Thanks Ryan, I'll take your advice and stick to Panther coffee for now. I think I've been duped by stale coffee. Ask for your question am I single dose and the answer is yes I am single dosing however I'm being precise to make sure I don't have old coffee mixing with new coffee and I'm also making sure that I don't have retention upsetting my accuracy of dosing. You mentioned that I should fill up the hopper because that will create downward pressure for more effective grinding I will certainly try that especially because he stated it reduced harshness for your results. Thank you so much for the suggestion.

Hi Jeff thanks for telling me that whole foods should be avoided and that my verve coffee provided by Clive Coffee may be less than ideal based on its roast day which I thought was in 1 to 2 weeks. I will make sure I only get roasted coffee that's within 1 to 2 weeks of its roast date. I will now use my flow control paddle which I have left alone I will set it at eight I assume I will have to grind coarser to now use my flow control at eight. Thanks for the suggestions let me know anything else that you think I should do to get outstanding espresso .

Until you develop an intuition like a good chef, take lots of notes, and don't change a lot at one time.

"18 g in, 36 g out, in 25 seconds" is a benchmark, not a rule. It's a good place to start for classic espresso. After a while, you can get close to that with your second shot. Tasting it, your experience can tell you how to adjust to get a very good shot on your third (which may be a different ratio, time, or both).

Though it's easy to say "oh, 0.1 g on dose doesn't matter", I find that sometimes it does. 0.2-0.5 g definitely do, if the rest of your prep and gear are consistent enough to tell.

For me, I liked writing things down rather than using a computer/phone. It helps me remember that "last time it tasted bitter like this for this class of coffee, I reduced the ratio to 1:1.7 and it tasted a lot better."

My basic notes were:
* Country of coffee (or blend) and roaster, along with my words on general roast level
* Dose in, weight out (0.1 g on dose, might as well for beverage too)
* Time -- pick a way to measure, be consistent
* Quick description, "yuck, bitter" is perhaps enough. Knowing that it has "floral notes of pink hibiscus buds" sells coffee, but isn't a lot more helpful in learning to dial in than "something subtle, flowers?"

I also circle/box what I changed from the previous shot, to make it obvious to me when reviewing (and help me internalize).

JEHolloway wrote:Hi SMO, do you mean I should go under the machine and turn the pressure screw to lower the brew pressure to 9 bars or should I just use the flow profile paddle to reduce the water flow to the puck?

That's right, I suggest turning the pressure screw.
This will make life easier, your previous coffee machine had a pressure of 9 bar, you are used to it.
The paddle regulates flow, not pressure. They are certainly related, but not linearly.

Hi JEholloway,

I'm a big fan of Verve streetwise. They recommend 20 g in 30 g out fyi. Every bag I have bought has a roasted on date but I buy local from the grocery store in the bay area.

It helped me to go to local cafés and taste what the espresso should taste like , then choosing what I liked before going home and trying to reproduce. Freshness is pretty important but not That important imho.

Just my 2cents

I resisted for a long time but then did so: Previously rearranged the oar to a position in which it could close the flow to "0".

At 9 bar you can grind slightly coarser and have more control over the flow.

Generally, as the pressure increases, so does the flow rate. However, a sharp increase in pressure may compact the grounds, which will lead to a slower flow rate and affect extraction.
https://perfectdailygrind.com/2020/07/h ... xtraction/
Read very interesting, maybe it will solve your problems.

Thanks SMO I'll get under the machine and adjust to 9 bar.

Thanks Wildtype, I received Verge however I was not dosing at 20 in and 30 out. I noticed Clive Coffee is now teaching the use of triple basket with 20in 30 out. I'll try it this way.

Hi SMO, my flow profile paddle at the off position cuts off flow completely so I don't need to adjust.