# Rookie Recipe Recommendation



## LukeH998 (Apr 24, 2020)

Just a forewarning, this is all very new to me!

Machine: 10+ year old Silvia. Recently cleaned, descaled, new screen and seal. Only have the stock 14g basket.

Grinder: Anfim, possibly a Lusso or Super Lusso. Recently cleaned. Unsure whether burrs are in good condition or not.

Beans: Dusty Ape Silverback Espresso blend. Less than 2 weeks old.

Where I'm at: 13g ground on the finest setting without the burrs touching. Any more and the grounds foul with the screen hex head. Machine left to warm and surfed for temp. 13g in 26g ish out in around 15s or so.

Can't really go any finer, and I'm sure this is a good enough grinder. Is this usual timing for such a dose? I'm guessing a bigger dose would increase the time? I'm planning on getting a bigger basket anyway, but just wondering if I'm on the right lines.

Thanks!


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## espressoSquirrel (Jul 24, 2020)

i must admit for a long time i was ignorant of the basket size i had, I was under the impression it was an 18... and only recently realised it was a 14-16g basket...

I would say i constantly forced 18g in that double basket for more than 10 years in fact. and yes i got a solid impression of the screw on the top, but I wouldn't say it impacted the taste as much as some people think. I was able to get a decent timed shot with it too, and the way i think about it is the showerscreen is dispersing the water over the grounds, but wouldn't be putting water through the centre where the screw is anyway.

Have you tried putting 16-18g in the basket anyway?

but yes you can pick up a rancilio 40-100-103 basket that is 18g for not a lot of money, so thats an easy option, but it might not change the run time too much as i still often have issues with a 21g basket, a careful clean out of the grinder and check the burs might help


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## Doram (Oct 12, 2012)

LukeH998 said:


> Where I'm at: 13g ground on the finest setting without the burrs touching. Any more and the grounds foul with the screen hex head. Machine left to warm and surfed for temp. 13g in 26g ish out in around 15s or so


 15 seconds sounds too fast. I think it should be closer to 25 seconds. I am using an Iberital MC2, and I can easily go fine enough to choke the machine with a 14g dose. I don't know your grinder and coffee, but If at the finest grind you get 1:2 extraction in 15 seconds then something is wrong. I would try 14-15 grams in the basket, tamp hard and see if you can slow things down.

One other problem could be channelling (water finding a weak point in the coffee puck and rushing through it). This can happen if you have a problem in distribution/tamping, and can even increase if you grind too fine. If this might be your problem, you can find loads of videos and information about distribution methods. That would be another thing you can look into and rule out.

If nothing helps, and you are sure the coffee is good, then maybe you need new burrs or a different grinder?


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## LukeH998 (Apr 24, 2020)

Tried this time with 15g dose. Even before pulling the shot, the dry grounds are touching the screen. 15g in, 30g out in 16s. That's measured from switch flick. Much more body and a bigger crema, but I don't think quite there yet. Going to try to get to my roaster next week to see what the real deal tastes like. Maybe I do need new burrs......


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## espressoSquirrel (Jul 24, 2020)

Doram made a good point, are you sure your distribution is ok? are you doing anything to like WDT? (weiss distribution technique) 
It can make a huge difference if you are getting channeling. I am assuming if you only have the 14g basket you don't own a bottomless portafilter, so you wont be able to see easily if theres channeling, pop out the coffee puck onto a paper towel after and take a look for signs the water forced its way through in one place too quick. 
I really wouldn't worry too much about the dried grounds touching the screw, it will expand under pressure anyway.


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## spasypaddy (Apr 11, 2016)

the screw impression i have learnt recently is not from when you put the portafilter in its the expansion of the puck after the shot is finished and the pressure is released. so i wouldnt worry about that.

get yourself a new 18g VST basket and work with that.


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## Blue_Cafe (Jun 22, 2020)

Have you checked and are sure that the shower screen is fitted properly and that the gasket is the correct one and that it is fitted correctly?


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

LukeH998 said:


> Just a forewarning, this is all very new to me!
> 
> Machine: 10+ year old Silvia. Recently cleaned, descaled, new screen and seal. Only have the stock 14g basket.
> 
> ...


 If you put too much coffee in the basket you'll bash it against the shower screen and fracture the puck. Don't worry about how the puck looks after the shot. it can get sucked out of the portafilter and onto the shower screen when the pressure is vented easily enough. The puck only expands a little when it absorbs water until it is fully saturated, then it's under pressure through the shot and only really expands a lot more when pressure is released, by then it's obviously not going to be a concern if it rises up against the shower screen.

So your dose sounds about right. If you're only getting 13g in a stock basket without touching the screen that suggests you're using a darker roast? Or a very low density coffee.

You could be grinding too fine or getting bad channeling for some other reason. *Maybe a video of the process or at least pictures pre & post tamp would help determine this. *

Have you checked the machine is operating at around 9 bar pressure? As a temporary way to try and get something that tastes good, you could push more water through the puck and see what you get out. If you're operating at a high flow rate, low pressure, low dose you might well get good results from 1:3-1:4 in 25-30 seconds. But I'd say there are problems to resolve somewhere, either with your prep/tamping or machine pressure, especially as you apparently have beans freshly roasted (about two weeks old?). Maybe you will need new burrs for the grinder. I've been surprised in the past by members claiming to be grinding as fine as possible only to post pictures of the grinds that are clearly too coarse.


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