I've been experimenting with lowering the dose for doubles lately after reading various posts suggesting that a 14 grams dose for a double would effectively eliminate channeling.

I never really weighed my doses until now and it's made me realize how little 14-15 grams actually fills up the double basket (not to mention 7 g in the single). It kind of makes leveling a moot point as the dose is too small to level using your fingers in a regular 58mm E-61 basket.

As for the taste, it appears to me that a 14-15 g dose makes the shot taste a little more "Italian" - i.e. a little more subdued but also a bit more harmonious than the "in-your-face" 18-19 g doses I've been doing so far by filling up and leveling the basket with my fingers (at least using the freshly roasted blends that I can source in Hong Kong). Nothing wrong with either type of shot - just different.

It would seem that the 18-19 g or higher is a very "New World" approach to espresso whereas the Italians still remain hardened proponents of 14 grams. Not sure about other Europeans though - although I get the impression that Northern Europe tend to go for the higher doses as well (they are "New World" when it comes to espresso after all).

So, my question is: How much coffee do you typically use for your doubles? And where do you come from?

This would probably make an interesting poll although I guess it could be calculated from this previous poll:

How many double espressos do you get per pound of roasted beans?

C

It all depends on the coffee. Some do well at 14g while others need those high doses. When I have a coffee that needs a high dose I go to a triple basket for 19g. I would no longer call that a double but a triple ristretto. Italians will drink a half dozen espresso's or more in a day were we Americans may do half or less. If I was having an espresso every couple hours a tight, in your face shot would become overly heavy very quickly. I would go to singles or a more mild mannered double.

My target dose is 15g for a shot that weighs approx. 28g.

Jim

Within the limits of your gear, yes. Any 58mm commercial group has the benefit of choice in baskets, as claus and others here. Those of us with nonstandard sizes must find the best compromise, but another_jim's post and link are a great resource. My 49mm MCaL baskets can handle up to 17g, but most of my coffees of late have responded best to 15g doubles. I'm also in the midwest US.

depends on many things, coffee, machine, grinder, etc. I've found that with my setup a 15.5g double works quite nicely.

Generally speaking, with the Elektra, it's 15-15.5 grams (depending upon the specific coffee).

I haven't measured in probably 2 years. For a long while now I've been using a Synesso double basket, which I think is more like a 20g or so double I think. I'll have to check once I get my machine running later this week...

my preference is in the traditional Italian range i think. My Cimbali uses a 57mm basket and has a vibe pump, i usually dose around 14.8 - 15 grams but i can up-dose to about 16.8 grams.

Well, I try to start with the suggestions of the blender of the coffee, or in the absence of that, the barista who pulls that stuff all day long. So for Hairbender they might say 20g - 196t - 20 second, or for Black Cat they might say 16g - 198t - 24s. In the absence of any specific advice I'll go with 16g as a starting point.