WAKE UP AND COFFEE
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@weftyarn if you get some squirting on the bottomless, what are your go to things to try and fix this
Well there’s many things that I would do depending on what I think the reason is.. here’s a few:
Coffee squirts AND generally runs through way to quickly:
Not necessarily due to bad tamping / channeling -> Try finer grindCoffee squirts but generally runs through at the right flow rate
-> Could be channeling
-> Try to distribute better (WDTs / tooth picks - that’s what I use!)
-> Avoid knocking the portafilter to distribute grind**We generally tend to over-do the distributing part by knocking multiple times, using WDTs for too long, then knocking again etc… What happens sometimes is that we build clumps under the visible surface of the puck, instead of actually distributing all ground particles evenly. If that happens you’ll have channeling no matter how great and level the tamp is.
If grind and distribution don’t help: Have a look at the pump pressure and maybe reduce it (I reduced from 9.5 to 8.5 bar on my machine). It is a bit like building a sand castle at the beach: If there’s a strong wave, it doesn’t matter how strong and homogenous your castle wall is. It’ll just break. High pump pressure means stronger wave.
If none of the above helps, it might also be the ground coffee itself that is causing the issues. High grade grinders typically achieve a narrower band of grind size with a higher percentage of the ground particles being of the desired size. That by itself will lead to a more homogenous puck, reducing the risk of channeling.
I think I’m really just scratching the surface here and there might be details that I’m missing / oversimplifying. there’s definitely a lot more to it, but still, I hope it helps.
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Are you guys using a dosing funnel or is there a trick not to get grinds everywhere?
i'm using a dosing cup, like this one - https://www.bluestarcoffee.eu/motta-coffee-dosing-cup-10738-p.asp
my gaggia came with the plastic funnel, but it was still a bit messy
