Espresso newbie help - pour times too fast

#1: Post by **andygaur** » February 13th, 2015, 11:13 am

I'm a newbie to the grinding and tamping/shot making world, I'm using a Baratza vario and have an Alex Duetto.
I'm seeing 3 issues with my shots :

It seems that my espresso shot is coming out too fast : so I know I need to recalibrate/make my grind coarser
however at the same time i'm also seeing fine grains of coffee grinds show up in the espresso shot at the bottom.
Espresso seems really strong: it's not bitter but just really strong : how do i reduce the 'strong' ness of the taste of my shot?

Could these issues be due to the fine-ness of my grind or could they be tamping related?

#2: Post by **mgthompson** » February 13th, 2015, 12:11 pm

If the shot is coming out too fast, grind finer the coarser the coffee the faster the flow. If your shot is too strong, it could be a function of either too large of a dose, or too little water. Also, double check your brew pressure. When I got my duetto, it was set to 10 bars. The brew pressure needed turned down to 9.

In regards to tamping, it might be an issue. I'm not sure about tamping. It would depend on if you are tamping unevenly, or not firmly enough.

#3: Post by **cmin** » February 13th, 2015, 12:18 pm

In addition to the above, what beans are you using and how fresh are they?

#4: Post by HB » February 13th, 2015, 12:18 pm

Sounds like the coffee is stale. As coffee stales, the grind setting moves finer and finer, the risk of channeling increases, and the flavor profiles tends towards harsh/bitter. See Newbie Introduction to Espresso (videos) and How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste.

February 13th, 2015, 1:19 pm

Thanks all.
I'm using the arabica izzo beans that came with the machine's
They were vacuum packed in a tin box with no roast date.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/Izzo-Arabica ... zo-842.htm

#6: Post by HB » February 13th, 2015, 1:29 pm

That is indeed the cause. There are lots and lots of roasters who will send out coffee roasted the same day rather than vacuum packed coffee roasted and stored for who-knows-how-long. See the Commerce section on the Resources page for recommended roasters (full disclosure: they're also sponsors) and threads like "Forgiving" Espresso Blend for other recommendations.

#7: Post by **cmin** » February 13th, 2015, 1:40 pm

andygaur wrote:Thanks all.
I'm using the arabica izzo beans that came with the machine's
They were vacuum packed in a tin box with no roast date.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/Izzo-Arabica ... zo-842.htm

Sounds like the normal italian type with nitro packaging, aka Illy and Lavazza etc, aka stale coffee

. Useless for espresso, either use for drip or other means, or throw out if you have no other way of making coffee like pour over or press etc. Dialing in stale coffee is akin to beating your head against a wall, fruitless endeavor. Nothing against chriscoffee, other vendors ship coffee with purchases too, but always stale. Friend had a package from SCG that came with beans from a known roaster, except those beans were like over a month old.

Plenty of roasters that will ship fresh to you online, or even search your local area for roasters. Lots of good roasters and shops in San Jose and surrounding area just by looking at a quick google search

February 13th, 2015, 6:05 pm

Sigh, Thanks everyone for chiming in. I feel silly, I'll go get some fresh roast coffee!

#9: Post by **mgthompson** » February 13th, 2015, 7:18 pm

Yah, the izzo beans I got with my duetto were a disaster. Black, oily, and stale. Get some fresh beans from a reputable roaster and give it another try.

#10: Post by **CamBam_HB** » February 14th, 2015, 11:56 pm

Since your Sig says San Jose, Barefoot and Chromatic are some good local roasters. I would also recommend trying to use the same beans that they use at their location, so you have an idea of what your results are supposed to taste like. Good Luck!