Hello,

I have read some older posts but wanted to ask in case there is something I am doing wrong.
Espresso is not bad at the moment, but could be much better. I am brewing at approx 8.5 bar, and when i measured water out of the grouphead with a styrofoam cup it was 204 F. I am temp surfing only by cycling the boiler before the shot. That's as much as I've done before I install a proper thermometer.

I am dosing by overfilling the double basket on an E61 Alexia, and then leveling off with my finger. I am tamping to 30 pounds as best I can gauge from the bathroom scale. When I weigh the levelled off basket it is usually around 18-19 grams.

I have adjusted my grind to give me about 37 grams output in 25 seconds. I am still not great at knowing when to stop the shot, but a soon as I see the tiniest bit of translucency I stop it. Still getting some bitter and some a bit sour.

Question is: How do I know when I should be adjusting dose instead of the grind? Or also should I be adjusting tamp pressure? Any help would be appreciated. (I read on the Alexia review that the sweet spot of the double basket was 14-18 grams I believe. Not sure if this means I should be shooting for 16, but I found it much easier to get good distribution by overfilling).

Any thoughts appreciated!
Mike in Montreal

So if I am unable to dose any higher since the basket is full before tamping, I need to go down and refind my grind setting on a lower dose, and then dose up or down to counter bitter or sour? (I am not at the stage to know bland vs agressive)

Also, is dosing considered a finer adjustment than grind setting can give?

thanks

Check out Espresso Recipes: Putting It All Together by Matt Perger.

You'd be well served by being much more precise with your dry dose weight. A difference of a half gram or greater is going to make a big difference. I highly recommend you read some articles on basket prep/extraction/etc. There's a great guide on http://www.espressomyespresso.com Article 12 under "how to", called Easy Guide to Better Espresso at Home.

The answer to your pointed question lies in Jim Schulman's Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste. But first, you need to develop consistent barista skills...so you're not chasing your tail. Start with Randy's article (the first one I referenced above), and then move to Jim's when you "graduate".

Tamp weight doesn't matter so much as tamp pressure consistency. Thirty pounds pressure is the old school mantra. It still works, but is not essential. Brew pressure is about 135psi, so you've definitely got some wiggle room. If you always tamp at 50 or always tamp at 20, you can still produce excellent shots...just do it the same EVERY TIME.

mikesnow wrote:Hello,

I have read some older posts but wanted to ask in case there is something I am doing wrong.
Espresso is not bad at the moment, but could be much better. I am brewing at approx 8.5 bar, and when i measured water out of the grouphead with a styrofoam cup it was 204 F. I am temp surfing only by cycling the boiler before the shot. That's as much as I've done before I install a proper thermometer. Any thoughts appreciated!
Mike in Montreal

My first thought has nothing to do with dose or grind. 204f measured in styro cup!? That would usually mean around 210f or so at the PF...

You'd be well served by being much more precise with your dry dose weight.

+1
I would weigh every dry dose and the resulting shot and try and get it consistent. With a variance of up to 1 g you'll be getting faster flowing shots probably tasting more sour and slower shots tasting more bitter. I wouldn't try to adjust the flow-rat via the tamp-pressure. As said before, the tamp should just stay the same. Grinding finer will probably make your shot sweeter. Jim Schulman's Espresso 101 will give you more information on that.

• * Always weigh your dose; you cannot be consistent unless you do.
  * Your grind setting determines the extraction level, finer grind == more extraction.
  * more extraction has more body and sweetness and less intense flavors; less extraction is th e opposite.
  * Use a marker to indicate the proper grind range on your grinder.
  * Once you have the grind right, set the dose to get the right timing and shot weight
  * On you machine, with the stock basket, a 30 second shot at a 13 grams dose translates to the finest useful grind setting; 18 grams, the coarsest

That's all there is to grind setting and dose weight.

Also you need to flush your machine before making shots, it's running hot, and will tend towards bitter shots.

Just to toss in something I read...I think from Perger as well. Don't try to adjust your flow rate and taste by adjusting coffee input. It may seem easier because you don't have to mess with your grinder, but changing your coffee input weight means you're going to be looking at a whole new recipe. Pick a static coffee weight and adjust your grind to find the best taste. If you can't find what you're looking for, change your coffee weight and then start over with grind adjustments. Make sense?

I've been doing it this way for years. It does require an easily adjusted, stepless grinder, though.

Matt

This thread should be inducted into the sticky or FAQ category. Excellent posts bring clarity to this fundamental question.