jttran28 Senior Member Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 36 Location: San Jose, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Compak k3
Posted Tue Oct 16, 2012, 11:17pm Subject: espresso coming out SOUR!
So I obviously need some tips and suggestions. I have a Crossland CC1 and a Compak K2 Touch grinder. All of a sudden my shots are coming out real sour. Any advice?
My basket can only fit about 12.2g of coffee. When I place a nickel in there and attach it to the group head, it makes a very slight indent. Is this good? Why can't I fit more coffee in?
Is my coffee under extracted? How can I tell? I'm using a bottomless basket. Do the dark strips go away when extraction is good?
Is my grind too fine?
Is it the beans? (probably part of the problem) I have yet to get one from a local roaster. I got some from Peets, the ones where they claim it is no older than 7 days...
How will I know when I have a good tasting shot? I have not had anyone show me how to pull shots except for youtube.
I'm getting really frustrated. I want some coffee!
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 4:53am Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
jttran28 Said:
So I obviously need some tips and suggestions. I have a Crossland CC1 and a Compak K2 Touch grinder. All of a sudden my shots are coming out real sour. Any advice?
Check the temp. Have you ever had good results from this setup "sudden" makes it sounds as if something has changed? What is your brew temp set at?
jttran28 Said:
My basket can only fit about 12.2g of coffee. When I place a nickel in there and attach it to the group head, it makes a very slight indent. Is this good? Why can't I fit more coffee in?
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
jttran28 Senior Member Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 36 Location: San Jose, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Compak k3
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 9:28am Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
Temp is at 200 degrees. Results were good, then stopped when I had a batch of stale coffee. It was gushing everywhere. Now I have a different batch which flows well but tastes like crap.
I thought I was using the double basket? The machine came with a single...wait a minute. I think the "single" i'm thinking of is the basket for coffee pods. Does that mean my current basket being used is a single? I thought It would have come with a double? I'll do some research.
I will try 25 seconds with the 12.2gram basket setup. Maybe I was over extracting? Doesn't that lead to a bitter, not sour taste?
What does draw mean?
Thanks for your help. Atleast I think I discovered I'm using a single, thinking it was a double.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 515 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 2:39pm Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
Try the double basket that came with it, I don't even bother with single baskets anymore, too finicky and a pain. Couple more grams in a double just makes a big difference to me. If you are using the double with 12g that's way to little in the double, don't even know if it could tamp right under 14g since the basket's slightly taper towards the bottom. You should be able to tell a difference, one basket will be shallow and the other deeper (double).
I don't know about Peets, I only know their stale store beans lol. Which anything stale will become a gusher. I know you can buy their beans online but no idea if their roasted to order? Draw = your extraction time
jttran28 Senior Member Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 36 Location: San Jose, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Compak k3
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 9:16pm Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
I will try to post a video tomorrow.
According to the user manual, I am using the double basket and it only fits 12.2g of coffee? Why can I not fit more? I guess I'll need to post a video of my process of pulling shots.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 515 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 9:57pm Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
Ummm I can grind up to 18g into the double basket. Manual doesn't say what amount either, mine says "grind the desired amount into the basket". You should have a single, double, and blind basket for back flushing. I don't have the single as the previous owner turned it into a scace type device for temp reading, but I don't use singles anyway as their annoying to me lol, like the flavor and volumes of doubles.
jttran28 Senior Member Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 36 Location: San Jose, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Compak k3
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 11:29pm Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
so what I do is i mound the basket with coffee and I level with my finger without putting any pressure while leveling it. If I do put pressure, then it gets too close to the group head. There has to be something wrong. Why can't I fit more than 12g? Im fairly certain this is the double basket I received.
Here is a video. Please pardon the poor production.:
Posted Wed Oct 17, 2012, 11:52pm Subject: Re: espresso coming out SOUR!
try giving the portafilter a few little taps on the counter to settle the grinds. This will give you more room in the basket. For now, i will dose about 1/3 and then give it a few taps to somewhat level out, the other 1/3, tap again, the rest, and tap again. I'll then nutate to even things out and then tamp. I have no problem fitting 18+ grams into a standard double basket. After the shot, if you see an indent of the the screen screw, dont sweat it as long as it tastes good.
i'd suggest getting more coffee into the basket and trying to use the same parameters. Keep in mind, you're probably gonna need to adjust your grind with more coffee in the basket.
btw, i personally prefer the taste of a ristretto. my shots run much longer and output far less.
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