# A lot of squirting!



## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Having some problems pulling a good shot at the moment. Every one seems to spray some amount in various directions. Some are better than others. Happens with different types of beans. I'm using a bottomless portafilter with a Gaggia Baby. In using Monmouth espresso blends right now but was using the Drury ones before. Same problem.

Grinding using a porlex, have tried a few different grind settings to not much effect. I usually distribute the coffee by tapping the side of the portafilter to evenly distribute and then tamp. Tamp is from madebyknock. I've started to use a toothpick today to see if that helps with the distribution.

Any other ideas??


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Gangstarrrrr said:


> Having some problems pulling a good shot at the moment. Any other ideas??


Assuming the spraying is happening with the naked portafilter - would suggest the problem is a grind/tamp issue. How long is extraction taking? Were you getting decent shots before using the naked portafilter? You shouldn't tap the side of the portafilter by the way. If you've got a mound on your basket, use your finger to gently distribute it around the basket using a north, east, south, west rotation. Tapping the side of portafilter can cause uneven compaction. With a naked portafilter, extraction should start with droplets appearing and then merge into a steady flow from centre of basket - plenty of video clips on YouTube to illustrate this. Are you weighing your doses and timing your shots? Sorry for the questions but without more info, it's difficult to be more specific with help.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Sounds like spritzing from some serious channelling. Either due to clumping, terrible distribution ,or, perhaps the grind not fine enough.

Post a video of the prep and then symptoms and you will get instant diagnosis on here


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

I will get a video up.

Will stop tapping the side of the portafilter as I do that almost every time. Alas I don't weigh the beans at the moment but I have scales on order. I did used to get a lovely extraction with the portafilter not really sure what changed. I've tried the porlex on 1-2 clicks and 5-6 and its a similar story with both. If I move the grinds around with my finger, the surface is very uneven, this is why I tap it, to flatten them out before the tamp. Should I just tamp after finger distribution? I'd imagine the pick would not be an even thickness if u did this?

Did a descale couple weeks back but haven't done a back flush yet, need a blanking plate.


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Can anyone link me to a couple of videos of ideal prep on YouTube?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Using a Porlex is very different to using an electric grinder which does the distribution for you. Handgrinders dont tend to clump so I would have thought distribution or grind setting is the issue here.

Could you get a mini-whisk and whisk the grinds in the basket, using a yoghurt pot to avoid overspill? Will try and find a video

Weighing beans is a huge step towards consistancy - 15g wil not behave the same as 14 or 16g at the same grind setting


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Gangstarrrrr said:


> Can anyone link me to a couple of videos of ideal prep on YouTube?


Here you go - from the inimitable Gail at Seattle Coffee. She demonstrates the grind distribution I mentioned above. A neat little trick if you are not filling the portafilter direct from a grinder is to get a yoghurt pot and cut out the bottom so the sleeve of the pot fits inside your portafilter. Make sure it's a snug fit. Then pour your grinds in - the sleeve will make sure they don't spill out. You can use a tooth pick to ensure you haven't got any clumps by moving it from side to side - north - south, then east west keeping the tooth pick in contact as you zig zag through. Remove the sleeve and distribute the grinds if needed as Gail illustrates in this clip.


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Right I got my scales and started weighing! Weighed out 18g and ground it in the porlex. Tipped it into the basket but really struggled to get it all in. Should this be so? I am using the naked pf from happy donkey and the basket it comes with, pretty sure it's a double.

Distributed with a tooth pick and then swept over the gaps to smooth it. Then tamped.

Still got some nasty spritzers and extraction was far too quick. Will grind another notch finer and report back.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

It'll fit in the basket easier when it's ground finer 

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## Big Tony (Dec 18, 2012)

Get a video up mate... it will help us see and pictures do really paint a thousand words


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Will work on a vid this week. So I started weighing, have to say it has helped. Struggle to get it into the basket but can just about manage it. Have stopped tapping the side of the pf too and distribute using a toothpick.

Almost choked the machine today so dialled it back one notch on the porlex. Tomorrow will tell us how well this works!

Have to say, I measured the shot, it was 40g, above the suggestion of 30ish, but it wasn't very much coffee?? Looked more like a single! Tasted good though, was quite thick, not silly amounts of crema. A bit of spritzing but better.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Gangstarrrrr said:


> Will work on a vid this week. So I started weighing, have to say it has helped. Struggle to get it into the basket but can just about manage it. Have stopped tapping the side of the pf too and distribute using a toothpick.
> 
> Almost choked the machine today so dialled it back one notch on the porlex. Tomorrow will tell us how well this works!
> 
> Have to say, I measured the shot, it was 40g, above the suggestion of 30ish, *but it wasn't very much coffee*?? Looked more like a single! Tasted good though, was quite thick, not silly amounts of crema. A bit of spritzing but better.


This is espresso afterall ; )


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> This is espresso afterall ; )


I hear you and I do love my espressos, but 30g seems too little for a double? Unless my scales are broken!!


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## JonR10 (Apr 6, 2013)

In my limited experience, major spretizing issues are almost always a result of grind too coarse and/or uneven (inconsistent). I think you're on the right track by grinding quite a bit finer, finding the grind setting that chokes the machine and then backing off just a notch or two.

Also, for WDT (stirring technique), I find a dissecting needle works much better than a toothpick because the toothpick seems too thick and rough. If you don't have a dissecting needle handly then the next best thing is probably a paper clip.


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

Will give a paper clip a bash.

The spritzing has died down a lot now that I've starting using the Mignon, but I can see using the bottomless pf, there are still def some tamp/distribution issues that I need to work on. Moving to a triple basket has compounded these problems somewhat.


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## gman147 (Jul 7, 2012)

Not that I use this technique as my grinder doesn't give any clumps; but if you go to your local pharmacist/chemist, they will give you injecting needles for free (they gives these to drug users so they don't share needles) but anyway, I can't think of a better tool for you. Smooth, sterile, sharp and very thin. Just ask for the smallest gauge.

Hope this helps.


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