Weber Key Grinder - Page 70

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
User avatar
mel5582
Posts: 26
Joined: 10 years ago

#691: Post by mel5582 »

I've been trying out the Key for the past 2 days and comparing to my HG1, it's definitely brighter. That said, I'll probably need to run through at least 2-3 kilograms of beans before I can make a real judgement.

BruceWayne
Posts: 299
Joined: 3 years ago

#692: Post by BruceWayne »

After 1 week, I'm pretty happy with my Key grinder. Overall I think it's a great grinder. It is small and I bought knock box tray to put it on which raises it enough to make adjusting and cleaning easier. The Magic Tumbler works fine. I've stopped doing WDT and haven't noticed significant differences in my extractions. I do need to work on a technique to get a level bed when pulling the plunger, but tapping the side of the portafilter has been working well enough.



I've run the following coffees through mine: Verve Vancouver, Equator Eye of the Tiger Espresso, States Coffee Decaf, JBC Gura Kenya, Equator Decaf Shakeout, Dragonfly European Style Decaf, Old Soul Whiskey Dreams, Old Soul Decaf Royal Select, and Four Barrel Decaf Guatemala Colina. Except for the Four Barrel, I usually grind ~17 g for a double shot. The Four Barrel needs a 19g dose to have a similar volume in my basket. I use an 18g VST ridgeless basket and Flair58 puck screen.

The Equator Eye of the Tiger and two Old Soul beans grind similarly at 1 revolution + 2-3 major ticks. The decaf blends and the Gura Kenya have been dialing in near 1 revolution - 1 major tick. I've only ground at 30 RPM and 98 RPM for the most part with a hot start and just dumping the beans into the feed slot if the cover. There's only been one coffee that needed special treatment, the Four Barrel Decaf Guatemala Colina. I need to grind it 4 major ticks finer than the other decaf beans to pull as espresso. On my J-Max most of my decaf beans were at ~110 clicks while it was at ~100 clicks. Feeding the beans a few at a time works fine at both 30 and 98 RPM, but dumping the full dose in choked the grinder at both RPMs.

Overall, the shots from the grinder have been great. I had been hand grinding most of my decaf shots with a J-Max and the Key generally tastes less harsh for the same coffee. So far for the caffeinated shots, I prefer the Key to the EG-1 Core burrs. The shots have more texture and are similar to the shots I was getting from the EG-1 with the Base burrs. Although the only direct comparison I have right now is the Old Soul Whiskey Dreams. I'll be running some beans from my freezer soon.

I am curious how others are finding the grinder, since my espresso grind setting is starting about half a revolution finer than the recommendation in the instructions and goes even finer for decaf.

jakline
Posts: 92
Joined: 18 years ago

#693: Post by jakline »

I've stopped doing WDT and haven't noticed significant differences in my extractions.
I am curious how others are finding the grinder, since my espresso grind setting is starting about half a revolution finer than the recommendation in the instructions and goes even finer for decaf.
If you go back to using WDT, are you still a half a revolution finer?
Feeding the beans a few at a time works fine at both 30 and 98 RPM, but dumping the full dose in choked the grinder at both RPMs.
Have you tried at faster RPMs to verify the grinder won't choke at faster RPMs. Have you noticed the espresso tastes better at the RPMs you are using?

BruceWayne
Posts: 299
Joined: 3 years ago

#694: Post by BruceWayne »

I don't think it has anything to do with WDT. When I started using the grinder, I did WDT, but not needing to do WDT is one of the features of the Magic Tumbler, so I stopped doing it to see if It made a difference. It does not appear to have. I don't get puck pressures high enough to pull espresso at the recommended grind setting.

I'm not going to experiment with choking the grinder. Twice is two times too many in my opinion. Both times, I had to unscrew the wiper to loosen it up enough to adjust coarser. I have found the troublesome beans will grind fine at a coarser setting than I need for espresso. I think it's a combination of the density and size of the bean and fineness of the grind. The RPM range for the grinder goes from 30 - 150. The middle of the range is marked 98, so from the point of view of most grinders it goes from slow to extremely slow.

User avatar
mel5582
Posts: 26
Joined: 10 years ago

#695: Post by mel5582 »

I've switched out the magic tumbler and WDT tool for the standard funnel and tumbler. I'm too used to my workflow with the HG1 that if I were to switch between the 2, it'll just be a variable. That said, the WDT works, but perhaps due to the humidity at my area, dumping the grounds into the PF creates a donut sometimes. So, it's easier for me to grind straight into the tumbler/PF and then do WDT.

Grounds are fluffy enough that I only spend 2 seconds to prep. Now, A/B testing between the HG1 and Key, I find that the burrs in the Key yields brighter shots, a tad more on the acidic side (perhaps more burr seasoning is required) but from the get go, the 83mm aftermarket burrs in the HG1 would be better for chocolaty and nutty notes, and the Key is good for my fruit bombs.

I've used a 50/50 mexican washed and natural blend with them both and tasting notes such as mangoes, berries, even strawberries are clearer on the Key. I get the caramel and apple notes on the HG1 but a little smoothen out on the Key. Not complaining, also ran some Diego Bermudez (Sakura and Lychee) and the notes are quite apparent.

Once the burrs get more oils to it, it might change, but I'm just guessing for now.

Auctor
Posts: 432
Joined: 3 years ago

#696: Post by Auctor »

mel5582 wrote:the 83mm aftermarket burrs in the HG1 would be better for chocolaty and nutty notes, and the Key is good for my fruit bombs.
What are "aftermarket burrs" on the HG-1? Unless I've misunderstood something, I'm fairly certain the burr set on the HG-1 and the Key are the same.

Silentsim
Posts: 101
Joined: 5 years ago

#697: Post by Silentsim replying to Auctor »

Some hg-1 burr sets depending on age were Italmil and not Mazzer I believe

Auctor
Posts: 432
Joined: 3 years ago

#698: Post by Auctor »

Yes, you're right. Thank you. I think the more recent HG-1s have the same burrs as the Key. I don't know when they made the switch, but in doing a bit of digging, since the HG-1 has been around so long, there could be people comparing different burrs.

User avatar
mel5582
Posts: 26
Joined: 10 years ago

#699: Post by mel5582 »

My HG1 was the initial gen where you can select 71mm Mazzer burrs or 83mm TiN coated aftermarket burrs. So there are slight differences in burr geometry from the Key I guess.

Workflow wise, not much different from manual cranking or motorized. I did highlight the taste difference in the earlier post and that hasn't changed thus far.

Brighter shots with the Key, and I'm a conical person, and if I were to relate my tastes with the Key, it does lean towards something you'll get from flat burrs but not layered clearly. I don't hate it, and I find that it fits really well in my current setup and I drink mostly espressos.

I'll have a flat burr grinder sometime this year, but I don't see the Key getting put aside anytime soon.

choroidalfusion
Posts: 25
Joined: 3 years ago

#700: Post by choroidalfusion »

Any of you current owners have any thoughts on the Key for brew/filter coffee?

Mine is probably a few months away given a September purchase date. But I'm curious about brew as this will be the primary application for me.... Until I've saved enough for a Cremina.

Post Reply