# Over or under extraction on Barista express



## Saz (Oct 26, 2019)

Barista Express newb here. I'm enjoying the machine and the coffee tastes great but...

My pucks are wet - so according to the manual that indicates under extraction, but the coffee doesn't taste weak or thin, and it appears to extract "like warm honey"

And

The pressure dial goes all the way round right to the end of the espresso range - so that indicates over extraction

I'm using fresh beans (200 degrees Brazilian blend on a subscription so only roasted last week) in the double filter with the dose on 4 and the grind size is 5. If I change the dose to 5 the coffee is eyewateringly strong, the amount of coffee that comes out is less and the puck is still wet.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

You should tune for between two and three times the weight of the grinds shot weight coming out in something like 25 to 30sec.

It's possible to get very wet pucks if the fill level in the basket is too low. The razor tool will give you a decent starting grinds weight.

Too light with tamping can also do strange things. If new to tamping it's best to strain a little to keep it constant. Most people I am told can reach 10kg and that is a light tamp.

Sage say get the gauge needle vertical. Depends on beans really. Higher or lower may be needed. Type of beans are also likely to need a change of grinder setting. Sages advice on starting at 8 and probably working down from that is what I usually did with mine and started tasting when the ratio was around 3. Sometimes I would extend the time to circa 35sec.  35secs makes sense in an odd way. 10 secs of preinfusion at reduced water flow rates = 5secs of normal.  In other words if extending time improves taste don't worry about doing it.

If you have the needle going much past the blue sector lots of water gets into the drip tray rather than through the coffee grinds. The best way to get into that region without that happening may need a slight adjustment of the dose of grinds. The machine measures the volume of coffee that flows as well. Off hand I can't remember how the machine is used manually but that is what you should do when tuning

If you don't have scales you will need some. The razor tool and taste of what comes out can also be used but it's easier to weigh what comes out.

If a bean is too strong the single can be used. I'd reckon 9.5 to 10g in that but again check with the razor tool. It is possible to add a bit more to what that leaves on both baskets. By bit more I mean fraction of a gram steps. Usually the puck sticks to the shower screen at some point and a bit more fixes that. Too high and the pucks gets very hard to knock out.

John

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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Puck wetness/dryness & pressure don't give any clues to extraction.

If the coffee is eyewateringly strong, pull more mass of beverage out in the cup, relative to dose. Check both dose in the basket & weight of shot pulled with 0.1g resolution scales.


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## Saz (Oct 26, 2019)

Thanks for your replies - that was really helpful. I tried increasing the grind to 8 plus I picked up a tip elsewhere to tap the basket to settle the coffee and make the puck more even and that seems to work in terms of the pressure staying at about 1 o'clock on the dial. Coffee still tastes OK, but the puck top is still wet. I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for now. I've got a lazy Sunday morning planned so I might tinker with weighing dose and output.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

Don't worry about the pressure gauge going higher than Sage suggest but to save typing again read this on tuning, post #41

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/43843-barista-express-pressure-problem/page/2/?do=embed#comments

What people don't usually realise is that every time they buy and drink a coffee some one will have been through all of the tuning. They may also check the weight of grinds that the grinder is dosing out daily. They probably don't change beans very often either.

John

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