• Beans

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

MuddyOne - to be clear.: it’s the pump balance bypass valve under the machine which needs adjusting. NOT the expansion valve. This will allow you to see the gauge on the machine - not the group - reading 9 bar with a blank disc.

Again… there’s no right or wrong. I’m just trying to help you based on my experience with that machine. You can do whatever you want. At the moment you are saying you are unhappy with the results. I’m giving you a suggestion. Whether you want to give it a go or not, it’s up to you.

    MuddyOne What happens to the flavour once the bag is started and the beans age?

    Flair 58, Mahlkonig EK43, Kinu M47, 1zpresso ZP6.

      MediumRoastSteam Leave the flow control alone, fully open.

      @MuddyOne

      Im assuming here the machine is similar to the synchronika in which case if you dont want to refit the standard mushroom and throw the flow control valve in the nearest ebay box then the valve should not be fully open in normal use.

      You should be aiming to reproduce standard flow which is one and a quarter turns according to the info produced by whole latte love, which i reproduced exactly with the synchronika

      This in combination with setting the pump to produce 8 bars at the group should be used to dial in properly well befor playing with the (unnecessary!) flow control. 😎

      Ade Smith. ACS Evo Leva v2. Kafatek Flat max 2, ssw 2024. Mazzer Philos, Craig Lyn HG-1 prime., WW key mk1.

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          Adrianmsmith

          Maybe someone can help me understand here something, I can’t produce longer shots with slow flow . When I get to the point where I grind fine enough for longer shot my extraction starts after 10-14 seconds, too late .

          With red brick for example, they recommend 26-30 s extraction. My recent shot was 25s but extraction started at 11s and shot was bitter and nasty, so if I go coarser my extraction starts sooner but shot will take 23-20 s. It’s similar with other beans too, is that basket fault?

              MuddyOne - on a rotary pump, you’d see the first drip on a bottomless portafilter after 5 seconds. This should take you to a 30s shot at least.

              What’s your prep routine? Do you have a bottomless PF?

                  MediumRoastSteam

                  I may record my workflow today later , yeah I have bottomless with 18g vst. I weight 18,3 g with duo, check weight after grinding, that’s 18.1 /2 then I wdt, tap gently sides and bottom of portafilter, sometimes I use levelling tool , tamp , check if it’s level and pull a shot.

                  Extraction started after 10s, lasted 25s with 38 ml. Awful shot.

                      MediumRoastSteam

                      Flow control is in correct position.

                      Maybe, just maybe because my machine is overheating and instead of enough water steam is partially coming out?

                        MuddyOne then I wdt, tap gently sides and bottom of portafilter, sometimes I use levelling tool , tamp , check if it’s level and pull a shot.

                        To be clear: you don’t count after the first drip. You count the total time. So it’s 30s from lifting the lever up.

                        Don’t tap. Just do WDT to level and then level tamp. What does the shot look like? (Video would be good).

                        The fact your machine is overheating doesn’t help - would result in a bitter shot.

                            I uploaded two videos of shots, one through YouTube. Another one just shot. Tbh these shots don’t look that bad but honestly sometimes machine seems like choking and despite extraction starts after 10s the shot may still only take 25s with 1:2

                            I said the shots don’t look bad, but they taste awful, there is the tongue stinging unpleasant harshness and dryness. Whatever I’m doing wrong, I have no idea and I start to believe that it is more fault of machine overheating and we talk in other thread.

                            Someone told me that this is group head being too hot, and it’s flash boiling. If I adjust temperature to 91/90 and under degrees there is no issue, no weird sound and normal amount of steam, I’ll see what retailer says . Here are the videos .

                              MuddyOne - I can see the shot starts well, and go wild/deteriorates halfway through. questions:

                              • how old are your beans?
                              • how old have they been inside that air escape?
                              • where are they kept? (Same room?)
                              • what basket are you using? (Assuming VST 18g?)

                              All I can think of is that your coffee is well past their best. This could be where they are kept if the environment is too hot, or temperature fluctuates. I see for example your machine and grinder are right in front of a radiator. This is not the best idea.

                                  I would also try the normal basket, if I were you, if you haven’t already. 😊

                                    MediumRoastSteam red brick is about 3 weeks old, same in airscape but same thing happens from bag like today morning . My beans are stored in the same room but in built in the wall wardrobe where it’s rather cooler, not sure if I have better place to keep them, in the fridge for each shot?

                                    Regarding the equipment, I have very little choice to rearrange my room set up, why is it such a bad idea? I mean I can imagine there are better places than right next to radiator but is it so harmful?

                                      LMSC yeah I’ll do Normal basket and see if there is any difference.

                                        LMSC

                                        One is stock basket, another came with bottomless , the stock seems narrower is it ok to use with bottomless portafilter?

                                        • LMSC replied to this.

                                            MuddyOne Either should be ok with your bottomless, just to see if it makes a difference.

                                            @MediumRoastSteam is great at helping people trouble shoot. While he expertly guides you, I have a question for you, considering the beans are just 3 weeks old.

                                            Were you experiencing similar taste issue with any other set up? You may have already mentioned it earlier? Do you drink as a straight espresso or dilute it with water or drink as a flat white?

                                                MuddyOne should I keep beans in the fridge instead? I’m really not sure.

                                                I don’t think fridge is the best idea either.

                                                This is a suggestion: get some more red brick from square mile - make sure you use it no more than a week post roast, 2 weeks max. Can you get your shots to run in 30s for 36g?

                                                This is what I do when I buy 1kg, or even 500g: I split the bags in 228g each (19g dose), vac seal in put in the freezer. When I want to use it, I bring it out 30 minutes before (or a few hours, overnight even) and let it get to room temperature. Don’t open the bag straight out of the freezer otherwise you’ll get moisture in your beans due to condensation. I’m not saying you should do that. But let’s go back to basics and try fresher beans.

                                                  Never got on with redbrick

                                                  Try a different bean, I personally can’t stand Guatemala beans, perhaps you don’t like these

                                                  Do you use a pick screen or anything? Use the stock basket, vst are hard to use and imo not really needed unless you’re after every last % in extraction.

                                                  What temp is the machine at and how long has it been on?

                                                  Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                                    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 and im currently waiting response from retailer as no one here seems to experienced such behaviour before, my machine is often on for around 30 minutes before first brew.