SwingT wrote: After pulling the first shot - is it better to wipe the portafilter out between shots, or rinse the portafilter before pulling the second shot?

I have a small issue with OCD (or CDO to put them in proper alphabetical order) so I tend to use the same microfibre cloth that I've cleaned the steamwand with to wash the basket and the steam pitcher afterwards.
This keeps the hardware clean, and rinses the cloth at the same time.
I do not use detergent on any of these, save the JoeGlo or Cafiza that gets used for the detergent cleaning once a week or so. Then they all get soaked with the dispersion screens, just no quite as long.

I tend to use the same microfibre cloth that I've cleaned the steamwand with to wash the basket and the steam pitcher afterwards.This keeps the hardware clean, and rinses the cloth at the same time.

So, by "wash the basket" with "microfiber" cloth - and "rinses the cloth" at the same time - do you mean that you "rinse" the portafilter and wipe it with the cloth, before pulling the next shot?.

Since this thread is about "seasoning" with the first shot - I got to thinking are we removing " seasoning" from the portafilter if we "rinse" it? versus just wiping it out with say a paper towel? When going on to the next shot?

I don't mean at end of session, I mean prior to next shot being pulled.

Psyd wrote:This makes my CDO look sub-clinical!

Also known by it's full scientific name as Compulsive Dosing Obsession.

SwingT wrote:So, by "wash the basket" with "microfiber" cloth - and "rinses the cloth" at the same time - do you mean that you "rinse" the portafilter and wipe it with the cloth, before pulling the next shot?.

Nope, I do dishes as I finish each session. Pull the shot, steam whatever milk I nay or may not be using, build whatever drink I'm having, and take the first sip.
Knock the puck out.
Drop the basket in the sink.
Take the second sip.
Flush and wiggle(rinsing the steam pitcher if applicable, in the flushed water)
Third sip.
Take the pitcher and cloth to the sink, do the dishes, wring the cloth and hang the pitcher and baskets up to dry, wipe down the machine with the damp cloth, and take my drink somewhere to relax.

PF's are kept in the groups, baskets are kept in a drawer.

CRCasey wrote: Also known by it's full scientific name as Compulsive Dosing Obsession.

Oh, no! It's still and Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder, but I've arranged the letters in their proper alphabetical order.... ; >

PSD, in your reply - you never indicate what the proper procedure is if pulling one shot, then pulling another shot -

Or if you did, I missed it, I only read it as pulling one shot and ending the session.

SwingT wrote:PSD, in your reply - you never indicate what the proper procedure is if pulling one shot, then pulling another shot -

Oh, that's easy! I reach in the drawer for another basket and lock in both nekkids to both groups!

Yeah, I know, that's probably not helpful to a lot of folk.
If I were limited to one basket and one group and one PF handle, I'd probably use another microfibre cloth (one for the steamwand and dishes, one for the PF's and baskets, and one to dry...) to wipe it out and dry after a flush.

'Zat better?

SwingT wrote:After pulling the first shot - is it better to wipe the portafilter out between shots, or rinse the portafilter before pulling the second shot?

I often rinse the portafilter a bit between shots - after the portafilter wiggle -

More importantly for me: I have two single baskets that I use - in succession - I dry the baskets with a towel, between shots and let them warm, and dry on the ledge of my Elektra before each use.

Howard

Let me ask this another way.

From the original post of this thread

2nd shot's almost always tasted better that the first. No amount of grinder tweaking, shot volume or temperature adjustment could ameliorate the problem.....Someone needs to invent an inexpensive reusable puck or restricted-basket to make pulling blank shots convenient..... I've been collecting up the grinder purges through the day and pulling tomorrow's 1st shot with them. Directly into the tray! Let the group sit for a bit to allow the coffee to 'work'.

If everyone agrees that the Second shot is better than the first -

Then, is it best to "rinse" out the portafilter basket between shots, possibly removing some of the oils - fresh oils that we wanted to get there in order to have a "better second shot"

or are we better to merely "wipe' the basket, say with a paper towel prior to pulling the second shot

In terms of "sinking the first shot" it seems to me that we may well be better to not "rinse" the portafilter, and instead to merely "wipe" it -

I'm not even sure what cafes do on this, I have never noticed.

What do pro barisata's do to the PF basket between shots?

So, in order to get the "best" second shot - do you want to merely wipe out the basket, or "rinse"

SwingT wrote:What do pro barisata's do to the PF basket between shots?

"Good" ones wipe the basket but don't rinse it - but it's only marginally relevant in this case due to the benefits of working in a high volume environment.

SwingT wrote:Then, is it best to "rinse" out the portafilter basket between shots, possibly removing some of the oils - fresh oils that we wanted to get there in order to have a "better second shot"

The 'first' shot [ partially ] clears away the old oils from the day before. Once that's taken care of, pull at will.

As far as rinsing and wiping, I rinse under the instant hot water and then wipe. It's too bleeding messing with soggy pucks to just wipe. I'd new a new towel every shot.