# Grind settings for new coffee



## puffin1 (Jun 30, 2019)

Ok so I'm new to all this and quite frankly still find dialling in overwhelming and find I'm wasting a lot of coffee.

Can anyone advise on grind size/dose of any of the rave coffees please? I'm using a Barista Express. I know it's personal preference to a point and different machines will produce different things but I'm just after a ball park figure.

For example, I know Iron & Fire Colombian Jazz needs to be set on grind size 4 and the dosage dial on my sage to be around the 3o'clock mark using the single walled double basket on the preset double water dispense button.

I've bought a few 250g of coffee lately and pretty much used the whole bag trying to dial it in.

I'm just after a general place to start so I don't tip my money down the sink, I won't hunt you don't if anything suggested doesn't work out for me ?

I currently have the Rave Signature and the Fudge blend if anyone has those to start off with but happy for advice on anything.

Thanks in advance.


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## KTD (Dec 28, 2017)

puffin1 said:


> Ok so I'm new to all this and quite frankly still find dialling in overwhelming and find I'm wasting a lot of coffee.
> Can anyone advise on grind size/dose of any of the rave coffees please? I'm using a Barista Express. I know it's personal preference to a point and different machines will produce different things but I'm just after a ball park figure.
> For example, I know Iron & Fire Colombian Jazz needs to be set on grind size 4 and the dosage dial on my sage to be around the 3o'clock mark using the single walled double basket on the preset double water dispense button.
> I've bought a few 250g of coffee lately and pretty much used the whole bag trying to dial it in.
> ...


I've know a few people with barista express's and whenever I've helped them I find the dose should be in the middle 3pm and the grind on 1 or 2, although I think there are differences between models and the way the burrs sit. I'd always advise buying in kilos early doors, it's much cheaper and allows you to learn about changes that take place with the beans over time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## puffin1 (Jun 30, 2019)

Yeah I think buying in bulk to star might be the way forward and accept the wastage. It's a shame rave and others don't do 500g bags.

I'll try the finer settings, thanks.


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## hummel89 (Dec 7, 2018)

I would suggest not to put all beans in a hopper. Only put 18-20g at a time and grind it all. Minimises waste, improves consistency and makes it easier to dial in the grind size (because everything else is pretty much a constant).


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

hummel89 said:


> I would suggest not to put all beans in a hopper. Only put 18-20g at a time and grind it all. Minimises waste, improves consistency and makes it easier to dial in the grind size (because everything else is pretty much a constant).


It depends what grinder you're using. My mignon really doesn't perform well single dosing & prefers a weight of beans in the hopper.


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## hummel89 (Dec 7, 2018)

I agree that the issue is grinder dependant. However, we are talking about barista express built in grinder.. not mignon.. not ek..etc


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## puffin1 (Jun 30, 2019)

Thanks, I haven't tried single dosing. I was hoping that the 'grind amount' dial would do this for me but am I right in thinking it might not be that accurate? The grinder is integrated into the machine with the sage.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

puffin1 said:


> Thanks, I haven't tried single dosing. I was hoping that the 'grind amount' dial would do this for me but am I right in thinking it might not be that accurate? The grinder is integrated into the machine with the sage.


 These machine are not optimal at single dosing. From memory the qty it delivers has a variance of around 0.3 to 0.5 g may be worth sense checking though.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

hummel89 said:


> I would suggest not to put all beans in a hopper. Only put 18-20g at a time and grind it all. Minimises waste, improves consistency and makes it easier to dial in the grind size (because everything else is pretty much a constant).


 I'd go the other way on this type of machine, if you are single dosing you need to make sure that you stir up the grinds in the pf, otherwise its more inconsistent

Single dosing to hopper fed , you probably need a finer grind.

These machines with built in grinders are not designed to be single dosed but your experience may vary.


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## puffin1 (Jun 30, 2019)

I'll give it a whirl, I hadn't thought the amount would be differing too much but I'll definitely get the scales out and check.

I did find with the sage that the single basket was impossible for me to use so it's been thrown in the kitchen drawer.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

puffin1 said:


> Yeah I think buying in bulk to star might be the way forward and accept the wastage. It's a shame rave and others don't do 500g bags.


Speak to Richard at CoffeeCompass.co.uk.

He does 500g bags around £8/9. His Brighton Lanes is a very consistent and easy to dial in coffee - it has a wide band where it tastes good. He also has lots of single origin beans at all levels of roast. Roasts the day you order and it's there within two days nearly always.

For real value, every now and then, he offers a mystery bean 1kg bag. These can sometimes be astonishingly good and are always very very keenly priced.


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