Hi there,

while this is my first post here, I've been reading and learning a lot here already (thanks!).

I keep on having a hard time to recognize when my single-shots actually turn blonde. I feel it's much harder to judge than with normal shots.

I hope to improve with the help of your input, please see this video:


So what do you think, at what second(s) does it go blonde? And when do you think should I have stopped the extraction (a little bit of blonde often doesn't hurt I think)?

Thanks for your help and input,

Marco

At the 35 second mark +/- 1, you will see the flow go a little "squiggly". That is, AFAIK, the lowering of the surface tension of the flowing liquid. I use that as a gage as compared to "blonding" which can be a little subjective. So, to answer your question, stop at T = 35.

While 35 is fairly obvious, and an easier call, I would stop it at 31s. Watch the flow. There is a disturbance in the Force.

i stopped at 38 but yeah, its pretty hard to tell. there is a lot of reflection in the espresso and i can't get a good handle on the colour of the cone. Watch for translucency. if it's translucent, obviously it's not carrying any disolved solids any more. Also, replicate your shot and stop at different times. maybe 3 second before and after where you think its done. Then taste, if all is well and you stopped it too short, it will be too acidic, if it's too long, it will be thin and bitter/harsh