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Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

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  • #16
    Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

    Originally posted by 545F475C5B5B3E0 link=1293457924/14#14 date=1293890150
    Sounds like there will be a lot of brewing going on over the next few days/weeks to find those perfect settings. It should be helpful having a reference machine to measure against.
    I have a new found respect for my 6910; in the past 24 hours its produced approx 50 coffees at two family get togethers. And they were all pretty much spot on. My set up for your interest:

    -Bean (9 day old CIBO)
    -Dose 21-21.5 grams
    -Sunbeam double basket (replacement one that strangely has more holes than original, therefore needs finer grind)
    -Extraction of 2 x 20mls (programmed - had a lot to do!)
    -Served in 190 ml cups - yum!

    I use WDT for distribution as well, has helped heaps with consistency.

    My upgraditis has subsided a bit

    I kept the dose between 21-21.5 grams

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    • #17
      Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

      The buzz Ive been reading recently has been that WDT is not particularly useful and may even disrupt distribution if you have a decent grinder... and AFAIK the Vario is pretty good... have you tried other distribution techniques?

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      • #18
        Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

        Originally posted by 57584051404540210 link=1293457924/16#16 date=1293894579
        The buzz Ive been reading recently has been that WDT is not particularly useful and may even disrupt distribution if you have a decent grinder... and AFAIK the Vario is pretty good... have you tried other distribution techniques?
        Hmm interesting, I havent tried any other techniques. All I know is WDT is better than what I was doing before (grinding part of the dose into basket, lightly flattening with tamper, grinding the rest, then full tamp - as recommended by Sunbeam!  :-? )
        I now drop a plastic sleeve/guide into basket to catch all grinds without dropping, then stir to level grinds, tap a few times to settle, remove sleeve, slightly  pat grinds flat with fingers, then tamp... Overkill??

        Plastic sleeve made from plastic cup.

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        • #19
          Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

          So using the new method of dosing, how many mm below the rim is the freshly tamped dose ? If I go more than 4mm below I just get wet pucks and gushers, regardless of grind or tamp. :-[

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          • #20
            Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

            Originally posted by 18001209080F0D00150807610 link=1293457924/17#17 date=1293896286
            Hmm interesting, I havent tried any other techniques. All I know is WDT is better than what I was doing before (grinding part of the dose into basket, lightly flattening with tamper, grinding the rest, then full tamp - as recommended by Sunbeam!   )
            I now drop a plastic sleeve/guide into basket to catch all grinds without dropping, then stir to level grinds, tap a few times to settle, remove sleeve, slightly  pat grinds flat with fingers, then tamp... Overkill??
            I use a similar technique and dont think its overkill at all for home brewers. If youre cranking out the orders in a shop, too slow. If youre doing a few shots a day, it avoids wasting a lot of coffee, gives very even distribution and is highly repeatable. Ive been doing this for about 9 months now and am very happy with the results.

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            • #21
              Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

              If nothing works, lets go back to basics.

              Grind and dose into basket (portafilter) til almost full.

              Lightly tap on bench mat a few times til evenly distributed.

              Grind and dose again to top up.

              Tap on bench again.


              Using a old credit card ( i use a mastercard, works well  ;D) to  lightly cut on the grounds same way you cut flour with knife before levelling out.

              Level the grinds with card.

              Take your time to firmly tamp EVENLY.

              This method ends up looking like KKs diagram

              Pull your shot and see how it pours.

              If gushes out, then take it one notch finer and try again. Keep doing it til you find the right pour you like.

              If pouring excruciatingly slowly then it is overextracting. So take it 1 notch coarser at a time til you find the pour is like honey dripping with some broken dripping at bottom of the pour.

              Try and stop the pour when it starts going light in colour (blonding). Taste the result.

              This method works well on my 6910 and should work on any machine.

              Gary  

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              • #22
                Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                Originally posted by 263E2C373631333E2B36395F0 link=1293457924/17#17 date=1293896286
                I now drop a plastic sleeve/guide into basket to catch all grinds without dropping, then stir to level grinds, tap a few times to settle, remove sleeve, slightlypat grinds flat with fingers, then tamp... Overkill?? Smiley
                That is potentially a dangerous overkill. Dosing into a sleeve which piles up quite high then patting with fingers without levelling off first is overdosing.

                Just do as per instructions upstairs. Keep it simple and do it right. Sure use a sleeve to prevent wastage, but always level off and tamp firmly and evenly to maximise the extraction.

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                • #23
                  Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                  Agree with Garys procedure

                  That is how I dose for the double basket (well it is actually 2 X timed single shots with the bench tap in between).

                  I reckon this ensures limiting damage to the collar and also achieves a pretty good pour when dialled in properly.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                    Yup me too. Grind , tap on knock box, grind, level, tamp. I always get a screen imprint but my pours are a bit quick. If I grind finer to slow it down my pressure goes too high ( 1.30) and it starts to pulse. A decent shot is just about 12 and my sweet spot is 11. If I go about 4 mm down in the PF my pressure is 10, the shot is a gusher. Ahh well, keep playing.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                      Hi derrilex,
                      My sweet spot for my 6910 is about 1pm on the gauge. At 1.30 to 2.00pm it starts to pulse too...not much comes out then the machine goes through a second wave and works harder to push it out, and it does come out faster, thats the way i saw it. What grinder are you using?
                      Does it blond quickly?
                      Most important is dosage, quality of grind and tamping.
                      Just keep trying using one variable at a time until you see that gauge hit the 1.00 spot. You might like what you see.

                      Gary

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                      • #26
                        Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                        Im using a modded 480 grinder. Ive been playing with the 6910 for a couple of years now and it never fails to surpeise me. Tis a fickle beast, but life without challenges is no life at all eh.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                          Originally posted by 3C3D2A2A31343D20580 link=1293457924/18#18 date=1293939174
                          So using the new method of dosing, how many mm below the rim is the freshly tamped dose ? If I go more than 4mm below I just get wet pucks and gushers, regardless of grind or tamp. :-[
                          Generally between 3-4 mm with a 15kg tamp. With the bean Im using at the moment 22 grams of coffee gets tamped to down to 4mm. The resulting pour is real nice.

                          Taking on AMs advice, I tried the 5 cent piece test and found that my shower screen sits about 5.5 to 6 mm below my basket rim. Using 21 grams of finer ground coffee and a 15kg tamp I tried a few pours with the coffee level at the mark (5.5 to 6mm below rim).  The results seemed to be as good as my 22 gram/ 4mm shots.  The pour did appear less like dripping honey though. All other attributes spot on.

                          Originally posted by 7D676A6B796F777D7D0E0 link=1293457924/21#21 date=1293942671
                          That is potentially a dangerous overkill. Dosing into a sleeve which piles up quite high then patting with fingers without levelling off first is overdosing.
                          Hi Gary, I understand what you are saying but I measure out my dose are really only use the sleeve to avoid mess, it works a treat! I also like this technique because I have virtually no wastage.

                          Originally posted by 083D2C3D6B61580 link=1293457924/19#19 date=1293941379
                          I use a similar technique and dont think its overkill at all for home brewers. If youre cranking out the orders in a shop, too slow. If youre doing a few shots a day, it avoids wasting a lot of coffee, gives very even distribution and is highly repeatable. Ive been doing this for about 9 months now and am very happy with the results.  
                          Good to know it works for others

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                            Sorry I didnt get back to ya... hows the grind quality? Are you getting clumping or static? Thats when Id try the WDT.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                              Originally posted by 303F2736272227460 link=1293457924/27#27 date=1294149623
                              Sorry I didnt get back to ya... hows the grind quality? Are you getting clumping or static? Thats when Id try the WDT.
                              The Vario does produce nice grinds with minimal clumping or static, but when I dose into the basket the grinds can gather on one side often. My use of WDT is really just to re-distribute grinds evenly not to break down clumps etc.

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                              • #30
                                Re: Thoughts on the correct dose for my EM6910

                                Cool. If it works and youre not worried about the fuss, great!

                                I like the idea of trying to get the brew done ASAP (hoping to preserve the flavour), so to my mind (without a crotchless to check) the simpler the better... and messing with the grinds might leave wakes leading to channelling. I wonder if a level, shake or nutating tamp would get the grinds even enough...?

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