Precision baskets, be they VST, LaMarzocco, or any of the other makers are know to be grinder demanding. Your results are not surprising. The precision baskets often take more fiddling with and your grinder and technique need to be spot on every time. Also 2 week old coffee is getting a bit long in the tooth and will be degrading quickly and changing daily. Very fresh coffee and old coffee changes rapidly and daily adjustments are required.

I have noticed almost exactly at day 14 i don't care for the coffee anymore. I'm trying to get in an ordering pattern so I don't have coffee sitting around and I still can enjoy 2- 3 different coffees a month.

spressomon wrote:For grins...try tamping much lighter and grinding finer to compensate. I just use a grooming tool and don't tamp separately anymore and with the relatively light tamp I rarely get channeling. FWIW, I grind into a dosing cup, mix ("WDT") in the cup by shaking the grounds around, then into the basket.

I just ordered a cheap grooming tool on Amazon for like$20. I'm hoping to get rid of tamping all together. Just ordered a bottomless portafilter as well. Amazon is a little slow on non essential items now. It will take 4 weeks to deliver.