I’m using profitec drive with niche duo, 18g vst basket. Not with every beans but most of them I’m getting unpleasant harshness, bitterness. I know coffee is bitter but unpleasant. After adjusting grind setting when I start getting some sweetness then there is still that harsh bitter aftertaste. I’ve been using different roasters, adjusting temperature, ratio by 5 ml and still, again some beans I’m getting great results but with so many of them , and currently red brick I’m just not sure how to get it of that unpleasant taste.

@"MuddyOne"#p74438 Red Bricks is by Square Miles, right? What’s your typical ratio and shot time of your espresso? I have never used a VST basket. IIRC, @"Cuprajake"#144 have had VST baskets on his Bianca before. Water, Water temperature, grind settings, puck prep can be a contributing factor. Please load a video of your shot. I am sure we have a few members who use VST baskets. They may be able to assist you after looking at the video.

@"LMSC"#p74440 Maybe I’ll try with stock basket, yes red brick is by square mile but I had that with different roasters too. My typical starting point is 1:2 then I adjust once I get grind setting and temperature right. But sometimes nothing seems to be helping 🤷🏻♂️ I can post video of shot in couple days as I have couple of maintenance things to do with my drive .

Loose the vst, Temp will be your enemy

Make sure machine is hot, 45 minutes at least. Set temperature to 94C. Leave the flow control alone, fully open. I’m assuming you are using a bottomless porta filter. If not, do that, and work on your prep. Make sure the shot is extracted properly and evenly. Set the pressure to 9 bar (using the screw under the machine).

@"MediumRoastSteam"#p74444 So the machine is set at 11 bar right? I think I remember seeing that somewhere before, why do they ship machine like that? Why do you suggest to leave control vslvd fully open? Profitec says that normal flow is achieved at 1 And 1/4 , I’m asking these questions to have better understanding about your advice.

@"MuddyOne"#p74455 - judging by your comments, you need to diagnose what your shots have an unpleasant harshness and dryness. I’m suggesting you go back to basics and start from a common baseline. I wouldn’t take the manual as gospel. They also tell you to descale the machine, blackflush and never lubricate the cam.

@"MediumRoastSteam"#p74458 you say I shouldn’t be backflushing either?

@"MediumRoastSteam"#p74458 where do I start then ? You said go back to baseline ?

My current “ tactic” is that I pull a shot 1:2 ratio , taste and adjust grind accordingly . Once I find best grind setting then I lock that too and see if adjust ratio helps, if going either way by 5-10ml helps I lock it , if not I get back to 1:2 . After all that is locked I adjust temperature to see if that improves anything. Any advice here then I’m Doing stuff wrong?

if its not all beans then perhaps just crap beans?

I can’t seem to get rid of unpleasant harshness and dryness

Raja123

LMSC I was referring to a rapid acceleration after a very slow start. I have high-uniformity burr sets that do that when dialed in for traditional espresso.

The outfalls are larger than most espresso burrs, so these need to be 50 microns or less from burr touch to get into traditional espresso range. Ditting 804 machined burrs do this also.

MuddyOne

Cuprajake I’m listening my friend, I’m awaiting response from the retailer to see what they can say about that overheating and excessive steam, there is only so much I can do at this point, so for now I’m trying to discuss other potential issues. I have been doing my research about flash boiling too.

People come back to this thread and post me further suggestions so I carry conversation, no need to get pissy :)

LMSC

MuddyOne People come back to this thread and post me further suggestions so I carry conversation, no need to get pissy :)

Giphy - Happy Season 3 GIF by Rick and Morty

Cuprajake

MuddyOne and there we go,

You now get to grace the ever growing list

Giphy - Leaving Clint Eastwood GIF by GritTV

Enjoy your coffee 👍

LMSC

Pl get a bag of Blackcat’s Chocolate Point. It is a nice coffee and easy to dial in as well. 😊

Edit:

I also recommend you keep a log of your coffee — roaster, coffee, temp, grind size, what worked, didn’t.

MuddyOne

LMSC yeah I started keeping a log now . 👍

MuddyOne

LMSC

I already ordered another bag of red brick as per other suggestions, I wonder, only wonder if adjusting off set to negative value would fix the overheating problem. I mean there is a reason why negative off set exists right?

Still I will hit b&q and screwfix tomorrow and see if I can wired thermometer before ordering online.

MuddyOne

Adrianmsmith

Thanks but I think il get myself such device for future it’s handy,I’m getting a lot of steam like from boiling kettle .

Adrianmsmith

MuddyOne

Sorry if ive missed it any you already posted but, have you got a video showing your situation, steam etc.

MuddyOne

Cuprajake the water im using is ashbeck .

Been using my kettle exclusively with this water since march , no smaller sign of limescale.

MediumRoastSteam

MuddyOne - for reference on my coffee today. It was from Darkwoods - Crow Tree. Medium dark. Roasted 11 December - I’ve been drinking this over the past week. Seems to be a blend of American coffee (Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Honduras)

Machine: Lelit Elizabeth (vibe pump, slower ramp up)
Grinder: Niche Duo, setting 7.
Basket: VST 20g
Dose: 19g
Pressure: 10 bar -> 9 bar (noble infusion)

At 8s, starts dripping. Shot finishes at 33s, 38g out.

MuddyOne

Cuprajake I completely don’t understand did I upset you in any way?

Cuprajake

MuddyOne not upset, I don’t care either way, you’re just not listening to what people are saying 👍

There’s a lot of experienced people giving you excellent advice.

MuddyOne

Adrianmsmith

Yeah I think it’s been auto deleted after couple days.

That steaming is happening above 92 degrees with off set at 2. It does not happen after 30 minutes of turning on machine,rather after 1h. 10s after putting lever up usually gets back to normal.

Adrianmsmith

Ok, so assuming your kitchen isnt at 5 degrees C and 80 percent humidity ( 😘 ) i see what you mean.

Have you checked that water temp with milk thermometer as it runs in the cup.

Dont forget especially if tou get a “cheap” thermometer to “calibrate ” it at 99.99 degrees 😎

MuddyOne

Adrianmsmith I will get thermometer tomorrow, I have milk one but it’s not calibrated lol :)

MediumRoastSteam

MuddyOne wait wait wait!

Your machine… You said it was at 94C…

MuddyOne Cuprajake temp is set at 94 degrees with 2 now off set but as mentioned in other posts some weird excessive steaming is coming out from group head above 91 degrees

But look closely at the video before it starts drawing water… It reads 97C? Could this be the cause of the steam?

What’s going on?

MuddyOne

MediumRoastSteam

Yeah , it was for the most part.

Then I’ve been doing some more testing, I’ve been setting machine to 90,91 degrees as stated above the problem is no longer there around these temperatures. Then I set temp to 97 to see if even less water and more steam will be coming out, I just uploaded one random video to show the issue, temperature is set to 94 degrees with +2 off set for most of the time.

And another update, just had my machine on for over hour but set off set to -4 with 94 and the issue is not here anymore.

MuddyOne

Cuprajake sorry I owe you apologies then, I through all comments again and I honestly missed your link you posted, in avalanche of comments it happened.

Well I have two questions then, my machine allows only to be set to 99 not 100 degrees , is that ok for this calibration?

I assume that off set setting in that case should be set to zero?

MuddyOne

Cuprajake

Unless I got I wrong from reading the instructions.

Correct me if I’m wrong , I set temp to 99 degrees and check for flash boiling, correct off set just until it’s below flash boiling, yes?

Adrianmsmith

MuddyOne

What is the manufacturers suggested offset for that machine.

They’ve usually calculated what is required for proper operation at the group .

Also, What do you mean by offset is +2 “for most of the time”

MuddyOne

Adrianmsmith

I meant that temperature is set to 94 for most of the time.

Off set is by default to +2 .

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