Sink that First Shot

#1: Post by **cafeIKE** » November 16th, 2009, 4:05 pm

cafeIKE wrote:2nd shot's almost always tasted better that the first. No amount of grinder tweaking, shot volume or temperature adjustment could ameliorate the problem.

and

another_jim wrote:I almost always get a a better 2nd shot even when I clear the grinder or switch grinders. I've driven myself crazy with flushing regimes, to no avail. Even semi-commercial machines need a few shots at espresso flow rates to find their groove. Someone needs to invent an inexpensive reusable puck or restricted-basket to make pulling blank shots convenient.

then

cannonfodder wrote:Oil will dissolve oil, water does nothing to it. from Backflushing - How far is not far enough?

For the last while, I've been collecting up the grinder purges through the day and pulling tomorrow's 1st shot with them. Directly into the tray! Let the group sit for a bit to allow the coffee to 'work'.

For the non-purging Pollyanna / miser, a few grams in the blind basket works as well.

Not quite a quantum leap, but the delta between 1st and 2nd consumable has diminished considerably.
Same improvement on the HX and DB.

November 16th, 2009, 4:32 pm

Oh yes!

I love these "now why didn't I think of that?" moments.....

Thank you!

#3: Post by **Psyd** » November 16th, 2009, 5:06 pm

Someone needs to invent an inexpensive reusable puck or restricted-basket to make pulling blank shots convenient.

"Paging Mr. Scace, Mr. Scace, call for you on line two!"

D'ya suppose that my great huge commercial machine would benefit from that as well? I mean, the first thing I tend to do when I go to make a shot is to dab the doppio semi button and turn to the grinder. Would I benefit more from locking in the Scace Device to do that, or does it actually have to have ground coffee in it?

#4: Post by **Stuggi** » November 16th, 2009, 5:23 pm

I think what you're doing here is dissolving old oils with new oils, thus removing any rancid coffee oils from the machine. These rancid oil impart a lot of bad taste in the cup, but the oils from the stale coffee you use for the priming shot does not impart taste to the same extent. Fresh coffee would probably still be the best, since then the "machine oils" would then be fresh, and lower the "taste delta" between consumed shots one and two even more, but as long as #1 is good enough I don't really see the benefit from this.

#5: Post by **another_jim** » November 16th, 2009, 6:10 pm

So it's not the temperature, it's the oils; and a coffee backflush will do the trick? Never even suspected of that.

#6: Post by **Psyd** » November 16th, 2009, 7:24 pm

Stuggi wrote:I think what you're doing here is dissolving old oils with new oils, thus removing any rancid coffee oils from the machine. These rancid oil impart a lot of bad taste in the cup,

I guess that's why I do the PF wiggle after each shot, and the water backflush after each session.

November 16th, 2009, 7:34 pm

Uh huh. BTDT. IMO, the residue 'rots' over night. I did try a test of leaving a shot of a few coffees in a cup over night. The aroma was not too bad, but the taste. YECHH!

One thing I didn't try was leaving the machine on 24/7.

Waste a few grams and let us know.

#8: Post by **Psyd** » November 16th, 2009, 7:46 pm

cafeIKE wrote: One thing I didn't try was leaving the machine on 24/7.

Er, of course that part of the equation always slips my mind. I turned my machine off last Friday morning for the third time this year. Once was for maintenance.

I was curious as to what the water in the HX might be like after three days cool, so that first shot went into a clear glass. I drank it after it cooled, and it tasted pretty good. Didn't seem to have any grounds or coffee flavoring, any metallic taste, or anything. And I do not like tap water here, so...

I'm feeling pretty good about cleaning the group after each use, and the brew path after each session.
And I've made two shots in a row before, and tasted each, and I haven't seen anything remarkable between the two.
It still could be that I don't have that sensitive a palate.

November 16th, 2009, 8:00 pm

Speaking of HX, a couple of days, I didn't sink the 1st shot and flushed the HX from hot to cold. No help.
Didn't bother with big flush test on the DB.

#10: Post by **hbuchtel** » November 16th, 2009, 8:20 pm

How about keeping your last puck in the machine and pulling your 'send a thief to catch a thief' shot through that?

Regards, Henry