Ad-85 wrote:Thanks Rob! I'm learning a lot from you guys and I appreciate all the info. What temp are you using with light roasts? Shot times? Any roasters recommendations?

The Strietman community may be small, but is very helpful - I asked plenty of questions myself.

Since I merely got this a couple weeks before you did, I am still in the experimentation phase. I have gotten good results via slightly faster 'turbo' shots, either with an initial bloom or without - but this is probably more of a function of what I drink and what my grinder excels at. For now I am around 94c temperature but I haven't really explored alternatives, I might move it towards the 90c mark when having something darker. I am curious to see whether 96c may be improving things or not.

Whilst a very, very large percentage of my shots have been enjoyable I definitely think that by pulling shots differently I've been able to tailor the flavour to my liking more (which is a blessing and a curse - all of a sudden you realise that you can 'do better'). In general, I think the CT2 gives you the flexibility to adapt to whatever your preferences are, so rather than ask me (us), find your own way, don't be afraid to experiment

I'm using very light roasts and 15-15.5gr of coffee in the stock basket. Temp is set to 93C as it behaves like 2-3C warmer compared to say a E61 as it's a saturated group. I'll raise the lever in about 5-6s and do a 2-3bar PI for around 6-12s and extract in around 27s after PI for a 40% brew ratio. And I hardly go over 7 bar and end around 3-4 bar.

Just received bplus screen. Do you guys get channeling when using the bplus screen? I like that the shower screen is clean afterwards! Still playing with my first large flat 98mm and the acidity is off the charts I need to experiment more! I wish I could drink more than 2-3 shots a day

It is easy to damage puck dropping screen in. Also you will likely be experiencing an uglier looking shot with 98 burrs due to the uniformity. Stirr a bit more, do a longer preinfusion ideally active...balance the acidity by upping temp and longer shots since ur getting a high extraction with those 98. I pull 16g coffee to 48g shot

Also stirr the shot a bit after and let some coffees cool a bit after pulling shot when ur dealing with high extraction I have found

Ad-85 wrote:Just received bplus screen. Do you guys get channeling when using the bplus screen? I like that the shower screen is clean afterwards! Still playing with my first large flat 98mm and the acidity is off the charts I need to experiment more! I wish I could drink more than 2-3 shots a day

Try paper filters on the top, I cut mine myself. And spend a bit more time and care on preparation. I stir my coffee before tamping 30 sec or more. Also be gentle when pulling lever up...pre-meditate and be focused...don't rush
If you've managed it with Robot than you should nail it with CT2!

Cheers!

I have had success with the paper filters as well. I even re-use them when pulling back to back shots. I give it a quick rinse and it is "good as new."

To size the filters I take my funnel and press down hard on 5 or so Aeropress filters and use the impression as a guide for cutting. Then I cut 5 or so at a time.

I tried your suggestions but with the cafelat robot's paper filters uncut. I stir with the WDT tool, tamp hard with the CT2's tamper then I place the rinsed paper filter on top of the basket and tuck it in gently with the tamper (I wipe the tamper before doing this) . Works great and better than bplus. Thanks guys.

Haha I wasn't pre wetting the filter, doh explains my troubles

this thread is the best. learned so much from the small but mighty strietman community. ive varied my recipes and procedures quite a lot over the years. ive had a ct1 since 2018, and ct2 for about 1 year now. ive tried a whole spectrum of recipes/procedures, all of which produces truly excellent results in the cup and plenty of very pretty pours/extractions along the way too (id argue the latter is less important but i admit it feels so darn satisfying when it is pretty)

(note that ive only ever used the 18g basket)

- 15g-19g in
- 25g-50g out
- filter light roast all the way to espresso medium roast
- w and w/o bplus screen
- w and w/o spraying the puck with water mist to prewet the puck just before pulling the shot
- w and w/o WDT
- w and w/o paying attention to whether the red light is on or not
- w and w/o the lid
- passive preinfusion from 0-30s
- active preinfusion from 5-30s (1-3bar ish)
- "full pressure" (5-10bar) extraction time from 20-1m30s (total shot times as long as almost 3min)
- fast and slow lever lift (tend to carefully lift regardless of speed though)
- ive never touched the temp knob on either machine, it's always been set to what appears to be the max temp

my current recipe for the very light roasts im using (Sey Coffee Roasters Kenyan and Ethiopian):
- 16g in
- w/ bplus screen
- w/ lid
- monolith max set to the ~3.5 mark on the collar
- roughly 15s passive pre (this includes lifting the lever)
- roughly 25s active pre and ramp up
- max around 6-7 bar and pull remaining 45s
- yields about 45-48g in the cup
- absolutely delicious longer light-roast shot profile

ill edit this list if i think of more parameters.

best wishes,
chris