Vst basket

[ahhhespressso]

The coffee i use is brazil single origin cerrado ouro verde rainforest alliance certified. Nice coffee.

[ahhhespressso]

Okay, I just received the 15 and 22 vst basket along with a naked portafilter. I am learning this so help me and tell me if I am doing something wrong

I dont have time to try the 22 but I managed to have a bit of trial with the 15.

First I notice that the shape of the vst basket is somewhat "squarer", I got a good firm puck but its a bit hard to knock compared to my regular basket.

I use 2 dosing technique (make a good centered mountain then tamp with my espro calibrated tamper) and dosing with coffee catcha (dose and level) all involve 2 collapses.

Both dosing results in even surface just on the ridge of the basket.

The first dosing results in faster pour, thicker crema, the second one results in slower pour less crema. The centered mountain dosing did not give out centered pour on the naked portafilter and the coffeecatcha dosing is centered. Does this mean we should not "mountain" the dose and level at all time with vst basket?

I tried 3 shots of each dosing technique and they all produce the same results. All shots done in 25 seconds by timer. I forgot to measure the ml, but the mountain dosing yield more extraction in 25 seconds and more crema. The coffee does taste better with coffeecatcha dosing. More aromatic as my wife put it.

Then I tried 3 shots each of the dosing technique using my old basket, however the basket i am using is an 18 gram basket so, cant really compare really but all shots taken were nicely centered with the naked and timed 25 seconds.

My wife and I agreed the coffeecatcha dosing with vst basket yields the most aromatic and sweeter taste. The 18 gram regular basket yields stronger coffee taste but lacking something. Is it just in my head or something you guys can tell me?

Thanks alot in advance.

[Journeyman]

You will likely know this already, but if you're going to get a VST single you'll need to get a specific (smaller) tamp to match.

Yep... although to begin with I will probably try TampIt's trick with the top of a Lipton's Iced Tea bottle. (I think he used a Powerade one but I don't drink that at all )

[ahhhespressso]

According to what? 60 ml is pretty much a double espresso. I don't like watery coffee. ;-) But...each to their own! :-D



As well as the what? And that would be entirely up to you. You should also price, for comparison, the Precision available from some sponsors. e.g.:

Precision filter basket 58mm- Espresso parts | Talk Coffee

As comparison to what i have now as i mentioned on my first post that i have 18g and 22g basket that came with the machine. Also as comparison to the 15 gram as i ordered them already from bombora. Thanks.

[kwantfm]

... so once I get my head around what different roasts can do in a cup, I figure I'll be ready to tackle the 7g single VST.

You will likely know this already, but if you're going to get a VST single you'll need to get a specific (smaller) tamp to match.

[Journeyman]

Thanks for all kind replies, yes i am getting the naked portafilter as well, should i get the 18 too for comparison?

I've got the 15g and the 22g. The 22g has so far been used for 1 double for me and since gets used for 2 coffee pours. Shapeshifters bf might like the coffee from a properly dosed 22. I'll get a single eventually - currently I am exploring the other bean possibilities and singles are a harder task than doubles, so once I get my head around what different roasts can do in a cup, I figure I'll be ready to tackle the 7g single VST.

I haven't tried the 18g one but the 15g is easily strong enough for me and I like strong macchiatos.

[chokkidog]

I usually agree; but with the traditional extraction ratios, from a nominal 21g basket a normale would be 90ml, a ristretto 60ml.

According to what? 60 ml is pretty much a double espresso. I don't like watery coffee. ;-) But...each to their own! :-D

Thanks for all kind replies, yes i am getting the naked portafilter as well, should i get the 18 too for comparison?

As well as the what? And that would be entirely up to you. You should also price, for comparison, the Precision available from some sponsors. e.g.:

Precision filter basket 58mm- Espresso parts | Talk Coffee

[ahhhespressso]

Thanks for all kind replies, yes i am getting the naked portafilter as well, should i get the 18 too for comparison?

[Hildy]

For me 30 odd mls, from 20 or so grams, in 30 to 40 seconds, is normal and not very anything except delicious .....

For those that like to qualify and quantify; it would be a normal ristretto.

I usually agree; but with the traditional extraction ratios, from a nominal 21g basket a normale would be 90ml, a ristretto 60ml.

[shapeshifter]

Are you getting 30ml in 30s out of the 22? That's... very very very very ristretto.

LOL Hildy, that's how he likes his coffee, and often a double shot, I was drinking it for a while and couldn't figure out why I didn't like it, very blonde moment there Got kindly sent a 15g and presto, coffee is fantastic

[chokkidog]

For me 30 odd mls, from 20 or so grams, in 30 to 40 seconds, is normal and not very anything except delicious .....

For those that like to qualify and quantify; it would be a normal ristretto.

[Journeyman]

Are you getting 30ml in 30s out of the 22? That's... very very very very ristretto.

If it doesn't bruise your eyelids when they snap open on the 1st mouthful it ain't really coffee...

[Hildy]

What I found, working on the 30ml in 30secs, was that although the shot came out perfectly with the 22, the shot really was too strong for my taste.

Are you getting 30ml in 30s out of the 22? That's... very very very very ristretto.

[Journeyman]

With VST's the holes are far more accurately done. Each basket comes with a serial number that means the basket has been individually checked, so, for example, if you got your basket from Pullman (thingscoffee.com.au - site sponsor) you can give him the serial number and get a tamper made to specifically fit that basket.

On the usage side, VST's let you grind finer than a normal basket and so get a higher extraction rate in the cup. They are a bit intolerant of overdosing, something you will see is very common on the site with lots of people telling how they dose 20g in a 15g basket, or even 22g. I've seen a video where the guy claims his coffee is great because he doses at 21g in a SB double basket.

With a VST the dose is pretty specific, usually very slightly over the rated size. e.g. maybe 15.5g in a 15g basket. In my experience, the coffee from a VST is richer in flavour that I can get from the SB baskets because I grind at (say) 13 on my SB EM0480 with a given bean for the SB basket and grind at (say)10 or even 9 for the same bean with the VST.

Having said that, (& I DO recommend the VST's) I think you'd learn more faster getting a naked PF for your machine. Nakeds teach you about how you are dosing/tamping visually - you can SEE when you haven't got it right.

And the best of both worlds is the VST/Naked combo.

[shapeshifter]

It really depends on how you like your coffee.

I have a 15 and 22.

What I found, working on the 30ml in 30secs, was that although the shot came out perfectly with the 22, the shot really was too strong for my taste.

The 15 is perfect for me. The BF likes stronger coffee so the 22 actually works for him.