# Barista Express fresh beans | high pressure



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

While i was experimenting with different supermarket beans, on a few occasions i found this brand with roasting date less than 1 month and that gave me the best results so far https://www.hema.nl/eten-drinken/koffie/koffiebonen/koffiebonen-espresso---1000-gram-17160003.html

But a few days ago i decided to try some fresh beans (6 days old roasted) from a local roaster, however the results were not as i expected... the pressure gauge jumped in the upper gray area. I started with 16g, double basket, default 50-60ml output, setting no. 8, inner burr default on 6, which was a totally chocked shot. Then i gradually increased the grind setting to 9 then 10 with some sort of slow output and the needle in the same gray area.

Today I used no. 11 and still was on the gray side but the shot was sour and undefined, 27 seconds output including pre-infusion.


----------



## Dalerst (Jan 22, 2020)

tonezone6 said:


> While i was experimenting with different supermarket beans, on a few occasions i found this brand with roasting date less than 1 month and that gave me the best results so far https://www.hema.nl/eten-drinken/koffie/koffiebonen/koffiebonen-espresso---1000-gram-17160003.html
> 
> But a few days ago i decided to try some fresh beans (6 days old roasted) from a local roaster, however the results were not as i expected... the pressure gauge jumped in the upper gray area. I started with 16g, double basket, default 50-60ml output, setting no. 8, inner burr default on 6, which was a totally chocked shot. Then i gradually increased the grind setting to 9 then 10 with some sort of slow output and the needle in the same gray area.
> 
> ...


 What was you final output of coffee after 27 seconds? I.e coffee weight in you cup. If the beans are roaster very frequently less than 1 week, you may fine they need to rest for a few more days.

I wouldn't worry to much about where the needle gose, just concentrate on the taste. There isnt really a default 50-60ml setting with these machine, it runs on time and not output of coffee/water, so for instance if you chock it you will get a lot less coffee as it will still run to the same time 27s ish, as it would if you ran it with no coffee grinds in the portafilter.


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

Dalerst said:


> Thanks. I'll be back with measurements.


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

Ok, so...

- I stepped back from 11 to 9

- 15.5g in the double basket

- manual mode, 10s pre-infusion

- it took 41s to get 48ml, so 31s without pre-infusion

- the result was on the bitter side (not too exaggerated), with a dense foam in the middle instead of the nice & uniform foam


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

tonezone6 said:


> Ok, so...
> 
> - I stepped back from 11 to 9
> 
> ...


 What beans? 
Week old beans will still kick out a tonne of CO2, especially if they are on the lighter side. 
Leave them another week and try again I would.


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

TomHughes said:


> What beans?
> Week old beans will still kick out a tonne of CO2, especially if they are on the lighter side.
> Leave them another week and try again I would.


 "Our blend (100% Arabica) is a bit more welcoming when it comes to taste. A South American blend of unwashed coffee from the South of Brazil and washed coffee from the Andes mountains of Peru."

https://www.wakuli.com/en

Roasted about 8 days ago.


----------



## Dalerst (Jan 22, 2020)

tonezone6 said:


> Ok, so...
> 
> - I stepped back from 11 to 9
> 
> ...


 You dont seem a million miles off, try increasing the grint up to 11 - 12 and see what happens, at this stage it now more down to your taste and not much else. You could leave the beans a few days longer and see what happens.

Aim to get the extraction down to around 30 seconds which increased grind size will help. People have very different options on how much coffee you should extract over what time. If you like what your getting thats all that matter. For instance on my current bean im working on 16.5g in with 40g out over 30 seconds, some would say thats to fast other say to slow, but at the end of the day, ive played around with different settings and this is how i find the best taste from the beans.

Just have fun and keep playing around with small changes in grind setting and quantity in the portafilter, you will get it right in the end. 👍🏻


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

Dalerst said:


> Just have fun and keep playing around with small changes in grind setting and quantity in the portafilter, you will get it right in the end. 👍🏻


 There is nothing left than experimentation so i'll do that  10x


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

Getting closer. The taste improved, not bitter, not sour and uniform foam. But what's with the pressure gauge then? It looks like I have a very small window for the 'correct' extraction (the one marked orange in the image). Or it has something to do with the OPV valve setup which is possibly screwed up too much and is limiting the output?


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

tonezone6 said:


> Getting closer. The taste improved, not bitter, not sour and uniform foam. But what's with the pressure gauge then? It looks like I have a very small window for the 'correct' extraction (the one marked orange in the image). Or it has something to do with the OPV valve setup which is possibly screwed up too much and is limiting the output?


 Ignore the pressure gauge. Some of them seem to work well, others are stickers.

Go on time, taste, weight


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

TomHughes said:


> Ignore the pressure gauge. Some of them seem to work well, others are stickers.
> 
> Go on time, taste, weight


 I'm asking because i'm still covered by warranty.


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

tonezone6 said:


> I'm asking because i'm still covered by warranty.


 Maybe worth speaking to them then? Have you descaled it often and kept it in good shape?


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

TomHughes said:


> Maybe worth speaking to them then? Have you descaled it often and kept it in good shape?


 Yes. Cleaning, descaling (also the water is not that hard here), changed water filter.


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

TomHughes said:


> Ignore the pressure gauge. Some of them seem to work well, others are stickers.
> 
> Go on time, taste, weight


 Tried some supermarket(s) brands but the best results for extracting are using fresh beans from local roasters.

One problem though... while I'm ignoring the pressure gauge, it's ok to have the extraction on the edge?

Like 0.2 - 0.5g from total choke? On the other side the extraction is too fast.


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

tonezone6 said:


> Tried some supermarket(s) brands but the best results for extracting are using fresh beans from local roasters.
> 
> One problem though... while I'm ignoring the pressure gauge, it's ok to have the extraction on the edge?
> 
> Like 0.2 - 0.5g from total choke? On the other side the extraction is too fast.


 What you described did you need the pressure gauge? Choking pressure too high, fast extraction pressure too low. 
The pressure gauge isn't offering any new information it's just a distraction.


----------



## tonezone6 (Jan 19, 2020)

TomHughes said:


> What you described did you need the pressure gauge? Choking pressure too high, fast extraction pressure too low.
> The pressure gauge isn't offering any new information it's just a distraction.


 I don't use the pressure gauge anymore.

Just asking if it's normal to have such a small gap between normal (let's say 45sec./50ml) and over pressure/choking.


----------



## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)

tonezone6 said:


> I don't use the pressure gauge anymore.
> 
> Just asking if it's normal to have such a small gap between normal (let's say 45sec./50ml) and over pressure/choking.


 It's normal for BE pressure to be there trust me! I've owned for a year now, always ends up there


----------

