# Shot problems.



## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

I have a gaggia classic and a mc2 grinder. My beans are from artisan roast in Glasgow and we roasted 3 weeks ago to their recommendation and same age as in their shop to serve. I really like their shots and accidentally poured one god shot a few nights ago by luck of right variables but can not reproduce.

My shots have been really sour indicating under extraction as I am heating the machine well, and pulling as the boiler thermostat just turns off. However the crema colour was good and not indicating under extraction.

On advice elsewhere I was told to grind finer so I did and I choked the machine so I opened it back up a little.

Dosed 16g and staying with 16g for every single test to stay consistent in as much as I can.

I just poured a shot which took 10-15 seconds to start a flow, about ten seconds of good stripes and then 5 seconds of faster blond where I should have probably cut it.

The final beverage was 28g To the 16g of grounds but with the extra blondimg I should have probably cut it at closer to 20g to 24g.

Pour seemed good with no channelling or wormholes in puck.

The shot tastes less sour but more bitter and I have a horrible tobacco ash aftertaste which is lingering and this is not present in the shop extractions or in my luck extraction. There is some brazil beans in the blend however. Crema looked too dark and there wasn't much of it and it shrunk down into a much darker thin crema quickly.

Wasted 250g of good beans so want to try and cut down my waste in experimentation.

From this point where am I looking at changing? Courser grind? Tamp pressure?

I would be happy with 16g giving me. 1.5oz shot so bout 32g ish or maybe a little richer so maybe up the dose but still 1.5oz?

In desperation of much help.

Many thanks.


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

By the sound of what you described with regards to timing, it is a bit of a combo of older beans(you said they were 3 weeks old, this is really the very longest i would keep mine usually) and a heavy tamp, experiment by keeping your dose at 16g or even 15g, lighten your tamp somewhat and if you aren't already, just give it a single tamp with a half twist, no tapping of the portafilter or anything fussy, then play around with your grind settings. If you keep your technique nice and simple, not too heavy handed(as this will result in uneaven extraction/flow rate through the puck) then you will find it much easier to achive greater consistancy, you can then rely on your grinder being the only significant variable, which you can dial in accordingly.

Once you are happy, you can then if you wish play about with dose, bearing in mind that when you do you will have to adjust your grinder to accommodate.

Aim your extraction base rate at 1.6g of fluid to 1g of grinds, so you would be aiming for around 24g from a 15g dose, when you are happy that you got everything right you can then alter this ratio to suit your taste.

I have probably over explained and I'm sure you are no muggle but i have covered the most probable of your issues by covering most issues!


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

The shop uses the exact same roast batch in their cafe just now. These taste best between 2 and 4 weeks. I drink their shots regularly and they are delicious.

Why do people say grind so that you need 40lbs in a tamp.

If I grind courser my shot is sour so under extracted? It actually tastes sour still as well as ashy and burnt so I am confused. What direction do I grind here?


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Grinder. Others will disagree but I think the MC2 grind is the root of many a problem.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

I don't know how long you've had the machine for or what it's history is but have you cleaned it recently (back flushed)?

I tend to do mine once a week with Puly Caff powder and I think I can definitely taste the difference.

Just a thought


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

I haven't had the machine long and apart from the dialling in it's not had much use.


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Tamp doesn't really have a huge bearing on overall extraction time but you might want to start off by grinding a little finer, gradually increasing courseness as you find what is right, I don't measure my tamp on the scales or anything but instead I(as you will in time) go on muscle memory, firmly enough but allowing a little give, if you tamp too hard you run the risk of a fracture during extraction and as it will expand less predictably under contact with water you will end up with unpredictable rates of flow, If you allow a little give you will find that in terms of grams per second you will be running far more steadily from start to finish with less notable excelleration and you are less prone to premature blonding and channelling, this is a bit speculative being based only on my own findings but it is what works for me.


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Most importantly, don't be afraid to just go ahead and experiment for yourself


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks.

I just done a back flush of my gaggia classic. The stuff that came out was absolutely disgusting. Absolutely rancid and was making me gag slightly. The thought of this stiff being in my shots


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

It's gives you a warm feeling inside to know it's nice and clean though doesn't it


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

And I just pulled a god shot. Tasted mouth watering. Could not pick out any bad elements. Yum


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

You might only ever find the God shot once or twice in your life...well done ; )


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

garydyke1 said:


> You might only ever find the God shot once or twice in your life...well done ; )


I think you get a lot of them when you're starting out as you get better and better. Then they start to get fewer and father between as you realise maybe you didn't have it quite right in the past









It's great when it happens though


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