# Levelling Up!



## gazbea (Jul 11, 2011)

Wow! What an improvement! Just had the best double shot that I've had in a long time! Literally 10 minutes ago.

Using the El Salvador Finca San Jose Red Bourbon 2011 (I see that they have now gone from Hasbean!







). Got so much from it. Initial taste was plenty of acidity with cherry poking it's nose in every now and again. After 10 minutes, the aftertaste... Yummy! Getting dark chocolate (70% cocoa) all over the palate touches of caramel/treacle but even a slight hint of golden syrup (kinda of like home cooked flapjack without all of the crappy additives). Really bizarre! Maybe it's just me with these flavours.

Was having quite a few symptoms with my shots as of late and it was really beginning to frustrate me. Haven't had much time to play though with the new job and getting used to shift patterns.After a break from the Espresso machine for about a fortnight, I thought I'd have a few minutes today and boy was it worth the wait!

The symptoms were:


Highly sour or really bitter

Random sprites of water bursting through (always seemed to be the same side

Puck appeared OK but always appeared a little darker to one side

Really fast or really slow extract

Bottomless portafilter always had multiple (2 or 3) points of drainage


After the break the differences I made to my technique were (highlighted in red


Halfway through the grind, thwack the portafilter to level out a bit


At the top of the PF a bit of WDT


Using a wooden skewer get the retained grinds out of the grinder and in to the PF (used to do steps 2 and 3 at the same time)

Further WDT


Level off using the side of the Gaggia Classic plastic spoon (nice straight sides) (used to use wooden skewer)


Tamp with about 20lbs of pressure


NESW to get grinds off the side (steps 6 and 7 used to consist of - light tamp, NESW, hard tamp, dispose of grinds on side of PF)

Pull shot as you normally would with the Classic (I.E. Empty boiler, light goes off, light on, pull shot)


25 seconds later a fantastic shot and plenty of crema.

However, I don't think that it was my just technique that resolved many of my issues. I believe it was my set up. If you look back at my symptoms you can see some coincidences.

Puck darker on one side, PF used to have multiple exit points, really sour or bitter, fast or slow extract, random sprites, usually from the one side. It had been wrecking my brain as to why this was happening.

I had to think laterally about what could cause problems like these. The only conclusion I could come up with was lots of water on one side.

I put a mug underneath the group head without a PF in place. Switched the machine on to flush water through. Bang! There it was... Water kept leaning towards the front right side of the machine.

Again, back to my symptoms.


Darker on one side - more water on one side.

PF multiple exit points - the water was being pushed through the puck at multiple points as it was running from one side of the PF to the other.

Really sour or bitter - under or over extraction depending on my distribution of the grinds at the front-right of the machine.

Random sprites mainly from one side - more water on one side being pushed through so would find path of least resistance.


Now, what would cause it to want to run to the one side of my machine. Out came my lined shot glass, filled it with water to the line, placed on top of my machine. The machine was not level at all! Raised the machine by about 1cm for it to become level.

Got something underneath. Prepared the shot as discussed in the new technique described above and bingo. All of the changes have complimented each other so well and gave great results!

My recommedation to everybody... Get your spirit level out! Especially if you are having poor results. IF you aren't then you may not want to move the machine!







Lol

Apologies for the really long post!







Haha


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Excellent stuff! How are you coping on shifts?

I'm pretty happy with my technique but I still get less than perfect pours on naked PF.

Small 'dead spots'. I'm doing a lot of WDT but no benefit.

Recently started to experiment with pre-infusing by opening steam valve, pressing brew switch, closing steam valve and allowing extraction to begin.

Has been working an absolute treat. Definitely worth an experiment.

I think these single boiler Gaggias with naked PF are really good at exposing the flaws in technique so by the time we come to upgrade (you know its inevitable), we are ready.

Now just waiting for pay day


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## gazbea (Jul 11, 2011)

Coping pretty well on the shifts. Enjoyed the night shift surprisingly! Went really quick and enjoyed the long weekend leading in to it! Lol

I've found that less WDT is more. Slowly and smoothly has worked nicely to ensure I'm getting coffee in to all gaps. Unfortunately I've lost my last piece of bamboo skewer so had to use a fondue fork earlier! Didn't work quite as well! lol

I'd love to upgrade but I think the Mrs would murder me if I spent a grand on a shiny espresso machine! Will just have to make do with a VST basket in a month or two once the shift allowance kicks in to full effect!


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

Shifts.... Killer! I've done them for 8 years, permanently tired now! By the way, good post, will have to try and level mine up and see if it makes a difference!


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