Espresso nerds in the house?

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No expert here but consistency is key, if you weigh and time your shots then adjust to those parameters you've got it. If your grinder is not consistent and tamp pressure is not consistent you are not going to get great results.
 
I tamp until I can't feel the puck compressing anymore, probably less than 30lbs. Personally I don't think it's humanly possible to overcompress the grinds. But if you're tamping as hard as you can, it's more likely you will tamp unevenly, shift during the tamp, or otherwise screw the tamp up.

Most importantly, tamp evenly and consistently.
 
tamping gets way too much attention IMO ;-)

it's the least important bit.

Now how to get great greens is much more important...THAT is an issue I hope to crack, it cannot be that all lots of great greens end up at the Wendelboe's et al of this world ;-)
 
If I had to buy a setup today based on stuff I've used I'd get a LM Mini and an EK43S for double duty and call it a day :). A Slayer 1 group or a Modbar are both tempting. Modbar steam wands suck though. I like the Mini better than the GS3 without customization. I wish I was a bit more savvy on some of the boutique grinders out there. Weber, Titus, etc. I've seen a couple of them in person and they are really impressive. I love the EK43, though.
 
Have the LM Minis improved in quality? A friend bought one a few years ago and had so many issues he switched over to GS3 (paddle version) and was very happy after that.

I probably shouldn't damn it too much though, as I bought one of the 'fire sale' GS3s ~13 years ago. It has served me well, though. It is at a shop for the first time, getting a full overhaul due to some pressure issues I could not fix with my DIY skills. Turned out to be a problem with the pump (I use the reservoir). The overhaul includes replacing all the check valves and solenoids. It is not an inexpensive service, but it's the only $ I've had to put into it in 13 years other then the typical routine/ preventative maintenance.
 
It took me a while to lock in my espresso, both to get the puck right, and sort out all the little variables. Now I am happy every time I pull a shot.

I strongly prefer Yemen beans, roasted darkish, but still a good 10 degrees from second crack at drop.

I do not weigh; I just count off 10 seconds of grinding on the Mazzer Mini. Anyway, I'm filling the portafilter just to the rim, so it's mostly a question of avoiding wastage. Took me a while to get the grind setting right; sometimes I adjust up or down to accommodate differences in batches of beans, but not much, and not that often.

I use a leveler I got on eBay. Really made a difference for consistently turning out proper pucks

Convex tamper -- it solved my leakage issues. My weight-sensing tamper gave up the ghost, but not before training me, so now I go by feel, probably about 40 lbs of pressure, with 4 little slightly directional tamps to make sure the edges are right.

Pull the Olympia Cremina lever up, then mount the portafilter (keeps the backpressure from disrupting the integrity of the puck). Pull down just enough to start the water flow, wait 10 seconds, then pull with firm, steady pressure, never forcing it like I tried to do early on. Takes about 20-25 seconds.

Then...nirvana. And repeat it all for one more round of nirvana.

Then a bunch of brushing to clear out the grounds from the grinder, and knocking out the puck, and rinsing all the pieces. Doesn't seem like it would be worth it, but it is.
 
WildBoar said:
Have the LM Minis improved in quality? A friend bought one a few years ago and had so many issues he switched over to GS3 (paddle version) and was very happy after that.
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The one I used was in a commercial space and saw plenty of use. I can't comment about its life past the 4-5 month mark. During that time it worked flawlessly. GS3s are awesome btw. They are legit tanks. I just don't enjoy the weird steam wand lever thing. I used it enough to "get used to it" but still would not prefer it over a traditional knob or lever. I know Specht has conversions for them though.
 
Using a lever is not an issue for me, as that's all I have ever used. It gives you some control in that it's easy to back off from full steam if needed.

My GS3 still has the first generation steam wand. It's well known for not working all that well, although it has been fine with whole milk. Oat milk, lowfat milk, etc. don't steam well though. LM is on the 3rd generation. Someone on H-B sent me a used 2nd generation, which eliminates a flexible tube and an elbow that is prone to leakage. That 2nd gen wand is being rebuilt, and will replace the 1st gen. No more 'no burn' wand for me, although it's never really been anything that mattered except when my son was a toddler and liked to help me make cappuccinos.
 
Placed an order with Happy Mug for a bag of Bigfoot Espresso and some Decaf Guatemala. Anyone have experience with either of those?
 
jedy617 said:
Yeah I have had bigfoot before, like it quite a bit. The Ethiopia anerobic they have sounds awesome too
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I just placed an order for that anaerobic this morning; I only have ~7 days of Guji left, so I needed to get some more beans in the hopper, so to speak. This'll be my first experience with anaerobic, so I'm interested to see what's what.
 
I got the anaerobic a few days ago. As usual, it was only a few days past roast when I got the bag, but I've made a latte with it each of the last two days to see how it develops.

Upon opening the bag, there's a noticeably stronger ferment funk. Definitely some fruit there, too, but it's behind the funk. Today, the taste followed suit - some of the ferment (not unpleasant to me) in front of the fruit. It's also got a softness to it - maybe a lack of acidity compared to the naturals that I've been drinking a lot lately. For being less than a week out of roast, it was enjoyable and different.
 
It's great you're enjoying your new coffee setup with the La Pavoni and 9barista. Making a switch in coffee machines can elevate your coffee experience and it sounds like you've found the perfect fit. It's fascinating how coffee enthusiasts like yourself have specific gear that suits their preferences. Exploring different coffee machines, grinders and brewing methods is part of the fun and adventure of being a coffee lover. There's always something new to discover and experiment with to find that sweet spot that makes your taste buds sing. I have espresso coffee equipment and taste buds for that matter.
 
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I'm blaming you guys for this!

How it started:
- Breville Barista Express
- Hopper Bellow
- Knock Box

old.JPG




How it's Going:
- Diletta Bello+ (NEW with PID and programmable Pre-Infusion)
- Niche Duo (Espresso Burrs ONLY)
- Luna Scale
- WDT Tool
- RDT Spray Bottle
- Puck Screens, Chemex Filter Circles, and Whiskey Ice Stones (Not Pictured)

new.JPG
 
In the Decent forums, 909 filters are all the rage these days (these guys). They add resistance at the bottom of the basket, allowing one to grind more coarsely. I think it's mainly the light roast gang that utilizes them the most (at least I haven't tried them with anything but light and ultralight, and haven't seen conversations outside of that realm). They have a noticeable effect on clarity (and apparently extraction yield, but I haven't tested that personally). I'm liking them and have made them a permanent part of my workflow.

Using those, combined with my new Sworks high flow basket, and the upgraded grouphead parts that Decent just released, it feels like I'm tasting espresso for the first time all over again. It's wonderful.
 
ehhh said:
Let us know how you like the Niche Duo. That's got me intrigued. Did you get hit by any import fees on it?
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It's the only grinder I've used other than the one that was in the Breville.

So far I like it a lot! It's simple to use, quick and easy to adjust, looks great, and runs pretty quiet. Also I'm getting within 1/10th of a gram difference in input/output on it.

No import fees to ND. All total it was $774 delivered, with the currency conversion.
 
ehhh said:
Let us know how you like the Niche Duo
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Dakota Day Trader said:
simple to use, quick and easy to adjust, looks great, and runs pretty quiet
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Just received a Duo configured with the espresso burrs a few days ago. 👍 👍 👍

We were considering a few other models in the single-dose category – replaceable burrs, bellows, sausage-grinder shapes reskinned by some high-Modernist architect. What clinched it was a Reddit review we remember as

Do you want a thing that grinds out of the box or a science project with a toy accordion?

History: Back around 2013 I had a single group VBM double boiler with PID controlled water tank, with a Mazzer Mini. Around 2020 we picked up a Flair Pro 2 and a Super Jolly. Now we have a Decent DE1 and the Niche Duo and the very first pull from that setup, no dialing anything in, was so good, well, so decent, I told her I felt like crying.

The novelty budget for tinkering is limited and I’d rather spend it in the software domain (Decent) than hardware (DF64, Timemore, Zerno, etc.)
 
the great thing about tinkering is that a used pro grinder wil not set you back by more than a few hundred and you can (and will need) tinker to the max.
Your grinder is THE single most important part of your espresso result, I'd invest what I can in that part, get a nice espresso machine and save the rest of $$ for the real software; great beans
 
MarcelNL said:
Your grinder is THE single most important part of your espresso result,
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So true. I weakened and splurged on a Kafatek MC5 with the new burr set. This is coming from a Mythos Climapro professional grinder which I sold before moving back to the EU. Certainly a case of diminishing returns but sometimes you have to pay to play. The engineering is second to none except may be a Titus grinder. I love the single dose grinding capability which allows me to try different beans on a daily basis, something not possible with a commercial grinder.
grinder.jpg
 
Corradobrit1 said:
So true. I weakened and splurged on a Kafatek MC5 with the new burr set. This is coming from a Mythos Climapro professional grinder which I sold before moving back to the EU. Certainly a case of diminishing returns but sometimes you have to pay to play. The engineering is second to none except may be a Titus grinder. I love the single dose grinding capability which allows me to try different beans on a daily basis, something not possible with a commercial grinder.
View attachment 276236
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NICE, also LOVE the oil ;-)

(BTW; single dosing is possible with a commercial grinder, but it needs adaptation. I'm not into single dosing but use a micro hopper allowing me to change beans every 5 shots)
 
MarcelNL said:
NICE, also LOVE the oil ;-)

(BTW; single dosing is possible with a commercial grinder, but it needs adaptation. I'm not into single dosing but use a micro hopper allowing me to change beans every 5 shots)
Click to expand...
Never got single dosing to work well with any of the commercial grinders I owned. Inconsistent grind distribution resulting in lots of channelling throughout the puck. They worked best with a weight of beans above the burrs.

The advantage of buying a quality used commercial grinder is you can usually sell it for what you paid.

The oil is really good if you like olive oil with a peppery taste. I am less impressed with their Balsamic Vinegar, but it was cheap.
 
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