Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Mon Feb 4, 2013, 7:15pm Subject: Dosing and Tamping issue
Hi Guys I bought a ROcket R58 with a Compak K3 Touch Grinder. So now comes the fun with trying to dial in my grinder and pulling a good shot. I have wasted so much coffee and am getting nowhere. Maybe someone can give me some hints. Here is what I have done.
- I think the issue I have is getting the right dose. At first I was using the filling up the portafilter to the top, leveling the top and tamping it. I then played aroud with the gring till I could get a double shot 2oz coming out in about 25 sec. Well I tried but moving the gring in small incriments up and down did not work. So I decided to weigh my grind, and found out that filling the portafilter gave me 23 grams of coffee, way to much. So I weighed 16 gm and got a decent shot, I then tried 17 and 18 grams and still decent shots but still not great.
1)I am confused to why the filling up and leveling the portafilter technique does not work? 2) When do I adjust the gring? and when do I increase the dose up and Down?
Keep in mind that this is only a rule-of-thumb method. You need to have a lot of experience in order to get the dose fairly accurate by visual judgement alone. Most professional baristas can do it quite well, but they have tons of practice. Using a sclale is much more practicable.
Italo2275 Said:
2) When do I adjust the grind? and when do I increase the dose up and down?
When you dial in your grinder, you have to keep your dose and tamping pressure constant. Dose and coarseness setting are the two most important factors influencing extraction time, while tamping is only tertiary. However, changing the dose by 0.2 g can already alter taste. Since your grinder is stepless, you don't have to adjust the dose to compensate for wider steps in the grinding gear.
Find the espresso dose that tastes best to you and adjust the grinder when necessary.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,761 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Tue Feb 5, 2013, 7:37am Subject: Re: Dosing and Tamping issue
YEP, what he said.
Once you are in the "ball park" you then need to "play" with things to decide what tastes best TO YOU! I tend to prefer a 18g double shot, it fits comfortably in my basket and I like the flavor profile, you may not be able to get 18 g or you may be able to get 25 g, baskets are different sizes even if it is a "double" basket. then you have the tripple baskets. I have one but do not use it.
You adjust the grinder to get the taste you want once you have hit the zone for the flavor profile you want.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,792 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Tue Feb 5, 2013, 7:38am Subject: Re: Dosing and Tamping issue
read article 12 on www.espressomyespresso.com "easy guide to better espresso at home" It'll help you a lot in getting your gear dialed in. The article is about half way down the right column, under "HowTo"
Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Feb 5, 2013, 9:57am Subject: Re: Dosing and Tamping issue
Thanks for the info, so here is another dumb question, when you put in your Portafilter how tight do you Tighten it? Sometimes I think it is too loose.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,792 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Tue Feb 5, 2013, 12:42pm Subject: Re: Dosing and Tamping issue
I just crank mine over until it feel secure. It doesn't technically "lock" in place, but we typically think of it like that because of the way it feels.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,761 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Tue Feb 5, 2013, 2:52pm Subject: Re: Dosing and Tamping issue
If it is tight enough to not leak when brewing, it is tight enough, you will quickly learn just how tight is tight enough with your machine. If you go too tight all the time, you will wear out the gasket sooner than it otherwise would be but other than that, it won't hurt anything. BTW, that gasket should be replaced about every 6 months or so anyway as it does wear every time you lock int the PF. This is normal wear and tear and you should buy several gaskets at a time so they are on hand and you save shipping on them this way.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
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