Help with dialing in grind - Breville Barista Express

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Endodude
Posts: 28
Joined: 7 years ago

#1: Post by Endodude »

I just got my barista express recently and some freshly roasted redbird espresso and need some help dialing in the grind. I am using the breville smart grinder pro with this. So my last shot I overdosed the basket to 20g and used a grind setting of 23. The shot flow rate and volume was perfect but the shot tasted sour. I'm wanting to cut it back to 18g - where should I be headed with the grind size (I know I need to go finer) to compensate for reducing the dose and sourness.
Thanks

wachuko
Posts: 1154
Joined: 7 years ago

#2: Post by wachuko »

Did you try with a lower dose? Say 16 grams?

I have found that I can't go higher that 17 grams for most coffees with the 870 double basket... most I have done is 17.5 with Vivace Dolce.

I need to check my notes, but I think that I do 16.5 with Redbird, but can't remember the grind setting...

Here... with Red Bird Brazil Sweet Blue and grinder setting at 6 (grinder that comes integrated with the 870), 17 grams of coffee, 34 grams out. I think that I took it down to 5 in the grinder... again, need to check my notes when I get home...
Searching for that perfect espresso!

Wachuko - LMWDP #654

Endodude (original poster)
Posts: 28
Joined: 7 years ago

#3: Post by Endodude (original poster) »

Where did you get the bottomless portafilter? Thanks for the suggestions!

wachuko
Posts: 1154
Joined: 7 years ago

#4: Post by wachuko replying to Endodude »

Bought it from a fellow forum member... but you can make your own with a simple drilling of a stock one (that is what he did)...

I even bought and extra portafilter and the hole saw to make one before I found the one for sale...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VG ... UTF8&psc=1


Searching for that perfect espresso!

Wachuko - LMWDP #654

Endodude (original poster)
Posts: 28
Joined: 7 years ago

#5: Post by Endodude (original poster) »

Care to make one?!! How are you finding this machine? Are you managing to get nice tasting shots? I'm very tempted to get the Baratza Sette 270 and return my smart grinder pro.

wachuko
Posts: 1154
Joined: 7 years ago

#6: Post by wachuko »

Endodude wrote:Care to make one?!!
Sure! Let me try with one portafilter that I have and I will let you know if it turns out fine. I have that hole saw in its box... great excuse to use it.
Endodude wrote:How are you finding this machine? Are you managing to get nice tasting shots? I'm very tempted to get the Baratza Sette 270 and return my smart grinder pro.
Take it with a grain of salt... I am a newbie to all this... in my case, it has served me well... all this time using the built in grinder... Was the grinder in the machine not working for you? For the morning workflow is great. Starts quick, grinds quickly enough... and pulls nice shots with fresh beans. A fellow forum member that lives very close, has a Sette 270... that grinder is fast! But I never got to try it with my 870... So I can't answer that question... I can tell you that he uses his Sette with a Rocket as well, and gets some amazing shots. In my opinion, tasting the shots made with that Sette, it is a great grinder. We want to test it against the grinder I got to see how foolish I was spending what I did for my grinder :lol: Had I missed the window again for ordering the grinder from Denis, I would have gone for a Sette 270 as well.

So back to the 870... no regrets. Even my daughter started to use it and is feeling very comfortable with it... so it is not going anywhere. She has claim it as her machine now...lol

But I have a Rocket that I bought locally (found via craiglist) that has been waiting to be used for the last 6 months... I was waiting to buy the grinder I wanted all along... A KafaTek Monolith 68mm conical that is arriving Thursday!! So I will focus on learning to pull espressos with that starting next week :D
Searching for that perfect espresso!

Wachuko - LMWDP #654

Endodude (original poster)
Posts: 28
Joined: 7 years ago

#7: Post by Endodude (original poster) »

Look forward to hearing more about how you get on. The bottomless portafilter would be great!
The inbuilt grinder didn't work well for me - the grinds seem to be very clumped up and distribution pretty uneven. The sette looks great and is a nice price too so I'd like to try it. I think I am suffering from a case of upgrade-itis!
I'm going to try the 16.5g dose you mentioned and grind finer with the redbird espresso and see how it turns out in the morning...

wachuko
Posts: 1154
Joined: 7 years ago

#8: Post by wachuko »

Well... look what you made me do...













I need to smooth the edges to avoid nasty cuts... but almost done...

Searching for that perfect espresso!

Wachuko - LMWDP #654

Endodude (original poster)
Posts: 28
Joined: 7 years ago

#9: Post by Endodude (original poster) »

I want!!! Great job!

wachuko
Posts: 1154
Joined: 7 years ago

#10: Post by wachuko replying to Endodude »

PM sent
Searching for that perfect espresso!

Wachuko - LMWDP #654

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