# classic, bottomless portafilter, spraying, spritzing



## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

Evening chaps,

I could do with a bit of advice.

Got a classic paired with a Super Jolly. After a good few months with the grinder, my shots are OK. If I'm being critical they are a tad sour.

In my infinite wisdom, I have got myself a bottomless portafilter, to see if this helps... hmmm

Now I see to have other problems. I'm getting spraying from the basket [standard gaggia double]. Reading the forum it seems to be channeling.

Also the crema's are nicely dark, but have a few big bubbles in. I never got this with the standard basket and twin spout.

I can't get the rat's tail, more like a rat's ass hole! I get 2 or 4 streams, and a kind of a dead spot in the centre.

If channeling is the issue, is there anything I can do to stop it?

I'm tempted to try a VST, but will be disappointed if it's not the problem... I suspect it's my technique.

I have scales, and I'm getting 18g in and around 36g out, trying to aim for around 25 seconds.

Coffee this week is Rave's Suarez.

Tamper is Knock Heft.

Cheers


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

Dead spot in the centre is usually due to over dosing (too much coffee in the basket). I think the stock Gaggia baskets are designed for a traditional double, i.e. 14g. So you could down dose to there or get a VST which is worth it for consistency.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Have you tried stirring it around with a straightened paper-clip? I've found a double basket in the naked works OK, whereas a triple spritzes a bit, saying that I got a bit of channelling earlier.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Superjolly with a doser > should do a good enough job without WDT. Are you thwacking alot ?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Second forzajuve, try dropping your dose to 16grams


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

I'm finding 16g in a Classic double fills it before tamping, I use 18g in a triple.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Try dosing 16g with a standard. If it's still happening post a video oh the shot prep (from grinding beans to pulling the shot and see if there's anything that we can pick up.

My first shots with a bottomless PF were horrendous. It's where I leaned I was going wrong.


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

Will try tomorrow, thanks for the replies.

I'm wondering If I'm using a triple basket, it's ridge-less, for some reason I have four different sizes!

Grinder has the doser removed, so I'm grinding into a tub, then spooning it out... is this wrong.

How do you guys go with grind retention in the throat of the grinder, when using the doser?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

wilse said:


> Will try tomorrow, thanks for the replies.
> 
> I'm wondering If I'm using a triple basket, it's ridge-less, for some reason I have four different sizes!
> 
> ...


If you don't have the doser then WDT might help too

If a double basket i'd go down to 16g ish


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

OK, I'd never heard of WDT, will check it out, and report back tomorrow.

I think I have been using a commercial triple, it looks too large for a double.


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

Neither had I or the abbreviation of, so as with most abbreviations on here looked it up and found this.....

I'm wetting myself at the mess and it may not be a good example (wouldn't know it might be a brilliant one) but I'm still laughing.


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

"Take your disection needle or bamboo skewer"

Hahaha I think I am in love with her.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

wilse said:


> OK, I'd never heard of WDT, will check it out, and report back tomorrow.
> 
> I think I have been using a commercial triple, it looks too large for a double.


Triples are level with the bottom of a naked pf. Doubles sit inside and have a slight angle to them (triples have straight sides, well mine does anyway)


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

...and apparently the thwacking bit doesn't apply to you as you have no doser and it's referring to the pulling of lever on said doser.

I didn't know that either but that makes me a thwacker and you not........

As for the silviaschool video well the Chicago Chop espresso leveling is even more amusing but I couldn't help looking once seeing the WDT one but of no relevance I just couldn't help mentioning it.

More on topic I seem to be getting more spritzers than I did with my recent change to a SJ than I did with either grinder I had before just odd little shooters but I'm usually down to one pour tail pretty quickly even if I get two form at the beginning. It's just the little spritzers seem to be a bit more frequent.

No dry spot in middle though and am generally 18g dosing a ridged double VST basket.


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

Morning all

Just following up on this thread, I thought I would try a different basket I have #3 with 14g.

First shot in 15 seconds, instant rat tail and glass full of crema.

Tightened the grinder a notch and a half and now have to the same dead spot and multi tail/stream, but the time was 27secs. Tamping was same on each.

I think I should go back to basics, but thought I'd seek advise on the baskets first, here's what I have, can anyone shed any light on what I should be putting in and what size they should be!

I have two #5's, hence showing one in situ in PF.

My initial queries are with basket #5 with 18g.


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