# Please help.



## kypros (Aug 2, 2020)

Hello,

I'm trying to adjust my dose on a vario grinder and a new Isomac tea pid.

I must be doing something wrong as my results I cannot interpret.

17 gr in, if I achieve 9 bars in 25 seconds from first drip, I get 85 gr extraction which tastes bad, I don't have a good tamper, but I do my best with the one the machine came with. If I grind finer to get less volume of extraction in 25 sec., the pressure will jump to 10-11 bars. If I grind coarse to get 9 bars, then I get more extraction volume. What can I do?


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

Ignore the pressure reading and ignore the 25 seconds cutoff you're using. What do you mean by not having a good tamper, is it one of those plastic thingies? If so, throw it away. If it's just a standard 58mm one, great - you don't need a good tamper. Focus on consistent, even, level tamping first.

Why a 17g dose? Does that match the size of the basket you're using? Make sure you're using an appropriate dose.

Stop the shot by weight and not by time. Aim for for a 1:2 ratio to start with, and aim for that extraction to happen something between 25-40 seconds after you start the pump, but stop the extraction when you hit the desired yield (e.g. if 17g 1:2, stop at 34g out).

As for the Vario, is it new, how well is it calibrated? With the ceramic burrs for espresso grinding the burrs should touch at 2:Q. Turn the grinder on and push both the macro and micro adjustments levers all the way to the bottom. The slowly raise them until you hear the burrs start to make a chirpping noise. This should happen around the 2:Q mark, if it doesn't then it's an easy job to recalibrate the grinder.


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## kypros (Aug 2, 2020)

Thank you for your reply, I'll try stopping the extraction at 34 gr out and taste.The vario I have adjusted last night at 2Q. The tamper is a 58mm, plastic one. The good one is still in the mail.

17 gr is the recommended dose and when I tamp, the level is just where the spring of the portafilter is. Right now with the current setting of the vario at 2T the extraction is too fast and at 10 bars.


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## kypros (Aug 2, 2020)

Dear CATPUCCINO, I tried your method and it really works. I still have to experiment a little with the grinder setting,but it's pretty much there.

I enjoyed my 1st cup of cappuccino with the new machine today.Extraction was in 25 sec. for 38 gr of coffee output and the I run out of beans to carry on, but I'm along the right lines. Pressure was about 10 bars.


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## kypros (Aug 2, 2020)

Today I made my first perfect (to me) tasting cappuccino. My latte art needs a lot of honing I have to admit. The puck came out in two pieces and a little wet. Extraction took 30 seconds, at 10 bars on 17 grams of coffee. 34 gr. of pure coffee heaven.


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## kypros (Aug 2, 2020)

More success this morning. What I realize though is the machine takes more than 5 min. to warm up even if the PID shows optimal temperature. I made the first espresso for a friend and his comment was that it was not hot enough. I did run some water through the portafilter before I loaded though. My one was good and so was his second shot.

I've been thinking about getting an Electra a Leva machine for Christmas as the reviewrs are great.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

You should be keeping the P F and basket in the machine to warm up. Unless it is HOT you will have poor / crap coffee


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