Naked PF problem

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

So I finally got my naked PF. I have been pulling great shots with my single basket (double spouted PF) since getting the machine so haven’t changed what I was doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Details:
Grind= same as what I have been using for weeks with my single PF, though I did change bean. I thought it was the bean, so I went back to the old bean and still had the same problem.
Dose=18gms (weighed)
Tamp = perfect (shot starts from outside of basket screen and continues to middle)
Channelling = none
Colour= starts great. Tiger striping and then around the 10 sec mark BOOM! The Blonde Bomb Shell arrives.
Taste = vial sour and sometimes bitter shots
Crema = Extremely big/thick crema, though dissipates after a 30 sec in the cup to almost nothing. You can actually hear it foaming away like a coke! At the end of the shot I get a big Ghostbusters like air bubble that drops into the cup from PF (see around the 1:25 mark in this vid for an extreme over the top look at whats happening to me) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owBIzgLA6UQ

Whats changed? Nothing except new naked PF and using my double basket instead.

I have used 3 different types of bean with varying roast dates. All 5-10+ days old (so not too fresh) 1 blend has been in the freezer for a few weeks and this one performed the best.

It’s quite obviously the fact that I’m now using the double basket and I’m not used to it. But after searching these forums and others I’m wondering if someone could shed some light with their experiences. It’s like I’m starting all over again. Frustrating and exciting at the same time.

As of last night I’ve changed the grind setting too, but to no avail. But I’m thinking I need to play more in this area to get the desired result.

Thanks in advance (once a pro home barista)

[roknee Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close roknee]

Re: Naked PF problem

hey there,
assuming youve played with the grind setting (to be a little coarser than you had set for the single), i would be inclined to say that perhaps its simply a dose problem. have u checked ur dose is not too high by locking your handle in and then straight out to see if theres any impression from the shower screen? the early blondign suggests that poss. your puck is being disturbed, hence early blonding.

a vid of ur shot would be great.

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

Re: Naked PF problem

Sounds like youre onto to something here. At one stage I did check that the puck wasnt coming into contact with the shower screen and it was. I then put less in, checked again and it had a slight impression from the nut on shower screen but it didnt break the puck. Is this still a problem?

After fixing the dose issue I had it didnt really make that much difference TBH.

[Shannon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Shannon]

Re: Naked PF problem

There will always be a variation when changing from single to double - might not be much, but it will be there.

The other thing to try would be sticking your single basket into the naked PF because you have said that all was OK prior to the new PF and change to double.

Take one of the 2 variations you have made out of the equation and see what happens.
Another suggestion would be to go back to your single basket with double spout PF (your original configiration and make sure your coffee is as good as before, then go one variable at a time to find out where the problems are occurring.

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

Re: Naked PF problem

The other thing to try would be sticking your single basket into the naked PF because you have said that all was OK prior to the new PF and change to double.

Take one of the 2 variations you have made out of the equation and see what happens.
Another suggestion would be to go back to your single basket with double spout PF (your original configiration and make sure your coffee is as good as before, then go one variable at a time to find out where the problems are occurring.

Done this already.

Thanks anyway.

[roknee Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close roknee]

Re: Naked PF problem

hhmm,
time for a backflush perhaps? or pulling out the shower screen for a good scrub?
dirty showerscreen affects my shots for sure

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

Re: Naked PF problem

So last night was another night spent in the kitchen practicing. The wife thinks I have a problem....

Anyway I adjusted the grind (finer) just by a touch. I learned just how sensitive the grind settings on the Mignon really are. I didnt give the little guy enough credit and this is where most of my problem was. Faith!

I also adjusted the dose from 18g to 16g so as to clear the shower screen completely as I was just brushing the nut/screw before.

So heres the vid as requested. I got the shot out at around 25sec, it tasted superb. But.....I had a bit of spatter around the cup (not good)...Tamp or grind?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8YTiYxnq9I

[Guest Close brett230873]

Re: Naked PF problem

So last night was another night spent in the kitchen practicing. The wife thinks I have a problem....

Anyway I adjusted the grind (finer) just by a touch. I learned just how sensitive the grind settings on the Mignon really are. I didnt give the little guy enough credit and this is where most of my problem was. Faith!

I also adjusted the dose from 18g to 16g so as to clear the shower screen completely as I was just brushing the nut/screw before.

So heres the vid as requested. I got the shot out at around 25sec, it tasted superb. But.....I had a bit of spatter around the cup (not good)...Tamp or grind?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8YTiYxnq9I

Distribution was actually the cure for me wheh I had this issue.

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

Re: Naked PF problem

^^^^^Yeah well you are right there. I didnt think of that. But how can I distribute evenly if I have less coffee to in the PF to combat the puck touching the shower screen?  

[Thundergod Sleep is overrated Find all posts View Profile Close Thundergod]

Re: Naked PF problem

Stir the grinds in the basket with a toothpick and tap to settle.
If the mess around the cup is from channelling you need to get an even distribution to stop the channelling.
Also try a nutating tamp.
The video looked good so you must be close to getting it spot on.

[Martial_Monkey Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Martial_Monkey]

Re: Naked PF problem

Nutating tamp

[Adriano Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Adriano]

Re: Naked PF problem

Stir the grinds in the basket with a toothpick and tap to settle.
If the mess around the cup is from channelling you need to get an even distribution to stop the channelling.
Also try a nutating tamp.
The video looked good so you must be close to getting it spot on.

Yeah I have been doing the Weiss Distribution Technique since my first shot. Having said that, for this shot I used a knife because because I couldnt find my skewer anywhere!!!! :

[chilichild Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chilichild]

Re: Naked PF problem

Try filling the basket half way and give it a tap on the bench to settle the grind into the corners, then fill to the top and again tap on the bench. Cut the excess ground with a level blade (I use a sheet of Perspex) and tamp. I had a look at your extraction and it looks like you may be tamping inconsistently on the front left hand side (look for the darker tones). Try focus on an even tamp and you hopefully will get a better extraction.

With regards to the foaming – what coffee beans are you using – Robusta blend? As Robusta generally has a higher CO2 content after roasting which will often give you a false height of crème, before it bursts and the level drops.

[rival81 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rival81]

Re: Naked PF problem

Sounds like stale coffee perhaps?