# Dialing in



## Michael18 (May 26, 2019)

Hello,

Can someone explain what the term dialing in means?

See it getting used all the time on the forum but I'd never came across until I signed up here.

Thanks

Michael


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## richwade80 (Aug 25, 2017)

It's basically adjusting your coffee grinder settings to get the best results for the type of drink you're making.

I guess it can also relate to dosage... How much coffee you might use... but it's mainly the first bit.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Using a known weight of ground coffee & known weight of brew water, or beverage (for espresso), then adjusting the grind size until the coffee tastes balanced, is of an appropriate strength & reflects the roaster's taste notes.

Usually people quote brew time as well, but it's difficult to nail a taste result purely on time, so focus on grind setting & taste balance (is the coffee very sour/sharp/tart, or is it very bitter/smokey/powdery, or does it taste like nice coffee perhaps with hints of choc/toffee/nut/fruity acidity?).

E.g. You might brew 18g of espresso into 54g of beverage. It might take 15s be weak & somewhat sour. Set the grind finer & try again. Another shot might be 23s, stronger but still sour/sharp, go finer & try again. You might then end up with a 29s shot at a finer grind that is tasty. Go finer again and the shot might take 55s and be dry/powdery...you may have gone too far, so reset the grinder to give a cleaner, more balanced flavour.

Likewise you might brew a pour over with 18g of coffee & 300g brew water, pouring 50g every 30s. If very coarse the brew might take 2:40 and the drink be very weak, unripe. Going finer might lead to a sweeter balanced brew in 3:30 (+/-15s). Going too fine might lead to a dry tasting, silty brew in 5:00. The right grind setting gives the best flavour, the time can wander a little & still be Ok.


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## Michael18 (May 26, 2019)

Thanks for replies


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

It's whatever process you use to adjust the variable used to make a coffee to get to tasty.

It your are making espresso then MWJB's re using weight is the sensibilist approach .


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## Beanbag (Apr 12, 2017)

And then you upgrade your coffee machine and the grinder needs dialling in again, or so it seems for me. Had it nailed, now I am using a different machine the extraction came through almost instantly!


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