I frequently buy from Klatch. My prior purchase was their Belle espresso, and I had great results with a decently wide sweetspot. Especially in the first few weeks during peak freshness, it was something I could enjoy straight. I started from their baseline recipe (20g in, 36g out, 201F, 24-26s), except I scaled it down to 18g in, kept it at 201F, and anything between 24-30s and 20-30g was pleasantly drinkable. Pre-infusion was 60% at 8s.

My next and most recent purchase was their WBC. They recommend the same recipe as the Belle, except I have been struggling to get this espresso dialed in to where I enjoy it straight, too much of what I perceive as bitter or generally harsh. I'm also dosing 18g in, 201F, and I have tried dialing down as low as 20g out in ~26s and as high as 30g out in that time. The ONE change I made the last few shots that has improved it was to increase my pre-infusion pressure from 60 to 67%, which I find results in a greater volume in the cup in the same amount of time. I'd say much more drinkable, though still some pretty bold flavors.

I say all that to ask generally what folks have done with WBC to optimize results? And what is the difference over Belle that might make it more forgiving to my tastes?

I remember buying the WBC and being disappointed with similar comments as yours. I has hesitant to try the Belle after that but maybe I give it a try now after hearing your good experience with it.

Belle was my go to on and off for years. I found it super consistent and easy to pull. I always bought in 5lb bags and froze.

WBC always gave me trouble. Took me a long while each time I got a big bag to get it working for me. Probably 50% that it was harder to pull and 50% that my taste buds had to adjust to it.

I've been buying Klatch coffees for a while and have had similar results. Never could get WBC dialed in to where I liked it. Had better results with Belle. Finally have settled on their House Espresso which I enjoy a lot. Smooth, consistent, not overly bright but well balanced. I drink mostly straight shots so the pull must be dead on. If things are off a bit, it will show unless it's a milk drink which can "hide" defects in the shot.

Thanks, good to know it's not just me.

I haven't been active on this forum in years but after trying a bag of WBE from Klatch and being so off-put by it, I figured maybe something on my end was wrong. I'm trying everything, nothing tastes right - even in oat milk cappy's it's got an off taste to it.

I'm pulling some now.

It has a wine-like malic, citrus and spice profile rather than the dessert-like profiles of berries, pit fruit, caramel and chocolate in Belle and their house espresso. I think it needs a slightly lower brew ratio and finer grind than the other two; but not as extreme as many third wave blends.

Try using 15 to 16 grams instead of 18 in the same basket, pulling to the same shot weight, and grinding finer to keep the timing the same.