# Stupid new Oracle Touch owner question alert!



## ChrisCohenTV (Nov 22, 2018)

This will probably be the daftest question you've ever seen on here so apologies in advance...

I just received my oracle touch, set it all up and was ready to roll then got struck down with a sickness bug so didn't use it for two days 

Anyway, yesterday in a painkiller addled state, I tried to make myself a flat white. I left everything at the default settings, used the double basket and poured it all into one cup then added milk. It was the strongest tasting flat white I've ever had.

I think the really obvious mistake I made in my hazy state was that using the double basket provides two cups worth of coffee right? And I put it all into one cup and blew my head off? Is that right? If so should I use the single basket or just let one shot go into a shot glass and dispose of it? (I heard there was a tamping issue with the single basket).

Thanks and sorry for the stupid question!


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Double post


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi Chris - long time Touch owner..

A flat white is supposed to be strong ? There is a high proportion of coffee to milk so that's why its strong...

For the touch you are limited in the way that it doses - it will always chuck out around 22g of coffee, the variables are the amount of time (water) that pass over the grounds and how fine/coarse the grinds are. I always use the double basket - I've never even tried to use the single so cant really advise on that. What I can do is tell you what works for me, with the beans that I use..

I'm a HasBean subscriber so I get fresh beans every week - if I run out then I'm London-based so can pick up other beans easily. My grind is set to 19-22 and occasionally as high as 25. I use the double basket and it set to "double". I run the shot timer for 30 sec and I'm normally looking for 50g of output (22g in, 30sec and 50g out). For the milk I pour cold milk from the fridge to just below the spout, have it set to "4" for foam and let it do its thing.

That gives me a nice tasting coffee that is perfectly repeatable - my output may change by a couple of grams either way as the beans age/change whilst in the hopper but I redial each bag in every time so its pretty consistent.

HTH


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## Nick R (Dec 6, 2019)

I too am a newbie Oracle Touch owner and have a similar issue - in my case getting an Americano which is not too strong and bitter. I don't understand your comment, Toby, that you always get 22g of coffee; surely the smaller basket takes less coffee than the double one? I certainly seem to be getting a milder coffee using this.

I realise all this varies according to the beans and my problem is I can't get freshly ground where I live apart from by post - I do have a fortnightly subscription to Pact - maybe I need to increase the frequency. You certainly seem to get through the coffee quickly with the double basket.

Grateful for any advice - thanks.


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## Nick R (Dec 6, 2019)

Sorry, freshly roasted is what I meant, not freshly ground!


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi Nick - I've just never used the single basket; every shot I pull is a double. If I get a chance over the Christmas break then I'll try it just so that I can report back. Even MrsToby who is a confirmed americano person is happy with a mug of 25 sec brew and 25 sec hot water. I shortened her brew to to make it slightly stronger so that with the additional water it balances out (hope that makes sense!)


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## Nick R (Dec 6, 2019)

Thanks for the reply Toby. I had a go myself this morning and measured 21g with the double basket and 9g with the single one - rather more of a difference than I was expecting, so using the single basket and a single shot, Chris, might avoid your head getting blown off! Saves on coffee too!

Thanks for the americano recipe Toby - I'll try that.


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## ChrisCohenTV (Nov 22, 2018)

TobyAnscombe said:


> Hi Chris - long time Touch owner..
> 
> A flat white is supposed to be strong ? There is a high proportion of coffee to milk so that's why its strong...
> 
> ...


 This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much. Sorry for the delay in replying, I was struck down with some sort of exotic virus and ended up in hospital for two nights! Anyway, I'm back now and ready to learn.

This is all very clear and makes total sense. For context, I'm London based too and I'm currently ordering coffee from either PACT coffee or DarkWoods. This particular bean I'm using seems to under extract very easily, so I've had to bump the grind up to 38. The beans I was using last week were fine on around 21.

Anyway, I chose the flat white setting, using the double basket too, and set it to 'single' - the pour is thick and steady with a nice caramel coloured crema on top.

I think part of the problem is the size of these flat white mugs my girlfriend got me seem ludicrously small. They only hold 140ml total, so by the time the shot has gone in there's literally room for a suggestion of milk and they're full. It's more like a macchiato! I thought at flat white was supposed to be at least 160ml but maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, I just wanted to make sure I was getting things right with the double basket/double shot thing.

May I just ask, when you press double, do you make two drinks with that or just one?

Also when you redial your new beans, what's the most efficient way to do this? I currently grind my coffee, pour a double shot and see how it flows, then if it's too fast/slow, throw away the grinds, adjust the grind level, pour new grinds and go again. I'm guessing that's the only way to do it but I've been wrong before and maybe there's a more bean efficient way!

Thanks so much,

Chris


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Just for comparison my Acme Flat White cups are 150ml. My shot would usually be 15.5g/36g and then 90g milk.


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

@ChrisCohenTV - I'll make you a video today as I'm at home at the start of the christmas break....


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## ChrisCohenTV (Nov 22, 2018)

TobyAnscombe said:


> @ChrisCohenTV - I'll make you a video today as I'm at home at the start of the christmas break....


 Thanks so much. As you might have seen from my other post I'm going to RMA the machine and get a new one tomorrow morning as I'm convinced theres a pressure issue with this one.

Video would be very helpful, thank you!


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

Right then - apologies for being first thing in the morning..

2 videos fo your:






Step 1 - fill the milk jug to just below the spout

Step 2 - while heating the milk, grind a dose. I'm on 27 - this is for beans that are about a week old and roasted probably about 10 days ago (Has-been subscription - highly recommended)

Step 3 - get a cup and zero the scales

Step 4 - brew! (suddenly realised that seeing the timer would be more interesting!) but you can see the pre-infusion and the speed of the brew. 54g out for 30 sec

Step 5 - Add milk, its a damm slight easier with 2 hands!!

Total drink weight is 257g - probably more milky than some people like (you aren't going to get that into a 150ml glass!) but its my first cup of the morning so a gentle wakeup...

HTH and good luck once you get the new machine.. I agree that they are expensive and are limited to what they can do, especially compared to the original Oracle and a separate grinder/maker but it is good enough and most importantly simple enough for MrsToby to make her own drinks and for the kids to make their own hot milk.


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

Oh and this was my coffee for breakfast (well, my coffee for watching She-Ra with daughter#1).


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## ChrisCohenTV (Nov 22, 2018)

TobyAnscombe said:


> Oh and this was my coffee for breakfast (well, my coffee for watching She-Ra with daughter#1).


 This us all brilliantly helpful. Thank you! I got my new machine today and there was definitely a fault with the other one. Have set it to 29 grind and the coffee is perfect.

Since watching your videos I've setup a 30 second shot timer based on a flat white as you suggested. I'll give it a whirl in the morning (I've had way too much coffee today!). So glad I went ahead with the RMA, the difference is night and day. I knew I wasn't losing the plot!

Will report back tomorrow morning. Thanks again, all very much appreciated!


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## TobyAnscombe (Sep 28, 2014)

Glad it's worked out - they really are good machines if you don't want to 'play' with every possible variable. Let me know how you get on as I can always learn more...


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