Markarian Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 474 Location: Seattle Area Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Modded Nuova Simonelli Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Mazzer Super Jolly Drip: Moka, Aeropress, Melitta 102 Roaster: Wear-Ever Popcorn Pumper
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 7:04pm Subject: Runny shot that clings to the basket - What does this mean?
So I've been experimenting with a lot of coffees. I'm one of those people who will run anything (that isn't flavored, natch) through my machine and see what happens. Some blends, especially lighter roasts, begin the pour with runny-looking oil and instead of a gooey cone I get a really thin stream of dark brown coffee and a burnt shot. Anything coarser and it channels, gushes, and spritzes. Is this a function of bean age or just an unsuitable blend for espresso? I do know some coffees are more challenging than others. For lattes, I'll use my favorite Kona blend from Panache and I can get a 29sec shot with a huge cone without even thinking, same for my fair trade organic sunrise. Others, like lighter SO's, frustrate me to no end. I know this is a stupid question also, but are there some coffees that just aren't destined to be espresso, no matter how fresh they are and how tight your technique?
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Thu Feb 28, 2013, 10:48am Subject: Re: Runny shot that clings to the basket - What does this mean?
I don't know about espresso theory but body means viscosity in my book. I call it mouth feel. It is one of the things I like about espresso over drip. So, I would call body the amount of semi solids and oils dissolved/suspended into the solution we call espresso. If it is watery no matter what you do and assuming it is fresh/ground correctly/equipment works then logically I would conclude that at espresso temp and pressure the trace elements of that coffee are not going into suspension. If that is true then I would suggest that bean/roast is not good for espresso by my own definition. And since I am making it for me and mine all that matters is if we like what we make.
I am not a thermodynamic engineer, but I would think that the less watery the espresso, the more the cone has the potential to form and the thinner and watery espresso will make less of a cone.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
Posted Fri Mar 1, 2013, 10:55am Subject: Re: Runny shot that clings to the basket - What does this mean?
I roast alot of S.O.s I use for espresso. depending on level of roast you will need to use a finer grind and or harder tamp + longer rest sometimes to get a exeptable shot.
Markarian Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 474 Location: Seattle Area Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Modded Nuova Simonelli Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Mazzer Super Jolly Drip: Moka, Aeropress, Melitta 102 Roaster: Wear-Ever Popcorn Pumper
Posted Fri Mar 1, 2013, 1:37pm Subject: Re: Runny shot that clings to the basket - What does this mean?
Well I'll admit that lately my popcorn pumper seems to be roasting too fast--ie dark on the outside, red on the inside :(
But even pre-roasted SOs I buy, like Panache's Tanaznian Peaberry, or Nicaragua Cordillera Isabella, will either choke the machine or extract with a runny flow that clings to the basket and exposes some of the holes on the bottom, instead of oozing out in fat drops like other blends or forming a cone.
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