Hi all,

• Breville Bambino (1 week old)
• Baratza Sette 270 set to 4e (1 week old)
• 2 week old beans from a local roaster, medium to dark
• 19 grams into a 18-22g 54mm Bottomless Portafilter, measured each time from an airtight glass jar
• WDT prep with a Normcore 54mm Magnetic Dosing Funnel
• Normcore Dual Head Coffee Tamper Distributor
• 10-12 seconds pre-infusion, I get to 1:2 brew ration around 26 seconds

However, I've had this kit for a week and can't pull a shot without channeling jets all over my kitchen (like up the walls bad). the shot tastes terrible too. I've adjusted just about everything from the dose to the grind and even swapped out the tamp.

I'm waiting for delivery of an IMS filter to see if that helps as the one that came with the Portafilter might be cheap. I've also ordered a puck screen, because well, after that, I'm all out of blaming the equipment and back to it being me.

Any suggestions welcome. I'm about 5 shots away from returning the Bambino and Sette 270 and getting a Barista Pro.

Thanks

Sounds like your grind is too coarse. Try going finer. If it gets too restrictive for the 1:2 then try to adjust dose but start with everything same just grind finer. Also maybe try lowering the pre-infusion time to maybe 5-7 and see if it helps.

Thanks. I've had the grind finer but get a bitter shot and as you suspected, less volume in the time frame. If I change the dose to counter it, would that be more or less grinds?

Try upping dose in 0.5g increments.

Some coffee is no good regardless of where it's roasted...

Thanks guys, I'll give grinding finer and lessening the dose a little try.

Jake thanks for the formatting support.

In terms of puck prep, I grind directly into a dry filter

I use this WDT (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094NRV5LD?ps ... ct_details) to get even distribution

I tap lightly to settle the puck before taking the funnel off

Then I use this distribution tool (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093FVMH5C?ps ... ct_details) to finalize the level and tamp. I've calibrated this to be a light level.

Thanks

mosstoe32 wrote:Thanks. I've had the grind finer but get a bitter shot and as you suspected, less volume in the time frame. If I change the dose to counter it, would that be more or less grinds?

Tighter grind + lower dose = similar flow as coarser grind + lower dose. The problem is this is bean specific not only roast level but bean type and freshness. I've had beans where 21g of a superfine grind yielded same results time wise as say 18g of a coarser so it is a bit of trial and error.

I am by no means an expert but I'll throw in my own experience and ideas coming from a 54mm Breville. I'll set aside the whole dosing and grind setting since I think that's well covered.

I upgraded my included 54mm "double" basket to an IMS Precision 16-20g. I didn't notice much of a difference and truth be told the original basket did seem to have good perforation uniformity when held up to light and examined with a macro camera lens. Not like the jagged sample photos you can find online. The one difference is it's less tapered so the pucks don't come out quite as easily.

I did WDT for about a month, and I've determined that my shots are consistently slower without it. I wonder if I'm introducing too much air/void space into the puck by gently stirring it, even with a tamp afterward. Whether I WDT or not, I always finish now with some vibration to make everything settle and a few good taps on the counter before I tamp.

I wonder if that tamper is capable of going deep enough into your basket to fully compress the puck. I have one like that and I'm always nervous that it isn't set to the correct depth to push as far as the puck will go, so regardless of whether or not I use it, I always finish off with a tamper that doesn't have a depth setting to just check that it's compressed completely.

Jake_G wrote:I assume you mean:
Tighter grind + lower dose = similar flow as coarser grind + higher dose.

Yes I was in a formula role and rolled off the cliff thanks for the catch. Definitely an important note.

I will also say to the OP that initially with similar equipment I was struggling as well and not to give up because once you taste what's perfect for you it becomes worth it.