BW recommends a 1:2 ratio for 24 seconds. Seems like a really fast shot, but not unheard of for darker roasts

Have you tried a more extensive rest for your beans? If they're too fresh, I'd imagine the funk could be overwhelming. Given what we now know about light roasts, it might be wise to give a bag at least two weeks before brewing

Yep, in reading their site, it looks like I flipped the profiles of Southpaw and Flying Monkey. At one point, I recall thinking both were too acidic to my liking, but my equipment wasn't anywhere near what I have today. Also, the way we pull shots has changed to accommodate the additional acidity we...

Haven't had PT's in years, but I do recall them being on the vanguard of brighter espressos. Both South Paw and Flying Monkey are fine in milk, with the former a bit better suited for the job. Again, this was years ago and it's possible they are are using different equipment and techniques. They are...

Getting light roasts right is so hard. I've got to say that I'd never enjoyed them until recently- flow control is a game changer. I started pulling very low flow shots (until a few drops start to bead under the basket) with very fine grinds. The acidity is surprisingly tame and there's a ton of rou...

I have been using the Gran Bar for a couple weeks now and these are my observations- 1. The slight oily sheen does not, somehow, create gunk in my grinder and has been fairly resistant to becoming rancid. 2. I grind about the same fineness as I do for any other espresso blend, and I find this very p...

If you are going the separate steamer route, I would invest in a Bellman

Try 200 and work your way up

My thought is that if the strawberry smell dissipates quickly over time, it's probably not artificial. Moreover, if it's not dominating the cup, it's also probably not artificial. I've had many a coffee whose aroma was so strong, I thought something was afoul. This includes super strong notes of pap...

I got the Gran Bar and made a few shots with it yesterday. I decided on a classic 1:3 normale using a 10 gram shot. I'm not sure if I cared for it straight (need to do more tinkering), but in milk, there was some intense sweetness. It was quite surprising- almost as though it was made for milk