Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs1hhiV2iGs for those interested as a reference.
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Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
So Ive got it at close to 25 secs, crema seems to be good and flavour is great - particularly for my wifes latte, which is good. Theres some off notes in my espresso, but diagnosing those can wait (not that I know how to yet).
The puck is also pretty damn good.
The big problem remains the fines. My wife loves the flavour now, except she feels like shes drinking turkish.
Im now debating whether to potentially waste money on yet another filter basket or just accept that were at the limit of the machine and start planning my upgrade to either a Lelit or a Silvia.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
Thanks Barry, hes ok now, if a little bruised - hes trying to stand on his own and faceplanted pretty hard on the tiles, split his nose badly enough for glue stitches. A bad hour or so, but hes now zipping around the house again and trying to climb on anything that looks remotely dangerous.
Just for forms sake, Im tempted to remove a shim. Itd be good if the ideal grind was centre of the notches.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
I run mine at about 4 notches from the fine end with one added shim.Originally posted by 5A53435E5E5A5442310 link=1315876463/15#15 date=1316670383Its now about ten notches from the finest setting
You have plenty more notches to go on the coarse end so try a bit coarser to get it closer to 25 sec. Or remove a shim.
Heres hoping that the 1 yr old is ok.
Barry
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
OK, after a minor medical emergency with my 1-year old boy, we all needed coffee this arvo.
The shim kit has certainly added a lot of graduation to its finer end. I might even take one of em out.
Its now about ten notches from the finest setting - basically where the display says espresso and its still coming close to choking the machine.
Lots and lots of fines and a bitter taste that makes me think its overextracted? Took about 30 secs to pull the shot and the first ten of those were barely drips.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
Holy c**p.
Just installed the shim kit. It recommended using a 1mm and a .4mm shim, but after playing with the adjustment dial it was locking up halfway through the espresso range. I want to retain a bit more flexibility so installed two .4s instead.
Im now buzzing from the first really strong coffee Ive gotten out of this machine.
On the third notch from the end I almost completely choked it, it never got up to a truly smooth flow.
So when the ringing in my ears subsides Ill back it off a couple of notches and try again.
--footnote
The interesting thing for me was that until now even with the flow too fast and the grind probably too coarse, Ive been getting nice solid pucks at the end of it.
The one just now was very soggy.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
I believe that its because hes using the pressurised filter basket that is included with those machines, Which is why there is insta-blonding and quick-pour timeOriginally posted by 656C7C6161656B7D0E0 link=1315876463/12#12 date=1316596398MrBill, that looked like a very fast pour and a lot of blonding right from the start. Bit hard to tell with the editing tho.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
Well then gojuja, I thin its time for a shim kit installation, cause I cant grind fine enough to choke this machine!
MrBill, that looked like a very fast pour and a lot of blonding right from the start. Bit hard to tell with the editing tho.
My wifes been really happy with the lattes Ive been making her - to the point where shes not opposed to an upgrade in a couple of months - and Im reasonably pleased with my espresso shots. If I can eke out just a bit more out of this machine Ill be happy that Ive done all I can before spending money on an upgrade.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
Here is the Sunbeam EM3800 instructional video, not sure who the Barista is but he also does the videos for other machines such as the 6910, 5600 etc. He doses the PF really high and tamps with the scoop/tamp plastic thing so not ideal but I guess hes using the package as its sold. (3:10)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkGAmDw2Ht8
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
I would probably go finer again if your shot is only 15s, so try and get it to at least 20s. Dont get too caught up on the exact shot time (as long as you are kinda in the ballpark of espresso specs) - if it tastes good be happy!
You may get some grounds through into your cup if you go too fine...a bit of a no-no with many CS, but they will sit in the bottom of the coffee - just dont drink them.
Not sure about contact with shower screen on your machine - my guess would be that you dont want too much pressure on your showerscreen but hopefully other sunbeam users can provide better insight on this.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
Tried the new basket this morning.
Thrilled with the results. I dont have the terminology to describe it yet, but the flavour was significantly richer and stronger than with the pressurised basket. Even my wife, who drinks milky coffees, commented on it.
I didnt even realise until halfway through drinking my espresso that Id had excellent crema first attempt.
As gojuja mentioned, the holes in the basket seem a little larger so Im not sure how fine I can get the grind.
QUESTIONS:
My pour time is pretty short and the blonding starts very quickly. Overall, for what I can approximate to about a 40ml shot, the pour time is around 15 seconds. Clearly too short.
Im still experimenting with the grind, but Im back to tamping hard and Im also trying to find a dose that keeps the grinds off the showerscreen.
Anything else anyone can recommend to try to improve things further? Coarser or finer? Should I worry about contact with the showerscreen?
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
OK, np basket secured ($13.20 inc GST) and will have a crack first thing tomorrow.
@gojuja - as per your intimation, should I go start with a coarser grind, given the holes might be larger?
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
@gojuja Yep, that was already my first task for today. Tracked down a place on the Sunshine Coast that carries the Krups MS-0907163 2 cup non-pressurised filter basket*, so Ill be popping out this afternoon to give it a shot (so to speak).
@VBM (and everyone else) Im also going to pick up a generic tamper from a local homewares shop. Since the machines on loan Im disinclined to go out and get a Pullman for it. Ill be very interested to see how the dose, grind and tamp are affected by the NP basket.
The BCG800 also seems to have settled down somewhat. Im back to tamping harder with a grind at about half as fine as it goes in the Espresso bracket and it seems to be spot on for this basket.
Unfortunately my local café has stopped stocking Veneziano beans in favour of what appears to be a local roastery who I wont mention in case I get smacked with the banhammer. Again. Was a massive step up over what Ive been using - Id used supermarket beans to test out the grinder.
*I put the full details for the NP filter basket up above in case anyone in the future needs to ask about it. Google has indexed CoffeeSnobs quite thoroughly and Ive found plenty of great information that way - maybe Ill be able to help out a local one day. Feel free to email me if even if its a few years down the track.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
I certainly gave it a good range of dose sizes. Not to any specific weights though? I focused more on the grind and weightless tamp and not allowing the grinds to push up on the screen. Perhaps this last variable is the key as you indicated in your earlier post?
Its one of those things... you really want to try new things, but constantly filling up the knock box with those valuable browns just irks me. :-?
Perhaps Ill revisit this one again.
If you have any more pointers please feel free to PM me so we dont hijack this thread any further.
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Re: Just got the BCG800, have some grind/tamping questions
VBM, I dont want to hijack the original thread too much but did you experiment with dosing? if so, to what accuracy?
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