Pharos grind adjustment?

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gimpy
Posts: 249
Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by gimpy »

I'm trying to get a better take on adjusting my pharos grinder. When I received my pharos a couple of months ago, the instructions said that it was adjusted out off the box to choke. I have played with the grinder's adjustment and the weight of the beans over that time trying to get it adjusted to taste. So far, I have not been very successful.

So, I thought I would ask on here where you have set the grinder adjustment for best taste (generally spreading, of course :-)). With the initial reference point being set at 12 o'clock (the initial out of the box setting), where do you put that mark (collar) to get the best general taste. Would it be left or right of that initial 12 o'clock reference mark? How far left or right (1/8, 1/4,1/2,... more, less?). Right now I'm trying a pre ground weight of 16 grams of beans with a time of around 20-25 second pour.

Probably, the weak point in my equipment is my Starbucks Barista espresso machine. I roast my own beans (right now, Sweet Maria's espresso blend).

So, a few suggestions on the grinder adjustment would be very appreciated.

Thx

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[creative nickname]
Posts: 1832
Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by [creative nickname] »

I wouldn't use the original setting as any kind of reference point. Adjust your pharos all the way down to "zero," which is when the burrs touch and the handle can no longer be turned without a lot of effort. Mark that setting with a sharpie or a small strip of tape (this will be relative to your handle being turned to a particular position as well). Using the zero point as a reference, I generally get best results at between 5/8 and 3/4 of a full turn on the adjustment dial. But that is particular to the equipment and doses I usually work with; you will need to experiment to figure out what gives you a good flow rate on your machine.

And of course, it wouldn't hurt to pick up a better machine, which is better able to match the quality your Pharos is capable of producing.
LMWDP #435

gimpy (original poster)
Posts: 249
Joined: 10 years ago

#3: Post by gimpy (original poster) »

Thx, Mark. I have not tried the burrs touching adjustment, yet. This is exactly the kind of suggestion I was looking for. I have already tried the different adjustments this morning, so, it will have to wait until later, as I do have other things to do, and, it is game day :-).

Unfortunately, your latter suggestion is not in the near future :-[.

Thx. Much appreciated.