# A noob's Q ref beans



## DeanoDN (Sep 23, 2014)

Hello all

I've finally used up the packs of the "L" word I got with my first ever coffee machine (DeLonghi EC155) so I've moved onto the next level for a noob. I popped into my local Booths today and used their Maklkonig grinder. I purchased two bags of beans checking that they'd been roasted recently. I bought their Monsoon Malabar Indian beans and some Kenyan beans. I ground them both on the espresso setting but when I got home and tried them they were night and day in difference. The stornger Malabar beans had a decent crema and a nice strong flavour but the Kenyan ( only one grade less in strength according to the bag) has virtually no crema and was very brown in colour with little taste. I tried a tighter tamper but still it was very "wishy washy". So my Q is, am I doing something wrong or do some beans just not produce crema? I realise my set up (and Q for that matter) is very much newbie but I thought I'd ask you gurus for tips.

thanks in advance.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Kenyan is probably a much denser bean & harder to extract at the same grind setting compared to MM. If you can get it into the zone, you might find you have to run much more water through the puck, don't expect to get the same sized drink from both beans until you get your own grinder (hint, hint).


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Booths beans in my experience aren't very good , better than a lot of supermarket beans but not great .

As mark says put more water thorough also .


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

In my experience (as a regular MM drinker) you have to grind Malabar finer than most other beans to get the best out of it. Kenyan ---I've no idea.

Ian


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## DeanoDN (Sep 23, 2014)

Thanks guys. Sorry for being a thicko but when you say put more water through? I tried running the machine for longer if that's what you mean but it just comes out like dishwater after the initial run.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Normally, you'd fine up the grind to increase the concentration, but you can't do that with preground. So you are stuck (at my best guess) with thin, underdeveloped espresso from the Kenyan (at the same shot weight as MM)...you could try pulling shorter (less water) to up the concentration but this won't help flavour development (you might still hit something you like, so do try it). To develop the flavour as far as possible you are invetably looking at a less concentrated drink, perhaps more midway between espresso & brewed coffee concentration.


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## DeanoDN (Sep 23, 2014)

Thats's hit the nail on the head with the flavour. Not quite espresso but more than a brewed coffee. It's a learning curve and I'm enjoying it so it's all good.


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## rmblack78 (Oct 9, 2014)

Would tamping harder make any difference in this scenario? (Noob question)


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Tamping harder might slow down the pour a bit (assuming grind isn't that much too coarse) which might reduce bitterness but isn't likely to get much more in the way of crema or mouthfeel, at a guess. I think the problem is that the shop grinder is not set fine enough for espresso, especially MM which I believe needs an even finer grind them Kenyan. Odd that it's the Kenyan that the OP finds the thinnest, but that may be down to the taste of monsooned malabar being bolder than the Kenyan in this instance?


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## Kman10 (Sep 3, 2014)

Get yourself a hario hand grinder, more than good enough for a delonghi for me, can easily choke it so gives you the chance to go finer or courser as needed


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

If your delonghi fitted with a pressurised pf or basket?


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## DeanoDN (Sep 23, 2014)

Again apologies for the noob knowledge but it does have a valve of sorts under the pf.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Likely to be pressurised then, to produce lots of crema. Not good for getting the best extraction though.


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## DeanoDN (Sep 23, 2014)

Can anyone recommend a supplier of normal pf? I don't mind having a play about.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Think you're stuck, sadly. Checking DeLonghi's catalogue, they don't list a non-pressurised basket. But check this out:

http://www.espressochronicles.com/equipment/espresso-machine/delonghi-ec155/


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Did you see the clip of the shot pulled . Lungo ....


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

DeanoDN said:


> Can anyone recommend a supplier of normal pf? I don't mind having a play about.


http://www.buyspares.co.uk/product.pl?pid=1742107

To be perfectly honest:

If you dont have a decent grinder there is no point buying a standard basket, as it will be harder to make coffee with it. The pressurised compensates for incorrect grind and stale coffee (to an extent).

It's not worth throwing a lot of money at modding a Delonghi, they're not very good or temperature stable. You'd be better off playing around with it and learning and then if you decide you want to improve on your espresso investing in a Gaggia Classic and decent grinder.

You could always look at investing in an aeropress and porlex hand grinder instead, cheap setup and makes good coffee when paired with freshly roasted beans.


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