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  • Advice wanted about dosing / dialling in

    I have recently purchased a used Bezzera BZ99S and Lido E grinder and I am having difficulties in finding the right grind and dose. The machine has been serviced by a Bezzera specialist and he reported that it is performs pretty well when tested after the service.

    The puck is always covered in water an a little sloppy and some coffee rises up on the edge of the basket. I use a espy calibrated tamper and use the NSWE technique with no polishing.

    I cannot change the dosing much as the shower screen protrudes into the basket by a large amount and I am constraint by that in not exceeding a certain puck height.

    I have tried to set the grinder from 4 to 10 with no great difference on the results. I suspect that the problem might be related to the fact that the shower screen (just replaced) is actually convex so it is quite difficult to get the dosing right, as the puck can press against the outer edge and at the same time have a gap at the centre of the screen.

    To have a flat screen I should leave the screen screw quite loose which would just about hold the shower head in place.

    What am I doing wrong?

  • #2
    You can always get an aftermarket basket like a pullman/RST basket that can hold more - they are deeper so you have to be careful to make sure it fits in your portafilter, but wouldn't be a problem with a naked.

    The Lido E should be more than capable of delivering a fine and consistent enough grind, but maybe borrowing a grinder might eliminate the concerns about the Lido E being capable enough.

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    • #3
      Check dose height in the basket. The Bezzeras can be a bit finicky due to the shower screen depth.
      It’s important to ensure the grinds weight in the basket is the same every time, are you weighing every time?
      Place a 5c piece on top of a fresh ground coffee puck. Lock the portafilter into the group head, then remove. Check if the coin makes a subtle indent only. If it’s compressed into the puck you have too much in the basket.
      Let us know how this goes....

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      • #4
        Hi, I’m not weighing but I’m getting pretty good at dosing consistently making sure that the height of the puck after tamping is just about to touch the shower screen rim (which is the lowest part of the screen). I am using a calibrated tamper so the height of the coffee before tamping is the only variable, which I can now control fairly consistently.

        I had a better result last time I brewed doing a calibrated tamp on each of the NSWE ones rather than a light one only after the first hard centre one, I suspect that the cause might be that the coffee wasn’t compacted enough around the basket edge......

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        • #5
          What does the brewed coffee taste like?

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          • #6
            Is the only issue you have a sloppy puck?
            I agree with Barry, does the coffee taste good? Do you like what is produced or are you striving for a little bit better?
            if you are not willing to get technical in order to diagnose any potential issues, and you are happy with the coffee produced, I would ignore the puck.

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            • #7
              I am not an expert and I always drink coffee with milk so I think the milk would tone down excessive bitterness or sourness, but my brew tastes blander and not as flavoursome as the coffee I brew with the same beans at the office.

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              • #8
                My lido e setting is just coarser than 2. The burrs rub lightly at -2, and i adjust with it upside down as in the youtube clip for alignment.
                This setting works for my musica, and also just tried it on a 6910 and its very very close.

                Are your beans ok?

                And yes, 4-10 will make little difference as its just too coarse all together. I grind for my plunger at 8 (they say it as 0:8 - 0 turns, 8th mark...i think )
                Attached Files

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                • #9
                  Also notice the cable tie on the centre shaft. It stirs the beans as you grind so they dont get hung up on the webs.
                  I also have removed the centre screw underneath for easier cleaning.
                  And got a 99c art paintbrush from bunnings to sweep the hopper and underneath the burrs.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Blackfish View Post
                    I am not an expert and I always drink coffee with milk so I think the milk would tone down excessive bitterness or sourness, but my brew tastes blander and not as flavoursome as the coffee I brew with the same beans at the office.
                    When you’re dialing in and troubleshooting, you need to taste your straight espresso.

                    Milk dilutes and hides a lot of flaws in the shots.

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                    • #11
                      I bought the machine used so cannot be sure that the baskets I’ve been given are the original ones that were supplied with the machine; are Bezzera baskets deeper than normal to compensate for the lower screen, or do they just take less coffee instead?

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by herzog View Post
                        When you’re dialing in and troubleshooting, you need to taste your straight espresso.
                        Or as Long Blacks if espresso is too intense...

                        Mal.

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                        • #13
                          Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but I am having troubles every time I use my single shot PF with my Bezzera BZ99S. I am now able to pull a decent coffee using the double PF, but every time I use the single I experience bad channelling. Beans are fresh from a local quality roaster, and I have no issue using the same beans and technique with the double PF.
                          I've tried to increase/decrease the dose from 7g to 9g, and grind finer/coarser but it made no difference. I am using a lido E hand grinder and a 30 lb calibrated tamper, and I weigh the dose with an electronic scale.
                          I suspect that the problem could be related to the fact that the single basket has only room for around 2mm of coffee or less on the edges, as the shower protrudes quite a lot into the basket on my machine.

                          Click image for larger version

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Blackfish View Post
                            Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but I am having troubles every time I use my single shot PF with my Bezzera BZ99S. I am now able to pull a decent coffee using the double PF, but every time I use the single I experience bad channelling. Beans are fresh from a local quality roaster, and I have no issue using the same beans and technique with the double PF.
                            I've tried to increase/decrease the dose from 7g to 9g, and grind finer/coarser but it made no difference. I am using a lido E hand grinder and a 30 lb calibrated tamper, and I weigh the dose with an electronic scale.
                            I suspect that the problem could be related to the fact that the single basket has only room for around 2mm of coffee or less on the edges, as the shower protrudes quite a lot into the basket on my machine.
                            Very common Blackfish, most find single baskets difficult, not saying it cant be done, however most switch to using a double basket exclusively, much easier.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Some folks stick to a double basket with a double spout and run one of the spouts into the target cup and dispose of the other.

                              I can’t come to a reliable outcome with a single and I can’t stand to throw it away so it’s doubles every time at my place.

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