Help Please: I'm Feeling stumped with my Breville 870

[czcusco]

On my Breville 870, even with the finest setting which is 1, I’m still not able to get a consistent pull time.

Currently I’m doing 18g whole beans in and getting 18g out. Then using distribution tool and tamp, I start the shot.

Following the 18g bean and 36g espresso extraction yield:

When I program the double shot pull, I can get to 36g but the pull time from the first drip is 20sec or less.

Is something wrong with my grinder?

 

[shadow745]

Well I'll be the first to tell you that number chasing can be more trouble than it's worth. Might be OK for those starting out, but taste/texture trumps all else. I've never gone by time, volume or especially lame ratios. The only variable I will ever weigh is the dry dose as that's key for consistency. I let my sense of taste, smell, sight and of course instinct dial things in. Yes I consider ratios lame as some on various forums claim that if you're really serious about espresso you just have to weigh/measure every single variable involved or you're missing out. Guess some just lack the skill/instinct to figure things out as since day 1 I've maximized every grinder, machine, etc. I've had in front of me at home and for commercial use. Also devised/built my own roaster so I can really dial any coffee I want in for espresso the way I like it. Just my way of saying don't get too wrapped up in some things people view as being standard, mandatory, etc. Do what works for YOU and simply work on repeating just that.

For your issue how fresh is the coffee as stale coffee is quite often the main culprit with extractions being too fast regardless of grind fineness? Also, when you say 18 grams in/out of the grinder are you single dosing every shot, cleaning any retention out that might be leftover from yesterday, etc.? Some of those newer machines all the grind to be calibrated to be more fine if needed, but I don't have one so can't be 100%, just read that quite a lot.

 

[czcusco]

Thanks for the input. Yea some of the grind might be from before, but hardly anyway to get it totally out. I’m not serious enough to get a Niche Zero grinder, so I’m gonna be using this till it craps out while I save up for a better espresso machine down the road.

Yea I hate to number chase but quite frankly I’m still pretty new to espresso even though I had it for 4yrs now. In the past I just figured espresso tasted sour or bitter but now that I’ve been playing around with it and experimenting, I’m surprised espresso shot could taste neither sour or bitter but smooth and hint of sweetness.

As for beans goes... what do you guys use to keep it fresh? Right now I only pour out little bit at a time and use my baby bullet container with a wrap on top to keep it fresh.

 

[TangyWasabi]

I’m going to be honest with you, a new grinder is something you should seriously consider. The Barista Express is perfectly capable of pulling consistently delicious shots. (Ask me how I know) I really think your troubles lie solely in that grinder. If the Niche is too pricey you could consider a Kinu or similar hand grinder or even a Sette 270. Ask for how to keep the beans fresh, I use an airtight container and only buy what I’ll use in the next 2 weeks, fresh roasted of course.

 

[czcusco]

yea i'm thinking it might be the grinder as well. guess i'll do research on grinders instead. thanks for the suggestions...

looking at the Sette 270, what about [COLOR=#111111 !important]Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD Rocky[/COLOR]

 

[TangyWasabi]

Plenty of people love the Rocky and plenty love the Sette, you can’t go wrong with either for espresso. The Sette is a better single doser so if that’s important to you then you should consider it. The Rocky is built tanky but retains significantly more grinds.

 

[czcusco]

Thanks... I’ll be on the look out for the Sette.

 

[czcusco]

Haven’t cleaned out my 870 in like forever. Decided to clean it out and after vacuuming the inside, with the brush from breville I cleaned it up some more and 2 little pebbles cane out. Who know many more pebble had been vacuumed out already.

Now with same beans at setting 1 it now chokes the machine and setting 2 is much better.