# Fresh beans and not so fresh beans



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

Hi,

Im amazed how different the exraction can be.

Supermarket tinned illy I was grinding at setting 9.

Fresh Ancoats and im down to 4 and think I need to head to 3!

Justin


----------



## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

Guessing the Ancoats is considerably lighter roast too which typically requires a finer grind.


----------



## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

As in your grinding finer for fresher beans?

Shouldn't it be the other way around? Older stale beans extract quicker/easier requiring a finer grind?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

All new to me Peginator.

The extraction was pouring liquid the book said go finer?

Cheers

Justin


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

@ThePeginator

i went upto grind 12 deffo poured better despite my instruction book. Got a little bit to much liquid and slight bitterness. Think its still needs slowing a little so will try grind 13 next.

beans were roasted on the 12th so pretty fresh

justin


----------



## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Is a higher number a finer grind on your machine? I am confused


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

It's not just fresh vs stale, supermarket versus artisan. I roast my own beans so I've seen them change. I've got an arc of espresso settings on my la pavoni, (as it's screws down the upper burr to set the grind) let's call it setting 1 at let's say 8oclock (burrs almost touching) to setting 10 (let's say 4 o'clock) if that makes sense. 
today I tried a Costa Rican medium-light roast that at 19g was on about setting 3 when it was fresh. 6 days later having rested it is now setting 8, that is a huge change! 
This is why you can't just use the same settings for the same bean you buy over and over again. It will likely be close but the unfortunate fact is you will likely always have to do a little dialling in.


----------



## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

TomHughes said:


> It's not just fresh vs stale, supermarket versus artisan. I roast my own beans so I've seen them change. I've got an arc of espresso settings on my la pavoni, (as it's screws down the upper burr to set the grind) let's call it setting 1 at let's say 8oclock (burrs almost touching) to setting 10 (let's say 4 o'clock) if that makes sense.
> today I tried a Costa Rican medium-light roast that at 19g was on about setting 3 when it was fresh. 6 days later having rested it is now setting 8, that is a huge change!
> This is why you can't just use the same settings for the same bean you buy over and over again. It will likely be close but the unfortunate fact is you will likely always have to do a little dialling in.


 When beans are so fresh you'll have to grind finer, after resting a few days you'll have to go coarser and then finer again as the beans age.

Different varieties will need different grind settings as well as the usual dark vs light, stale vs fresh.


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

Rob1 said:


> When beans are so fresh you'll have to grind finer, after resting a few days you'll have to go coarser and then finer again as the beans age.
> 
> Different varieties will need different grind settings as well as the usual dark vs light, stale vs fresh.


 Yep thats why its a bit of a moving target at least for the first few days.

I often never get to the aging stage, but I have some medium dark columbian that after a week have already started requiring this.

Interestingly that Costa Rican went from acidic and potentially under-developed to nicely caramel flavoured, especially though 150ml milk in a FW.


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

Thanks everyone ill keep experimenting ill get there at some point.

Justin

Me to

i went upto grind 12 deffo poured better despite my instruction book. Got a little bit to much liquid and slight bitterness. Think its still needs slowing a little so will try grind 13 next.

beans were roasted on the 12th so pretty fresh

justin


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

So the coffee was roasted on the 12th so maybe im not so patient.

I went back to finer took it to grind size 2 best pour if had time and measure. Tasted damded awful. So tried it at grind 3 taste improved but not great.

Like science this lot!

Justin


----------



## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

Justin Fellows said:


> So the coffee was roasted on the 12th so maybe im not so patient.
> 
> I went back to finer took it to grind size 2 best pour if had time and measure. Tasted damded awful. So tried it at grind 3 taste improved but not great.
> 
> ...


 What do you mean best pour "if had time and measure"? What's wrong with the taste? Why change grind?


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

Rob1 said:


> What do you mean best pour "if had time and measure"? What's wrong with the taste? Why change grind?


 Hi,

Best pour as in it was like a watefall at one point and going off what ive watched online. So I changed the grind finer to try and slow it down.

The really bad one i think tasted awful

J


----------



## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

A video of a shot being prep'd and run might be illuminating also showing any info the machine provides if there is any. - edit and it's possible to do that

John

-


----------



## Justin Fellows (Jan 14, 2020)

Day 8 off Fresh Coffee.

Grind setting 4 - 18g

Infusion 7 seconds

Pour start to finish 26 seconds

Was a lot more like my expectations.

All new still learning

J


----------

