# Coffee loading vst



## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

Hi all

Hope your all well

Im new to this forum in the search to hone my espresso making consistency.

I've been making espresso for 6-7 years and slowly improving my setup and technique to produce some really nice coffees.

I started on a basic krups machine with pre ground coffee for 2 years, I then upgraded to a Gaggia classic for 3 years with a cuisinart grinder which I really enjoyed. For the past 2 years I've been on my Lelit Mara with a Eureka Mignon grinder.

I'm getting results out of this setup which consistently beat any of the high street chains and I occasionally get some exceptional coffee to rival the best I've tasted, but these are the exception not the rule! So recently I have been paying attention to timings and weights in Hope I can replicate these desirable results.

I have been using the standard lelit baskets (mostly the double), and filling it to the top, which turns out to be about 25g of coffee. 
Extraction tends to be about 15-20 seconds and I stop the extraction at 50-60ml. I don't really play about with the grind settings and the coffee is good. When I use the single basket I tend to put in 16-17g of coffee and get 25-30ml, this is quite often a much quicker pour and the coffee isn't as good. Recently I have played with a 10 second pre infuse from the e61 head which has had encouraging results.

I have just purchased a 18g vst basket and an ims shower screen. The results are fantastic so far with a good improvement on my first 3 drinks from it.

I was intending this 18g vst to replace my single basket but when I put 18g in it, there was loads of space at the top and the puck was soggy on top after a really quick extract of about 5-6 seconds. Aas the basket is about the same size as my double I popped in 25g which just fit and had great results, I dialled down the grind and had an extract of 30 seconds for 50ml

My wonder now is that I seem to be using much more coffee in the basket than it is designed for but if I use the right amount I get a half soggy puck, which I see as being wrong. What kind of dose are you generally using in a vst? And can you run me through work flow with pre infuse and timings

thanks in advance

pete


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Hi @Pete10uk - welcome. With the VST 18g you should dose between 17g and 19g depending on the coffee. They are finicky, and basket prep is important. So, grind 18g, WDT (stir the grinds well), tamp and pull. Follow that process, and adjust the grind so you have an extraction time of about 35 seconds to start with.

don't worry about the puddle. If you remove the PF and let it drain, it will take no time. It drains really quickly. It's also coffee dependent. Some coffees are more permeable than others.

Let's us know how you get on.


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## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

Thanks @MediumRoastSteam

how much should I pull from 18g to start with? I guess the extra space is good to stir the grinds, as the grinder does clump a fair bit and I've found with a full basket that can be messy.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Pete10uk said:


> Thanks @MediumRoastSteam
> 
> how much should I pull from 18g to start with? I guess the extra space is good to stir the grinds, as the grinder does clump a fair bit and I've found with a full basket that can be messy.


 18g in, 36g out to start with. You could get yourself a portafilter ring to aid in that, or make one out of an yogurt pot.


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## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

@MediumRoastSteam

thanks for your advice on this. Today I've had some great coffees. I think the issue I had yesterday was not tamping hard enough.

With the standard basket I was dosing 25g as that's what fit in, if I tampered to much the flow was blocked, with 18g in the vst it was just flowing through too fast.
Today i've been using the vst with 18g in and 36g out, extracted in and out 30 seconds and it is beautiful. Made the mistake of changing to the vst using a new coffee, so it will be interesting to see the difference in my usual bean.

thanks again

pete.


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