Trouble dialing the shots in

[Gmbaltrusitis]

On my Rancilio Silvia with the Baratza Vario I am getting wet pucks and cannot see to get the timing right. I either get the mouse tail, but it takes too long or it comes out too fast. I know I need to work on my tamping technique but any help would be appreciated.

Greg

 

[shadow745]

How consistent is your dosing? How fresh is the coffee? Also, explain the routine you go through leading up to an extraction.

 

[Gmbaltrusitis]

Coffee is fresh
grinding it on a Baratza Vario settings are 3 and M. Tried it finer always a wet puck
i make see it is pre heated and the group head and portafilter are hot.
i always pull a double shot.
grinder runs for 10 seconds, I then tamp it down.
set my timer for 25-30 seconds
it either comes out too fast or dribble outs, usually good crema on top.
i am trying to achieve a good mouse tail as it come out of the porta filter

 

[shadow745]

On the Vario you want to get it close with the MACRO adjustment which is on the right. Then to get it really dialed in use the MICRO adjustment which is on the left. Each click of the MACRO is equal to 20 clicks on the MICRO. Do remember variables change daily... you must tweak the grind as needed to keep the coffee dialed in based on temperature, humidity, coffee aging, etc. Espresso isn't a set it and forget deal with the grind. Give the Silvia at least 30 minutes to properly heat up. Many often mistake the heating light for the machine being ready, but any machine needs time to heat all the metal, not just the boiler water. When I ask about dosing it's regarding how much you dose into the basket before tamping, etc. Every machine/coffee is a bit different, but the Silvia will probably allow 15-16 grams to be used. It's important to weigh your coffee until you get the consistency right, then check here/there. The Vario is excellent with low retention, so what goes in pretty much comes out. Inconsistent dose usually will cause more issues than tamping, etc. Just a 1 gram difference can be night/day in the cup.

 

[shadow745]

FWIW I usually never achieve mouse tails because the coffee I use is so fresh it has loads of crema, making a very slow mouse tail pull nearly impossible. Most mouse tail pulls I've witnessed were from using stale coffee that just settled into the cup like motor oil. Also, don't put too much faith into the "God Shot" rules as those things are simply to get you in the ballpark of good espresso. Over time you will know exactly what to look and taste for. IMBHO there is no right or wrong with the process, just what is good to you consistently. This won't happen overnight either.

 

[Gmbaltrusitis]

Shadow thank you so much. Looks I am going to have to weigh in the beans then grind until I known what I need in the porta filter. What are your thoughts on a naked PF for my Rancilio

 

[shadow745]

I think they are OK... nice to see the cone forming, etc. and many find it useful in diagnosing issues. I personally have never felt the need to have one. Guess I'm old school in that respect.

Yeah weighing is rather important, at least till you have gone through quite a few pounds in order to get a feel for the process. As you may know grinding finer will give you less in the basket for a given time and grinding coarser will give you more. Even the smallest change in variables will usually show up in the cup. The window of opportunity for really good espresso is small at best.

Think of it like this.... look at this from right to left and the space between the I's is that window of opportunity.

I (too coarse) II (just right) I(too fine)

If the grind is too coarse, too low in dose or coffee is stale the water will run through too fast leaving you with a bitter, unbalanced, thin shot.

If the grind is too fine, too high in dose the water will run through too slow leaving you with a harsh, overextracted, pungent shot.

 

[Gmbaltrusitis]

Not too much margin for error. Thank goodness I am not that picky. But man that espresso taste so much better than anything around by me.

 

[peterjschmidt]

Not too much margin for error. Thank goodness I am not that picky. But man that espresso taste so much better than anything around by me.

That's the good part of owning espresso equipment, and taking care to learn how to use it; even in larger metropolitan areas, it can be very difficult to find good espresso.

If you buy a pocket scale - they can be had for well under $10 shipped, on ebay - consider using it under the shot glass as you pull the shot if you have enough room between the PF and drip tray. Ending shots by color can be tough, as is volume because some shots will have more or less crema. I found 16g of coffee with an output around 25g of espresso to be what I like, and if they run slow and long, that's even better. Not sayin' that's what you should like, but it became more repeatable for me after weighing input and output.

Yes, to the bottomless PF basket. It's a great learning tool to see how you distribution is working, and it's mesmerizing to watch a good shot while it's extracting.

 

[Gmbaltrusitis]

Well started finally pulling some good if not great shots, 25 seconds grind is set at 3 on the macro and J on the micro of my Vario. Pure foam goodness comes pouring out. Thanks to all youse guys for all the help and Shadow for the heads up on the espresso beans.
Greg

 

[PinkRose]

Congratulations, Greg!

We know it was worth all of the effort.

Shadow really knows his stuff....I'm glad you learned from his experience.

Rose

 

[Gmbaltrusitis]

To be honest I thought it was never going to happen, but I started getting drier pucks and noticed mounds of foam coming out, albeit too fast. so I adjusted grind and increased tamp pressure. I personally do not think you can nail the process down in a one pound bag of beans, but actually need a few pounds of the same bean to start getting some sort of consistency.

Greg

 

[raimo_81]

Shadow thank you so much. Looks I am going to have to weigh in the beans then grind until I known what I need in the porta filter. What are your thoughts on a naked PF for my Rancilio

Hey there, unless you are using a grinder that zero retention or close to it, I would rate the portafilter or basket and weight the actual grinds to within a tenth of a gram. If you keep the dose consistent this way. Distribute it properly (try stirring the grounds in the basket prior to level and tamp), and apply as close to the same tamp while keeping it level you should be able to dial in closer to what you are expecting. I have been doing this and still have not reach my ideal shot with this blend. Get loads of crema and never a squirt from the naked PF but still feel like I am not getting the taste I should be. Keep it co distant and change only one variable at a time to see differences. If you time the grinder you are getting a different dose every time...you may still get good coffee bc you have a good bean and grinder and use good water, but you will find it difficult to compare shot after shot. It’s like a different coffee every time. And remember the biggest inputs are the coffee itself, the water you use and the grounds produced.

 

[paybills]

coffe is love dear

 

[raimo_81]

coffe is love dear

I love it