# Back with a renewed optimism



## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

Hi folks

well as some of you know I posted on another thread on here last night asking for tips to avoid the bitterness in taste I was getting on my first attempt

granted I was using supermarket rubbish and went today to an old fashioned shop right on my doorstep. http://www.godfreycwilliams.co.uk/tea-coffee

they sell all kinds of artisan foods, teas and coffee, and roast on site

so got a pack of blended beans medium taste, then went to waitrose and got full fat milk and their essentials water

used this time a single shot basket for my standard mug and stopped the extraction after 18 seconds

voila!!! No more bitterness, much better creme and tastes almost there but could tbh do with being a little stronger in taste, just need to experiment now but at least I have a good starting point now









very happy now and certainly thanks to your advice

cheers

CM


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Did you weigh the coffee into your basket and the coffee into your cup?

18 seconds is quite short so guessing it poured fast?


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

froggystyle said:


> Did you weigh the coffee into your basket and the coffee into your cup?
> 
> 18 seconds is quite short so guessing it poured fast?


No Mr Lazaroo  but I have some scales on the way from Ebay

i just followed instructions and filled basket and levelled off with Razor which leaves a suitable gap from top of basket

Pardon my newcommer ignorance but is there another method I should use?

I


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Currymonster said:


> i just followed instructions and filled basket and levelled off with Razor which leaves a suitable gap from top of basket
> 
> Pardon my newcommer ignorance but is there another method I should use?
> 
> I


no mention of tamping.

did you or didnt you tamp?


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> no mention of tamping.
> 
> did you or didnt you tamp?


Good question, I'd have taken it for granted but it's always good to check...


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Currymonster said:


> No Mr Lazaroo  but I have some scales on the way from Ebay
> 
> i just followed instructions and filled basket and levelled off with Razor which leaves a suitable gap from top of basket
> 
> ...


You need to weigh the ground beans that you put into the portafilter. the razor is not really accurate enough for round these parts 

Have you read this? http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?22879-Beginners-Reading-Weighing-Espresso-Brew-Ratios if not do that next


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

jlarkin said:


> You need to weigh the ground beans that you put into the portafilter. the razor is not really accurate enough for round these parts
> 
> Have you read this? http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?22879-Beginners-Reading-Weighing-Espresso-Brew-Ratios if not do that next


oh ok will do


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Soooo. About the tamping? Bated breath here!


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> no mention of tamping.
> 
> did you or didnt you tamp?


oh yes of course but thanks for checking 20 pounds of pressure


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Currymonster said:


> used this time a single shot basket for my standard mug and stopped the extraction after 18 seconds
> 
> voila!!! No more bitterness, much better creme and tastes almost there but could tbh do with being a little stronger in taste


It would taste stronger \ more of coffee if you used the double basket.

Not many on here use the single, and take into consideration the usual ratio of 1:2 you are only going to end up with 14g of espresso.

I prefer 1:3, but im in the minority


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> It would taste stronger \ more of coffee if you used the double basket.
> 
> Not many on here use the single, and take into consideration the usual ratio of 1:2 you are only going to end up with 14g of espresso.
> 
> I prefer 1:3, but im in the minority


thanks for the advice

strangely enough i had been using the double basket with my last batch of coffee but tried the single in case that was causing the bitterness

i had also reduced the extraction time from the 30 seconds default to around 18 seconds, i stopped when the liquid turned lightish in colour


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Definitely read that thread. The general rule of thumb is weigh in (dry ground coffee), weigh out (wet sploshy coffee), some say 1.6x, others say 2x and one up there before said 3x. Regardless you can only make adjustments if you know what happened last time.

So for example (used 20g start weight here purely for simple maths) 20g:32g / 20g:40g / 20g:60g.

You're probably missing out on some depth, mouthfeel, flavour with your shorter than ideal extraction time.

(Try the double)


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

This is what I found the fun bit. Hubby asked if it was indoor train spotting, but I have a notebook and record all the details.... I'll then "journal" the best for each bean in a nice book.

I'm saving for a gauge for my grinder from here (when they go back into production), so I can add a number to my grind fineness (well until I replace the burrs!)

I never thought I'd faff this much, but it's actually quicker than making multiple awful coffees!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Currymonster said:


> i stopped when the liquid turned lightish in colour


Blonding, I think the term is blonding



Missy said:


> This is what I found the fun bit. Hubby asked if it was indoor train spotting, but I have a notebook and record all the details.... I'll then "journal" the best for each bean in a nice book.
> 
> I'm saving for a gauge for my grinder from here (when they go back into production), so I can add a number to my grind fineness (well until I replace the burrs!)
> 
> I never thought I'd faff this much, but it's actually quicker than making multiple awful coffees!


I was caught using 2 separate timers during the course of making coffee, it was mentioned I was sucking the fun out of it now, like i wernt before









Not suggesting you are with your journal

No.3 might appeal,, but I like pen and paper too

http://www.cornerofthecafe.com/friday-feature-top-5-coffee-apps-for-iphone/


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Yeah I'm going to stick yo paper. As far as hubby is concerned coffee&fun don't fit in the same sentence.


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

Missy said:


> This is what I found the fun bit. Hubby asked if it was indoor train spotting, but I have a notebook and record all the details.... I'll then "journal" the best for each bean in a nice book.
> 
> I'm saving for a gauge for my grinder from here (when they go back into production), so I can add a number to my grind fineness (well until I replace the burrs!)
> 
> I never thought I'd faff this much, but it's actually quicker than making multiple awful coffees!


sounds like you are really into it.... I go through the same with all of my interests..... You should see what Photography does to you  it gave me trainspotter tendencies


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## Currymonster (Apr 3, 2016)

Missy said:


> Yeah I'm going to stick yo paper. As far as hubby is concerned coffee&fun don't fit in the same sentence.


and my wife cant understand my interest she does it for a living in s department store restaurant using some big fancy very expensive machine she says smell of coffee reminds her of work


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Currymonster said:


> sounds like you are really into it.... I go through the same with all of my interests..... You should see what Photography does to you  it gave me trainspotter tendencies


I have no ability to frame a shot etc. My sense of colour and stuff is dreadful. I'm not an aesthetically astute sort of person. I am wildly obsessive about stuff.


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