having to adopt WDT, the only thing that has changed is my grinder.

I was told when I get the replacement I should be able to plug it in and go. No need to get inside the grinder to adjust the calibration ring. I had to anyways. 1a provided me with a grind suitable for a press pot. Found out that the calibration settings were backwards from the typical set-up... Left slot = finest and the right slot = coarsest. With the ring set to the far left slot I get a finer grind now. (My intent is not to talk bad about Baratza, just sharing my current experience. They do have wonderful customer service!)

Anyways, again, I have the settings dropped to the finest it will go, 1a. The machine is not choking. At best I can get a 1.5 oz in 15 sec., pretty much blond from start to finish. Starts with a very very light striped color for 3 sec and then blond. If I go up to 2a I get the blond gushing explosion, btw I using the term 'gushing explosion' because it is much more dynamic than the picture used to show a blond gusher from the HB diagnostic page.

I have been attempting to figure things out since Friday and need outside advice. Am I prepping the puck wrong and creating issues? The replacement grinder is straight from the box... how could things be going so wrong?

I slightly feel like I am losing my mind . Before I call up Baratza again I want to make sure that I am doing all that I can on my end.

Should mention that the shots taste awful, depending on the pull, ranges from sour to bitter. I have not drank one full shot since I got the replacement...

IntrepidQ3 wrote:I was told when I get the replacement I should be able to plug it in and go.

Whenever I test a new grinder, I run some stale coffee through it to break in the burrs. For a small grinder like the Preciso, I'd use two pounds. The grind setting can be wonky the first week or two if I skip this step. That said, I haven't seen a case where breaking in the burrs went from "blond gushing explosion" to predictably consistent.

IntrepidQ3 wrote:The machine is not choking. At best I can get a 1.5 oz in 15 sec., pretty much blond from start to finish. Starts with a very very light striped color for 3 sec and then blond.

That's clearly not grinding fine enough. You should contact Baratza about properly calibrating it. They tweak their grinder designs from time-to-time and the current forum descriptions may be wrong.

I'll be following this thread closely... because you and I are doing just about everything on the same time schedule (though I will never get into home roasting!) The bottomless pf arrived this morning. Can't wait to get home and try it out, but maybe I'll feel differently once I try it out.

For what it's worth, I got my Gaggia Classic, like, the same day you did, and I've noticed the last couple days it DOES seem to be pulling faster. Faster starting times, faster blonding. Makes me nervous. Maybe there's a break-in period that the Gaggia UG knows about but is not telling us? Have you put your pressure meter on to see if maybe the pressure has, somehow, crept back up?

The other thing I noticed about the new pf is the basket is HUGE - like put a fig leaf on it. I'm going to try it with a (double) basket that has a smaller pattern on the bottom. Have you tried your original basket in the pf?

HB wrote:Whenever I test a new grinder, I run some stale coffee through it to break in the burrs. For a small grinder like the Preciso, I'd use two pounds. The grind setting can be wonky the first week or two if I skip this step. That said, I haven't seen a case where breaking in the burrs went from "blond gushing explosion" to predictably consistent.......
....That's clearly not grinding fine enough. You should contact Baratza about properly calibrating it. They tweak their grinder designs from time-to-time and the current forum descriptions may be wrong.

Thank you, I am glad to hear that someone else thinks it is the grinder and not me. I was wondering if there was a break-in period with the grinder, but from what it sounds like it will not help with the current situation.

I will make a call and report back what I find out.

Nurk2 wrote:Maybe there's a break-in period that the Gaggia UG knows about but is not telling us? Have you put your pressure meter on to see if maybe the pressure has, somehow, crept back up?

The other thing I noticed about the new pf is the basket is HUGE - like put a fig leaf on it. I'm going to try it with a (double) basket that has a smaller pattern on the bottom. Have you tried your original basket in the pf?

I have been wondering if there is a break in period for the Classic also. I have been reading through EspressoMyEspresso.com, Randy was using a Silvia when he first started out and mentioned that he noticed there was around a 6 month break period... Maybe there is a distinct one for the Classic as well...

I just went over to check the pressure, it has not crept up at all.

For the basket, I have been using the same one since the first day. So, I also went to look at the baskets I have. I have a single and double pressurized (single hole) and the non-pressurized double that I have been using. From what you described about the basket you got with the new pf, it sounds like its the same one. The pattern takes up pretty much the whole bottom of the basket. I thought it was the OEM basket, maybe its not... I wonder if WLL switched out this basket for the OEM double basket you got since I ordered the bottomless with the machine

IntrepidQ3 wrote:I have been wondering if there is a break in period for the Classic also.

That's ridiculous. There may be a learning curve for the barista, but I've tested lots of espresso machines, including the Gaggia New Baby for WIRED magazine, and there was no "break in" period. Back to your original problem: If the grinder can't grind fine enough to pull a 30+ second double espresso, either the coffee is stale or the grinder needs attention (dull burrs, calibration problem). End of story.

Nurk2 wrote:I've noticed the last couple days it DOES seem to be pulling faster. Faster starting times, faster blonding.

I see day to day variations, but suspect something in the environment, not the machine.

HB wrote:That's ridiculous. There may be a learning curve for the barista, but I've tested lots of espresso machines, including the Gaggia New Baby for WIRED magazine, and there was no "break in" period. Back to your original problem: If the grinder can't grind fine enough to pull a 30+ second double espresso, either the coffee is stale or the grinder needs attention (dull burrs, calibration problem). End of story.

Speaking for myself... I'm new to this and I am exploring all the possibilities (and I'm happy to accept the idea that this is part of the learning curve). Didn't mean to ask a "stupid" question. Sorry for wasting your time. Thanks.

jonr wrote:I see day to day variations, but suspect something in the environment, not the machine.

Thanks Jon. As ever, if the first shot's a sinker, I'm always having better luck with the second!

IntrepidQ3 wrote: I just went over to check the pressure, it has not crept up at all.

Good to know. Thanks for checking. I'll let you know how my first naked extractions come out tonight. It's all about the journey, right?!

Nurk2 wrote:Didn't mean to ask a "stupid" question. Sorry for wasting your time.

No worries, I've learned and unlearned lots of espresso myths too. When I can, I pass along a nugget of experience in the hope of saving someone from wasting their time chasing a non-existent problem. The opening post clearly points to a grind setting issue ("The machine is not choking. At best I can get a 1.5 oz in 15 sec."); until that's resolved, there's no point in investigating other (less probable) causes.