So I finally dialed in my Full Cycle at just under a 1:2 ratio to where it is, if not per-se "sweet," at least balanced and pleasant as a straight espresso. I had started out at more intense ristretto range and finally determined the extra volume is what was needed to smooth things out. So do I use this recipe for all purposes -- including milk drinks? Or would I stop the shot earlier for those?

It depends on how it tastes with milk.

Sometimes I pull my shots a little longer when making a cappuccino, sometimes not. Taste will decide what's the best solution.

I don't find more strength of coffee is what is required for milk drinks, but more interesting coffee.

I can pull a straight, medium-roasted Brazil that tastes deliciously nutty and sweet in a dopio, but more like mud in a latte. I like to blend in centrals, sumatras and africas in my espresso, along with the Brazil, so it punches through all that milk.

Depends on the coffee. It is too much work to constantly change grind for different drinks. By the time you make a grinder adjustment, purge the grinder, make your shot, re adjust, purge the grinder again, you just blew 2 days of coffee.

Many people prefer a deeper, more chocolate bias drink with milk. Often those flavors come from the tail of the shot. Running it a couple seconds longer will pull more of those flavors out. A little of the tails bitter also helps balance the sweeter profile you get in milk.