# Barista Express Grinder vs Beans



## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

Hi all.

Just like to ask those who've owned or worked with a BE if it's a common for the Grinder not able to grind fine enough. Issue I'am having with a light roast bean from Rave is even at level 1/finest grind level it still shoots through way to fast. I've run the same bean through my Sage Pro grinder and that unit at 12/13 setting has the grind at the right level. So is it just this bean the grinder on the BE does not like and other light/dark roast going to be fine. I've read countless reviews here and else where saying the grinder got the grind right at settings from 11 to 6. Any advice greatly appreciated and the beans are as of today 10 days old, so they were 8 days when I received the new machine


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

What dose are you using ?

What is too fast - how much is coming out ( weight ) in how long


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> What dose are you using ?
> 
> What is too fast - how much is coming out ( weight ) in how long


18-19g dose in. It runs the full 60ml pre set shot and I can tell it's a gusher from it's flying out the spout and it has a very light colour to it and not nice to taste,also the pressure gauge never gets above the pre infuse level . Not gotten a weight scale for the actual shot weight as I've just gotten this machine and my wife think's I've gone mad enough already. Also the weight after grinding is still 18-19g in the basket. Tamp pressure is the same as it's one side I aim to make sure is consistent. The same bean through the Pro grinder at the same weight tamp etc at 13 grind setting and the shot comes out almost spot on. I've had the grinder on the BE down to 1 but it still makes very little difference. I'am starting to think there's a issue with the Burrs as from what I find via Web is most people can set they grinder between 11 to 6 and their shots come out fine. Going to look into this a bit more.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Blimey that's a long shot 18>60. Is it really set up that way?

I've also read reviews saying the grinder on the BE can grind plenty fine enough.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

frothycoffeeman said:


> 18-19g dose in. It runs the full 60ml pre set shot and I can tell it's a gusher from it's flying out the spout and it has a very light colour to it and not nice to taste,also the pressure gauge never gets above the pre infuse level . Not gotten a weight scale for the actual shot weight as I've just gotten this machine and my wife think's I've gone made enough already. Also the weight after grinding is still 18-19g in the basket. Tamp pressure is the same as it's one side I aim to make sure is consistent. The same bean through the Pro grinder at the same weight tamp etc at 13 grind setting and the shot comes out almost spot on. I've had the grinder on the BE down to 1 but it still makes very little difference. I'am starting to think there's a issue with the Burrs as from what I find via Web is most people can set they grinder between 11 to 6 and their shots come out fine. Going to look into this a bit more.


Sorry, just out of interest how do you know the dose if you haven't got scales or is it just that they don't fit under the portafilter? You don't have to go mad for expensive scales - you can just get cheap jewellery scales of eBay and as long as they can go up to the weight of the cups, then you'll be fine.


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

jlarkin said:


> Sorry, just out of interest how do you know the dose if you haven't got scales or is it just that they don't fit under the portafilter? You don't have to go mad for expensive scales - you can just get cheap jewellery scales of eBay and as long as they can go up to the weight of the cups, then you'll be fine.


Yup the scales I use won't fit under the PF with a cup/shot glass. Looking into a small scale set that'll sit undress the machine with a low profile. I measured oit 18 g if beans the re took the weight after grinding. Again 18g and atm I'am not tweaking anything on the machine, just getting to grasps with it.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

One grinder is shimmed the other isn't ?


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> One grinder is shimmed the other isn't ?


My other grinder is a Sage Pro so I thought the results would be very similar. Kinda a selling point to the Wife as I loose the current machine and grinder and use the BE until funds and the urge to upgrade happen. Took the top Burr off gave the lower Burr a check over just incase something was not locked down or loose. Going to wait till later this evening as even part tasting more than my fair share of espresso taking its toll atm.


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

risky said:


> Blimey that's a long shot 18>60. Is it really set up that way?
> 
> I've also read reviews saying the grinder on the BE can grind plenty fine enough.


I have not played the the water volume yet and yes it appears to be the pre set volume for a double shot. It stops bang on the top of my glass which is prob too much but again kinda distracted and seeing I got a week off work the wife had my week pre planned, so I've not been allowed any sit down time other than the time I decide I need a coffee break. Will get around to adjusting the Volume with a measured shot glass over the weekend or tomorrow if my wife takes her dad out for a few hours.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

It sounds like your single dosing (weighing the beans and putting just those through the grinder?) which may not help with consistency, most grinders will benefit from having either a weight of beans or some sort of weight pushing the beans in to the burrs. This may be adversely affecting the shot more from the BE grinder than the Sage Pro? Sorry if I've misconstrued what you're saying about the weighing...


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

jlarkin said:


> It sounds like your single dosing (weighing the beans and putting just those through the grinder?) which may not help with consistency, most grinders will benefit from having either a weight of beans or some sort of weight pushing the beans in to the burrs. This may be adversely affecting the shot more from the BE grinder than the Sage Pro? Sorry if I've misconstrued what you're saying about the weighing...


Yup that's what I'am doing atm, will try loading up the hopper on my next go on the machine.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

frothycoffeeman said:


> I have not played the the water volume yet and yes it appears to be the pre set volume for a double shot. It stops bang on the top of my glass which is prob too much but again kinda distracted and seeing I got a week off work the wife had my week pre planned, so I've not been allowed any sit down time other than the time I decide I need a coffee break. Will get around to adjusting the Volume with a measured shot glass over the weekend or tomorrow if my wife takes her dad out for a few hours.


This is getting away from your original query but you want to be adjusting the volume dispensed by measuring the weight of the beverage in the cup, with scales. Measured shot glasses are not a reliable way to measure coffee and you will see everyone on here taking about espresso recipes in terms of weight. I.e. 18>36>30 meaning 18g of coffee producing a 36g drink in 30 seconds.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I bet one grinder is pre shimmed and one isnt . The pro is meant to have a bigger adjustment range on it too?

[video=youtube;zoi-pJNG5RI]






Pro has different setting for fineness that can ge to to ?

Be the ine in the BE doesnt


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> I bet one grinder is pre shimmed and one isnt . The pro is meant to have a bigger adjustment range on it too?
> 
> [video=youtube;zoi-pJNG5RI]


Pro has 30 settings in the Espresso range of it's settings. I'll give the BE another go with a fully loaded hopper and see if that changes anything. If not the Wife not going to over happy with the Pro staying lol, as she was seeing it going and getting some worktop space back. But seeing the BE from Lakeland if push comes to shove I'am toying with a refund and getting a DTP. Yes I loose some of the extra's of the BE and the main one being able to adjust the PID temp. But if it means the Pro going to be a more consistent grinder vs the one on the BE kinda defeats the purpose of getting it(space saving). It's that or it's another favour I owe the wife in her little black book if I keep the Pro.


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

risky said:


> This is getting away from your original query but you want to be adjusting the volume dispensed by measuring the weight of the beverage in the cup, with scales. Measured shot glasses are not a reliable way to measure coffee and you will see everyone on here taking about espresso recipes in terms of weight. I.e. 18>36>30 meaning 18g of coffee producing a 36g drink in 30 seconds.


 Yes I have picked that up from here and from watching SCG. Even my measured shot glass does state +/- 2 ml for accuracy. Looking into a small profile scale set for sitting under a shot glass/cup.


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## frothycoffeeman (Oct 10, 2015)

Hi again.

Looking at a set of low profile scales for the measurement of the espresso leaving the PF and just after I finish this I will try and reset the double shot water volume going by the brew ratio of 1:2. Not sure if the current kitchen scales are going to a) fit under the PF ok and b) not lag too much behind the shot. Cannot test the loaded hopper theory atm as I've gone through way to much of my current batch from Rave and it will be sometime next week before the new order arrives. The only other way is to buy some beans from the local shops or nab some from the coffee shop in Halesworth. Both are going to be hanus vs fresh roasted but at least I can try and test to see if loading the hopper helps and to also see if there's a noticeable change in grind size/feel. Has been suggested from another source the burrs might not be adjusting(joy).


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