Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Thu Mar 14, 2013, 7:29pm Subject: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
I am having a hard time pulling a good tasting shot and not sure why.I am thinking my grinder could be the issue. One knotch make a huge difference on my new Electronic Mazzer Mini.But then I might be wrong. Temp is set to 198, and pressure at 9.5 bars, 20 amp plug and using the water tank. Coffe for now I am using Lavazza Super creama, I used the same coffe with my old r58 and come out good. So I am not sure why I cannot do it with izzo.
Posted Thu Mar 14, 2013, 7:49pm Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
Lavazza Super Crema is not freshly roasted coffee, you will see & taste a big difference if you find a good roaster with freshly roasted beans. I use beans within 2-3 days after roasting, after 10 days the same beans are ok but do not produce the same crema, taste and freshness.
Posted Fri Mar 15, 2013, 6:19am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
use fresher beans. also try raising your temp. 198 might be too low, making shot bitter, also your shot looks long . cut water volume down a bit,long shots tend to be week and bitter.
Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Fri Mar 15, 2013, 7:17am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
I will try fresh beans, I actually did try before the lavazza but wasted them trying to dial in the shot. I find when I swop beans the grind is way off and will take me time to adjust again.
germantownrob Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2007 Posts: 2,018 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Duetto 3, A Dead Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Preciso w/Esatto,... Drip: Brazen Roaster: Diedrich IR-1, HT B
Posted Fri Mar 15, 2013, 8:37am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
Italo2275 Said:
I will try fresh beans, I actually did try before the lavazza but wasted them trying to dial in the shot. I find when I swop beans the grind is way off and will take me time to adjust again.
The Lavazza I imagine needs a very fine grind as will most stale beans, fresh roast will need a much coarser grind. Watching the shot vid I would coarsen the grind on that shot, try shooting for 25-30 secs, the longer the shot goes the more extraction of undesirable flavors, still I have had many of a long 45sec shot that was tasty. Shooting for two ounces of tastiness means dialing in grind and dose to make that happen, I find it much easier to adjust volume to match the grind and dose, dialing in flavor is tough enough with out adding it has to be 2 oz. take a look at this to help adjust things to suit your tastes. Click Here (www.home-barista.com)
I may be anal about fresh beans but I think of all those people who return from Italy raving about great espresso, how much of those shots came from fresh beans?
Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Fri Mar 15, 2013, 8:59am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
Thanks for your input I totally agree with you, I will try to coarsen the grind a bit, but would you increase the dose to 18g? By the way I will be in Italy next weekend and I am definitely bringing back some Espresso beans and tasting some good shots so I can compare.
germantownrob Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2007 Posts: 2,018 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Duetto 3, A Dead Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Preciso w/Esatto,... Drip: Brazen Roaster: Diedrich IR-1, HT B
Posted Fri Mar 15, 2013, 9:07am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
Italo2275 Said:
Thanks for your input I totally agree with you, I will try to coarsen the grind a bit, but would you increase the dose to 18g? By the way I will be in Italy next weekend and I am definitely bringing back some Espresso beans and tasting some good shots so I can compare.
I really don't have any experience with the imported beans for espresso, I am into the 3rd wave fresh bean, over dosing thing, lol.
Italian recommended dose for a double is something like 13-16g for a double, I would think I would work in that range with their beans but to increase volume you may find that updosing to 17-19g will give you the volume and taste you are after. I have one of these Click Here (www.espressoparts.com) for very light roasts which I dose around 13-16g with a very fine grind for usually a 1.5oz shot.
The link above to Jim's guide to adjusting dose and grind for flavor has been a huge help the last couple of years. Oh yeah, have a great trip. There is a bunch of info on Italian roasts over at HB, might find some brands that are considered the best.
Italo2275 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2013 Posts: 96 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Thu Mar 28, 2013, 4:57pm Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
Well I am back, and bought fresh detour coffee, a bit to expensive but thought i would try it. It cost about 18 dollars for one pound Here is my shot, i found it weak in creama meaning it did not stick and a bit to strong. Any advice http://youtu.be/kRHwI_L5Kgk
Posted Sat Mar 30, 2013, 5:42am Subject: Re: Help with pulling shot with Alex 3
any Idea on the roast date? most coffee (for espesso) is usable after 3 days and in it's prime 5 to 7 days post roast. anything after 14 days old, not always but most times will taste strong with less flavor and produce low crema, what dose/grind/volume of shot are you using?
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