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bizwank posted:I would say that's a pretty ridiculous (and borderline culturally-insensitive) statement; one of the best shots I've ever had was eyeball dosed and pulled on a dirty lever machine that had to be 60 years old. The nerds driving 3rd wave coffee and all it's technical minutiae did not save the world from bad espresso. They just turned it into a hobby. For what it's worth I grew up in an Italian household (I was born in NA), I'm fairly exposed to Italian culture, have been back to visit my family in Italy and etc etc whatever. I really don't think it's culturally insensitive to suggest that something as finicky as espresso benefits significantly from modern technology, potentially better/cleaner water, fresher beans, and massive reductions in variability as was pointed out by someone else as being the guiding principle behind most modern espresso creation. I wonder when actual espresso was first considered something that was reasonable to make at home vs moka pot/similar. 1920s? Still probably very niche and I wonder if home-espresso wasn't a thing really until after the second world war. I'm sure someone here has read the history of espresso. e: Oops I left a half-finished sentence in there VelociBacon fucked around with this message at 21:35 on Sep 21, 2022 |
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Sep 21, 2022 20:11
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I appreciate that you've had that exposure to Italian culture and are better positioned to speak to it then I am. I was responding specifically to "the espressos enjoyed traditionally in Italy were probably not great for the most part", which strongly suggests that for nearly a century the country that invented espresso couldn't actually pull a good tasting shot. It sounds like that's not really what you meant, but that's how it came across. In my experience the operator of the machine, whichever kind it is, is a far greater contributor to the end product then tweaks to the temperature, pressure or grind consistency. Which we've probably all experienced at those pricey, bougie 3rd-wave cafes that have all the modern toys/tools yet are turning out wildly inconsistent shots. Gaggia looks to have christened the domestic market in 1952 with the Gilda, while the La Pavoni Europiccola followed shortly in the early 1960's. There are probably any number of companies that would claim they were first, but after WWII does seem to be the right time frame.
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Sep 21, 2022 21:29
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bizwank posted:I appreciate that you've had that exposure to Italian culture and are better positioned to speak to it then I am. I was responding specifically to "the espressos enjoyed traditionally in Italy were probably not great for the most part", which strongly suggests that for nearly a century the country that invented espresso couldn't actually pull a good tasting shot. It sounds like that's not really what you meant, but that's how it came across. In my experience the operator of the machine, whichever kind it is, is a far greater contributor to the end product then tweaks to the temperature, pressure or grind consistency. Which we've probably all experienced at those pricey, bougie 3rd-wave cafes that have all the modern toys/tools yet are turning out wildly inconsistent shots. Yeah no worries I don't want to misrepresent it either, I grew up speaking English (parents were convinced if we learned another language first we'd have huge issues learning English) and while we made gnocchi instead of turkey and ate pasta in general way more than we should have (and had parents less progressive than they should have been) it was much more of a western upbringing than an Italian one. I still have the feeling that the beans weren't nearly as fresh, the grinds not nearly as consistent, etc. I have no doubt that the machines were capable (and also the operators), but you can only do so much with stale beans ground in a mortar and pestle I would think. I think our standards for a good tasting shot are a lot more elevated as well. I've definitely had horrible shots from cafes, not to mention what I'm capable of even with all the modern comforts.
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Sep 21, 2022 21:51
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VelociBacon posted:I still have the feeling that the beans weren't nearly as fresh, the grinds not nearly as consistent, etc. I have no doubt that the machines were capable (and also the operators), but you can only do so much with stale beans ground in a mortar and pestle I would think. I think our standards for a good tasting shot are a lot more elevated as well. I've definitely had horrible shots from cafes, not to mention what I'm capable of even with all the modern comforts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phFqsRd6Sxo
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Sep 21, 2022 22:23
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One thing worth bringing up here is that a "traditional" Italian espresso shot is pulled from 1) a portafilter filled from a full grounds catcher of a grinder (via pulls of the catch lever) filled with 2) a much darker roast. (1) leads to greater consistency than on-demand grinding by time. Not than actual single-dosing, but than not keeping any grounds below the burrs and just assuming that, e.g. 7.2s = 17g of grounds. So a typical Italian cafe is probably actually pulling shots with lesser variance than a third-wave cafe (with exceptions, of course). And (2) leads to greater consistency because a darker roast has a much more homogenous extraction profile, in that more similar flavor compounds end up in your shot at different times during the pull. Just a function of darker roasting making there be more similar flavor compounds in a darker roast bean, since more flavor compounds now have been "cooked." So both of these mean that more often, a "typical" Italian "un caffe per favore" is going to taste like it's supposed to, since there are fewer avenues to introduce variance, than a third-wave shot. Whether it tasting like it's supposed to is a good thing is a wholly different, and more subjective matter, but both the ingredients and the process of an Italian cafe are going to lead to more consistency.
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Sep 21, 2022 22:40
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The thing about eyeballing it on a manual machine is that you need experience to actually make good coffee that way. While weighing allows you to just follow the instructions exactly. To make a comparable coffee by eyeballing means that you have pulled enough Coffee on that machine to kill John Hoffman. Also, afaik home espresso machines (as opposed to mokka pots) are a post war thing.
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Sep 22, 2022 10:21
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how’s no one posted this yet https://youtu.be/bGw5ZSdVAkA
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Sep 22, 2022 20:52
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It led to this exchange in his discord 
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Sep 22, 2022 21:15
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Bit of a side question - I've been seeing espresso measuring cups with wooden handles on recently; is there a non-Aliexpress source for those?
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Sep 23, 2022 05:20
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Really close to getting this dialed in now. Gaggia classic pro with 9bar OPV mod, nanotech shower screen + 18g basket. https://i.imgur.com/BC6znJu.mp4 I can't express how good this shot tastes and how bad it tasted before it was dialed in. It's insane how different it can be with a small grind adjustment. I'll try to have better light next time! Still have some areas it looks like where I'm not getting perfect extraction... not sure what that's about as I'm doing WDT and (I think?) tamping very consistently. Any advice appreciated. VelociBacon fucked around with this message at 03:05 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 02:57
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VelociBacon posted:Really close to getting this dialed in now. Gaggia classic pro with 9bar OPV mod, nanotech shower screen + 18g basket. Tamp the gently caress outta it. Can’t tamp too hard but you can tamp too little.
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Sep 24, 2022 08:17
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I dunno how easy it is for you to adjust your brew pressure on that Gaggia, but if you bring the pressure down to 8 bar you’ll generally have an easier time making espresso. Assuming your pulling light roasts anyway.
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Sep 24, 2022 17:26
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Gunder posted:I dunno how easy it is for you to adjust your brew pressure on that Gaggia, but if you bring the pressure down to 8 bar you’ll generally have an easier time making espresso. Assuming your pulling light roasts anyway. I tend to lean more towards the middle area of roasts (I drink pretty much only dark roast filter coffee when I have a "cup" of coffee. I intentionally have been buying light/medium roasted beans as I appreciate that a lot of the nuance around espresso in terms of what the various origins are and the fruity flavours and etc are in the lighter roasts. I do have a 9bar spring in there right now so I'm not sure how much of a difference going down 1 bar would make? I'm doing the arduino controlled mod where I can set up pressure profiles and all that stuff so I'll really have the chance to experiment with pressures and such down the road. Parts for that just started to arrive from China a couple days ago! Pilfered Pallbearers posted:Tamp the gently caress outta it. Can’t tamp too hard but you can tamp too little. Thanks, I tamped it harder than normal and had this extraction, which still seems to be unevenly extracting and "split" down the middle a bit: https://i.imgur.com/CnBDW5l.mp4 Again, advice always welcome.
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Sep 24, 2022 20:03
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VelociBacon posted:I tend to lean more towards the middle area of roasts (I drink pretty much only dark roast filter coffee when I have a "cup" of coffee. I intentionally have been buying light/medium roasted beans as I appreciate that a lot of the nuance around espresso in terms of what the various origins are and the fruity flavours and etc are in the lighter roasts. I do have a 9bar spring in there right now so I'm not sure how much of a difference going down 1 bar would make? What kind of grinder are you using? Are you sure it’s fine enough?
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Sep 24, 2022 20:10
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nwin posted:What kind of grinder are you using? Are you sure it’s fine enough? Eureka Mignon Chrono with espresso burrs that I aligned etc etc. I've had it so fine that the machine can't get water through the puck even at 14 bar so absolutely I can go finer. You think I should? What do you see that tells you that? Just want to learn.
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Sep 24, 2022 20:16
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How does the espresso taste? If it still tastes good when it splits like that I wouldn't change anything.
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Sep 24, 2022 20:31
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Mu Zeta posted:How does the espresso taste? Tastes good, it might have a tiny bit of bitterness but it's very enjoyable. Much improved over the previous shots where I was grinding coarser. I was/am hesitant to grind finer as I attributed some of the inconsistency in extraction to the finer grinds. Not so?
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Sep 24, 2022 20:34
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Really, you should be dialing towards what tastes good to you rather than what looks prettiest or is "technically correct". For tamping, being level and consistent is more important I think than overall pressure. Being able to repeat the same tamp takes one more variable out of the routine. I really like that Normcore self leveling and calibrated tamper. Normcore 58.5mm Coffee Tamper V4 - Spring-loaded Tamper with 15lb / 25lb / 30lbs Replacement Springs - Anodized Aluminum Handle and Stand - Stainless Steel Flat Base https://a.co/d/i2iMbdQ
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Sep 24, 2022 20:48
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Bandire posted:Really, you should be dialing towards what tastes good to you rather than what looks prettiest or is "technically correct". I don't feel like I'm at a point yet where I can completely trust my pallate for taste so I'm looking to use whatever technical indicators I can find while also incorporating my enjoyment of the shot as feedback to make changes. I don't really have concerns about my tamping and I think it is consistent - I generally don't see any of the signs of poor tamping in the shots, unless I misunderstand it. Like, the extraction seems to be starting very evenly, not from one side, etc. I am using a 58mm tamp, maybe I should look to a 58.4 or 58.5mm tamp instead so it fills the basket more completely? I adjusted finer, here's the result: https://i.imgur.com/VcyVr4R.mp4 So that's 18g in, 41g out (oops), 24 seconds. Taste wise, very similar, might be imagining it but less bitter afternote. I'll keep edging it finer and see if it improves. Previous experiments tell me that I have about 1 or 2 more adjustments (as fine as I can, minute, tiny adjustment) on the grinder to go finer before it might be so fine that it becomes overextracted. VelociBacon fucked around with this message at 20:56 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 20:53
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VelociBacon posted:I don't feel like I'm at a point yet where I can completely trust my pallate for taste so I'm looking to use whatever technical indicators I can find while also incorporating my enjoyment of the shot as feedback to make changes. I don't really have concerns about my tamping and I think it is consistent - I generally don't see any of the signs of poor tamping in the shots, unless I misunderstand it. Like, the extraction seems to be starting very evenly, not from one side, etc. If it’s a medium/dark roast, your best bet IMO is to push finer until you get closer to 18/36 if you don’t wanna go by taste. Are you sure that spring you put in is 9bar? I don’t have a gaggia, but I find it odd that you’re getting steam and water spurts out of the basket. In that 2nd video at 22 seconds you have like a hardcore spray of pretty much pure water out of the basket. How big is the gaggia’s basket? And how full is the basket after you tamp? If you’re comfortable I’d probably recommend a video from grind to end result so everyone can see the whole process and pick it apart a little more. Also, even without much experience you should be able to go on taste. Use the espresso taste chart https://www.baristahustle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Espresso-Compass.pdf
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Sep 24, 2022 21:26
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lightly longer preinfusion to soak the puck then ramp up? Sometimes I notice my extractions miraculously get better without any changing of variables so it's likely the age of the beans that is effecting it. Like said above though, if it tastes good I wouldn't worry super much about channeling unless you're getting bad cups. edit: Just saw that you do WDT so thats prob not it George H.W. Cunt fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 21:28
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George H.W. oval office posted:Do you WDT at all? Even with something like a fork swirled around might help. Slightly longer preinfusion to soak the puck then ramp up? Sometimes I notice my extractions miraculously get better without any changing of variables so it's likely the age of the beans that is effecting it. Pilfered Pallbearers posted:If it’s a medium/dark roast, your best bet IMO is to push finer until you get closer to 18/36 if you don’t wanna go by taste. Thank you for the replies and sorry for monopolizing the thread for people who don't care about espresso... It's definitely the 9bar spring, definitely installed correctly. There is a huge difference from the 14bar spring and it was noticeable when I changed.. 9bar is still 130psi which is quite a lot and probably enough to have spurts like what have been in the last couple shots. I'm using an 18g IMS precision basket (nanotech etc etc) and dosing exactly 18g into it. I will say the puck often ends up attached to the shower screen at the end of the shot which I would have assumed meant the basket is too small for the dose? Yeah I use a WDT tool prior to tamping. I actually took photos but forgot to post them: Grinds in basket, WDT done and levelled/evened out with the WDT tool as best I could by eye:  Tamped from that point:  I'm using this coffee:  I guess it's closer to a dark roast than I remember when I ordered it but... I kinda love it as a dark roast guy. VelociBacon fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 21:34
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VelociBacon posted:I don't feel like I'm at a point yet where I can completely trust my pallate for taste Me either really. I'm only about a year further down the rabbit hole from you. Those are some serious channeling jets though, and with 18g of coffee you should be aiming for 36g out at 30 seconds. So that might have been 10ish seconds too fast. You might need to grind finer, but you've got some channeling issues to fix. What are you using for wdt? You should be using something with super thin needles. The poo poo they sell on Amazon is made from too thick wire and causes compaction and makes the problem worse. I ended up getting a 3d printed thing that uses 3d printer nozzle cleaning needles, and it made a noticeable difference right away.
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Sep 24, 2022 21:45
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General espresso advice: You should only adjust what you're doing with espresso if you're not getting the taste you want. Try not to worry too much about things like contact time (brew time). Different beans will require very different timings. A few years ago everyone thought espresso needed to be 18g in, 36g out in 28-30 seconds at 9 bar. Today, there are people pulling better-tasting shots in less than 15 seconds at 4 bar. As an example, the coffee I'm brewing now is a light roast blend that tastes best as a 14g dose with a 40g output in about 45 seconds. Another major thing: Taste everything. Even the shots you think "looked bad". After a while, you'll begin to understand which sorts of tastes come from which sort of adjustments, and you'll get much more consistent at dialling things in.
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Sep 24, 2022 23:12
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Bandire posted:Me either really. I'm only about a year further down the rabbit hole from you. I'm definitely using an amazon WDT tool but my impression was that it seemed to be doing a decent job. This is the WDT tool I'm using. I've seen a couple things online where it just sits on top of the basket with needles going in, and you spin it a few times. I know it sounds like I'm describing a distributor tool but I'm talking about a WDT tool of sorts. Gunder posted:General espresso advice: You should only adjust what you're doing with espresso if you're not getting the taste you want. Try not to worry too much about things like contact time (brew time). Different beans will require very different timings. A few years ago everyone thought espresso needed to be 18g in, 36g out in 28-30 seconds at 9 bar. Today, there are people pulling better-tasting shots in less than 15 seconds at 4 bar. Interesting and yeah I won't blindly follow rules about technique if it doesn't taste good - but I have found that my shots taste better when they're pulled at 18 in 40 out or so. I'm tasting everything yeah and it's improving as I go finer so I guess I got some more room to move. I do have those tasting charts that someone linked above, I'm still learning to even be able to identify whether I'm tasting something bitter or sour though, for example.
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Sep 24, 2022 23:28
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Made a video showing my WDT technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3FWEQaJVk Thought people new to WDT might find a reference useful. After dumping the grounds into the basket, I redistribute them with the tool so that they're flat and level, then I sink the needles all the way to the bottom of the basket, pull back very slightly and then start the routine. I'm going around the outside of the basket in a whisking motion, being careful to cross over into the centre of the basket with each circular motion. I go twice around the rim of the basket with the needles just above the floor of the basket, then pull up to half depth and do the same followed by some re-distributing of the surface before tamping and placing a puck screen on top. This has proven to be the most reliable method. The tool I'm using is from Etsy and uses 0.4mm needles. Edit: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1020328046/wdt-tool-self-aligning-stand-espresso is the tool I use. Gunder fucked around with this message at 23:51 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 23:44
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Gunder posted:Made a video showing my WDT technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3FWEQaJVk Thanks, checked it out. Also pulled another shot with a finer grind and it's consistently improving so instead of posting that video here I'll just keep pulling shots and going finer. I notice that your grounds look much finer than mine do as well which is encouraging. That WDT tool would be almost $75CAD after shipping and import fees so I'll have to find something locally or at least in Canada. I actually think I'm doing essentially the same motion with mine and TBH the needles don't seem any thinner on yours. How much of a difference have you noticed with the screen and the filter? Do you not worry about wetting/rinsing the paper filter?
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Sep 25, 2022 00:30
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Gunder's technique is what you are going for. And its hard to tell how thin the needles are on your WDT, but they still look thicker than you'd want. Chasing diminishing returns here, but they should be tiny. I'm using exactly the same thing as Gunder, bought from the same Etsy vendor. His link goes to their UK storefront, which probably messes with your landed cost. Just log in to Etsy and look up FusedLine's store for a localized price. Its $26 for me in the US.
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Sep 25, 2022 01:00
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VelociBacon posted:That WDT tool would be almost $75CAD after shipping and import fees so I'll have to find something locally or at least in Canada. I actually think I'm doing essentially the same motion with mine and TBH the needles don't seem any thinner on yours. How much of a difference have you noticed with the screen and the filter? Do you not worry about wetting/rinsing the paper filter? As mentioned by Bandire, you can get it much cheaper by finding their US storefront, as my link goes automatically to the UK shop. I don't bother wetting the filter as it doesn't seem to make any difference and removes an extra step from the process. The screen on top of the puck helps to more evenly distribute water across the surface of the puck, whereas the paper filter on the bottom seems to encourage a more even exit from the bottom of the puck. I have noticed the biggest difference from the paper filter on the bottom, as it seems to increase flow and therefore allows me to grind finer without risking over-extraction. I tried the same grind setting with and without the paper on a few coffees, and it definitely slowed down just enough to over-extract without the paper. If you're sticking to darker roasts, these items might not help all that much, as darker roasts tend to extract fairly easily. Lighter roasts benefit from them a lot more. Gunder fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Sep 25, 2022 |
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Sep 25, 2022 01:10
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VelociBacon posted:Thanks, checked it out. Also pulled another shot with a finer grind and it's consistently improving so instead of posting that video here I'll just keep pulling shots and going finer. I notice that your grounds look much finer than mine do as well which is encouraging. You can easily DIY a WDT tool. A couple of thin needles + something like a cork will do. e: missed Gunder's etsy link
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Sep 25, 2022 01:37
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if you want to do it yourself, this is the 3d printer file and it has a link to the "3d printer needles" that people use https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4819617 total cost if you use a 3d-print-to-order place (i've found craftcloud to be cheap and easy, but no idea if there are cheaper/easier places out there) and then just grab a pack of needles on amazon is probably under $20 altogether. nothing you print will ever contact food nor does it ever get hot, so you can use really cheapo materials eke out fucked around with this message at 01:56 on Sep 25, 2022 |
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Sep 25, 2022 01:51
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VelociBacon posted:Thanks, checked it out. Also pulled another shot with a finer grind and it's consistently improving so instead of posting that video here I'll just keep pulling shots and going finer. I notice that your grounds look much finer than mine do as well which is encouraging. Your WDT is fine, especially because you’re just starting out. All of the crazy and intense accessories aren’t going to help you until you figure out the extreme basics. You don’t need the filters or shower screen. If grinding finer got you a better shot, start there. Just aim for 18/36. Once you’re right near 18/36, read all around the espresso chart I posted before tasting. Then, after tasting, try to identify 2 or more tastes on that chart. If you can’t tell the difference between sour and bitter (it can be hard, it can even be both), use the other taste to tell you which side you’re on. I find the salty/intense or dry/bland to be easier than bitter or sour. I also recommend watching some videos on dialing in a bean. Hoffmann and lance have good ones. Hoffmann understanding espresso series is good too for taste and such. To answer the filter question, I’ve seen it recommended to never wet the filter because you don’t want to wet the bottom of the puck too early.
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Sep 25, 2022 05:31
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Pilfered Pallbearers posted:Your WDT is fine, especially because you’re just starting out. I appreciate you taking the time to write this post. I'm doing much of that stuff already and was mostly just curious if that other stuff made much of a difference. As mentioned I do have the charts and I am already grinding finer as the taste seems to be improving, though it's a good point to look for two taste markers instead of just one and I'll give that a closer look tomorrow morning. I do see a lot of people including James H doing 18/40 and that's mostly where I got it from. I have watched all the videos he has on dialing in. In my research I haven't really identified what might be 'causing' what I'm noticing with areas not passing water through at the bottom of the basket. It makes me think that I'm likely overextracting where the water is being routes through instead. Anyways lots of thank yous to the goons helping me with this today, it's been an enjoyable pursuit.
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Sep 25, 2022 07:55
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VelociBacon posted:I appreciate you taking the time to write this post. I'm doing much of that stuff already and was mostly just curious if that other stuff made much of a difference. As mentioned I do have the charts and I am already grinding finer as the taste seems to be improving, though it's a good point to look for two taste markers instead of just one and I'll give that a closer look tomorrow morning. I do see a lot of people including James H doing 18/40 and that's mostly where I got it from. I have watched all the videos he has on dialing in. In my research I haven't really identified what might be 'causing' what I'm noticing with areas not passing water through at the bottom of the basket. It makes me think that I'm likely overextracting where the water is being routes through instead. Sorry, I specifically meant shoot for 18/36, 30 seconds, and taste to adjust. 18/40 is also fine. 18/40 in like 24 seconds will be very different then 18/36/30. It's just a good baseline when your learning, and it'll help give you an idea of how different beans react to different ratios/times as you go on. It's also just a nice starting point because taste is hard. You hit the "magic number" and you taste adjust from there because you know at least you're hitting a number that works for a wide variety of beans.
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Sep 25, 2022 08:07
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VelociBacon posted:I don't feel like I'm at a point yet where I can completely trust my pallate for taste so I'm looking to use whatever technical indicators I can find while also incorporating my enjoyment of the shot as feedback to make changes. As always, more data points usually helps. Try going to places and have them make espresso for you. I think you'll appreciate picking it apart more, now that you've got something going on at home to compare it to. Maybe even with other people who are likewise beanheaded and will hopefully be able to offer meaningful points of discussion you can take back to home to develop upon, to find your own palate.
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Sep 25, 2022 21:22
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Okay so for the first time, after WDT I actually settled the grinds in the basket a bit by tapping it and then did my normal tamp etc and wow it turned out a lot better - not sure if it's also because I ran out of my old beans and I'm now using some locally roasted ones but yeah wow this pulled almost perfectly, 18/36 at 27 seconds, tastes great, I'm not sure I really want to change anything and maybe just want to sit around and drink this all day long. This is a shot I have a direct comparison to because the espresso bar down the street from me uses this (and sold me the coffee). Last video for a little while but I had to share since I finally got a good one (maybe not perfect): https://i.imgur.com/3zqnAMX.mp4 Pilfered Pallbearers posted:Sorry, I specifically meant shoot for 18/36, 30 seconds, and taste to adjust. 18/40 is also fine. 18/40 in like 24 seconds will be very different then 18/36/30. It's just a good baseline when your learning, and it'll help give you an idea of how different beans react to different ratios/times as you go on. It's also just a nice starting point because taste is hard. You hit the "magic number" and you taste adjust from there because you know at least you're hitting a number that works for a wide variety of beans. Yeah I was/am shooting for 18/40 and 25-30 seconds. Like you say it's mostly just so I'm limiting the variables at play and learning one thing at a time. Kalsco posted:As always, more data points usually helps. Try going to places and have them make espresso for you. I think you'll appreciate picking it apart more, now that you've got something going on at home to compare it to. Maybe even with other people who are likewise beanheaded and will hopefully be able to offer meaningful points of discussion you can take back to home to develop upon, to find your own palate. Yeah that's true and I've been trying to get espressos at every opportunity but only a few places in my area can even tell you what kind of bean they're using so it's a little bit of like... yeah. Like getting a 19 year old summer job kid at a blenz to make me an espresso (yes I still go for it, why not) hasn't been the best learning experience. I guess I could join a local goon discord but then I'd be surrounded by sickos and degenerates of the worst variety so I dunno about that one. Oh yeah let's get together soon btw while the weather is still nice.
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Sep 25, 2022 22:31
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VelociBacon posted:yeah wow this pulled almost perfectly, 18/36 at 27 seconds, tastes great, I'm not sure I really want to change anything and maybe just want to sit around and drink this all day long. That’s exactly the reaction. Hitting the other variables is nice, but it tasting the way you want is the real end goal. Fresh beans will often help too, so that was probably a large gain in it. You’re also already posting here where you’re surrounded by goons. No chance of avoiding it now.
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Sep 25, 2022 23:07
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Jhet posted:That’s exactly the reaction. Hitting the other variables is nice, but it tasting the way you want is the real end goal. Fresh beans will often help too, so that was probably a large gain in it. Oh yeah I was mostly just being a dickhead to Kalsco who is on my local discord. The other beans I was using were actually fresh also, roasted mid August. I don't think that qualifies as *too* fresh? Anyways yeah stoked can't wait for the next shot.
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Sep 25, 2022 23:15
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VelociBacon posted:Oh yeah I was mostly just being a dickhead to Kalsco who is on my local discord. A lot of people would call those old beans fairly old. Anything past 3-4 weeks will be flirting with stale at the very least.
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Sep 25, 2022 23:38
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You'd be surprised how old you can go with beans and still get good shots out of them. There are roasteries that recommend at least that long before making coffee with them. Personally, for espresso, I like to wait around 2 weeks after the roasting date before using them. Filter coffee should be fine after 3-4 days.
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Sep 26, 2022 01:16
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