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Coffee - do you and how do you consume it?

ryanosaur said:
Thus far, I drank one espresso with it.
Then, after having run 3# of beans through it and getting it dialed in over 4 explosively gushing attempts…

The bomb cyclone and atmospheric river killed our power! :oops::mad:

So off I went to the cafe to finish caffeinating myself.

I will be continuing my consumption of espresso in a few more hours.

That said…

This machine is a beast. It absolutely chews through beans like mad. 3-5 seconds of grinding for 20 grams. I haven’t actually tried timing it, but it’s fast: faster than the pro Mazzers at the cafes.

As I noted before, the brushless motor on the Variable Speed model is absolutely quiet. Even when running beans through, it feels like it’s significantly more quiet than the outgoing grinder, and way, way faster.

While I haven’t had time to really get a new workflow routine, it is super easy and efficient compared to my old grinder. I pour my spritzed beans in the top, push the button, and it’s done. I am not using the dosing cup, rather dosing directly into my portafilter.

As advertised, the grind is fine and clump free. I am seeing lovely fluffy piles of grounds.

Quality of shot updates will have to wait until I get to drink some of it. As a machine, it does what it is advertised to do and does it well.
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Excellent! The first dose I put through the DF83 was a shocker for me, MUCH faster than expected. On the sound level, coming from the Eureka Mignon (very quiet), my expectations needed to be recalibrated.

Finally I am in creamy, balanced, sweet espresso ecstasy that I am the only one in the household who truly appreciates.

I have just one complaint: This wouldn't apply to the DF83v, but the 20 on the espresso dial (right in the middle of the espresso range) is IN THE WRONG LOCATION. It's in the 19 spot. I counted from 0 multiple times. Ugh. QC quirks of buying at such a price point I suppose...
 
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ryanosaur said:
While I haven’t had time to really get a new workflow routine, it is super easy and efficient compared to my old grinder. I pour my spritzed beans in the top, push the button, and it’s done. I am not using the dosing cup, rather dosing directly into my portafilter.
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I had to make a minor adjustment but not set in stone (yet), I found that dosing directly into the portafilter loaded the rear unevenly (which makes perfect sense as it's coming out at an angle), so shots were pouring out the front too heavily. No matter what I did, nothing corrected it and I refused to perform acupuncture on my puck so I experimented with the dosing cup with pretty good results. Dump into portafilter, level, tamp, and done. This workflow removed the necessity of the portafilter collar I was using to avoid making a mess on the countertop, so still pretty simple overall.
 
Timmeon said:
I had to make a minor adjustment but not set in stone (yet), I found that dosing directly into the portafilter loaded the rear unevenly (which makes perfect sense as it's coming out at an angle), so shots were pouring out the front too heavily. No matter what I did, nothing corrected it and I refused to perform acupuncture on my puck so I experimented with the dosing cup with pretty good results. Dump into portafilter, level, tamp, and done. This workflow removed the necessity of the portafilter collar I was using to avoid making a mess on the countertop, so still pretty simple overall.
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That’s what I like about this design vs the upright models. I can hold my portafilter completely under the chute and move it around to control distribution. A quick leveling with ye olde finger, tamp and go. ;)
 
Screen Shot 2024-11-22 at 11.08.33.png


What a rock costs.
To be fair, Baratza support has been incredible and I would recommend getting a used (or new!) model from them any day. They delivered a motor assembly, ring set and provided clear instructions free of charge. After a few weeks of back and forth, I threw in the towel and wanted it looked at by someone who had all the parts on hand. I'm sure Baratza would have helped me chase this down, but it's my only espresso grinder. I need it back in my life.

The Behmor has been absolutely revolutionary. It may not have commercial grades of heat, but the power and control allow me to roast a variety of profiles very easily. I can pull sugary caramel flavors out of my most sour green beans now. An Ethiopian natural I had resigned to the 'sour garbage to burn and make lattes out of' bin has this strong cocoa and honey/malty tea flavor which was impossible before. Increasing my drying speeds and slowing my development phase allows the heat to penetrate so much more evenly and low without easily rising over the intended temperature-- turning my flavors to ash. My roast notes had become increasingly sloppy with my lack of enthusiasm at how long each pound would take to finish. It's fun to enjoy the process again and to feel like roasting is a discovery instead of a chore. Each bean contains so many possibilities for finished coffees, and there are so many more kinds of beans than I will ever have time for. Sweet Maria's has in-person classes for roasting which I may attend if I have the time.
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The funnel helps keep things contained. The supplied magnetic dosing cup fits perfectly under the chute for the same effect. I just prefer my cafe technique. :)
 
D!sco said:
View attachment 408707

What a rock costs.
To be fair, Baratza support has been incredible and I would recommend getting a used (or new!) model from them any day. They delivered a motor assembly, ring set and provided clear instructions free of charge. After a few weeks of back and forth, I threw in the towel and wanted it looked at by someone who had all the parts on hand. I'm sure Baratza would have helped me chase this down, but it's my only espresso grinder. I need it back in my life.

The Behmor has been absolutely revolutionary. It may not have commercial grades of heat, but the power and control allow me to roast a variety of profiles very easily. I can pull sugary caramel flavors out of my most sour green beans now. An Ethiopian natural I had resigned to the 'sour garbage to burn and make lattes out of' bin has this strong cocoa and honey/malty tea flavor which was impossible before. Increasing my drying speeds and slowing my development phase allows the heat to penetrate so much more evenly and low without easily rising over the intended temperature-- turning my flavors to ash. My roast notes had become increasingly sloppy with my lack of enthusiasm at how long each pound would take to finish. It's fun to enjoy the process again and to feel like roasting is a discovery instead of a chore. Each bean contains so many possibilities for finished coffees, and there are so many more kinds of beans than I will ever have time for. Sweet Maria's has in-person classes for roasting which I may attend if I have the time.
View attachment 408712View attachment 408710View attachment 408711
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This makes the simple few variables I deal with pulling espresso look like a walk in the park. Respect!
 
Shots. Not pics. ;)

What I'm getting right now is a little lackluster. But I've also been complaining about this for a minute and a half prior to the new grinder. I'm thinking it's time to change up the Beans, though I just received 2# of Bliss from Lamill yesterday. I'm thinking I might go back to one of their other flavors...
Just looked and they took the Ethiopian out of the blend. I knew something changed.
Ratfcuks! :p

Anyway, the shots are running about 30-32 seconds and yielding about 15g off my 20g dose. I just fined the dial to 17 (from 19 and 18 today) for tomorrow's session. I'm hoping I can build back to the body I'm used to, but the change in blend was not anticipated. Like comparing apples and celery.

If I stay with Lamill, I do like their Ratio blend which is a light espresso roast, and still has the African in it according to the site. Their traditional blend, Reservoir, is all Central and South American again.

*sighs

Maybe its a sign to change boats.

Anybody know a really good and consistent Espresso Blend that has a solid African component? Preferably Sidamo? :D
 
Count Arthur said:
Isn't the point of flat burs a "cleaner" shot, with less body?
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I wouldn’t call it the ”point” of flat burrs, but generally I would agree that clarity is a hallmark of flat burrs. That said, I’ve still been served syrupy thick shots from flat burr grinders.

Not relying on the talking heads of YT to speak clean, straight, or even close to accurately… yet several commented that these stock DLC burrs should still brew a syrupy espresso with good crema. Comparatively, many also talked about using the SSP multipurpose burrs for a more unimodal grind and brew profile which should yield more clarity for pourover especially, but which should still brew a decent espresso.
*shrugs
I am running the stock DLC Espresso Burrs.

Regardless, there are many variables at play right now. Considering I’ve only consumed a total of 4 shots, I am certainly not going to blame the grinder.

As I said above, my beans changed sometime recently, as did our weather, and prior to the new grinder I’ve been have a lot of unhappy shots recently.

Of interest, my last shot today I intentionally tamped very gently and had a much better pull than my previous efforts. Visually, the first 3 shots only extracted around the perimeter of the basket, and this one was the first to extract more normally by moving in toward the center of the basket.

Eventually, I may well open up my espresso machine and raise the pressure a little at the group head. Before this however, I will address all the other variables first, from my own technique on. :)
 
The motor speed is something else you could mess with. 1100RPM is quite fast; the Niche Zero only runs at around 330.

I have no idea what the effect the grind speed has on the shot. :)
 
My intuition tells me a slow speed is desirable if you want a narrower grind size distribution. A fast speed would tend to chop rather than grind against the other burr. No evidence or research for this, just 30 seconds of thought on a Friday afternoon.
 
Count Arthur said:
The motor speed is something else you could mess with. 1100RPM is quite fast; the Niche Zero only runs at around 330.

I have no idea what the effect the grind speed has on the shot. :)
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FWIW, I do know conical burrs run more slowly than flat.
I don’t think I can even turn my speed down that low. ;)

FWIW pt ii, there is mainly just speculation on speed according to some of the mouths on YT. None have indicated any known research that I recall when checking out many reviews on the current batch of single dosers.

I will play with speed a little too: I sort of arbitrarily picked 1100 rpm based on the verbal nonsense of one said YT mouth hole.

:D
 
ryanosaur said:
FWIW, I do know conical burrs run more slowly than flat.
I don’t think I can even turn my speed down that low. ;)

FWIW pt ii, there is mainly just speculation on speed according to some of the mouths on YT. None have indicated any known research that I recall when checking out many reviews on the current batch of single dosers.

I will play with speed a little too: I sort of arbitrarily picked 1100 rpm based on the verbal nonsense of one said YT mouth hole.

:D
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The speed on my grinder is fixed, but as yours is variable, it might be a fun thing to play with. Try a shot with the lowest speed setting, one at the highest, see what happens. Quite possibly, nothing. :)
 
Count Arthur said:
The speed on my grinder is fixed, but as yours is variable, it might be a fun thing to play with. Try a shot with the lowest speed setting, one at the highest, see what happens. Quite possibly, nothing. :)
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Speaking with no experience at 83mm, I can't see how the shot wouldn't change. It definitely changes when slow feeding into the df64 but those effects might be dominated by the larger surface area of the burrs.... or something. First thing I'd do with a DF83v is compare a slow fed shot on lowest speed to a dumped hot start at highest setting. If it tasted the same I'd be surprised.
 
Count Arthur said:
The speed on my grinder is fixed, but as yours is variable, it might be a fun thing to play with. Try a shot with the lowest speed setting, one at the highest, see what happens. Quite possibly, nothing. :)
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I absolutely will play with the rpm setting. Right now, that variable is just a tad lower on the list. ;)
 
xray said:
My intuition tells me a slow speed is desirable if you want a narrower grind size distribution. A fast speed would tend to chop rather than grind against the other burr. No evidence or research for this, just 30 seconds of thought on a Friday afternoon.
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I think you may be onto something. This would begin to explain why using much larger 83mm flat burrs at 1400 rpm is still producing a nice amount of texture, much more than my previous Eureka Mignon.
 
Also, today is National Espresso Day :)
 
I used to be a soda junkie, from 15yo to ~40. Then I became a coffee drinker, 3-4 cups a day. Then I went decaf for a long while which was doable but also kind of miserable.

These days, I have a single cup of black pour over in the morning, prepared with two flat scoops of Ruta Maya dark roast (Costco brand).

I'll occasionally have a second cup while out and about, usually trash gas station coffee, McDs, etc.

I certainly don't feel as AHHH, I'M A*L*I*V*E!!! as I used to but I also don't get headaches if I miss a cup.
 
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