Dead spot in the center of extraction - Page 7
-
- Posts: 168
- Joined: 11 years ago
You do realize you havent changed your shot parameters very much as had been suggested.Your experiments so far haven't eliminated any variables in your routine except distribution, which looks good based on your naked extractions. So the list of problem suspects is dose, water quality, temperature, pressure, grind quality, or beans, e.g. everything that matters. I'm suggesting you stop trying to make marginal improvements to your current shots and start doing experiments to figure out what parameter(s) require your attention. If you're running out of a coffee, maybe it would be a good time to try a new bean source...
Maybe you just don't like espresso.
-
- Posts: 79
- Joined: 12 years ago
I have lowered the dose to 18 g and brew ratio to 50%. I know how a good espresso taste like and I love it. The espresso I am producing now is bland with some bitterness. The aroma seems muted. I don't why.
-
- Posts: 168
- Joined: 11 years ago
I suggest you re-read everything in this thread. But just for clarification how about this as Dan suggested.
Suggestion: make a huge change. Grind 17g so finely it chokes your machine and then back off the grind til you get a 40s ristretto. Pay no attention to what it looks like. Do you like how that tastes? Try a 21g dose ground loosely so you get a 60g longo in 25s; what does that taste like?
- LaDan
- Posts: 963
- Joined: 13 years ago
If you're having such a hard time with it, I'd seriously think of taking the machine and grinder to that shop and ask him to teach you how to dial in a shot. For pay of course. Or, if he would come over to your place to give you 1 or 2 hours of one on one training.
Other than that, I would suggest you take 1 or 2 days off from making coffee and just think about what you might need to do next to fix this.
Other than that, I would suggest you take 1 or 2 days off from making coffee and just think about what you might need to do next to fix this.
-
- Posts: 97
- Joined: 11 years ago
This thread is amusing and reminds me of my own difficulties.
I too have few suggestions. First, read and understand what people are telling you and then execute. Don't bang your head against the wall hoping the espresso will taste better all the sudden. Go about it systematically and take notes.
Check your variables in the order of importance with regard to taste:
1. Coffee. Pick coffee that you know tastes good. Some coffees just don't and others do not suit your machine. Also, avoid single origin coffees first. Blends are usually easier to work with when you are starting out. Does not have to be super fresh (only few days old), but fresh enough. If you buy coffee from a local roaster that you can taste then also ask for their recipe. Most baristas are glad to help. Dose, ratio, time, temp.
2. Grinder. A lot of problems are caused by grinder and it can be difficult to troubleshoot without a second reference. Borrow another grinder if you can. You said you got a pebble in your grinder and then the problems started. Wouldn't this be the logical place to start? Even if the burrs look fine they might be misaligned which causes bad grind with too much coarse and fine particles. Your extractions look a bit watery to me so this is my guess of the problem.
3. Technique. Like others have said, change one variable at a time and make the change big enough to be detectable. Change dose e.g. 2g, change temp 5deg, change time 5s and so on. It seems to be that you are complaining about thin and bitter taste. Remember that grinding fine, pulling slow and high temp lead to bitter taste. This could also be because you have too many fines in your grind (ie. grinder problem). Do not worry about the dead spot for now and your tamping. Tamping has minimal affect on taste. Just tamp straight and consistent. Minimize your grind manipulation and focus on even distribution straight from the grinder. Try to keep other variables constant and procedure simple.
4. Machine. When have you cleaned your machine? What about the shower head? Does the water come out evenly? How does the cooled water poured through the machine taste? Have you checked the brew pressure? I was having problems with watery taste and found the brew pressure to be set to 6bar at the factory. My machine also had a rising temp profile which lead to bitter taste. How is yours? Have you tried flushing longer and pulling immediately? Use the stock basket and spouted PF.
Work it out, one step at a time. I hope everything turns out well in the end. Espresso can be a frustrating sport when things are not working out.
I too have few suggestions. First, read and understand what people are telling you and then execute. Don't bang your head against the wall hoping the espresso will taste better all the sudden. Go about it systematically and take notes.
Check your variables in the order of importance with regard to taste:
1. Coffee. Pick coffee that you know tastes good. Some coffees just don't and others do not suit your machine. Also, avoid single origin coffees first. Blends are usually easier to work with when you are starting out. Does not have to be super fresh (only few days old), but fresh enough. If you buy coffee from a local roaster that you can taste then also ask for their recipe. Most baristas are glad to help. Dose, ratio, time, temp.
2. Grinder. A lot of problems are caused by grinder and it can be difficult to troubleshoot without a second reference. Borrow another grinder if you can. You said you got a pebble in your grinder and then the problems started. Wouldn't this be the logical place to start? Even if the burrs look fine they might be misaligned which causes bad grind with too much coarse and fine particles. Your extractions look a bit watery to me so this is my guess of the problem.
3. Technique. Like others have said, change one variable at a time and make the change big enough to be detectable. Change dose e.g. 2g, change temp 5deg, change time 5s and so on. It seems to be that you are complaining about thin and bitter taste. Remember that grinding fine, pulling slow and high temp lead to bitter taste. This could also be because you have too many fines in your grind (ie. grinder problem). Do not worry about the dead spot for now and your tamping. Tamping has minimal affect on taste. Just tamp straight and consistent. Minimize your grind manipulation and focus on even distribution straight from the grinder. Try to keep other variables constant and procedure simple.
4. Machine. When have you cleaned your machine? What about the shower head? Does the water come out evenly? How does the cooled water poured through the machine taste? Have you checked the brew pressure? I was having problems with watery taste and found the brew pressure to be set to 6bar at the factory. My machine also had a rising temp profile which lead to bitter taste. How is yours? Have you tried flushing longer and pulling immediately? Use the stock basket and spouted PF.
Work it out, one step at a time. I hope everything turns out well in the end. Espresso can be a frustrating sport when things are not working out.