# Which way to tweak a shot?



## -Mac (Aug 22, 2019)

So I can tell the difference in taste between under-extracted (sour, face puckering) and over-extracted (bitter, ashy), but how do I tell which way to go to improve an OK-tasting shot?

I just had a bag of Guatemala Los Aguacatones which was supposed to taste of pineapple, grapefruit, apple and toffee when using an espresso recipe of 18g in/48g out/22-25s, but all I could get was slightly bright espresso flavour. Granted, I didn't try all the different half second variations from 22-25 but would it have made that much difference?

I'm using a Niche Zero and a BE. Is it possible/probable that my equipment isn't up to job for this bean? Also, I've never changed the brew temp - could that help?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

If you really can tell the difference between under & over-extraction, you have a fair range of settings between those 2 states that you can try on the grinder.

It is more likely that your bitterness is not due over-extraction.

Grind finer until the sourness diminishes, even if this takes more than 25s. Still sour? Pull more weight out from the 18g dose.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

As per MWJB grind finer but extend the time. I notice that you infer it isn't acidic enough. The recipe you are working to may have been derived on any machine. HX, with infusion, without infusion and etc. I assume it's a light medium roast from your comments on taste.

Don't take too much notice of Sage's suggested pressure gauge reading - sounds like you aren't but try to stop in the blue sector on the dial. The top end of that may need a longer shot time over the usual 25 to 30sec. Actually I found that the BE seemed to favour longer times, even over 30sec. I usually try ratios of 2, 3 and 2.5. It's unusual for a bean to not give it's taste profile within that range. One thing that can happen is that one flavour is so dominant that it masks others.Espresso drinkers sometimes add water to get round that.

The flavours a bean are stated to have does often need a bit of imagination.

John

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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

I'd try going finer and longer. I had this combo for a while at my partner's house and got good results. Go for a manual pre-infusion (if you already don't)


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## -Mac (Aug 22, 2019)

Thanks everyone, I'll try what you've said.

Rhys, how do I do a manual PI on the BE, please?


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

22-25s sounds short, but completely depends on equipment used. Niche grinds very uniform, so can go finer.

If you want you can do a cupping routine with any new coffee you get. It'll show you what to expect from that batch - just because someone wrote something on a bag, it doesn't necessarily hold true to your palate.
It doesn't need to be an SCA standardised routine, but something like:

- 8.5g filter grind in a cappuccino cup
- smell grinds and make notes
- slowly pour 150g of 90C water over
- wait 4min from start of pour
- then stir while smelling again (make notes) to make grinds settle down in cup
- take a teaspoonful and slurp it, make notes
- let it cool down until lukewarm and slurp again, make notes

it'll teach you a fair bit about your purchase and school your palate (and usually you get a nice taste straight away ). Also you'll know better what to look for in an espresso, thus making adjustments will be more focused (and easier).


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

I'm a ventriloquist so when Rhys says this you wont see my lips move.

It stays in pre infusion if you keep your finger on the button or from the manual

Manual Shot Volume
Press and hold the 1 CUP or 2 CUP button.
The extraction will enter low pressure pre-infusion
until the button is released. When the 1 CUP
or 2 CUP button is released, extraction will
continue at full pressure. Press the 1 CUP
or 2 CUP button again once the desired volume
of espresso has been extracted.

Some people do something like this on there dual boiler where infusion time can be set to longer than the probable extraction time and pull the entire shot like this. I've found so far it can wreck beans and there are so many other things to play with throwing this in as well means a lot of combinations to try. Too many in my view.

Doubt if it will do anything useful but I wonder what it would do if the program button was hit first - probably try to produce the same shot weight with the usual pre infusion. The machine can hold pretty good shot weights all on it's own by the way. Grinds prep needs to be pretty constant but it will cope with a bit of variation.

John

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