Are You Making These 4 Espresso Mistakes?

[@Kruveinc]

Espresso. So simple yet complicated 😂😊

[@Val_Smith]

I had two baskets and used only the basic one and 1-2mm uneven level and had channeling at the side of the puck sometimes. Then I got 58,5 temper and distributor but was still getting side channels. I tried another basket that I had with the machine and found out it fits right in with my tools. Good basket is a must. P.S. Always WDT with a pin or a needle 0,5-0,7mm diameter vertically before leveling. If you want to hit the portafilter to level the grounds, do it before wdt.

[@homecafecharlie]

Yeah distribution really is the name of the game. It's so funny to see baristas in cafes not doing any puck prep at all. If you have a great grinder then you definitely need less, but even distributing with a few taps on your palm is essential to get a good extraction.

[@chebsas1]

I have been pulling longer shots at 6 bars instead of the traditional 9 bars, I usually use medium-light beans, I find them sweeter, more balance, and delicate.

[@homecafecharlie]

Nice! I think the Turbo shot is smaller amount in the basket, lower pressure, faster shot. I'll be playing around with them and will make a video if it adds anything to the discussion about it

[@ARADG15]

I ran with a bambino for about a year and a half, learned a TON about workflow and proper procedures, now upgraded from my smart grinder pro and bambino to a Dual Boiler set up with a Mignon Specialita!

[@homecafecharlie]

Nice! A better setup for sure, and you probably appreciated it more because you learned on something simpler

[@NYCgoblue]

I'd love to get your opinion on the Oscar II. I've had one for a while now, made a few modifications based on some recommendations (add an OPV from Elektros, remove the delay at the start of a shot and took out the giggler at the pump, which also made it much louder. I've also meant to change the gigglers at the group head per recommendations seen elsewhere in order to get more consistent temperatures, but had a hard time removing the one on the hot side.) Do you find issues with temperatures as it's a HX machine? Do you find your ratios/recipes different as compared to your old machine?

[@homecafecharlie]

Review coming out very soon!

[@dzurisintube]

Excellent points made and a good general take-away. Espresso is like audiophilia in that it generally appeals to those with means that like to tinker and enjoy "investing" in their hobby. For that reason both are prone to rabbit holes, dogma, and upgrade-itis. Bit's and bobs can be fun to play around with and chasing the latest trend is neat. At the end of the day it's just good to remember that everyone is in it for different reasons and with different goals. What I do think is that more rigorous tests are required to help everyone gain a better understanding of the processes involved to benefit everyone and help assess dogmatic or trendy claims. Once we have this knowledge-base we are better able to factually promote best practices with supporting evidence and set aside previously held believes that don't stand the test of science. Oh and I like my leveler if for no other reason that it acts as it makes getting a level tamp easier for someone who is only pulling 1 drink a day at home. I think at some point this unitasker got lumped in and compared with other tools (tamper, distro) when it really just serves its own discrete and luxury purpose.

[@homecafecharlie]

I'd like to get more scientific about things, but it is also prohibitively expensive to do so and the content isn't really as interesting to most people. I did some experiments with the DiFluid refractometer and it was one of my most expensive and least successful videos haha

[@dzurisintube]

@@homecafecharlie yes, definitely not suggesting this would be something you would take on, rather that the community at large would benefit from approaching these topics in a more systematic and data-centric manner (funded science or institutes with the ability to conduct it). Most times it relies on serially slurping blind tastings and then turning over a cup for the big reveal. While this is something that is helpful, it's not quantitative and is subject to opinion, taste, and does not get at process pathways. Thank you for all you do for the community...your channel has come a long way!

[@unknownentity222]

What would you consider a good starter espresso machine. Everyone suggests gaggia classic pro, but 600 CAD is a lot to spend.

[@homecafecharlie]

I would say the most important thing is the grinder. Get a decent grinder and your setup can grow with your interest and budget. Maybe start off with a second hand budget machine like a Gaggia Classic Pro or Rancilio Silvia, but get a nice flat burr like the DF64. You could probably get both for under $700 if you get the espresso machine second hand

[@dtonpbac]

May I ask how you already got the new Kruve ceramic espresso cup?

[@homecafecharlie]

They sent it to me so I could do a first impressions video about the three spout jug. 😉

[@thebrownbarista]

you are the man Charlie! great tips

[@homecafecharlie]

Thanks so much 😁

[@3ede467]

Great video, Charlie! Exactly the learnings that I had in the last year. I’m so annoyed by all these people talking about extraction time as a parameter for dialing in. It is a great parameter to reproduce a good shot, but regarding the dial-in process, you should definitely focus on taste. I’ve had my best shots ever in the last few months since I screwed the whole timing bullshit and invested my time in better understanding the steps one can take to bring taste to a certain direction. I now pull shots that have no bitterness at all and taste like fruity berries. And even my Italian friends had to admit that it tasted pretty good even though they normally prefer their chocolaty darker roasted taste profiles for espresso. 😂

[@homecafecharlie]

You show those Italians, Chris. They will be coming to you for advice soon enough 😎

[@AdastraRecordings]

The best shots I've pulled don't coalesce and conform to the god shot aesthetic so I no longer subscribe to those optics, but anemic looking crema always indicates a poor job even with light roasts. Regarding the length of time to pull a shot, I've had great tasting shots that look 80 seconds. If you put crap in, you get crap out, it's that simple.

[@MrAndrew60]

Nice work! What size needles are you using??

[@homecafecharlie]

These ones are acupuncture needles. No idea of actual size, but they are small and quite firm.

[@MrAndrew60]

@@homecafecharlie trying to figure out if my needles are too thick. Your size seems to cut the bed nicely and mine are .3mm which tends to push the grounds more then what I feel should be "cutting" through and distributing gently...therefore creating less channeling. I'm pretty dialed in with my grinder and recipe, and for whatever reason, I can't beat channeling.

[@Finance_Senpai]

Hey! Do you mind sharing the scale you use in this video? Body looks like acaia but the screen looks different

[@homecafecharlie]

Yes it's the DiFluid scale! I like it for the most part, clear screen and reactive. Only issue is the battery runs out quite fast and it won't work while plugged in, needs to charge. If you forget to charge it it's annoying to wait a minute or two for it to charge enough to weigh out one shot. But it's also 1/3 the price of an Acaia

[@WasimBarri]

I don't think distributors should be called that but rather levellers. After WDT which does the bulk of the distributing and declumping you try and rake the surface to get it as flat as possible. That too me is where the leveller comes in to do a job that raking alone can't do and that's why I use both and found this leads to greater consistency Also, you're right the 1:2 ratio isn't the be all and end all but its a great starting point to dial in, then adjust for taste which is either adjust grind or ratio and yes, as a general rule I do about 1:2.5 for lighter roasts and adjust from there.

[@Caffeinatedtechnerd]

The problem with that is that you are only raking the top part of the puck. Increasing your chances of channeling and over extraction. Before WDT existed distribution is definitely better than your finger, but now that we have WDT distribution makes zero sense. Watch true coffee conseurs like Lance Hendrik and James Hoffman do puck prep and you’ll notice neithe uses distribution.

[@WasimBarri]

@@CaffeinatedtechnerdWires crossed, I think. I'm not talking leveller alone, I'm saying WDT first and then levelling with a leveller which gives a perfect surface for tamping. If the top surface isn't level before tamping you will get different densities in the puck leading to uneven extractions. I get almost zero channelling and great consistency. Also I go by taste and personal experience and testing not by what past barista champions say you should do. Many of my local cafes use a distributor (sorry leveller) but they try and get the coffee as even as possible first. I asked one of them why they use a leveller and they said greater consistency among their baristas. So we'll agree to disagree!

[@homecafecharlie]

Oh man, "true coffee connissers". How you gonna do me like that bro? 🤣

[@JLeverEspresso]

"There is no 1:2 ratio rule" yeap ... it's funny how some would have you believe that only 1:1, 1:2-2.5 and 1:3 or something near those ranges pulls great ristretto/espresso/lungo whereas everything in between these is a sink shot, it's just not true, I think ratio is just a "strength measure" continuum and it's really personal preference.

[@homecafecharlie]

Exactly! I pulled a 70g shot from 20g coffee the other day by mistake. Tried it... Beautiful!

[@DigitalicaEG]

Add to this: heating your coffee cups to have hot espresso. Myth busted

[@johnmackay7789]

3 weeks into my espresso experience having been gifted a sage barista express and it doesn't seem to matter what I do the shots taste awful. Good beans, grind finer,grind coarser, extraction times. It's already starting to drive me bonkers and I feel I'm just wasting good coffee.Seriously thinking about going back to the aeropress and using the barista as a milk steamer.😢😢😢

[@LukeBelcher27]

Watching your videos really helped me with getting a good texture to my milk. I'd hit a wall till you explained how rolling actually works. Thank you for your great content!

[@homecafecharlie]

I'm so happy it helped! 😎

[@meowsticworld7585]

I still need to work on my Latte art 😂

[@homecafecharlie]

Haha me too. It's all a process 😉

[@gregorio5543]

So many mistakes and continue to. Overdosing shots, not weighing my input, ect. Ironically, in Italy they don't time their shots either. It's usually based on the machine and presets off

[@abdu1989]

Nice first comment