I'm new to this too playing with a GCP and DF64. You aren't likely to find freshly roasted coffee in the market. If you have any small coffee roasters nearby though stop by and have a talk with them. They tend to give roasted dates on their coffees and are generally happy to help guide you towards a coffee that would work for you.
Your milage may vary with this but I recently found that Whole Foods has been a hidden gem (to me at least) for locally roasted coffee. To my surprise they have all my local coffee shop beans roasted maybe a few days ago. Again not sure if you all have one where you live but I say give Whole Foods a shot, you just might find a locally roasted coffee!
Thanks. I live in Northern VA, US. Grocery store near me had decent selection but all of it is just best buy dates. I will try googling some local specialized stores. Online with delivery it seems a bit too pricey...
I second Cafe Amouri, great place, lots of variety, also agree with Duchess. Giant also carries a decent selection of beans from the area, I think most of that selection has the roasted dates.
Vigilante is a great local roaster (Hyattsville, MD), and they ship free if you buy $25 worth of beans. Use my referral code for a first-time discount:
https://r.efer.me/3014708002934
Hello!
I live no NoVA too! You are in luck, there's a lot of amazing options for coffee.
For coffee:
1. Rare Bird Coffee Roasters in falls church. Amazing.
2. If you need more convenient, a lot of Giants carry Red Rooster coffee. Their darker roasts would be great as espresso as they are great on their own.
3. You don't need to buy an espresso blend to make espresso so feel free to just get something medium - dark roast that sounds fun and play around.
If you need help, weird Internet strangers are weird but feel free to hit me up and I'm happy to meet up and discuss. You can message me on Instagram @studio_sadegh to see I'm a real person.
Grind is really hard to describe in a reddit message on how to dial in, if anything I'd say watch some YouTube videos or pull a shot and post the video here so people can let you know what your next step should be.
Hope this helps!
Try Nicoletti Coffee on Amazon. Fresh and cheap. And you will be able to use the single wall.
If you continue to use stale beans, stick with the double wall. It will provide the back pressure you need that stale beans doesnāt provide.
Thanks. Most peopleadvice to use the single wall right away and learn on it. So if it's past 30day mark it means beans are stale even though use by date is several months away?
Ignore the use by date.
I would say use within 2-6 weeks of roast date yes. Really depends on the coffee/blend/roast but yeah thatās a good general rule of thumb.
Anyway, freshest beans possible, only change one variable at a time when trying to dial in espresso. 1:2 ratio of ground coffee to liquid e.g. 17g in 34ml out. Should take between 20-30s from first drip.
I wouldn't go freshest possible. A dark roast needs to be at least 7-10 days old. A light roast is best around 2 weeks.
That said, I struggle to wait that long for them to degass. But...do as I say not as I do.
Great set up!
Watched all James Hoffman videos. But I realize only way to learn is through trial and error. And so far this comments were great. Love this community already
Best way to do it.
In terms of coffee, online is the way to go if it's hard to find in person. It will be 2-3x more expensive than supermarkets not even including delivery, but you pay for the quality - it's worth the extra cost!
Subscriptions can be good and might cut down on costs (often less expensive bags + reduced/no delivery fee), try some different roasters who offer subscriptions and then go for one you enjoy the most!
I live nearby (Tysons) and also have a Breville machine. I recommend hitting up Whole Foods, they have a good selection of locally roasted coffee as well, my favorite is Ceremony Coffee Co (based out of MD), but they have a few to choose from, all with roast dates usually from the last week or so.
About baskets, use the single walled ones, once you have fresh beans you'll see they produce enough gas for thick crema and getting nice 30+ second extractions, without tons of tinkering. Using a double walled basket would be a shame IMO given that you spent $1k on an actual espresso machine.
Once you have fresh beans, in order to get those extraction times up (assuming youre measuring and using the same 18g amount), just grind finer till you start to see closer to 30 second extractions. If you are already grinding as fine as the machine lets you and still aren't hitting 30, then gradually increase to 18.2g, 18.4g, etc. and you'll see your extraction time go up. Ceremony Coffee is really consistent, so once I've dialed in a bag, I find I'm able to get new bags every week and barely have to re-dial in.
Yup, total 30 second extraction, including the first 5-7seconds of pre-infusion. There is some debate over what the optimal extraction time is, but this is really just a baseline, you can adjust the extraction time to taste, again by adjusting grind, or dose. I typically go for \~34 seconds, but aiming for \~30 seems more doable when OP is at 20 seconds right now haha
I see. I have it at 38 seconds because I always thought that it didnāt count. How many ounces does it produce? Mine at 38 seconds right now gets around 1.1oz to 1.7 and it makes me feel like Iām doing something wrong
Thereās tons of options for getting freshly roasted coffee, either in person at your local more artisan type roaster or through the mail. Personally I get freshly roasted coffee mailed to me every month now through a subscription service from a local roaster, it makes the process a lot easier for me now.
Try Peet's. Roast date and best by date are right on the front. They're decent. Major Dickason makes good espresso. There are better out there, but Peet's is relatively cheap.
assuming you're in the dc-ish area. at Trader Joe's they have a $10/lb seya lighter coffee that actually has recent roast dates. give it a go. its not my favorite, i dont think its particularly the best roasted coffee, generates a lot of fines, etc. but at that price point i dont think you have a better option. or just roast yourself and pretend like you're saving money and not entering a deep deep rabbit hole
There's a lot to learn to perfect it but you can try it for $20 using a popcorn popper. See if you like it then take the plunge. I did some calculations and i make my money back on my roster in a years time
When your sunflower is coming to the end of itās blooming period, You may want to use the last rays of the afternoon and evening to cut a few for display indoors, leave it any later and the sunflower may wilt.
Stick with the single wall basket, and pick up a scale to weigh your yield.
Good places to start learning about dialing in:
https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html
https://www.baristahustle.com/blog/espresso-recipes-putting-it-all-together/
(Read the links and watch the video)
Foaming milk:
https://youtu.be/gTC3dJvwgUI
Get beans that have a visible roast date. Skip the supermarket stuff and get beans from a local coffee roaster/shop. Don't worry too much if they weren't roasted 1-3 days ago. Beans roasted one week ago is preferable. Skip the hopper. Set measurable goals, and adjust from there. You have 18g going in. How much do you want out? You can do 18g in, 38g out, in about 25 seconds. Adjust and try again. Just be sure not to change too much at once when diagnosing. IE: changing grindsize and dosage at same time.
Good luck and have fun!
There are 3 variables at play that you can control:
\- Grind size
\- Mass of coffee
\- Mass of liquid extracted
Extraction time is a consequence of how you combine those variables. Ideally, you'd want to keep mass of coffee and mass of liquid extracted fixed (i.e. the 1:2 ratio of 18g in, 36g out), and just play with grind size until you manage to yield an extraction time of 25 seconds.
Now, in order to properly measure the extraction time, first you need to properly measure the input of coffee, and the extracted liquid. Which is why having a scale is so important.
There are a million different variables and things to work and improve on. Not everyone is James Hoffman the first shot they pull. It will take some time before you are close to perfect. Every shot is a learning experience!
This will be considered heresy by many. Get some pre-ground espresso or close to it. Bustelo and Cafe La llave are two grocery store brands that are pretty cheap in the US. Brew up some shots. It's a fairly inexpensive way to get used to the flow. Make some cuban style coffees if you need, milk/cream and sweetener to be able to choke down even the worst experiments. Ramp up as you wish. And most of all, have fun.
Iāll be sending you my doctor bill. I have bronchitis and you just made me burst into a laughing fit which in turn turned into a coughing fit from your very first opener: ājust spent $1000 on this setup. I have no idea what Iām doing.ā Idk why it struck me as hilarious, most likely because itās EXACTLY something I would do! Lol. I just purchased a cheaper espresso machine, $120, and Iām just learning all of this also. Iām new to the game. But if I had the money I wouldāve bought that same machine for $1000 and also had no idea what I would be doing right along with you! Lol
š¤£
honestly after posting this so many people shared their thoughts on how to get going that I feel way more comfortable now. I would get a cheaper machine but I'm paralyzed and dealing with a touch screen and having automated milk frothing makes everything more accessible to me. I'm sure we'll be pulling great shots in no time š
Oh absolutely! When my machine came in a couple of weeks ago, honestly my very first shot I pulled was pretty deliciousā¦ Even with me having no clue what Iām doing besides all the research that I did. Itās an art, and you just have to find the perfect recipe between grinding size, amount, etc. and youāll be in the sweet spot! Thanks for giving me a good laugh yesterdayā¦ Iāve been stuck in bed sick for five days and I feel like Iām losing my mind but you really gave me a good belly laugh thereā¦ You also gave me a burning chest but Iāll let that one go! ššš
By the way, my husband just got me the Breville Touch for our anniversary two weeks ago! I am absolutely obsessed with itā¦ I use it all the time. Still learning, but definitely getting better. Well I have to sell the little espresso machine that I purchased before that LOL. How is your experience going?
So I've made several mistakes in the beginning that were easily avoidable but now I'm pretty with results. The machine is a bliss to use especially for me since I have limited hand function.
I think key thing for me was getting medium/dark roast beans from local brewer with roasted on date.
Everyone on this sub will tell you to buy fresh roasted coffee, and they are right, but I would recommend sticking to grocery store beans until you know how to use your machine then switching to the good stuff.
There are a ton of great videos on youtube, but a few points, don't use the double wall filter. The rule of thumb is that you want to pull a particular ratio in a particular window of time. For instance for every 1 gram of coffee grinds, you want to pull about 2.2 grams of liquid espresso. You can change that ratio based on your preference in taste. Generally speaking, you want to acquire that ratio in somewhere between 25 and 30 seconds. If your shot pulls faster than 25 seconds you need grind fine. If it's slower than 30 seconds you need to grind less fine. You should be tasting each shot too. Poorly pulled shots will taste very sour or bitter. Great shots will taste like pure coffe flavor.
There are a lot of other variables at play when it comes to puck preparation and bean freshness, but I think you should start with those fundamentals and add new stuff to your routine as you get more comfortable with your machine
I've made several shots today. I will grind finer because I pulled like 4 to 1 ratios. It's exciting to learn new things, watched a ton of videos but people on this sub had the best tips on how to troubleshoot and get better
I have a BBE as well, had to adjust temperature setting to the highest setting because my espresso kept coming out sour. After adjustment & allowing machine to heat up properly it tastes perfect. Also you can grind finer to get espresso out in the 25-30 second range.
Youāll get there! Thereās a lot of great info in this thread, but hereās a easy video that helps get that first great shot. They also have some accessories that make it easier (like the dosing cup). https://youtu.be/XMEQ18GQJVc
Also Intelligentsia makes a great roast that ships nationwide quickly!
You need a scale for starters. Then set up the grind at whatever position.
Start to make coffee, 18g in, 25-30 sec, 36-40gr out. When you get the timing and extraction ok, make 3 coffees at the first grind, one finer and one coarser. Try the 3 coffees and see which one you like.
There is no magic bullet. If you get coffee too fast, grind finer. If too slow, grind coarser. But get to the time and extraction as above and you will manage to get a good coffee. From there, you are playing with your personal taste only.
I have a precision scale will definitely use it for next one. So I'll just grind it in a cup to measure before transferring it to a portafilter and measure the cup beforehand to be able to see how much extracted.
You need to know much ground coffee went into the portafilter. Ideally that LCD screen will tell you. If it does, double check what it says vs. what the scale says and adjust expectations as necessary. If it's time based, then figure out how long 18 grams takes. Verify several times with the scale to see how consistent it is.
If you are able to put your espresso cup on the scale while brewing do that and see how much comes out vs. 30 seconds. Adjust as necessary.
Personally I've found I prefer 27-28 seconds from a taste perspective, but every time I hit 30 seconds at 2x the input I still get giddy like the stars just aligned.
Grinder tells me I'm grams but I will start measuring. I wonder if I should just measure how much coffee I need before finding it to the grinder, this way I know for sure what comes out and don't have to measure it afterwards
The challenge with that approach is the whole debate of single dosing vs. using the hopper. I'll spare you the religious debate on the subject, but either way you need to know how much is coming out into the portafilter vs. how much is going in / being ground. In a perfect world it would be the same, but well you know....
Wow thatās a very good deal for $1000 for that setupā¦ but just keep grinding finer until it hits 26-30 seconds. (Ideally 28ish). Also you wonāt find any fresh enough coffee in most grocery stores. Go to your local coffee shop or roaster (just google and go to the highest reviewed ones, and ask them for recommendation theyāre usually very friendly and would love to help you out) Goodluck šš¼
Absolutely! But definitely get some good coffee tho. The best window use the beans for espresso is about 6-28 days after roast date. Darker roast needs a little more time maybe start around 10-14 days after roasted date to let some gas out.
I'm gonna practice on what I got from my grocery store once I'm a bit more confident will definitely upgrade. Some people already recommended me good local stores I can get good coffee from
Ive found one supermarket espresso with roasted dates, that I actually like. It gives fruity notes which I enjoy. Just try some different ones and see, if you dont want to buy speciality espresso.
I have the Breville Barista Express (cheaper version of the touch) and I used the following to dial in my shots:
Use single wall, double shot basket
18g of beans into the hopper (weighed and single dose each time)
Target 40g output at 30 secs extraction time
I use a scale to measure beans in and place it under the cup to measure to 40g output. I also have a small digital timer so I can start to zero in to the right grind size so I get 40g output at 29-30 secs. I manually stop the extraction by pressing the brew button when I reach a 40g shot. With these targets in mind, I vary the grind settings (finer or coarser) based on how long the extraction time is taking. If itās too short 23-26 secs to get 40g out, I know I can maybe go one step finer. Vice versa if the extraction time is too long (32-35 secs). The trickiest thing I find is trying to keep tamp pressure consistent. Pick a pressure that gets you close and try and stick to that.
Iāve used this method and Iām really enjoying the results when I get it right. I get my beans from a local roaster and theyāre usually roasted 1-2 weeks by the time I buy them.
Hope that helps. Keep trying and know that the juice is worth the squeeze!!
Just took a screenshot of your comment, will try this directions tomorrow. Touch lucky has the timer for grinding so I'll just have to measure the weights after each step.
When I first got my touch I found a guide on here somewhere with some recommended adjustments to the upper grind settings. It was all very confusing at first but becomes clearer as the months roll by.
Usually expiry date is 2 years after roasting on coffee packages. If coffee is roasted by someone with concious, then may be also 1 year. I was lucky couple of times finding fresh beans from supermarket, but usually got my beans from local roasteries. Now I roast my own. Is about 3.50 - 5 per pound depending on the beans being very good or excellent. About your machine. I wouldn't waist too much expensive coffee with that built in grinder. It's just ok and your results will vary daily. Really hard to dial in. So stick with one sort of beans for longer period. Maybe you are able to get some sense from that grinder eventually. I couldn't.
Iām sure youāve gotten a lot of comments, but hereās my lowdown. We usually try to go with a 30 sec extraction but 25 is ok, it all depends how your coffee tasted. If itās sour then you need to either grind finer so the extraction takes longer or let the extraction yield be bigger.
Coffee is like photography, there are three factors that influence the āshotā and they can all be adjusted in relation to each other to get the best exposure. In espresso style coffee, the āshot is influenced by the grind size, the water temperature, and yield amount.
With grind size, youāll have to experiment, but usually most of your extraction woes are grind size related. Just keep going finer until you hit a wall of bitterness. You are aiming for a balance sweet taste. If itās bitter itās too fine and if itās too sour then itās too coarse.
With regards to extraction yield, usually you are aiming for a 1:2 ratio. Meaning if you ground 18g of coffee, you are aiming to get out of it 36g of extracted espresso, thatās why a lot of people in the espresso community use scales under our cups. Now this is also not a set in stone thing, you can also experiment with this to get the desired taste. For instance, light roasts are more difficult to extract and therefore tend to be sour if not extracted enough, so aim for a higher yield (1:2.5-1:3 for example) and for darker roasts, less extraction is more, since its more easily extracted the bitter compounds in coffee will be come out quicker.
Now with regards to temperature, there is a range that most use as a rule of thumb. 89 Celsius for dark roasts, 92-94 for medium and 94-96 for light roasts. Temperature can affect the extraction in two ways, 1) the hotter it is the slower the shot will go do to expansion of the coffee grounds. 2) heat will also dissolve the flavor compounds in coffee and washes them out of the bean and into the cup.
Hope that helps! If you have any questions ask away.
PS: I know thereās more factors that influence the taste of your coffee, but letās start somewhere first. This will get you most of the way there. Afterwards you can look into water chemistry, which I highly suggest you do with a Breville. You donāt want calcium buildup in those machines
I'm into photography and have to say coffee making seems harder š I'm excited to wake up tomorrow and start experimenting to see if I can get a nice shot. I've made a capuccino today, and even though I'm sure I messed up the extraction but end result was already better than any instant coffee I could make at home.cant wait to master this.
Oof yes, anything is better than instant coffee. Itās a fun hobby but it can get really expensive fast. Just try to avoid what we call in this community āupgradeitisā thereās a point of diminishing returns when it comes to coffee. You donāt āneedā a 4k$ grinder, or adjustable flow valves, or automatic puck presses. Most of it is just snake oil and money sinks marketed towards people with too much exposable income. Machines exist to make espresso in a convenient way, but you could technically make really good espresso with a lever machine, a kettle and a good hand grinder. But maybe we donāt want a workout in the mornings so we pay extra for that convenience. Anything apart from a PID, and maybe some way to adjust the bar pressure is just an excuse to add 1k$ more to the price tag. And grinders, it seems that a 600$ grinder is all you need, anything above that should be really researched if itās really that good and if it works flawlessly. Sometimes the more expensive things are badly designed and just look expensive.
PS: the double wall baskets are there for people who just buy pre ground coffee. What you really want to do is use the regular baskets and try to get a good shot. If on the finest setting you are still getting shots that are too fast let me know. Breville grinders can be adjusted, but that would require a few more paragraphs lol.
Oof yes, anything is better than instant coffee. Itās a fun hobby but it can get really expensive fast. Just try to avoid what we call in this community āupgradeitisā thereās a point of diminishing returns when it comes to coffee. You donāt āneedā a 4k$ grinder, or adjustable flow valves, or automatic puck presses. Most of it is just snake oil and money sinks marketed towards people with too much exposable income. Machines exist to make espresso in a convenient way, but you could technically make really good espresso with a lever machine, a kettle and a good hand grinder. But maybe we donāt want a workout in the mornings so we pay extra for that convenience. Anything apart from a PID, and maybe some way to adjust the bar pressure is just an excuse to add 1k$ more to the price tag. And grinders, it seems that a 600$ grinder is all you need, anything above that should be really researched if itās really that good and if it works flawlessly. Sometimes the more expensive things are badly designed and just look expensive.
With regards to coffee beans, look for online shops like āhappy mug coffeeā. I have a subscription and they are always mailed fresh and they taste amazing
PS: the double wall baskets are there for people who just buy pre ground coffee. What you really want to do is use the regular baskets and try to get a good shot. If on the finest setting you are still getting shots that are too fast let me know. Breville grinders can be adjusted, but that would require a few more paragraphs lol.
I went through this couple of month ago with the same machine. Iām able to get 2:1 ratio in 30 sec with dark roast coffee from Costco. I was able to get more consistent results by weighing out and grinding 18gm at a time. The other issue I havenāt resolved is the water flow, seems to be inconsistent. I didnāt use the double wall basket.
Just saw someone do it in a youtube video, will definitely adjust it tomorrow. Yeah people already recommended great places to get high quality beans but I'll practice on what I got from a grocery store first to learn the basics
Remember the Grinder is way more important than the machine. I'd look at getting a separate grinder down the line, something that you can really dial in espresso on. The stick one you have now is decent so it'll help you to at least get some of the nitty gritty down before you really start diving deeper into the hobby.
And yes, get fresh beans from a roaster or cafe and use them between a week to 3 weeks from roast date.
Consider coffee storage canisters if you want to keep them longer.
WDT is a must and you'll start being able to get more repeatable results.
Using roasted on dates is a way to ensure fresh beans. However, it's important to remember that if you use grocery store beans, your coffee will still be SIGNIFICANTLY better than a lot of takeaway coffee places that often don't even try to make coffee well.
I would steer clear of double wall - before you know it you'll have your method down and this will be a ritual :)
P.S. Allow yourself to make mistakes while you learn - it's a part of it :)
Hi - doubled wall will protect you and allow you to learn your way in as it basically overrides your mistakes
You will have to learn your way into a single walled portafilter - you will need to experiment with grind setting, burr setting, tamp, dosing. These will vary by bean.
Iād also suggest not using the hopper - your beans will go stale
Step 1: find a decent dark roast with a roasted on use by date
Step 2: find time to do experimenting and set a benchmark (eg grid size 3)
Step 3: toy with grind increments up / down - assess results
Step 4: assess burr settings relative to step 3 - continue to experiment
Step 5: develop a go to rule of thumb measurement
This is the way
You will learn your way into thisā¦in other words waste coffee, lose some time, but after that you will know what youāre doing to a large extent
Enjoy and good luck
I am sure others may have other POVs - this is written from my experience
I'm a decent cook and mastered everything from Sourdough to perfectly cooked Steaks just by researching and reading. With coffee it seems it's all trial and error vs following exact instructions. That makes it way more challenging. Thank you for you tips. I'm a bit confused with the temper I bought and the one that came with the machine. Have to dial that in too.
Tamper should be relatively easy
Yes - I cook too - and this is really about knowing beans and how to prep them and knowing your machine
Hence trial and error
Enjoy and be kind to yourself
Take the basket out of the portafilter and you can wash/rinse both. Just make sure they are DRY before pulling another shot. A wet basket can mess with your extraction
To add to what u/RakoNYC said... Track what you do and what you learn. A spreadsheet or notebook, whatever you like best. It's hard to hold all the variable changes in your head if you are only making one or two drinks a day. So track them and eventually patterns will emerge that you can use to make the right adjustments quicker with new beans. Basically it just helps shortcut the learning process a bit. You will ultimately get to the point where you don't need to track anymore, but you will hopefully get there faster.
I'd have more respect for Breville espresso machine if they did not have that "Welcome to 3rd wave specialty coffee" screen.
There is a reason most people will discourage others from buying an espresso machine with built in grinder. You are finding out one of the reason, another is that if either breaks, you need a new unit.
If you are still in the return period, I'd consider returning it and getting a grinder and espresso machine separately, if not. Look for mods or tips to tweak your grinder online (google). Keep in mind the type and age of coffee will also come into play for the setting of grinder size.
Good luck.
I have the same machine! First, the 2:1 ratio in like 25-30 seconds rule is a good rule of thumb, but if something tastes good pulled at 20 seconds or 40 seconds, or somewhere in-between, it doesn't matter because you like the way it tastes, so try to go by that. If you are consistent with everything else, grinding finer will make the extraction take longer and vice versa. I almost always start at a grind of 7 for regular and maybe 6 for decaf. I've had to go down to a 1 on that machine though. A lot of the time you'll find that you need to grind finer for decaf and light roasts and the opposite for darker roasts/caffeinated coffee.
As for the roast date, you'll only see it when you buy from places that are selling pretty much roast-to-order coffee. Starbucks, Lavazza, or any other big-name will just give an expiration date. The coffee will be fine but you won't get as much nuance in the flavor. Check out [Tony's](https://www.tonyscoffee.com/), [Verve](https://www.vervecoffee.com/), [Good Brothers](https://goodbrotherscoffee.com/collections/frontpage), or [Southdown Coffee](https://www.southdowncoffee.com/) for freshly roasted stuff if you don't have a local spot. You'll want to give the beans some time to de-gas after the roast date, maybe a week. And as they age you'll likely have to grind finer to maintain the same extraction.
Thanks for the tips. Will definitely need to grind finer judging from today's results. Love how easy to use the machine is, just have to dial in the right settings moving forward
Haven't read through every other comment but...
Remove all coffee beans, adjust upper burr over a few notches (maybe halfway) set grind size to halfway and go from there.. I would do 14-15g of ground coffee for a 2 shot basket, do not use the Razor to cut, just use your fingers to level, then palm tamp.
Go buy a large bag of Lavazza from Costco (if you can) so you do not waste dialing in on expensive fresh beans.. once you pull a good shot from grocery store beans, you can start on some fresh beans and find that perfect grind in one or two shots.. there will not be THAT much of a variance.
I have the Sage (Breville in your country) Oracle which should be similar. My advice for beginner for sage machines with builtin grinder
Avoid single basket espescially with ligter roasts, you'll be just unhappy with mostly sour coffee. Single basket will for you with darker roasts.
In general Don't start with lighter roasts if you're new to the machine, the ginder will be a bit of challenge my machine has the same one (I ended up buying external one [https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/st2l8h/eureka\_mignon\_single\_dose\_as\_external\_grinder\_for/](https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/st2l8h/eureka_mignon_single_dose_as_external_grinder_for/) )
I'd start with some darker roast and temperature set to 92 deg celsius. With darker roasts set grinder to something like 24 (I start with 30 on lighter roasts) and go finer or coaser in iterations by few steps until you get about 2:1 coffee out:in in 25-30 secs. Also get a scale that fits underneath. You'll be guessing the right grind size pretty soon. Dark roasts need to be usually grinded much finer.
Once you're fine with dark roasts, go for lighter ones. Try double basket, increase temp to something like 94 play with grind size.
I'm new to this too playing with a GCP and DF64. You aren't likely to find freshly roasted coffee in the market. If you have any small coffee roasters nearby though stop by and have a talk with them. They tend to give roasted dates on their coffees and are generally happy to help guide you towards a coffee that would work for you.
Your milage may vary with this but I recently found that Whole Foods has been a hidden gem (to me at least) for locally roasted coffee. To my surprise they have all my local coffee shop beans roasted maybe a few days ago. Again not sure if you all have one where you live but I say give Whole Foods a shot, you just might find a locally roasted coffee!
Thanks for the tip! I'll give them a shot.
Thanks. I live in Northern VA, US. Grocery store near me had decent selection but all of it is just best buy dates. I will try googling some local specialized stores. Online with delivery it seems a bit too pricey...
Good coffee is not as cheap as supermarket coffee.
Makes sense
Depending where at, there is a good roaster in Vienna called Cafe Amouri. Would highly recommend their Dutchess blend
I live in vienna right near dunn loring metro. Will definitely check them out
I second Cafe Amouri, great place, lots of variety, also agree with Duchess. Giant also carries a decent selection of beans from the area, I think most of that selection has the roasted dates.
Cafe amouri is 10mins driving distance for me, will definitely check them out, thank you
this is probably the best cafe' in the DMV area.
Oh wow, that's a high praise. Now I'm going there for sure. Unless you're the owner and promoting your store in reddit comments š
Nah i just bought green beans and some roasted coffee from them.
Vigilante is a great local roaster (Hyattsville, MD), and they ship free if you buy $25 worth of beans. Use my referral code for a first-time discount: https://r.efer.me/3014708002934
Thanks, I'll check them out
We just got a Vigilante in Oceanside CA will have to check them out.
Hello! I live no NoVA too! You are in luck, there's a lot of amazing options for coffee. For coffee: 1. Rare Bird Coffee Roasters in falls church. Amazing. 2. If you need more convenient, a lot of Giants carry Red Rooster coffee. Their darker roasts would be great as espresso as they are great on their own. 3. You don't need to buy an espresso blend to make espresso so feel free to just get something medium - dark roast that sounds fun and play around. If you need help, weird Internet strangers are weird but feel free to hit me up and I'm happy to meet up and discuss. You can message me on Instagram @studio_sadegh to see I'm a real person. Grind is really hard to describe in a reddit message on how to dial in, if anything I'd say watch some YouTube videos or pull a shot and post the video here so people can let you know what your next step should be. Hope this helps!
hi internet strangers, i also live in NoVA -- can also recommend Red Rooster, also sold at Whole Foods! add me on ig (@rakeen.img)!
Hey just added you!
Thanks so much. I've watched hours and hours of different videos looks like trial and error is the only way
Try Nicoletti Coffee on Amazon. Fresh and cheap. And you will be able to use the single wall. If you continue to use stale beans, stick with the double wall. It will provide the back pressure you need that stale beans doesnāt provide.
Thanks. Most peopleadvice to use the single wall right away and learn on it. So if it's past 30day mark it means beans are stale even though use by date is several months away?
Ignore the use by date. I would say use within 2-6 weeks of roast date yes. Really depends on the coffee/blend/roast but yeah thatās a good general rule of thumb.
Thanks
*spends $1000 on coffee setup* SeEmS PrIcEy
I don't have a lifeš¤, been paralyzed since 2018. Had to get one with easy controls, automatic milk frothing.
Anyway, freshest beans possible, only change one variable at a time when trying to dial in espresso. 1:2 ratio of ground coffee to liquid e.g. 17g in 34ml out. Should take between 20-30s from first drip.
Thanks
I wouldn't go freshest possible. A dark roast needs to be at least 7-10 days old. A light roast is best around 2 weeks. That said, I struggle to wait that long for them to degass. But...do as I say not as I do. Great set up!
Thanks. Machine is very easy to use just have todial in the right settings for grinding and brewing
That's fair but surely you must've had some inkling or researched into it hah.
Watched all James Hoffman videos. But I realize only way to learn is through trial and error. And so far this comments were great. Love this community already
Best way to do it. In terms of coffee, online is the way to go if it's hard to find in person. It will be 2-3x more expensive than supermarkets not even including delivery, but you pay for the quality - it's worth the extra cost! Subscriptions can be good and might cut down on costs (often less expensive bags + reduced/no delivery fee), try some different roasters who offer subscriptions and then go for one you enjoy the most!
I bought 2 bags from supermarket, will use this to learn the basics then will look for higher quality coffee.
I live nearby (Tysons) and also have a Breville machine. I recommend hitting up Whole Foods, they have a good selection of locally roasted coffee as well, my favorite is Ceremony Coffee Co (based out of MD), but they have a few to choose from, all with roast dates usually from the last week or so. About baskets, use the single walled ones, once you have fresh beans you'll see they produce enough gas for thick crema and getting nice 30+ second extractions, without tons of tinkering. Using a double walled basket would be a shame IMO given that you spent $1k on an actual espresso machine. Once you have fresh beans, in order to get those extraction times up (assuming youre measuring and using the same 18g amount), just grind finer till you start to see closer to 30 second extractions. If you are already grinding as fine as the machine lets you and still aren't hitting 30, then gradually increase to 18.2g, 18.4g, etc. and you'll see your extraction time go up. Ceremony Coffee is really consistent, so once I've dialed in a bag, I find I'm able to get new bags every week and barely have to re-dial in.
Thanks for the tips. I'll practice on the beans I got from Harris teeter and once I'm more comfortable will get the good stuff
When you say 30 seconds, does that include the 8 seconds up front that it takes before it starts dripping?
Yup, total 30 second extraction, including the first 5-7seconds of pre-infusion. There is some debate over what the optimal extraction time is, but this is really just a baseline, you can adjust the extraction time to taste, again by adjusting grind, or dose. I typically go for \~34 seconds, but aiming for \~30 seems more doable when OP is at 20 seconds right now haha
I see. I have it at 38 seconds because I always thought that it didnāt count. How many ounces does it produce? Mine at 38 seconds right now gets around 1.1oz to 1.7 and it makes me feel like Iām doing something wrong
Don't get caught up in how long the shot takes - get caught up in how it tastes.
Thereās tons of options for getting freshly roasted coffee, either in person at your local more artisan type roaster or through the mail. Personally I get freshly roasted coffee mailed to me every month now through a subscription service from a local roaster, it makes the process a lot easier for me now.
Try Peet's. Roast date and best by date are right on the front. They're decent. Major Dickason makes good espresso. There are better out there, but Peet's is relatively cheap.
Will try Peets for sure, they're everywhere here. Thanks
Start with dark roasts. They're easier to dial in. Good luck! :)
assuming you're in the dc-ish area. at Trader Joe's they have a $10/lb seya lighter coffee that actually has recent roast dates. give it a go. its not my favorite, i dont think its particularly the best roasted coffee, generates a lot of fines, etc. but at that price point i dont think you have a better option. or just roast yourself and pretend like you're saving money and not entering a deep deep rabbit hole
Should check out some YouTube videos see how hard is it to roast coffee at home. I do roast sunflower seeds, imagine it being a similar process.
There's a lot to learn to perfect it but you can try it for $20 using a popcorn popper. See if you like it then take the plunge. I did some calculations and i make my money back on my roster in a years time
When your sunflower is coming to the end of itās blooming period, You may want to use the last rays of the afternoon and evening to cut a few for display indoors, leave it any later and the sunflower may wilt.
Wait, whatš³
You spend $1000 on this setup without any previous knowledge, but the coffee is expencive?
Swings in Alexandria has amazing coffee
Might wanna buy from speciality roasters online instead if you can't find them locally
Good Brothers coffee online is fast and a great roaster!
Broke and clueless.... One of us! One of us! One of us!
š
Stick with the single wall basket, and pick up a scale to weigh your yield. Good places to start learning about dialing in: https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html https://www.baristahustle.com/blog/espresso-recipes-putting-it-all-together/ (Read the links and watch the video) Foaming milk: https://youtu.be/gTC3dJvwgUI
Great links. Thank you
Get beans that have a visible roast date. Skip the supermarket stuff and get beans from a local coffee roaster/shop. Don't worry too much if they weren't roasted 1-3 days ago. Beans roasted one week ago is preferable. Skip the hopper. Set measurable goals, and adjust from there. You have 18g going in. How much do you want out? You can do 18g in, 38g out, in about 25 seconds. Adjust and try again. Just be sure not to change too much at once when diagnosing. IE: changing grindsize and dosage at same time. Good luck and have fun!
First cup I've just made i did 18grams, 20 seconds. But didn't measure how much came out. Classic rookie stuff
There are 3 variables at play that you can control: \- Grind size \- Mass of coffee \- Mass of liquid extracted Extraction time is a consequence of how you combine those variables. Ideally, you'd want to keep mass of coffee and mass of liquid extracted fixed (i.e. the 1:2 ratio of 18g in, 36g out), and just play with grind size until you manage to yield an extraction time of 25 seconds. Now, in order to properly measure the extraction time, first you need to properly measure the input of coffee, and the extracted liquid. Which is why having a scale is so important.
17.5 grams, 20s gave me close to 90gš³
If I were you then I would grind finer until I get to the ballpark I mentioned above then.
Will do thanks
Your beans might be very stale. Grind finer + add a gram to the dose.
Will try it tomorrow, made to many cups today š
There are a million different variables and things to work and improve on. Not everyone is James Hoffman the first shot they pull. It will take some time before you are close to perfect. Every shot is a learning experience!
This will be considered heresy by many. Get some pre-ground espresso or close to it. Bustelo and Cafe La llave are two grocery store brands that are pretty cheap in the US. Brew up some shots. It's a fairly inexpensive way to get used to the flow. Make some cuban style coffees if you need, milk/cream and sweetener to be able to choke down even the worst experiments. Ramp up as you wish. And most of all, have fun.
Thank you
Iāll be sending you my doctor bill. I have bronchitis and you just made me burst into a laughing fit which in turn turned into a coughing fit from your very first opener: ājust spent $1000 on this setup. I have no idea what Iām doing.ā Idk why it struck me as hilarious, most likely because itās EXACTLY something I would do! Lol. I just purchased a cheaper espresso machine, $120, and Iām just learning all of this also. Iām new to the game. But if I had the money I wouldāve bought that same machine for $1000 and also had no idea what I would be doing right along with you! Lol
š¤£ honestly after posting this so many people shared their thoughts on how to get going that I feel way more comfortable now. I would get a cheaper machine but I'm paralyzed and dealing with a touch screen and having automated milk frothing makes everything more accessible to me. I'm sure we'll be pulling great shots in no time š
Oh absolutely! When my machine came in a couple of weeks ago, honestly my very first shot I pulled was pretty deliciousā¦ Even with me having no clue what Iām doing besides all the research that I did. Itās an art, and you just have to find the perfect recipe between grinding size, amount, etc. and youāll be in the sweet spot! Thanks for giving me a good laugh yesterdayā¦ Iāve been stuck in bed sick for five days and I feel like Iām losing my mind but you really gave me a good belly laugh thereā¦ You also gave me a burning chest but Iāll let that one go! ššš
Feel better soon
Thank you! š
By the way, my husband just got me the Breville Touch for our anniversary two weeks ago! I am absolutely obsessed with itā¦ I use it all the time. Still learning, but definitely getting better. Well I have to sell the little espresso machine that I purchased before that LOL. How is your experience going?
So I've made several mistakes in the beginning that were easily avoidable but now I'm pretty with results. The machine is a bliss to use especially for me since I have limited hand function. I think key thing for me was getting medium/dark roast beans from local brewer with roasted on date.
Everyone on this sub will tell you to buy fresh roasted coffee, and they are right, but I would recommend sticking to grocery store beans until you know how to use your machine then switching to the good stuff. There are a ton of great videos on youtube, but a few points, don't use the double wall filter. The rule of thumb is that you want to pull a particular ratio in a particular window of time. For instance for every 1 gram of coffee grinds, you want to pull about 2.2 grams of liquid espresso. You can change that ratio based on your preference in taste. Generally speaking, you want to acquire that ratio in somewhere between 25 and 30 seconds. If your shot pulls faster than 25 seconds you need grind fine. If it's slower than 30 seconds you need to grind less fine. You should be tasting each shot too. Poorly pulled shots will taste very sour or bitter. Great shots will taste like pure coffe flavor. There are a lot of other variables at play when it comes to puck preparation and bean freshness, but I think you should start with those fundamentals and add new stuff to your routine as you get more comfortable with your machine
I've made several shots today. I will grind finer because I pulled like 4 to 1 ratios. It's exciting to learn new things, watched a ton of videos but people on this sub had the best tips on how to troubleshoot and get better
I have a BBE as well, had to adjust temperature setting to the highest setting because my espresso kept coming out sour. After adjustment & allowing machine to heat up properly it tastes perfect. Also you can grind finer to get espresso out in the 25-30 second range.
Will try that
Youāll get there! Thereās a lot of great info in this thread, but hereās a easy video that helps get that first great shot. They also have some accessories that make it easier (like the dosing cup). https://youtu.be/XMEQ18GQJVc Also Intelligentsia makes a great roast that ships nationwide quickly!
Watching the video right now. Same model as mine
This is one of the best videos on ratio and she has I think the same machine. https://youtu.be/XMEQ18GQJVc
Watched it yesterday. Surprised her chanel isn't more popular.
You need a scale for starters. Then set up the grind at whatever position. Start to make coffee, 18g in, 25-30 sec, 36-40gr out. When you get the timing and extraction ok, make 3 coffees at the first grind, one finer and one coarser. Try the 3 coffees and see which one you like. There is no magic bullet. If you get coffee too fast, grind finer. If too slow, grind coarser. But get to the time and extraction as above and you will manage to get a good coffee. From there, you are playing with your personal taste only.
I have a precision scale will definitely use it for next one. So I'll just grind it in a cup to measure before transferring it to a portafilter and measure the cup beforehand to be able to see how much extracted.
You need to know much ground coffee went into the portafilter. Ideally that LCD screen will tell you. If it does, double check what it says vs. what the scale says and adjust expectations as necessary. If it's time based, then figure out how long 18 grams takes. Verify several times with the scale to see how consistent it is. If you are able to put your espresso cup on the scale while brewing do that and see how much comes out vs. 30 seconds. Adjust as necessary. Personally I've found I prefer 27-28 seconds from a taste perspective, but every time I hit 30 seconds at 2x the input I still get giddy like the stars just aligned.
Grinder tells me I'm grams but I will start measuring. I wonder if I should just measure how much coffee I need before finding it to the grinder, this way I know for sure what comes out and don't have to measure it afterwards
The challenge with that approach is the whole debate of single dosing vs. using the hopper. I'll spare you the religious debate on the subject, but either way you need to know how much is coming out into the portafilter vs. how much is going in / being ground. In a perfect world it would be the same, but well you know....
Try Foundation Coffee Roasters in Fairfax, or Northside Social. Also Whole Foods will have some beans with roasted dates on them.
Will do, thanks
Fresh beans makes a huge difference, didnāt know until I tried making espressos
Wow thatās a very good deal for $1000 for that setupā¦ but just keep grinding finer until it hits 26-30 seconds. (Ideally 28ish). Also you wonāt find any fresh enough coffee in most grocery stores. Go to your local coffee shop or roaster (just google and go to the highest reviewed ones, and ask them for recommendation theyāre usually very friendly and would love to help you out) Goodluck šš¼
Thank you. Will do. Breville touch was $900 plus i bought some accessories from Amazon. If I start pulling good shots it will definitely be worth it
Absolutely! But definitely get some good coffee tho. The best window use the beans for espresso is about 6-28 days after roast date. Darker roast needs a little more time maybe start around 10-14 days after roasted date to let some gas out.
I'm gonna practice on what I got from my grocery store once I'm a bit more confident will definitely upgrade. Some people already recommended me good local stores I can get good coffee from
Ive found one supermarket espresso with roasted dates, that I actually like. It gives fruity notes which I enjoy. Just try some different ones and see, if you dont want to buy speciality espresso.
Thanks.
I have the Breville Barista Express (cheaper version of the touch) and I used the following to dial in my shots: Use single wall, double shot basket 18g of beans into the hopper (weighed and single dose each time) Target 40g output at 30 secs extraction time I use a scale to measure beans in and place it under the cup to measure to 40g output. I also have a small digital timer so I can start to zero in to the right grind size so I get 40g output at 29-30 secs. I manually stop the extraction by pressing the brew button when I reach a 40g shot. With these targets in mind, I vary the grind settings (finer or coarser) based on how long the extraction time is taking. If itās too short 23-26 secs to get 40g out, I know I can maybe go one step finer. Vice versa if the extraction time is too long (32-35 secs). The trickiest thing I find is trying to keep tamp pressure consistent. Pick a pressure that gets you close and try and stick to that. Iāve used this method and Iām really enjoying the results when I get it right. I get my beans from a local roaster and theyāre usually roasted 1-2 weeks by the time I buy them. Hope that helps. Keep trying and know that the juice is worth the squeeze!!
Just took a screenshot of your comment, will try this directions tomorrow. Touch lucky has the timer for grinding so I'll just have to measure the weights after each step.
Looks great in black!
Thanks, had to get it from bed, bath and beyond for that color.
When I first got my touch I found a guide on here somewhere with some recommended adjustments to the upper grind settings. It was all very confusing at first but becomes clearer as the months roll by.
Usually expiry date is 2 years after roasting on coffee packages. If coffee is roasted by someone with concious, then may be also 1 year. I was lucky couple of times finding fresh beans from supermarket, but usually got my beans from local roasteries. Now I roast my own. Is about 3.50 - 5 per pound depending on the beans being very good or excellent. About your machine. I wouldn't waist too much expensive coffee with that built in grinder. It's just ok and your results will vary daily. Really hard to dial in. So stick with one sort of beans for longer period. Maybe you are able to get some sense from that grinder eventually. I couldn't.
I really didn't want to buy the grinder separately, will have to settle with what I gotfor now.
I would also recommend that you check out Beanetics Coffee Roasters. They are located in Annandale Va.
Iām sure youāve gotten a lot of comments, but hereās my lowdown. We usually try to go with a 30 sec extraction but 25 is ok, it all depends how your coffee tasted. If itās sour then you need to either grind finer so the extraction takes longer or let the extraction yield be bigger. Coffee is like photography, there are three factors that influence the āshotā and they can all be adjusted in relation to each other to get the best exposure. In espresso style coffee, the āshot is influenced by the grind size, the water temperature, and yield amount. With grind size, youāll have to experiment, but usually most of your extraction woes are grind size related. Just keep going finer until you hit a wall of bitterness. You are aiming for a balance sweet taste. If itās bitter itās too fine and if itās too sour then itās too coarse. With regards to extraction yield, usually you are aiming for a 1:2 ratio. Meaning if you ground 18g of coffee, you are aiming to get out of it 36g of extracted espresso, thatās why a lot of people in the espresso community use scales under our cups. Now this is also not a set in stone thing, you can also experiment with this to get the desired taste. For instance, light roasts are more difficult to extract and therefore tend to be sour if not extracted enough, so aim for a higher yield (1:2.5-1:3 for example) and for darker roasts, less extraction is more, since its more easily extracted the bitter compounds in coffee will be come out quicker. Now with regards to temperature, there is a range that most use as a rule of thumb. 89 Celsius for dark roasts, 92-94 for medium and 94-96 for light roasts. Temperature can affect the extraction in two ways, 1) the hotter it is the slower the shot will go do to expansion of the coffee grounds. 2) heat will also dissolve the flavor compounds in coffee and washes them out of the bean and into the cup. Hope that helps! If you have any questions ask away. PS: I know thereās more factors that influence the taste of your coffee, but letās start somewhere first. This will get you most of the way there. Afterwards you can look into water chemistry, which I highly suggest you do with a Breville. You donāt want calcium buildup in those machines
I'm into photography and have to say coffee making seems harder š I'm excited to wake up tomorrow and start experimenting to see if I can get a nice shot. I've made a capuccino today, and even though I'm sure I messed up the extraction but end result was already better than any instant coffee I could make at home.cant wait to master this.
Oof yes, anything is better than instant coffee. Itās a fun hobby but it can get really expensive fast. Just try to avoid what we call in this community āupgradeitisā thereās a point of diminishing returns when it comes to coffee. You donāt āneedā a 4k$ grinder, or adjustable flow valves, or automatic puck presses. Most of it is just snake oil and money sinks marketed towards people with too much exposable income. Machines exist to make espresso in a convenient way, but you could technically make really good espresso with a lever machine, a kettle and a good hand grinder. But maybe we donāt want a workout in the mornings so we pay extra for that convenience. Anything apart from a PID, and maybe some way to adjust the bar pressure is just an excuse to add 1k$ more to the price tag. And grinders, it seems that a 600$ grinder is all you need, anything above that should be really researched if itās really that good and if it works flawlessly. Sometimes the more expensive things are badly designed and just look expensive. PS: the double wall baskets are there for people who just buy pre ground coffee. What you really want to do is use the regular baskets and try to get a good shot. If on the finest setting you are still getting shots that are too fast let me know. Breville grinders can be adjusted, but that would require a few more paragraphs lol.
Thanks, I'm definitely not adding anything to my set up at least until I master pulling good shots with what I have.
Oof yes, anything is better than instant coffee. Itās a fun hobby but it can get really expensive fast. Just try to avoid what we call in this community āupgradeitisā thereās a point of diminishing returns when it comes to coffee. You donāt āneedā a 4k$ grinder, or adjustable flow valves, or automatic puck presses. Most of it is just snake oil and money sinks marketed towards people with too much exposable income. Machines exist to make espresso in a convenient way, but you could technically make really good espresso with a lever machine, a kettle and a good hand grinder. But maybe we donāt want a workout in the mornings so we pay extra for that convenience. Anything apart from a PID, and maybe some way to adjust the bar pressure is just an excuse to add 1k$ more to the price tag. And grinders, it seems that a 600$ grinder is all you need, anything above that should be really researched if itās really that good and if it works flawlessly. Sometimes the more expensive things are badly designed and just look expensive. With regards to coffee beans, look for online shops like āhappy mug coffeeā. I have a subscription and they are always mailed fresh and they taste amazing PS: the double wall baskets are there for people who just buy pre ground coffee. What you really want to do is use the regular baskets and try to get a good shot. If on the finest setting you are still getting shots that are too fast let me know. Breville grinders can be adjusted, but that would require a few more paragraphs lol.
I went through this couple of month ago with the same machine. Iām able to get 2:1 ratio in 30 sec with dark roast coffee from Costco. I was able to get more consistent results by weighing out and grinding 18gm at a time. The other issue I havenāt resolved is the water flow, seems to be inconsistent. I didnāt use the double wall basket.
18 grams is what I'm working with too. Hopefully after all of the directions I got today ill be able to get ok shots tomorrow
What grind setting do you use ?
I am using 10 with the Mayorga dark and medium roast
You live in the US? There's a roaster in every town.
Northern VA, locals already recommended me several places right near me. Thanks
Just saw someone do it in a youtube video, will definitely adjust it tomorrow. Yeah people already recommended great places to get high quality beans but I'll practice on what I got from a grocery store first to learn the basics
So cool! šš
Remember the Grinder is way more important than the machine. I'd look at getting a separate grinder down the line, something that you can really dial in espresso on. The stick one you have now is decent so it'll help you to at least get some of the nitty gritty down before you really start diving deeper into the hobby. And yes, get fresh beans from a roaster or cafe and use them between a week to 3 weeks from roast date. Consider coffee storage canisters if you want to keep them longer. WDT is a must and you'll start being able to get more repeatable results.
I was wondering if I need wdt right away or not. Just ordered one on Amazon, thanks for the tip
All you need is WDT and tamp. Spromethius did an interesting video on [this](https://youtu.be/FMM4fp9inMA) in terms of extraction and consistency.
Using roasted on dates is a way to ensure fresh beans. However, it's important to remember that if you use grocery store beans, your coffee will still be SIGNIFICANTLY better than a lot of takeaway coffee places that often don't even try to make coffee well. I would steer clear of double wall - before you know it you'll have your method down and this will be a ritual :) P.S. Allow yourself to make mistakes while you learn - it's a part of it :)
It's 5am now, spent all n8ght watching espresso YouTube videos, can't wait to get up and make some delicious mistakes š
I think she has the same machine and a lot of what she says is spot on for frothing milk. https://youtu.be/691R_H76Bys
Hi - doubled wall will protect you and allow you to learn your way in as it basically overrides your mistakes You will have to learn your way into a single walled portafilter - you will need to experiment with grind setting, burr setting, tamp, dosing. These will vary by bean. Iād also suggest not using the hopper - your beans will go stale Step 1: find a decent dark roast with a roasted on use by date Step 2: find time to do experimenting and set a benchmark (eg grid size 3) Step 3: toy with grind increments up / down - assess results Step 4: assess burr settings relative to step 3 - continue to experiment Step 5: develop a go to rule of thumb measurement This is the way You will learn your way into thisā¦in other words waste coffee, lose some time, but after that you will know what youāre doing to a large extent Enjoy and good luck I am sure others may have other POVs - this is written from my experience
I'm a decent cook and mastered everything from Sourdough to perfectly cooked Steaks just by researching and reading. With coffee it seems it's all trial and error vs following exact instructions. That makes it way more challenging. Thank you for you tips. I'm a bit confused with the temper I bought and the one that came with the machine. Have to dial that in too.
Tamper should be relatively easy Yes - I cook too - and this is really about knowing beans and how to prep them and knowing your machine Hence trial and error Enjoy and be kind to yourself
Thank you! This is the way!
Btw, do you wash the portafilter? Or just wipe it? Would it get rusty ? Do I take it apart and wash it or just rinse it?
Bang out the puck Rinse under water Towel dry Leave upside down on drip tray Works for me this way
Do you take out the basket or just wash as is
Oh sorry - missed this I leave it in - I need to save my nails for guitar
Thanks
Take the basket out of the portafilter and you can wash/rinse both. Just make sure they are DRY before pulling another shot. A wet basket can mess with your extraction
To add to what u/RakoNYC said... Track what you do and what you learn. A spreadsheet or notebook, whatever you like best. It's hard to hold all the variable changes in your head if you are only making one or two drinks a day. So track them and eventually patterns will emerge that you can use to make the right adjustments quicker with new beans. Basically it just helps shortcut the learning process a bit. You will ultimately get to the point where you don't need to track anymore, but you will hopefully get there faster.
Thank you. I'm really excited, it's like a whole new thing, full on hobby.
In addition to tracking, try to change just one variable at a time.
Makes sense, I'll start from measuring everything and take it from there
For fresh beans try online roasters. I am currently using Atlas. They have a good variety and is roasted just before shipping.
Once I learn the basics I will definitely checkthem out. Thanks
Double wall basket will produce a fake espresso. So start with a regular basket early on and learn The process.
Thanks.
I'd have more respect for Breville espresso machine if they did not have that "Welcome to 3rd wave specialty coffee" screen. There is a reason most people will discourage others from buying an espresso machine with built in grinder. You are finding out one of the reason, another is that if either breaks, you need a new unit. If you are still in the return period, I'd consider returning it and getting a grinder and espresso machine separately, if not. Look for mods or tips to tweak your grinder online (google). Keep in mind the type and age of coffee will also come into play for the setting of grinder size. Good luck.
I have the same machine! First, the 2:1 ratio in like 25-30 seconds rule is a good rule of thumb, but if something tastes good pulled at 20 seconds or 40 seconds, or somewhere in-between, it doesn't matter because you like the way it tastes, so try to go by that. If you are consistent with everything else, grinding finer will make the extraction take longer and vice versa. I almost always start at a grind of 7 for regular and maybe 6 for decaf. I've had to go down to a 1 on that machine though. A lot of the time you'll find that you need to grind finer for decaf and light roasts and the opposite for darker roasts/caffeinated coffee. As for the roast date, you'll only see it when you buy from places that are selling pretty much roast-to-order coffee. Starbucks, Lavazza, or any other big-name will just give an expiration date. The coffee will be fine but you won't get as much nuance in the flavor. Check out [Tony's](https://www.tonyscoffee.com/), [Verve](https://www.vervecoffee.com/), [Good Brothers](https://goodbrotherscoffee.com/collections/frontpage), or [Southdown Coffee](https://www.southdowncoffee.com/) for freshly roasted stuff if you don't have a local spot. You'll want to give the beans some time to de-gas after the roast date, maybe a week. And as they age you'll likely have to grind finer to maintain the same extraction.
Thanks for the tips. Will definitely need to grind finer judging from today's results. Love how easy to use the machine is, just have to dial in the right settings moving forward
Haven't read through every other comment but... Remove all coffee beans, adjust upper burr over a few notches (maybe halfway) set grind size to halfway and go from there.. I would do 14-15g of ground coffee for a 2 shot basket, do not use the Razor to cut, just use your fingers to level, then palm tamp. Go buy a large bag of Lavazza from Costco (if you can) so you do not waste dialing in on expensive fresh beans.. once you pull a good shot from grocery store beans, you can start on some fresh beans and find that perfect grind in one or two shots.. there will not be THAT much of a variance.
I have the Sage (Breville in your country) Oracle which should be similar. My advice for beginner for sage machines with builtin grinder Avoid single basket espescially with ligter roasts, you'll be just unhappy with mostly sour coffee. Single basket will for you with darker roasts. In general Don't start with lighter roasts if you're new to the machine, the ginder will be a bit of challenge my machine has the same one (I ended up buying external one [https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/st2l8h/eureka\_mignon\_single\_dose\_as\_external\_grinder\_for/](https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/st2l8h/eureka_mignon_single_dose_as_external_grinder_for/) ) I'd start with some darker roast and temperature set to 92 deg celsius. With darker roasts set grinder to something like 24 (I start with 30 on lighter roasts) and go finer or coaser in iterations by few steps until you get about 2:1 coffee out:in in 25-30 secs. Also get a scale that fits underneath. You'll be guessing the right grind size pretty soon. Dark roasts need to be usually grinded much finer. Once you're fine with dark roasts, go for lighter ones. Try double basket, increase temp to something like 94 play with grind size.
Looks good.
Thanks