Fresh roasted coffee acting strange

#1: Post by **chuckclaunch** » June 30th, 2021, 10:08 pm

I've been roasting for 6-7 years, and have a fairly new to me (a few months) Vivaldi S1V1 espresso machine. I roasted a Brazilian Dry Process Amecafe Cooperative today, and I often like to try the roasts fresh out of the roaster. I usually use about a 18g dose, but noticed with this coffee the dose seemed huge and volumetrically a lot more than the previous roast I'd been on for a couple of weeks that was dialed in. I had to back my Niche grinder off to 22-24 on the dial just to get any flow, and even then it was barely coming out. Clearly I need to set the dose size back but I haven't had to do that in months. Do any of you ever find that a freshly roasted coffee dose size is different than one that's rested a bit? I did also notice an odd stream coming out of the group (see video here). Any thoughts?

#2: Post by **jfjj** » July 1st, 2021, 7:39 am

If it's a new bean then it's the bean not the roast (generally speaking), my PNG and my Guatemala are dialled in at two difference settings on my Niche (but roasted by me).

#3: Post by HB » July 1st, 2021, 2:20 pm

chuckclaunch wrote:Do any of you ever find that a freshly roasted coffee dose size is different than one that's rested a bit?

Yes, I've noticed that the grind setting for ultra fresh coffee needs is slightly coarser. I assumed it was because of the extra oils and CO2 (?). If you grind the coffee and let it sit out for ~5 minutes, it behaves more like fully rested coffees.

chuckclaunch wrote:I did also notice an odd stream coming out of the group... Any thoughts?

Clean the screen? Level the espresso machine? As long as there is an overall flow across the dispersion screen (and it appears there is), I wouldn't worry about it.

July 1st, 2021, 7:01 pm

I appreciate the replies everyone, I'll keep fiddling with it. I think the different bean is a major part of it as I still had a little of the previous roast leftover and that one pulled just fine. Thanks!

#5: Post by **Rickpatbrown** » July 1st, 2021, 11:28 pm

I've never noticed the coffee changing volume over the course of resting. I definitely need to adjust grind as it ages. I think I usually tighten my grind up as I go along ... I cant remember, lol.

As others pointed out, the beams themselves make a big difference. A 15g of a less dense Brazil may overfill my portafilter, while 15 g of a super dense Ethiopian may underfill.

Roast level also makes a difference. A darker roast may plump up your beans more. Also, the darker roasts need a coarser grind to flow/extract right.

Bottomlone is ... listen to your coffee. If it's too full or choking the machine, downdose and/or open up your grind.

#6: Post by **jfjj** » July 2nd, 2021, 9:37 am

Different beans will definitely throw off your dial, I normally don't have to adjust much if it's the same beans fresh or not unless it's really old but that's just me.