# Struggling with decaf beans



## Crippy (Sep 30, 2017)

After quite a few months of learning to pour a decent shot on my Silvia matched with a Sage grinder pro im having problems with getting a decent decaf shot.

I recently bought an 18g VST basket which has massively improved my shots with normal coffee as im able to dose more coffee so my ratios are better. However, when trying decaf i dose 19g and get 38 out in like 10 secs. This is on the finest grind setting too. Wont be using the decaf for that much longer as its only for the wife whilst shes pregnant.

Also, if i do want to upgrade the grinder what would you guys recommend?

Thanks


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

I'm using the Aergrind for wife's decaf, usually at around 1.1 - 1.2 setting ("normal" beans at around 1.4)


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Crippy said:


> After quite a few months of learning to pour a decent shot on my Silvia matched with a Sage grinder pro im having problems with getting a decent decaf shot.
> 
> I recently bought an 18g VST basket which has massively improved my shots with normal coffee as im able to dose more coffee so my ratios are better. However, when trying decaf i dose 19g and get 38 out in like 10 secs. This is on the finest grind setting too. Wont be using the decaf for that much longer as its only for the wife whilst shes pregnant.
> 
> ...


What do you mean the finest setting ? you are just off burr rub?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

decaf beans need about 15 to 20% finer on grind settings. Even shimmed, the Sage will not be ale to grind fine enough. The only way around this is to load your basket at around 23 gms....this is not me pontificating.....it is what Sage show you on White Gloves service....I drank decaf for a year and had this discussion with Sage several times. As far as they were concerned ratios are for tossers.....just overload!


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## arellim (May 9, 2016)

dfk41 said:


> decaf beans need about 15 to 20% finer on grind settings. Even shimmed, the Sage will not be ale to grind fine enough. The only way around this is to load your basket at around 23 gms....this is not me pontificating.....it is what Sage show you on White Gloves service....I drank decaf for a year and had this discussion with Sage several times. As far as they were concerned ratios are for tossers.....just overload!


Just to say I agree almost exactly with these percentages above. (20% finer for me with Decaf).

Andy


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

Crippy

I have been using a Sage grinder pro for about six months now which I bought new .

It has been used exclusively for Decaf 2 to 3 cups a day , firstly with the Sage Oracle and the last month with a Profitec 700 with no problems at all.

Yes I have found Decaf needs a much finer grind

I have found it easy to dial in to get good shots in the given time/weight and taste on both machines .

I use different Decaf freshly roasted beans from Redber and the odd bag from Waitrose .

I also now use the sage as a single dose grinder as well ..

I use a EazyTamp pro for my tamper which seems to give a consistent level tamp which for me as a beginner helped get rid of one variable and left me to sort out the dialling in.

So unless you have a duff SGP I would look at other variables such as tamping , bean freshness and storage etc .

The lowest I have had to go on mine is 4 on an older bean, with the top burr as I bought it on No6.

You need to keep the burrs clean for consistency also check the top burr is locked in

Hope this helps


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

@Nicknak

has yours been shimmed?


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

@dfk41

No it's as is out of the box.

From what I read it had loads of problems earlier on , had a plastic fan under the bottom burr .

Mine has the metal fan and to be fair , I'm not a lover of Sage, it has worked really well .. How long for ?.


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## Crippy (Sep 30, 2017)

Mrboots2u said:


> What do you mean the finest setting ? you are just off burr rub?


the grind setting is on 1. Even using my normal coffee I've never gone higher than a 3-4.

i use Origin coffee btw. Always use by 3-4 weeks from roasting


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Nicknak said:


> Crippy
> 
> I have been using a Sage grinder pro for about six months now which I bought new .
> 
> ...


Nicknak - how have you got on with the Redber decaf? I had a try once and it was too dark for me, very oily.

I might try and medium/dark roast - do you know if that's less oily?

Normally would have gone for the central american decaf though I read the Guatemalan could be better?

I'm on the hunt again for a 'go to' decaf bean for espresso - classic chocolatey taste though not to dark, perhaps a little citrus - nice balance.


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

@kennyboy993 Generally it's good, but the last batch was totally over cooked, very dark and oily . I complained and they sent a new lot.. The previous one of the same type was lovely .. Their normal stuff is generally good as well.

I am tempted to go for a medium dark next time as well ..


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Nicknak said:


> @kennyboy993 Generally it's good, but the last batch was totally over cooked, very dark and oily . I complained and they sent a new lot.. The previous one of the same type was lovely .. Their normal stuff is generally good as well.
> 
> I am tempted to go for a medium dark next time as well ..


Nice one - was it the Guatemalan you had?


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

Kenny it was the Central American blend ..


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