# When To Stop That Shot



## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

After being completely converted to pulling shots by weight I'm after the general consensus of when blonding occurs and when you'd stop the shot by eye, with a naked pf.

In the below clip have I stopped it when blonding occurs or would you leave it longer / have stopped it sooner?

My current method at the moment is to dial in using scales (under a shot glass) as the main guide against 25 secs aiming for a 18g dose and an approx 28g output. I then gauging future shots by eye (plus time and a bit of volume) but ultimately by taste.

I always tend to weigh shots afterward which depending on the bean / age of the bean can be a heavier shot (is that the right terminology) or take anything up to 35 secs. This is just my own personal way of doing it, if there's a better way of doing I'm all ears.

I'd be interested in feedback of when people would stop the shot as when it blonds. I'd be interested in what they look for and if there are any other indicators they use as a guide to stop a shot.

I'd also also appreciate any feed back on the actual shot I've pulled and if it looks as if I'm in the right ball bark. This particular shot was 18g in 27g out. Not the sharpest of video footage

All advice welcome.


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## Spukey (Nov 4, 2012)

In my opinion the answer is in the taste. Too many people get hung up in the science. The science puts you in the ball park but that is it! There are so many variables. I go by the ball park and then take it by taste. Pull it at 25 through to 30 and find where you like it! Life is too short to be weighing every shot out. My current bean requires me to pull a 35 second shot for a 1.5oz out put, does this agree with science, NO! but does it taste nice .....god damn yes!

Use the general rule of thumb but do not follow it by the book. Beans age as does your tamp, just follow you tongue!

I am sure many will disagree but really only you have the answer!

You are on the right path, so walk it!

Spukey


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

spukey have you turned into a philosopher?

Weighing output is really important when you are starting out, and is the method employed by the pros to dial a grinder in accurately, by weighing the output and following the 1.6 ratio in 25 to 30 seconds you will be getting the best out of an extraction, volume is not important at all as the shot weight will vary from bean to bean, but supposing an input of 15 grams the shot weight you should be looking for a shot output of 24grams.


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## Spukey (Nov 4, 2012)

coffeechap said:


> spukey have you turned into a philosopher?
> 
> Weighing output is really important when you are starting out, and is the method employed by the pros to dial a grinder in accurately, by weighing the output and following the 1.6 ratio in 25 to 30 seconds you will be getting the best out of an extraction, volume is not important at all as the shot weight will vary from bean to bean, but supposing an input of 15 grams the shot weight you should be looking for a shot output of 24grams.


It's a part time hobby of mine, goes well with hunting with my lurchers! haha


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I'd go with a combination of Spukey's & Coffeechap's suggestions (as they're not mutually exclusive)...weigh & taste (not so easy with tall shot glasses/demitasses with a Classic, easier with a low/wide cup though).

You're looking for about 1g/second output ball-park. After 20seconds periodically catch a drip & taste it (careful - it will be hot, surprise, surprise... you only need a tiny drip)...if it's sour/zingy & acidic let it run, if it's syrupy sweet...you might kill it or let it run (be aware that prior output will probably be somewhat acidic), if it's just tasting generic & bland you probably haven't gone too far yet, but might think about killing the shot & assessing the full output. If the last drip is astringent & bitter kill it right away. Record output weight.

Taste the whole shot - if it's overly sour/acidic you might want to run it longer next time, or grind finer. If you find it overall good, but bitter & drying in the final sips, run it shorter/grind a little coarser.

You can also, of course, divide the pour up between a few shot glasses, at a few seconds each after 20seconds, keep them in order & add #1 to #2 taste, add both to #3 taste & so on...this will be harder to assess output weight though.

I wouldn't hold too much store by blonding.

In the home, we'd ideally like to throw as little coffee down the sink as possible & aim for as high a strike rate of acceptable cups (whilst working towards excellent cups) as possible. Maybe I'm just tight & lazy, but I try and salvage every shot & build from there...they're not always outstanding, but I can't remember the last one I poured down the sink.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks for all of the replies, some great advice.

I completely agree with Spukey regarding trying other ways to gauge a shot other than just by weight which was part of the reason for me starting this thread.

I've only been weighing the shot as it's pouring when initially dialling in the bean.

Once I've done this I've then been trying to gauge the shot by eye and stopping the shot when I think it's blonding.

This is why I asking if folk though I'd stopped the shot when blonding was occurring. I'd be grateful if someone could confirm (or is that a whole can of worms)?

Some of the shots that I've been doing have been lasting up to 35 secs, some have produced output weights of 35g. But ultimately once this is done I'm guided by taste and adjust the grind accordingly.

A classic example of this has been when I was using TDSOL Cuban Serrano bean. I was stopping the shot when I thought it was blonding and getting longer 35g or 35 secs shot that I thought were still good not bitter or sour but completely different compared to a 28g shot. If I'd been following the gauging it by output weight I'd have never have come across this.

As it turns out I think I preferred the more intense 27g-28g shot over 25 secs from a 18g dose. Much as I've been reluctant to go down the weighing doses and shots (as I thought this was a bit anal), I have to say that IMHO it seems to have worked for me as good reference point.


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## bignorry (Mar 19, 2013)

I'm now using enough beans that once dialled in I can guage it by eye and ear, I've discovered a lovely shot comes with what sounds like a gloopy slurp as it pours. I still use weight and volume but not with every shot.Often wonder would a barista make 20 identical tasting shots if he went down science route ,or would there still be slight differences?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Once dialled in, so long as everything else is repeated exactly , then subsequent shots are stopped based on time - you should end up with the same weight output, more accurately than by sight.

Start with a target weight appropriate for the dose..

Shot 1. 18g dose. stop shot when 28g output reached . Noting it took 25 seconds. Taste confirms as correct.

Shot 2 . 18g dose. Stop shot at 25 seconds. Weight confirmed as 28g (+/- 0.5g). Taste confirm as correct.

All subsequent shots = 18g dose. stop shot at 25 seconds.

Obviously this will only apply if you single dose or have a grinder capable of giving you 18g each time once dialled in & humidity and bean stalling will mean grind adjustments need to be made periodically.

Note even time is not supremely accurate, you'd need volumetrics in the machine also...

http://www.lamarzoccousa.com/blog/ben-kaminsky-barista-vs-volumetrics/


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