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Can't stop channeling

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  • #31
    Sat and Sun I tried one notch coarser on the grinder and there was no channeling on the pours.
    Single and double baskets always pour differently of course, but the double was a little fast on what was a fairly hard tamp, so next time I will tamp even harder and see if I can slow the flow a little.
    I guess I am now into that tricky territory where too hard a tamp builds up water pressure, perhaps predisposing it to channel, and too light produces a tendency to flow too quick with consequent poor extraction.
    The quality of both shots were good so I might be within a whisker of the right combination. Who'd have an automatic machine!

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Rocky View Post
      Sat and Sun I tried one notch coarser on the grinder and there was no channeling on the pours.
      Single and double baskets always pour differently of course, but the double was a little fast on what was a fairly hard tamp, so next time I will tamp even harder and see if I can slow the flow a little.
      I guess I am now into that tricky territory where too hard a tamp builds up water pressure, perhaps predisposing it to channel, and too light produces a tendency to flow too quick with consequent poor extraction.
      The quality of both shots were good so I might be within a whisker of the right combination. Who'd have an automatic machine!
      G'day Rocky

      I would suggest that you try putting about 3 to 4mm of coffee in the basket and carefully tamp it "hard and level" first (old trick I learnt way back). Then complete the rest of your dose as normal. If no channeling, grind it one notch finer (i.e. your original setting) and do the initial tamp more gently. Hopefully still no channeling. Compare the shots and adjust away from there to your tastebuds content.

      TampIt
      PS: semi auto - I would, Fully auto - no way!

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      • #33
        Conclusion:

        I’ve spent some time developing my prep techniques to avoid this channelling issue with improving but wavering results. I found that some bags of beans were more prone than others, all from the same roaster (Yahava Coffee Swan Valley WA). Then I heard someone else having issues with Yahava beans producing wafer thin crema believing their quality has dropped. Change roaster, channelling gone. I now use Bolt Coffee Hazelmere WA and have consistently had no channelling, the extraction is a lot better and the end product much more delicious.

        I believe switching to the more accurate Mazzer grinder highlighted the flaw in the beans, where the sunbeam with a more inconsistent grind hid the issue.

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        • #34
          Good result! Sounds like your yahava beans may not have been so fresh?... Fiori are now in the swan valley if you want extra variety.

          cheers

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          • #35
            Originally posted by artman View Post
            Good result! Sounds like your yahava beans may not have been so fresh?... Fiori are now in the swan valley if you want extra variety.

            cheers
            Thanks! Yes I don’t mind Fiori either.
            The roast date on the Yahava beans were fresh but I suspect they’ve spent some time in the sun, or at a temperature where they’ve perished.

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