just got a new barista express machine and having some issues dialling in.
I am on the finest grind setting with around 17g coffee (2 oclock on the grind amount knob) in my double basket and I feel like I'm tamping hard enough. However when I extract a double cup, it takes about 10s from button press to seeing first coffee which then seems to come out too fast and the pressure gauge doesn't go into the optimal region. Ending up with around 1:3 ratio in about 25s and the espresso has a thin crema with sour taste. I assume it's under extracting due to too much water and sour taste, but it's taking 10s to get to first liquid which would be a sign of over extraction? Any tips?
If it tastes sour (think lemon) then it is likely under extracted. Of course first check things like bean roast dates. Do you weigh your coffee dose (do you know it is 17g? Or are you just guessing)
10s from first drip doesn't worry me as these have a built in pre infusion. This is modifiable and there are plenty of tutorials online.
You may find you need to change the outer burr setting to get a finer grind. I prepared a set of pictures for that procedure a while back not sure if it'll help but it's a good indicator of all of the above are ok.
If it tastes sour (think lemon) then it is likely under extracted. Of course first check things like bean roast dates. Do you weigh your coffee dose (do you know it is 17g? Or are you just guessing)
10s from first drip doesn't worry me as these have a built in pre infusion. This is modifiable and there are plenty of tutorials online.
You may find you need to change the outer burr setting to get a finer grind. I prepared a set of pictures for that procedure a while back not sure if it'll help but it's a good indicator of all of the above are ok.
Have been weighing and am at 17g +- .2g which I assume shouldn't be having affecting it this much.
Thanks for the photos, I'll give that a go!
Do you do a programmed liquid volume? I have been using the double cup and stopping it at approx 50g liquid.
just got a new barista express machine and having some issues dialling in.
I am on the finest grind setting with around 17g coffee (2 oclock on the grind amount knob) in my double basket and I feel like I'm tamping hard enough. However when I extract a double cup, it takes about 10s from button press to seeing first coffee which then seems to come out too fast and the pressure gauge doesn't go into the optimal region. Ending up with around 1:3 ratio in about 25s and the espresso has a thin crema with sour taste. I assume it's under extracting due to too much water and sour taste, but it's taking 10s to get to first liquid which would be a sign of over extraction? Any tips?
At 1:3 already I wouldn't suggest more volume to solve the extraction problem. 25s all together is a bit fast for 50g. Grinding finer is the obvious solution. If you can't or that doesn't solve it, think about the water temp (could something be wrong?), make more effort on grind distribution (chanelling?) and check whether another bean works better (esp if you have a light roast at the moment).
So have adjusted the inner burr to a finer grind and now getting 17g in to 35g our in approx 20s so still too fast and getting a sharp taste. Assume I need to still go finer?
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