Help on extraction ratio please
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Charl
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 3 years ago
Hi, I am new to the home barista experience. I am using Breville BES870XL Barista Express.
I was doing much better with my first local coffee ground but now, I just bought stumptown Holler Mountain, roasted at 11/3/2020. My machine insider grinder Set to 4, and side grinder, I even tried #1 (finest today). I am using double size single wall filter. I am using RO water (I know i shouldnt but i like the taste of RO). I filled it with 17gr of grounded coffee. I used Crema brand distributor/leveler & hand tamper. My pressure gauge was at 1 o clock location so pressure was perfect. But when i measured the extract it was 56gr (exactly 2oz) and my extract time was 25 seconds which was also good. Color and cream was also perfect. My coffee puck is quite dry after extraction. But why my extract is almost 3.1x and not 1:1.5 or 1:2 ratio? And most importantly, the coffee is extremely sour. Is it because of Stumptown HM?
I was more successful with my previous coffee beans in terms of taste, but the coffee puck was always little waterish. Thank you for your feedback
I was doing much better with my first local coffee ground but now, I just bought stumptown Holler Mountain, roasted at 11/3/2020. My machine insider grinder Set to 4, and side grinder, I even tried #1 (finest today). I am using double size single wall filter. I am using RO water (I know i shouldnt but i like the taste of RO). I filled it with 17gr of grounded coffee. I used Crema brand distributor/leveler & hand tamper. My pressure gauge was at 1 o clock location so pressure was perfect. But when i measured the extract it was 56gr (exactly 2oz) and my extract time was 25 seconds which was also good. Color and cream was also perfect. My coffee puck is quite dry after extraction. But why my extract is almost 3.1x and not 1:1.5 or 1:2 ratio? And most importantly, the coffee is extremely sour. Is it because of Stumptown HM?
I was more successful with my previous coffee beans in terms of taste, but the coffee puck was always little waterish. Thank you for your feedback
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jmotzi
- Posts: 121
- Joined: 4 years ago
At least part of the problem in using demineralized water. You need some minerals for the extraction to be tasty.
LMWDP #662
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Jeff
- Team HB
- Posts: 6941
- Joined: 19 years ago
Welcome to H-B!
Wet (or "soupy") pucks only indicate what happened after the extraction was done and the little bit of water remaining flowed out of the drain. Since all of that is after the extraction, how the puck looks doesn't usually matter compared to how the espresso tastes.
The long/high ratio coupled with "coffee is extremely sour", especially on a reasonably dark roast, suggests that a finer grind would be useful. If you're using the grinder in the Barista Express, you may have come challenges getting it fine enough for espresso with a conventional basket. There are some threads here on how to make changes to Breville grinders to get a bit finer.
Two threads that I think might help you include (more in the FAQ section)
Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste
Newbie: Flow color vs weight to stop extraction
Wet (or "soupy") pucks only indicate what happened after the extraction was done and the little bit of water remaining flowed out of the drain. Since all of that is after the extraction, how the puck looks doesn't usually matter compared to how the espresso tastes.
The long/high ratio coupled with "coffee is extremely sour", especially on a reasonably dark roast, suggests that a finer grind would be useful. If you're using the grinder in the Barista Express, you may have come challenges getting it fine enough for espresso with a conventional basket. There are some threads here on how to make changes to Breville grinders to get a bit finer.
Two threads that I think might help you include (more in the FAQ section)
Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste
Newbie: Flow color vs weight to stop extraction
