Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

[fengteo]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

you can change the dose/grind time by turning the knob

hahahah i know that! But i found when it was on about 2-3 of the espresso scale, I would crank the dose knob all the way to max and itd still fall short.

Something that probably no-one realises with the BCG800 is, that when the grind size indicator on the LCD goes from #8 to #9 (as counted from the RHS of the scale), then grinder changes the run time for a given Amount Adjust setting. It will deliver less coffee on #9 (and above) than set to #8 (and below), so I ALWAYS set the shims so my most used coffee will be the perfect grind size on #3 thru #5. This ensures that if I needd to go coarser then I dont jump across timing "zones" from #8 to #9, as I will almost always start by setting my dose first & my grind second.

Thanks for that info... might explain why

Let me make sure I get this straight so I can tinker when I get home.

Set dose weight to be about 18g for a double basket.

Adjust grind to suit. If I jump regions, add/remove shim as needed to stay in a particular zone? I found when the dial is too low on the espresso scale (say down at 3-4, I dont get enough coffee and when I tamp I crash into the ridge on the basket.

Might have to have a bit more of a play this weekend.

[bach]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

After learning on the BES900 for the last 2 weeks Im now able to get some pretty amazing coffee. It took me a while to get consistent, however that was my fault and not the machines.

Here are some things Ive learned:

- Dose: I find I get the best shot with about 18.5g of grinds in my basket. Something I completely ignored at first was the distribution of the grinds. In order to get consistent shots I had to distribute them evenly before tamping. I end up with a technique like this: Fill the basket with some grinds, then even out the distribution, add some more, etc. until the 18.5g are in the basket levelled exactly with the top of the basket.
- Tamping: Personally I havent seen much of difference in flow if I use a lighter or harder tamp. The grinds usually end up about 6mm into the basket with the silver part of the breville tamper just disappearing in the basket.
- Extraction: My best extractions have been timed between 38-40s with 7s pre-infusion. Pressure always sits somewhere between 11-12bars, however Ive learnt to ignore that. I hardly ever look at the volume anymore. I just keep an eye on the flow and if it starts of right I know itll be a good extraction.

Im yet to start experimenting with different temperatures and pre-infusions, still so much to play with

Loving it.

Cheers,
Bach

[emmanuel]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Forget about what the gauge says or how many mls you get in so many secs etc. Using the shot clock you should see the first drop of espresso flow at between 11 & 14secs. This is a great guide to whats happening.

Hi Phil,

To clarify, do you mean between 11-14secs post the preinfusion time? so a preinfusion of 7 seconds would mean first drops bewteen 18-21seconds?

Thanks
Emmanuel

[dr.a.j.pickering]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

that when the grind size indicator on the LCD goes from #8 to #9 (as counted from the RHS of the scale)

Just checking #8 and #9 are under R and P of ESPRESSO respectively. so should be aiming for optimal grind to be just right of ESPRESSO as per pic below?

[fengteo]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

that when the grind size indicator on the LCD goes from #8 to #9 (as counted from the RHS of the scale)

Just checking #8 and #9 are under R and P of ESPRESSO respectively. so should be aiming for optimal grind to be just right of ESPRESSO as per pic below?

Thanks for the pic Doc. Thats where I was with 2 shims out. Looks like the grinder is going back under the surgical knife when I get home heh...

Thatd leave a total of 3. 1 fat, and 2 thinner. 2 thin ones short of what shipped from the factory.

[Pavoniboy]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Something I completely ignored at first was the distribution of the grinds

Yes, Ive been wondering if a few on this post have been neglecting distribution. A few are speaking of blonding out early, and very significant blonding in a 60mL double.

I am usually not seeing blonding at 60mLs on mine. When I try to pull a bit more for an affogatto (I like a lot of espresso in my affogatto), I do start getting some blonding just past 60mLs though.

You wanna see how well it goes with an M7D or Robur-E

I agree! Ive noticed most with the BES900 also have the smart grinder. I bought the smart grinder as a package with my 900 because I wanted it as a spare and a portable for holidays, but in general am using my Fiorenzato Doge 63 (high quality grinder with 63mm flat burrs - Im thinking in the league of a Super Jolly but feel free to take me up on that).

The smart grinder is very good and I agree best value for money in a sub $500 grinder. However, I am getting so much more flavour in the cup using Fio than when I use the smart grinder. The smart grinder is the way to go if you need a budget grinder with your machine...but I think the BES900 owners can up their game significantly by going for a superior grinder. I know I want a Kony-E or similar to go with mine once I can afford it.

[Logga]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Hi there

I got my 900 and grinder a couple of days ago and i was wondering should the shim kit come with the grinder as i have none or do i have to order some.
I tried it on the finest setting and no good. Its not a problem as i am using my mazzer mini electronic but in saying that i would like to have a play on the breville grinder.
And just checking the 900 only comes with one  portafilter?.

[dr.a.j.pickering]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

should the shim kit come with the grinder as i have none

no not all of them need it and recently those that do have had them fitted at the factory, if you do need it then phone customer services and they will send you a kit (of course if you had used a sponsor most of them supplied a kit)

just checking the 900 only comes with one  portafilter?

Yes, chopped one should be available some time in the future as an extra.

All this is on this thread somewhere try using the search function to right of page. Or even google

[fengteo]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

I agree! Ive noticed most with the BES900 also have the smart grinder. I bought the smart grinder as a package with my 900 because I wanted it as a spare and a portable for holidays, but in general am using my Fiorenzato Doge 63 (high quality grinder with 63mm flat burrs - Im thinking in the league of a Super Jolly but feel free to take me up on that).

The smart grinder is very good and I agree best value for money in a sub $500 grinder. However, I am getting so much more flavour in the cup using Fio than when I use the smart grinder. The smart grinder is the way to go if you need a budget grinder with your machine...but I think the BES900 owners can up their game significantly by going for a superior grinder. I know I want a Kony-E or similar to go with mine once I can afford it.

I bought mine as a package as I didnt actually have a grinder before. Went from a fully auto (which served me 7 years @ roughly 1000 cups a year )

Yes, chopped one should be available some time in the future as an extra.

Im looking forward to playing with one of those

[emmanuel]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Anyone else having to really underdose on the BCG800 settings for a BES900 double basket?

Im turning down the dose all the way to the left. I have the 58mm PF holder in the grinder so should recognise the correct basket size.

[dr.a.j.pickering]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Anyone else having to really underdose on the BCG800 settings for a BES900 double basket?

Im turning down the dose all the way to the left.  I have the 58mm PF holder in the grinder so should recognise the correct basket size.

where is you grind setting? see above posts re: grind timing

[>mcknightp]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Set dose weight to be about 18g for a double basket.

If you set it to dose 19g & then make sure you get all that ground coffee in the basket, and your scales are accurate, then you should have the correct starting point for dose. To get the correct rate of extraction you only need to adjust the grind either coarser or finer.

Cheers, Phil

[>mcknightp]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

To clarify, do you mean between 11-14secs post the preinfusion time? so a preinfusion of 7 seconds would mean first drops bewteen 18-21seconds?

I mean the shot should drop when 11-14secs shows on the shot clock & that will include the pre-infusion time as the shot clock starts as soon as you press an extraction button. Total extraction times might be longer than you expect as you may not be used to working with a machine that has pre-infusion at all, never mind one that is programmable ;-))

Cheers, Phil

[>mcknightp]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Anyone else having to really underdose on the BCG800 settings for a BES900 double basket?

Im turning down the dose all the way to the left.  I have the 58mm PF holder in the grinder so should recognise the correct basket size.

When you have it turned down all the way, are you getting the correct dose & the correct rate of extraction??

Can you do me a favour & turn the grinder upside down & there should be a number stamped into the base. It will be 1028 or 1102.

Cheers, Phil

[coffeemum]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

there is no way for the user to descale the machine at present. Youll have to take it back to a service centre

Ahhh! I am considering this machine and now I am totally put off!!!

We live 200km or so from the nearest service centre and have VERY hard water around 300mg/L CaCO3...

I DO NOT want to get a nice machine and ruin it with scale build up, can anyone in the know advise on whether Breville has a solution for users to descale?

Ta