Howdy Y'all! Today we had a little grinder shootout at my place.
The event was sponsored by Hopson Coffee (Bill Giffen). Coffee was generously provided by Bill who also brought his GS3 machine which we used for the test. Thanks for the Gunslinger Espresso, Peaberry Espress, AND the cool machine!!
The judges were: Bill Giffen Nicholas Lundgaard Andrew Rubin Mitchell Baldridge me (final round only)
The judge's table from left to right : Bill, Mitchell, Andrew, Nicholas
The format was a double blind test (as close as we could get anyway): The grinders were adjusted to yield ~1.75 ounce shots in 25 seconds from a 20g dose (my taste preference) I prepared the shots in baskets that were discretely marked under the rim, and then mixed them up. Double Shots were pulled in pairs and split into 2 demitasse cups each using a spouted portafilter
Our esteemed panel of judges tasted the pairs head-to-head and voted thier preference The planned format was to taste
A vs. B = winner 1 C vs. D = winner 2
winner 1 vs. winner 2
It didn't go exactly according to plan but we did have a good time and I think we learned something along the way. I can safely say that even with Titan-class grinders and a GS3 machine it became clear that the PBTC still makes the biggest difference. The panel judges EASILY picked out the shots that were defective due to barista (*my*) inconsistency
OK - on to the test!! As a note, I did my level best to make my best possible shots every round on every grinder.
Round 1 : Macap M7K vs. Mahlkoenig K30 ES Judges picked the Macap shot 3-1 (judges said both shots were good, but the Macap shot edged out the Mahlkoenig)
Round 2 : Mazzer Super Jolly vs. Baratza Vario We did this test twice because the first round was "too close to call" by 3 of the judges and the fourth gave a "slight edge" to the Super Jolly. The second test round was also almost too close too call with 1 judge split even and the other 3 giving a "slight edge" to the vario shot. We decided to test the Vario against the Macap in a final round.
FINAL ROUND : Macap M7K vs. Baratza Vario We also ran this test twice because the first round had a defect shot The second round was too close to call by 2 judges with the other 2 splitting preference.
My "Notes of Interest" as the PBTC for this shindig :
Obvservation : Best shot of the day as unanimously picked by the judges was from the Macap M7KR. This shot was not counted in the competition rounds because the other shot was a PBTC defect (Vario). This result was meaningful for me, showing that the Vario can make a great shot but requires more effort to get there while the Macap is far and away more consistent.
Personal Surprise of the day : The Baratza Vario is a contender. When I was "ON" , my shots from the Vario were in the same class as my shots from the Macap and Super Jolly. In fact on some rounds the judges showed a slight preference for the Vario shot.
The "D'OH" moment of the day : It turns out that even with titan-class grinders and a LaMarzocco GS3 machine.....it's still the barista PBTC that makes the most difference. YMMV
Many thanks again to Bill Giffen for sponsoring the event. We used his Gunslinger Blend for the test because I'm more familiar with that coffee, but after trying his new Peaberry Espress Blend I wish we had used it instead/too. Y'all might want to try that one.....
Final Note: Anyone who thinks any of us were "bought off" in any way by anybody is invited to KM(sweet)A.
Jon Good to hear! So within the realm of capable grinders, choice can be as much about aesthetics, price, availabilities, size, etc. rather than worrying about major differences in grind quality.
JonR, excellent contribution! Really great of you to pull together some members for such an event. Might be the first time I've ever wished I lived closer to TX! ;-)
Ever so slightly off topic, but I'm curious; did playing with a GS3 all day, in the comfort of your own home, inspire a bit of the 'itis ?
Good to hear! So within the realm of capable grinders, choice can be as much about aesthetics, price, availabilities, size, etc. rather than worrying about major differences in grind quality.
Don't put words in my mouth, I never said any such thing. :-)
All of these grinders are capable of making wonderful espresso shots but from the PBTC point of view, I feel I can safely say that the grounds from each grinder had different characteristics. How does one evaluate grind quality? More fluffy? Less Clumpy? SEM particle size distribution analysis?
Another thing not accounted for was (possible) espresso overload. I clearly tasted a difference in the final round (it was the only round I tasted at all). The other guys were having difficulty distinguishing the final round for judgement.
Very cool Jon! Nice to hear some more imput on how these grinders compare; in particular, how the Vario stacks up. Despite all the testing and what was learned I could imagine the real benefit of the day was a good time with good company.
JonR10 Said:
This result was meaningful for me, showing that the Vario can make a great shot but requires more effort to get there while the Macap is far and away more consistent.
Could you expand on this a little? What effort is required? EDIT: Also, on the issue of consistancy, are there some doses where no amt. of work that would put it against the Macap?
JonR10 Said:
a few weeks ago we got to play with a Synesso Cyncra and THAT caused a twinge (more than a twinge)
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