# New Bambino / SGP Owner - bean help



## bsharp77 (Nov 5, 2019)

Hi everyone,

After reading and looking at videos for months I took the plunge last week and bought a Bambino Plus and Smart Grinder Pro. 
I've went through 2 bags of beans in the last few days experimenting and trying to get a flavour I'm happy with....but I'm not close. 
I think my technique is ok, as the shots are extracting pretty well. 18g in, aiming for around 36-38g out in around 30 seconds including 7 seconds pre infusion (unpressurised double basket). 
My problem is, I'm not getting a rich, deep "coffee" taste....if that makes any sense. 
I just want a simple, powerful but smooth double shot which I can add to hot water to give me a lovely tasty Americano. 
Im used to Starbucks espresso beans, used with my old Delonghi Magnifica...the flavour was a bit rough around the edges, but definitely not bad. 
I've been through a bag of York Emporium Dark Java beans....they were oooook, but nothing to get excited about. I've also tried Causeway Coffee dark Colombian beans....but that was an even bigger disaster. The problem with both was, they are lacking the essential deep coffee flavour which I'm looking for. 
Is there something I'm doing wrong, or can someone point me in the direction of a good bean that will give me a strong rounded flavour. Is it a feature of these craft coffees that they are all about different flavours?? I'm not interested in any exotic tastes, just something rich, strong and smooth. 
im at the stage where having spent so much time with it, I'm starting to regret spending so much money on something that isn't going to give me much more than what I already had....in fact worse at the moment. 
There are a lot of knowledgeable people here who have probably seen this a hundred times, and can hopefully suggest a fail safe bean for me to experiment with. 
At least if I get beans that I know should produce the flavour I want, then that's one variable to remove in the troubleshooting process!
any help very much appreciated.


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## MarkHB (Jun 12, 2020)

bsharp77 said:


> any help very much appreciated.


 Most speciality coffee is roasted on the lighter side; even if it's called dark. Coffee Compass is the roaster that seems to get recommended the most to those who enjoy darker roasts:

https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/collections/mahogany-roast-blends

https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/collections/extra-dark-ebony-roast-blends

A lot of supermarket coffee is roasted darker as well. Have you tried the Starbucks beans that you like with your new setup?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

It is possible that the coffee you are used to ( Starbucks) contained robusta coffee in the blend, this may be what was giving you the stronger / darker flavour.

Unless stated most fresh roasted coffee tends to be arabica which does not carry the same bitterness you may be used to?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Sounds like the beans. The taste of beans can vary from the sublime to thee ridiculous. If the extraction is correct and the water temp right (otherwise the shot might for example taste sour) then you need to remember that even Starbucks etc buy seasonal coffee and it maybe nothing more difficult than they have had to change recipe due to what is actually available......therefore you are doing nothing wrong


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## shaun**** (Oct 24, 2015)

thomson's have some dark roasted beans/robusta containing blends that might work.

https://www.thomsonscoffee.com/collections/legacy


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## bsharp77 (Nov 5, 2019)

Thanks all for taking the time to respond.

I'm going to order a couple of the beans mentioned above to see how I get on.

It could be a case that my palette is just not developed enough and all this is actually just wasted on me and I should just stick to the delonghi and cheap dark beans!


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

One very darkly roasted bean that may suit you is The Boggle Hole from Baytown coffee, take a look at their site .


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## bsharp77 (Nov 5, 2019)

El carajillo said:


> One very darkly roasted bean that may suit you is The Boggle Hole from Baytown coffee, take a look at their site .


 Thank you for that El carajillo - just ordered some to give it a test - all the descriptions definitely sound like exactly what i'm looking for!


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

A problem that often occurs is due to the web and coffee brewing. Sage's manuals do not help either. To much talk of fixed ratios, times and what should happen to avoid over and under extraction etc.

Going on the standard Barista Express - 30sec fine but don't worry going longer. Maybe up to 40sec.

Ratio is odd in some ways. One of Sage's manuals suggests 3 only the way it's mentioned isn't that clear. It's effectively 60ml out from the same double you are using. It can be the best option as can a ratio of 2 or even one in between. Less than 2 might be best too.

Actual taste. Sometimes fresh roasted arabica are referred to as exotic beans. That means they may not have a typical coffee taste. Blends may be a better option in that area but taste on those can vary.

I bought some Starbucks beans recently. Their blond roast. All arabica and 16g ratio of 2 gives a fairly strong large americano that is stronger than they provide. This is on a DB. You may need less and a different ratio on your machine.  I bought them as it's the nicest drink I have had from costabucks. Actually the Sage single is adequate using some beans on these machines.


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