# Humidity playing havoc.



## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

ARGH! Anyone else having strife with the humidity levels of late?

I'm having to measure and time every other shot in the shop today whilst constantly making tiny tweaks. Not ideal. Yesterday my beans had swelled so much I could only fit 15.5 into a 20 pf at really (too) fine a grind and still getting shots a bit short. Today not so much but it is a bit dryer heat today.

Luckily the S40 has atmosphere compensation control that keeps it in line when weather conditions are a bit wonky. Thank the lord.

Any one else got stories of swollen beans (ooh err)?


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## frandavi99 (Jun 8, 2014)

The cafe my wife worked for in Australia for a bit had to change the grind every time the air con was put on. Never thought it would be something you'd have to worry about in England!


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## ShortShots (Oct 2, 2013)

yep, we, and customers all having issues dialling in. Our barista not impressed at all!


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

I am seriously unimpressed. I can't leave the shop either whilst its like this as I can't trust anyone to dial in precisely.


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

I made three shots at home this morning. None were that great, I'd hate to be you guys working in shops today, must be a nightmare.


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

What is the solution to this, which is why I hate my Mignon? I though a titan grinder e.g Robur, EK would solve this since they are much more stable. I am based in Nicosia and now the temps are very high and there is varied humidity. My distribution and tamping (using Espro) are constant but every shot is different and i need small dialling adjustments on the same beans for almost every shot.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

@charris please forgive me if you know this already but...

The Mignon will not show the results of an adjustment immediately in the next shot. You'll get some retained grounds pushed through first at the preceding setting. I'd run two shots maybe even three following an adjustment to be sure I was getting the grind I'd set. If you keep adjusting every shot, you end up aiming at a moving target.

Also, is yours quite new? I have to say the more used my burrs the better the grind consistency, fluffiness and flavour. Brand new it was static clumping pain.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

If your beans swell due to humidity, grind finer and tamp harder. A lower dose will br needed but variables are always to play


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Obnic said:


> @charris please forgive me if you know this already but...
> 
> The Mignon will not show the results of an adjustment immediately in the next shot. You'll get some retained grounds pushed through first at the preceding setting. I'd run two shots maybe even three following an adjustment to be sure I was getting the grind I'd set. If you keep adjusting every shot, you end up aiming at a moving target.
> 
> Also, is yours quite new? I have to say the more used my burrs the better the grind consistency, fluffiness and flavour. Brand new it was static clumping pain.


I didn't find this with my mignon, made an adjustment and it showed the next shot. The grinder retains at most a couple of g's, even less so if you whack the neck after grinding.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Mignon retains 2-4g, which could equate to 10-25% of your shot.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

jeebsy said:


> Mignon retains 2-4g, which could equate to 10-25% of your shot.


Yes. Much better explained. Thanks J.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Scott, what does the S40 actually do/measure to do the atmosphere correction it sounds a very interesting function.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Charliej said:


> Scott, what does the S40 actually do/measure to do the atmosphere correction it sounds a very interesting function.


As far as I know, it keeps track of atmospheric pressure and keeps itself compensated so that it produces the same shots with next to no temperature or pressure variations.

Someone else may be able to clarify a bit more as I've not been able to find much info on the googlebox.


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## carbonkid85 (Jan 19, 2011)

I'm so glad I've seen this. Almost impossible to pull a decent shot at the moment. The grinder I've currently got paired with my S24 just doesn't allow small enough adjustments to get anything drinkable. I'm either getting gushers or Rufus chokes. Seems like playing with tamp and dose at home wouldn't help much either - the temperature and humidity will change between shots and I'll be back to the the same problem...


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

Yesterday I poured 30g from 17g in. An hour later after a thunderstorm the same grind/tamp Etc poured 48g out. Had to adjust so much to compensate that when I wound it back a couple of turns this morning it still chocked the machine.


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## gman147 (Jul 7, 2012)

Ambient temperature plays a huge amount in shot quality


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Who knew making a cup of coffee could be so hard! I've had a few spritzers out of my naked pf the last few days but I put it down to my n00bness and having changed grinders and beans the same week. Luckily I only have to please myself and not discerning customers. Mrs Hotmetal didn't even drink coffee other than a sachet of decaf powder in hot milk (she's Spanish) until I got the classic. She happily drinks the lattes I make even if I wouldn't! But getting a great espresso certainly seems even more hit and miss than usual in this weather.

Cheers Scotford for the suggestion of which way to go to compensate for swollen beans (that sounds so wrong, "grind your beans until they squeak!" In a Terry Thomas voice!


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