Can't dial in new Breville Barista Express. Need help! - Page 5

Beginner and pro baristas share tips and tricks for making espresso.
HH
Posts: 478
Joined: 7 years ago

#41: Post by HH »

The last beans I was using were way too bitter....these are too sour....need to test 2 more beans before suspecting the machine.
I'm not being mean here but in my case I have found shots which are unbalanced are almost always my fault as opposed to my machine's fault or a problem with the beans.

From reading your previous posts it sounds like you're in the ball park in terms of brew ratio. This is really good! I would recommend grinding finer to slow things down and keep going finer and finer with the same dose until you notice a change in flavour to bitterness. You could also try reducing the dose slightly - perhaps by 0.5g at a time - to see whether that moves things in the right direction.

BillBurrGrinder (original poster)
Posts: 291
Joined: 6 years ago

#42: Post by BillBurrGrinder (original poster) replying to HH »


I am hoping it is just me. I have brewed shots at every combination of settings I can think of, lost on where to go from here to get a decent shot. The previous beans were bitter, very bitter. Now with the Lavazza I'm battling sour. At least it's not bitter :?

So to dial down the sour...should I grind finer and brew slower...say 35-40 seconds?

Maybe I need to run a salami shot (break up the shot into 5 or 6 parts, taste each one separately)

HH
Posts: 478
Joined: 7 years ago

#43: Post by HH »

So to dial down the sour...should I grind finer and brew slower
I think so... try for the same, or slightly lower, dose (perhaps 14g?) ground slightly finer so you get around 28g out in 28-30 seconds.

BillBurrGrinder (original poster)
Posts: 291
Joined: 6 years ago

#44: Post by BillBurrGrinder (original poster) replying to HH »

I am completely at a loss.

Lavazza Super Crema

14g in
Grind setting 3
35 second pull
28.5g yield
Sour as hell (especially as the shot cools)

17g in
Grind setting 8
20 second pull
43g yield
Sour as hell (same as first shot)

PLEASE...WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?!

I have tested both scales and both are good to go. The temp is maxed out and the PF feels really hot (hotter than my steamed milk) after my blank shot to warm it up. Waiting enough time for the boiler to heat back up but not brewing into a cold PF or shot mug.

There is no bitterness just sour like vinegar or lemon juice was added.

Brita filtered water, filter also in machine reservoir.

:?: :?: :?:

Chris65
Posts: 50
Joined: 6 years ago

#45: Post by Chris65 »

BillBurrGrinder wrote:I am completely at a loss.

Lavazza Super Crema

14g in
Grind setting 3
35 second pull
28.5g yield
Sour as hell (especially as the shot cools)

17g in
Grind setting 8
20 second pull
43g yield
Sour as hell (same as first shot)

PLEASE...WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?!

I have tested both scales and both are good to go. The temp is maxed out and the PF feels really hot (hotter than my steamed milk) after my blank shot to warm it up. Waiting enough time for the boiler to heat back up but not brewing into a cold PF or shot mug.

There is no bitterness just sour like vinegar or lemon juice was added.

Brita filtered water, filter also in machine reservoir.

:?: :?: :?:
So I have the same machine and here is what I do. I try to dose it around 18g. Of course I preheat the machine for 30 min and run a shot through the empty portafilter to warm it up. Then I hold down the two shot button for 8-10 seconds (this lets you manually control preinfusion time). I then release the button (which starts the normal brew pressure) and try to get a shot of 32-38g in 25-35 not including the 8-10 seconds I preinfuse. I have been pretty happy with my results but of course there are so many variables to play with consistency can be hard.

Also how hard are you tamping and do you use the razor tool? (I personally don't find the razor tool that useful since I try to dose 18g)

Edit: just wanted to add I have used the same coffe as you and gotten good results. Keep at it and one of these days you will have that ah-ha moment

BillBurrGrinder (original poster)
Posts: 291
Joined: 6 years ago

#46: Post by BillBurrGrinder (original poster) replying to Chris65 »


I'm wondering if you will describe the flavor you are getting from the Lavazza Super Crema? Is it naturally a little sour?

I'm not using the razor tool....funny you ask because I literally just threw my bathroom scale up on the counter and tamped on the scale the same as I always tamp...video taped the digital read out (didn't want to watch it) and it was 48lb

I will try and brew more coffee...18g, but won't that be more underextracted after adjusting grind to get 25-30 seconds?

I will try the manual preinfusion as you suggested.

BTW, I am looking for a dark chocolatey flavor, rather than brighter notes. If wine, looking for a port rather than pino noir.

Chris65
Posts: 50
Joined: 6 years ago

#47: Post by Chris65 »

BillBurrGrinder wrote:I'm wondering if you will describe the flavor you are getting from the Lavazza Super Crema? Is it naturally a little sour?

I'm not using the razor tool....funny you ask because I literally just threw my bathroom scale up on the counter and tamped on the scale the same as I always tamp...video taped the digital read out (didn't want to watch it) and it was 48lb

I will try and brew more coffee...18g, but won't that be more underextracted after adjusting grind to get 25-30 seconds?

I will try the manual preinfusion as you suggested.

BTW, I am looking for a dark chocolatey flavor, rather than brighter notes. If wine, looking for a port rather than pino noir.
So admittedly it's been a little while since I had the super crema but I don't remember it being overly sour. And not sure why you would think it would be underextracted as you also have that 10 second preinfusion time so in reality it is closer to a 35-45 second shot (from button press as you were timing before). Also seems like you might be tamping a little hard. I always read you want to be closer to 30lbs

Also based on the flavors you say you are chasing maybe look into red bird espresso's brazil sweet blue. I always found that to have that flavor profile

BillBurrGrinder (original poster)
Posts: 291
Joined: 6 years ago

#48: Post by BillBurrGrinder (original poster) replying to Chris65 »

True...I will definitely try the preinfusion, but tomorrow because I'm geeking on the tasting from the few shots I pulled tonight.

Awesome thanks for the tip on the red bird!

So tomorrow my plan is... up the dose, coarse the grind, preinfuse for 10sec, pull a 1:2 shot in 25-35s after preinfusion.

Chris65
Posts: 50
Joined: 6 years ago

#49: Post by Chris65 replying to BillBurrGrinder »

Just one thing I'm not sure I would coarse the grind especially compared to the shot shot you talked about earlier that was grind 8, 17g dose. If anything I think you need to be closer to the first shot maybe a setting of 4 or 5. The setting of 8 seems like it flowed way too fast and too much meaning it was too coarse

BillBurrGrinder (original poster)
Posts: 291
Joined: 6 years ago

#50: Post by BillBurrGrinder (original poster) replying to Chris65 »

Right....I think I was picturing my original 15.5 up to 18g and grind up to 5 or 6, whichever gets me around 25-30s after preinfusion.


So does more preinfusion=more TDS? Maybe in return a shorter shot to keep at 1:2 Brew ratio?