# VST basket dilemma



## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Hi all,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma about VST baskets - so I'm currently dosing 20g into a 22g VST, and I suspect this *may* be the cause of some of my more ... vigorous pours, however I am concerned that if I go to 20g in 20g VST, then I will suffer from lack of headroom (stock screen, Vesuvius), which is obviously potentially worse than too much headroom.

If only they did a 21! I'm not overly keen on lowering my dose, as I like the flavours (when I get a decent pour







) I suppose that I could get a 20g and try it out, but would rather not spend the money if I'm not going to use it.

What does the hive mind think?


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Try 21g in the 22g VST and adjust the rest to suit?


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

UbiquitousPhoton said:


> so I'm currently dosing 20g into a 22g VST, and I suspect this *may* be the cause of some of my more ... vigorous pours, however I am concerned that if I go to 20g in 20g VST, then I will suffer from lack of headroom (stock screen, Vesuvius), which is obviously potentially worse than too much headroom.


IF you put 22gs in the 22g VST you already own what is the headroom like ? Forget the taste, just the headroom.

I would then gauge that as to whether or not the 20g VST would have enough headroom for 20gs in it on your stock screen vesuvius.

They're meant to be able to take a tolerance of 1g either way, so cant see there should be a problem with the 20g VST. and can only imagine a 20g VST would be better suited to holding 20gs than a 22g VST

for the record I have a 15g VST and can get 16gs in it of most coffee,but average 15.5 gs for taste, some beans take up more room than others


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

the EK makes the grinds fluffier so it tends to fill the basket more.

not sure what other EK users are dosing into their 20g VST and 22g VSTs?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

U P I think you are clutching at straws, the volume from a given weight of beans can vary considerably with type of bean, age. and the atmosphere also

the uniformity of grounds.

As others have mentioned try the 22 gm basket.head clearance. Also review your preparation


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Phobic said:


> the EK makes the grinds fluffier so it tends to fill the basket more.


Surely thats academic.

Once tamped doesnt matter how much fluffier the grinds were beforehand ?


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

For what it's worth, I tend to dose 18.5g into a 18g VST, with an EK and new coffee burrs paired with a Sage DB.


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Surely thats academic.
> 
> Once tamped doesnt matter how much fluffier the grinds were beforehand ?


my thought process for mentioning it was that fluffier = more surface area & swelling with water. I thought I'd noticed that the puck is pushing up to the SS more with the EK than it was with the HG-1.

Don't think I'm imagining things or miss-remembering, do others notice this too?


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

I probably am overthinking things somewhat, but then with this level of gear it is a tendency









I would note that my pucks are not soggy at all, and always come out cleanly. There is usually a little water sat on top when I remove the portafilter, but I am lead to believe this is normal. It comes to mind because I have recently switched to Foundry's new Moata (which is pretty good so far) and am currently suffering from a slight case of the gushers. I think it might need a little longer sitting time as well, mind.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

20 gram dose seems large to me


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Phobic said:


> the EK makes the grinds fluffier so it tends to fill the basket more.
> 
> not sure what other EK users are dosing into their 20g VST and 22g VSTs?


I dose 20g into an 18g VST from an EK with no problems at all.

As for 'headroom', that's all a faux science. The only thing 'headroom' does is give you more room for channelling.

Dose to within a gram of your baskets rating and adjust your ratio accordingly. There's a reason they are rated that way.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Not so sure about 'faux science' - there needs to be sufficient space to allow the puck to swell to ensure efficient extraction.


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

Scotford said:


> I dose 20g into an 18g VST from an EK with no problems at all.
> 
> As for 'headroom', that's all a faux science. The only thing 'headroom' does is give you more room for channelling.
> 
> Dose to within a gram of your baskets rating and adjust your ratio accordingly. There's a reason they are rated that way.


I'm impressed you can get 20g into and 18 basket with an EK, I sometimes struggle with 20g into a 20 due to the volume of grinds the EK produces.


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Ordered a 20g VST, we will see how we get on







If we don't, could be a bonanza for someone...


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Hm. Well, didn't get a much better pour with a 20g Vst, and there definitely isn't enough room for a penny above the spent puck. Will persevere though.


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

I don't think it's necessarily a problem that you don't have much, if any, head room over the puck, use the right VST for the dose you're using.

maybe you want to explore a bit more what's going on to cause the gushers and/or vigorous pours you've mentioned, could be any number of things. Personally I tend to get them more if I tamp too lightly.

are you getting them all the time? what beans, grind setting are you using, how old are the beans, what techniques are you using?


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Beans are two weeks old foundry moata, I'm grinding into a jug, then going through a sifter into the pf.

and my pours are WAY better with the 22, so much so I'm going back to it. They could occasionally be 'vigorous' with the 22, but with the 20 it's a case of complete meltdown.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Phobic said:


> I'm impressed you can get 20g into and 18 basket with an EK, I sometimes struggle with 20g into a 20 due to the volume of grinds the EK produces.


Grind finer


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