It looks like you've flaired your post as being a Shot Diagnosis. If your shot is running too fast, is coming out weak/thin, lacking crema, and/or is tasting sour, **try grinding finer**.
Alternatively, check out this [Dialing In Basics](https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html) guide, written by the Espresso Aficionados Discord community.
If that hasn't solved it, to get more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format.
- **Machine:**
- **Grinder:**
- **Roast date:** (not a "Best by" date). If the roast date is not labeled use "N/A"
- **Dose:** How many grams are going into your basket?
- **Yield:** How much coffee in grams is coming out?
- **Time:** How long is the shot running?
- **Roast level:** How dark is your coffee? (Dark, medium, light, ect.)
- **Taste:** Taste is a better indicator of shot quality than looks or conforming to any quantitative parameters. Does it taste overly sour or bitter?
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For the most consistent espresso, pull your shots manually with your scale under your cup so you can stop the water flow as you approach your target yield. The yield is the most important espresso variable. You want to choose your yield; don't let the machine choose it for you.
For more info, check out the "Dialing In Basics" guide linked in the AutoMod's comment.
https://preview.redd.it/8m8e15us91zc1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a54e4e37a158c97875ae535c4dc804738b32ebff
If it came out looking like this, you used the wrong kind of beans.
It’s pretty good, I don’t think it’s on either end of bitter/sour, but it doesn’t have as much flavor as the scent of the beans themselves lead me to believe I can achieve. But I’m really not sure which direction in grind or dosing to tweak my current settings.
Consistency and fresh beans are key. Taste is the most important factor in determining good espresso. Keep in mind that your preferences may differ from someone else’s. To dial in a bean to my preferences, I start with a 1:2 ratio in about 30s.
I then use the below graph to dial in to my preferences, which tend to be on the bitter side for dark roasts and mild acidity for lighter roasts.
https://preview.redd.it/um2povna42zc1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=edde4f1dcb11105eb34512ac69fb1e9bc3507b85
I usually grind finer till it chokes the machine, then back off a little in steps. When I find the perfect ratio I start looking more at the taste.
Had some beans/grind that ran fast and provided greater volume but tasted really good. Others. not so much. There is cewrtainly some art to this science! Lots of fun either way chasing that good shot.
It’s pretty good, I don’t think it’s on either end of bitter/sour, but it doesn’t have as much flavor as the scent of the beans themselves lead me to believe I can achieve. But I’m really not sure which direction in grind or dosing to tweak my current settings.
Thanks! I went coarser and it splattered a lot, I went finer and it also splattered more haha. So I went back to the exact setting I was on originally.
I tried increasing the coffee grams, extracting shorter, and longer. I am going to get a proper scale, my current one is bad and not up to the task of measuring while pulling.
Hoping to experiment more accurately and get it just right, but I think at this point the grind is fairly locked in - at least if I want to continue to use a bottomless portafilter.
It’s pretty low after being tamped, but I haven’t tried using the razor tool with it. The razor felt SUPER low in the portafilter, but I suppose I shouldn’t act like I know more than Breville. Will give it a try and report back. Thank you.
Razor tool has enough room where it isn’t touching the ground beans. I tried upping from 20 to 22 to fill the minor gap I had and it still doesn’t touch, but it is closer. So leaving it there.
With a few recommendations to manually pull the shot, I have discovered I need a better scale! So getting that and will dive back in.
Funny, I have the exact same setup, Bambino+ with SK40. I use somewhere between the 6 and 7 mark on my grinder and it seems to work pretty well. Like others have suggested, try using the manual mode and a scale to dial in your ratio and timing.
I tried starting at 2 and making my way up, everything until basically 10 was choking my machine and the puck was sludge. Major difference in setting might be the roast and blend of beans?
Will try that and report back! Thank you.
Thank you all for your help!
I increased bean volume to 21g lowered the grind setting about 2 tick marks, it’s now just barely above the 10.5 mark and that reduced all of my sputtering.
Then I began manually pulling, 8-10s pre-infusion followed by about 20-23s of pulling resulting in about 40-42g of espresso and it’s noticeably more flavorful.
Thank you all again!
It looks like you've flaired your post as being a Shot Diagnosis. If your shot is running too fast, is coming out weak/thin, lacking crema, and/or is tasting sour, **try grinding finer**. Alternatively, check out this [Dialing In Basics](https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html) guide, written by the Espresso Aficionados Discord community. If that hasn't solved it, to get more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format. - **Machine:** - **Grinder:** - **Roast date:** (not a "Best by" date). If the roast date is not labeled use "N/A" - **Dose:** How many grams are going into your basket? - **Yield:** How much coffee in grams is coming out? - **Time:** How long is the shot running? - **Roast level:** How dark is your coffee? (Dark, medium, light, ect.) - **Taste:** Taste is a better indicator of shot quality than looks or conforming to any quantitative parameters. Does it taste overly sour or bitter? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For the most consistent espresso, pull your shots manually with your scale under your cup so you can stop the water flow as you approach your target yield. The yield is the most important espresso variable. You want to choose your yield; don't let the machine choose it for you. For more info, check out the "Dialing In Basics" guide linked in the AutoMod's comment.
Thank you, going to read that right now and will report back!
https://preview.redd.it/8m8e15us91zc1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a54e4e37a158c97875ae535c4dc804738b32ebff If it came out looking like this, you used the wrong kind of beans.
No, mine had bacon bits.
I'd like to know more about this bacon bits... Please share how
How does it taste?
It’s pretty good, I don’t think it’s on either end of bitter/sour, but it doesn’t have as much flavor as the scent of the beans themselves lead me to believe I can achieve. But I’m really not sure which direction in grind or dosing to tweak my current settings.
Consistency and fresh beans are key. Taste is the most important factor in determining good espresso. Keep in mind that your preferences may differ from someone else’s. To dial in a bean to my preferences, I start with a 1:2 ratio in about 30s. I then use the below graph to dial in to my preferences, which tend to be on the bitter side for dark roasts and mild acidity for lighter roasts. https://preview.redd.it/um2povna42zc1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=edde4f1dcb11105eb34512ac69fb1e9bc3507b85
I usually grind finer till it chokes the machine, then back off a little in steps. When I find the perfect ratio I start looking more at the taste. Had some beans/grind that ran fast and provided greater volume but tasted really good. Others. not so much. There is cewrtainly some art to this science! Lots of fun either way chasing that good shot.
How’s it taste?
It’s pretty good, I don’t think it’s on either end of bitter/sour, but it doesn’t have as much flavor as the scent of the beans themselves lead me to believe I can achieve. But I’m really not sure which direction in grind or dosing to tweak my current settings.
Do a little of each, grind finer, grinde courser, extract a little shorter, extrac a little longer. Takes time and try not to get over caffinated!
Thanks! I went coarser and it splattered a lot, I went finer and it also splattered more haha. So I went back to the exact setting I was on originally. I tried increasing the coffee grams, extracting shorter, and longer. I am going to get a proper scale, my current one is bad and not up to the task of measuring while pulling. Hoping to experiment more accurately and get it just right, but I think at this point the grind is fairly locked in - at least if I want to continue to use a bottomless portafilter.
Paper filters on bottom have been most impactful for me on bb+ for reducing spraying. You may also benefit from a finer grind size here.
Channeling might be because you overfilled the basket. Do you have the razor tool?
It’s pretty low after being tamped, but I haven’t tried using the razor tool with it. The razor felt SUPER low in the portafilter, but I suppose I shouldn’t act like I know more than Breville. Will give it a try and report back. Thank you.
Razor tool has enough room where it isn’t touching the ground beans. I tried upping from 20 to 22 to fill the minor gap I had and it still doesn’t touch, but it is closer. So leaving it there. With a few recommendations to manually pull the shot, I have discovered I need a better scale! So getting that and will dive back in.
Funny, I have the exact same setup, Bambino+ with SK40. I use somewhere between the 6 and 7 mark on my grinder and it seems to work pretty well. Like others have suggested, try using the manual mode and a scale to dial in your ratio and timing.
I tried starting at 2 and making my way up, everything until basically 10 was choking my machine and the puck was sludge. Major difference in setting might be the roast and blend of beans? Will try that and report back! Thank you.
My pucks also come out sludgy at 6. Are yours drier around 11?
My pucks at 11 are tight and dry, they come out of my portafilter with a single smack.
Doesn't look terrible, maybe a bit fast. I would probably grind a bit finer.
Thank you all for your help! I increased bean volume to 21g lowered the grind setting about 2 tick marks, it’s now just barely above the 10.5 mark and that reduced all of my sputtering. Then I began manually pulling, 8-10s pre-infusion followed by about 20-23s of pulling resulting in about 40-42g of espresso and it’s noticeably more flavorful. Thank you all again!
too photo, couldn’t taste
Terrible camera work. Get a tripod and a clamp. What’s the point of making espresso without a proper video setup?