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Permalink Reply by Daniel Demers on April 24, 2012 at 3:49pm

What type of single basket are you using?  I know there are a couple types out there, and I've had experience (and a great deal of success) with the "cone-shaped" single basket.  I did not have to fill the single basket to the brim to get the proper amount of coffee as you might see with a standard double basket.  Ideally you should weigh the amount of coffee you are using, and filling to the brim is only volumetric (although it can be consistent if practiced) and does not help you trouble shoot when needed.

Try to weigh the amount of coffee used, and shoot for between 7-9 grams, and adjust your grind accordingly.  Leveling off can be tricky without having the basket filled, so often I'll tap it with my hand a couple times to settle and distribute, or even bend my finger back a bit and shove it down there just to distribute the grounds to the edges.

As far as the tamping, you shouldn't have to tamp harder to get the puck to not scrape along the screen.  If you have the proper amount of coffee you should just be able to tamp anywhere up to the traditional 30lbs of pressure and be fine.  Keep experimenting!

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Permalink Reply by Neal on April 24, 2012 at 5:52pm

I do have the cone shaped single basket, just overfilling I guess. I now have a scale on order so I will be able to tell how much I need. I may play with a double shot a few times until then, just hate wasting more coffee if I don't have to hehe.

Thanks a bunch!

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Permalink Reply by Brady on April 24, 2012 at 7:29pm

Hi Neal.

I like Daniel's advice. Sorry to say, not a whole lot of feedback on using the single basket. I've maybe pulled 3-4 shots on one, tops. Most cafe's never use them, and most of those that do don't use them properly.

Work the double and develop your technique there, then revisit the single.

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Permalink Reply by Sandy Hon on April 26, 2012 at 12:56pm

single shot portafilters are definitely more challenging than a double, and takes a different, gentler technique than dosing a double

 

singles taste great too.

don't ditch your single pf, learn to conquer it and you will have a skill that a lot of other Baristas dont have.

 

just sayin.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sandy Hon on April 26, 2012 at 12:57pm

having said that......if you're just learning bar, conquer the double first....then move on to the more challenging single shot basket/pf

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Permalink Reply by Neal on April 27, 2012 at 5:45am

Thanks for the advice all,

This morning I had a little time so I played with some double shots. After trying a couple of times with the grind too course, I got close. Just before I had to head to work I got a shot of 2 oz that was around 32 second, it actually looked half way like it should so I am happy hehe. Given another chance I think I could have come close to a drinkable shot. That 32 second one was very bitter as well, wonder if I didn't flush enough before it?

On a brighter note, some of the courser ground that I had done, I used for my drip coffee this morning. Wow what a difference to have fresh ground coffee! It took all the bitter taste out of it and even seems to have a tad bit of a chocolaty flavor just as described. Now if I can just get my espresso that good.

Now that the weekend has come I should have more time to play with it and get better, I hope.

Thanks again!

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Plaza on June 11, 2012 at 12:46pm

Hey Neal,

I just wanted to add something to this topic. Sometimes looks can be deceiving when it comes to dosing/tamping. I see a lot of new baristas putting far too much coffee and then using a courser grind to compensate. Try filling the porta filter so that the mound comes out over the lip but not so much that the entire basket is full with a mound on top. Your goal should be to have no excess coffee after you've smoothed over the mound and filled in any cracks.

Ryan

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Permalink Reply by Remy Fowles on June 14, 2012 at 11:25pm

Depends on what flavors you want to get out of your espresso. I typically overpack/underpull my espresso when pulling a double to bring out some of the sweeter flavors. It can be much more difficult with the single, as the method is different as others have said you can't jam pack a single basket and pull just about anything out of it! 

 

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Permalink Reply by lance battenfield on July 16, 2012 at 11:08am

I would try to pull your shots somewhere around 25 seconds. I'm using simonelli aurelia and i've had best luck at that time with a double at about 17 grams.

And for the single, Don't knock it down, just scrape it off and see how that works.

Neal said:

Thanks for the advice all,

This morning I had a little time so I played with some double shots. After trying a couple of times with the grind too course, I got close. Just before I had to head to work I got a shot of 2 oz that was around 32 second, it actually looked half way like it should so I am happy hehe. Given another chance I think I could have come close to a drinkable shot. That 32 second one was very bitter as well, wonder if I didn't flush enough before it?

On a brighter note, some of the courser ground that I had done, I used for my drip coffee this morning. Wow what a difference to have fresh ground coffee! It took all the bitter taste out of it and even seems to have a tad bit of a chocolaty flavor just as described. Now if I can just get my espresso that good.

Now that the weekend has come I should have more time to play with it and get better, I hope.

Thanks again!

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