D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,191 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Tue Apr 17, 2012, 9:20pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
Since the machine was designed that way, I am not going to say that is the problem, but it does make setting a temperature difficult. Do you set the temperature to end at the correct temperature desired by the roaster or just to begin?
"Nothing to do about the temperature fall."
You might find some interesting reading in the following thread. I feel a little odd referring you to a thread that I started, but there is some good info there for SBDU. A preshot blast of heat, steam switch can help. I am not sure if your machine cuts off the 3 way to brew water when the steam switch is on, but some helpful techniques in the thread.
rabbit Senior Member Joined: 3 Sep 2008 Posts: 230 Location: maine Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: v.3 miss sylvia Grinder: baratza vario Vac Pot: presspot Drip: BraZen 10/10/12 Roaster: fresh roast sr300
Posted Tue Apr 17, 2012, 11:21pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
JDHarding Said:
After some searching the threads, I came across another post I did when I started pulling shots again after going a year without. Turns out the original coffee blend I liked was Velton's Bonsai Blend, not Redbird. It also turns out I was pulling my shots at 15-16 grams. I wonder if I should try pulling Redbird at 15-16 grams instead of 20. Maybe the fruity/acid/bright flavor might mellow out at a lower dose. I know some of you already suggested lower doses, but I'm a doofus and ignored that suggestion. Plus when I lowered it to 18 grams I didn't notice much of a difference.
Oh, if you're curious, the thread I came across was...
And you dialed it in correctly? It sounds like you are pulling very infrequently for your trial and error method, jumping around quite drastically. Are you only pulling one shot at the new settings, or pulling multiple to get dialed in and then comparing. With these big swings in dose, I would expect at least 2 or 3 to get the right grind adjustment.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Wed Apr 18, 2012, 3:10pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
I'm just that good at dialing in my grind. Only need 1 setting change. My 16 gram dose pulled 2oz at 30 seconds. There's no need to make it any better than that.
diggi Senior Member Joined: 28 Nov 2011 Posts: 382 Location: Halifax, NS Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Spaz vivaldi S1 V2 Grinder: B Vario, OE LIDO Drip: Chemex, Espro Press,... Roaster: Poppery I
Posted Wed Apr 18, 2012, 3:16pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
JDHarding Said:
I'm just that good at dialing in my grind. Only need 1 setting change. My 16 gram dose pulled 2oz at 30 seconds. There's no need to make it any better than that.
ummmm.....I want this to come across the the way it was intended (as a helpful hint). You may be hitting 'starting point recommendations' but I wouldn't consider that a proper adjustment. If it doesn't taste good, then I would suggest that it isn't dialed in.
EDIT Many (myself included) have stated that for us, a lower volume than 2oz tastes better
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Wed Apr 18, 2012, 3:28pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
I've pulled about 30 shots of Redbird thus far, at 20 gram, 18 gram, and 16 gram doses, at 200F, 210F, 212F, 215F, and 220F PID settings, which is around 190-210 (200F PID = 190F group / 220F PID = 210F group) group temp. And every time the shot comes out tasting gross. I pulled at least 10 shots at 20gram dose, and 210-215F. I get slightly different outcomes with how much time and oz I pull, but I get the same flavor every time, which is disgusting. Fruity, acidic, bright, sour, bitter, unappetizing. I think I taste some nuttiness, but mostly I taste blech. I do make more than one shot after I've pulled the first shot, tasted each, and have been disappointed every time.
Edit: I did try a 1oz shot of this, but the bad flavors were even stronger than before.
I think it's pretty obvious. I don't like this blend. Maybe it's me, maybe it's my machine, maybe it's my grinder, maybe it's a badly roasted bag of beans, I don't know, but I've tried all I can with it and it still tastes like a bitter lemon.
diggi Senior Member Joined: 28 Nov 2011 Posts: 382 Location: Halifax, NS Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Spaz vivaldi S1 V2 Grinder: B Vario, OE LIDO Drip: Chemex, Espro Press,... Roaster: Poppery I
Posted Wed Apr 18, 2012, 3:35pm Subject: Re: What am I doing wrong with my Redbird?
JDHarding Said:
I think it's pretty obvious. I don't like this blend. Maybe it's me, maybe it's my machine, maybe it's my grinder, maybe it's a badly roasted bag of beans, I don't know, but I've tried all I can with it and it still tastes like a bitter lemon.
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