# Pre Infusion + a few other issues...



## Dunerunner (Aug 28, 2014)

Hi guys,

Well I've had my EP lever for a week now and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it - just looking at it makes me smile everyday! So thanks to Delfi for hooking me up!

So now we get onto the coffee bit - I have a single and double basket and I've been dosing the single to around 14g and the double to around 18g - (please let me know if this is ok?)

The coffee I'm using is from PACT - Praline Espresso, thought I'd give them a go and sadly I'm still grinding using a KRUPS 75 blade machine as it's all I've got currently - if anyone could suggest a low cost Burr option, hand or otherwise that would be great. I've been blading for around 20 seconds in order to try and get the finest grind I can (I can hear the groans already!).

So the process has been thus:


Lift lever slowly

wait 6-8 seconds for PI

watch few drops fall into the shot glass

pull handle slowly 1/3 of the way

lift handle again and wait for around 3 seconds

slowly press lever all the way down

whole process including PI is around 30 seconds.


Now I'm getting coffee - which is a good thing right - so bonus there. As for taste and consistency, it's different every time due to my inexperience I guess - but generally pleasant and I'm not binning too much.

I've started to not get any PI drips - why is this, is is the grind, the size of basket vs gms, is it the tamp - I for got to mention the tamp - using a KNOCK 49mm tamper - medium pressure with a bit of a polish.

I'm open for all the help I can get here on A) sorting the PI issue (if there is actually an issue) and B) for you guys to tell me how to do this better?

Cheers...!


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

I don't mean to be harsh, and I suspect you know it yourself, but your grinder is the biggest factor in your issues.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Hi not what you want to hear but.

Until you get a decent non blade grinder then any advise in dose and pre infusion is going to be largely irrelevant.

Your grinder isn't capable of being paired to that or any other espresso machine.

What's your maximum budget and space allowed for a grinder


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Until then you would be better of getting a local friendly roaster or cafe to try and grind you some .

Where are you based perhaps there is a forum member who may oblige grinding you some.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

What could you spare for a burr grinder? Budget can guide advice. At the lowest end of things you're talking hand grinders such as the porlex, rhino or hario. These will be way better than the blade but most move on from them pretty quickly too.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Blade grinder will ruin your coffee - you'd be as well using a mortar and pestle. Really need to invest in a decent grinder.


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## Dunerunner (Aug 28, 2014)

Ha ha... I'm getting the grinder vibe here....!

I have a friend who has a SJ, so I'll get him to grind up a batch for me - as for budget, not too much at the moment - could rte ally do with keeping it under the £100 mark at the moment - so hand or used really.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Grinder grinder grinder, without a decent grinder you will not do the ep justice, also those doses seem ridiculously high for a single and a double, perhaps you have a single and a triple basket? A double should be between 12 and 14 grams.

But the pavonis are very grind specific and that chopper of a grinder you have is incapable if producing the right grind consistency. As said before a good burr hand grinder would be a much better option if price is an issue.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Dunerunner said:


> Ha ha... I'm getting the grinder vibe here....!
> 
> I have a friend who has a SJ, so I'll get him to grind up a batch for me - as for budget, not too much at the moment - could rte ally do with keeping it under the £100 mark at the moment - so hand or used really.


Take your lever round

But a bulk of decent coffee ( same stuff not lots of different blends , not pact would be my advise)

Get it dialled in with the Sj .

Get your mate to mark this setting

Then your good to go til you get a grinder.


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## Dunerunner (Aug 28, 2014)

Right - So I'm getting a hand grinder as a good stop-gap, any recommendations here - I've heard Porlex being mentioned a good few times? Or, recommendations for budget electric burr...?

As for my baskets, I've got a 12g & a 14g - so am I right in saying not to go over 12g & 14g per basket then...?


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## Dunerunner (Aug 28, 2014)

Also interesting comments about PACT MrBoots2U - what's your take on them...?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Porlex gets a bit tiresome grinding for espresso and the results aren't great. Dualit do a burr grinder for around £70.00 but, again, don't expect great results and fine adjustment isn't an option on it.


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## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

Pact seems more of a marketing business selling coffee than a roaster selling coffee from what I can make out.

Someone roasts the coffee for them.

I've had three beans from them in the past and didn't like any (actually the espresso blend wasn't so bad...).


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Dunerunner said:


> Also interesting comments about PACT MrBoots2U - what's your take on them...?


This may not be the case now , but previously they were not roasting their own product .

Personally I prefer to deal with a roaster that provides the coffee that they have sourced roasted themselves , rather than marketing a product , even if it is from another reputable roaster .

I've tried two or three samples weren't to my taste , this of course doesn't mean they are inferior , just I didn't like them .


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## Dunerunner (Aug 28, 2014)

A friend of mine suggested I give them a go, previously to that I had used 'Has Bean' - I quite often go to The Window in Norwich and Hayley has her own House blend (by Has Bean I think) - it's bloody lovely...! Maybe a visit to her and HB might be in order?


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## Delfi (Jan 4, 2013)

I used to use it with an Iberital MC2 for a while. The fine control over the grind setting was fairly useful. You can prob pick a second hand one who for £80-90 if your quick to reply.

amazed that you even got 18g in the basket- think I got 14g in the 12 at one point but decided I was better of just going 1:1.

If there shots are a by inconsistent and you've got a consistent grind then do keep an eye on the temperature strip on the grouphead. Experiment with it a bit colder or hotter and see which one looks and tastes better. I found you could pretty much tell from the rate of flow and the colour in the spout whether one was about to hit a god shot. The style, the ritual, and the slight gamble on just how good the shot might be this time is the real draw about the little beauty. Ah how I miss her.


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