How To: Dialing in Your Grinder

Gail shows us how to calibrate a new grinder with an espresso machine -- how to time the shots and use the information you get from that to dial in the grinder for a great shot.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• espresso
• grinders
• how-to
• calibration
• espresso machine

[HockeyDiane]

I have two questions! is it TWO or THREE ounces? Also, what should the puck look like after? does it matter? mine seems to come out very soupy.. does this mean I'm tampering too much, not enough? does it mean the grind is too course or not course enough?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@HockeyDiane The overall volume is your choice, really, depending on taste -- whatever you decide on, though, it should be calibrated to come out in that 20 - 30 second window. Soupy grounds could be that you have a machine that doesn't have a pressure release valve or that the grind is too fine or the coffee itself has a high natural moisture content. If you let it sit a bit after the shot, it will dry out for ease in ejection :) - Kat

[msungs]

I work in a Fair Trade Coffee Shop overseas and I am having a problem. We got a Eureka Coffee Grinder and it is only spitting out 6 Grams of ground coffee and I would like to have 7 Grams. My boss can't find the operators manual anywhere and I can't find anything on the Internet. I have the fineness correct, and it comes out sweet in the 20-30 second range but the weight is also important. Can you help me, please?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@msungs The only model I have seen of these in person had a doser control knob on it that you used to adjust it. Is that not on your model? If not, I don't have any other details, sorry :/ - Kat

[feds27]

Great video. Do these tips also apply to superautomatics? For instance adjusting the grind of an ENA? How does the type of roast of bean factor into fineness/coarseness of grind? Thanks.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@feds27 Yeah, finer will make a richer shot; coarser less rich. If you use a dark roast, go coarser and if you go lighter, go finer - Kat

[feds27]

@SeattleCoffeeGear Thank you Kat.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@tinbiscuite Yes, it could be that you're starting with too much, it's expanding and then adhering. Try putting in a little less to begin with and see if you still have the same results. You want to tamp it down below the ridge in the basket - Kat

[tinbiscuite]

does that mean i'm putting to much ground coffee in the portafilter? if not can u explain what it means to over dose, please

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@tinbiscuite No -- but it could mean overdosing, that the coffee is expanding so much it's adhering to the brew screen after the pressure is released. - Kat