Understanding Espresso - Grind Size (Episode #4)

[@arildedvardbasmo490]

Thank you for disabling mid-roll ads. I know it's quite a big sacrifice as a business, but it makes the viewing experiences about 5367% better.

[@arildedvardbasmo490]

@@JimboJones99 "Actually... No you can't HAVE 5367 apples of the 100 apples, but you can have growth of 5367 apples on the 100, for example in potato farming where you invest 100 potatoes in spring and get 600 back in autumn (600% return on investment)."

[@UnwittingSweater]

@@JimboJones99 I understood that reference.

[@postscript3150]

👌😂 This whole string is 100. 💯

[@BasenjiAdventures]

He doesn’t need a mid-roll ad - He does one himself.

[@arildedvardbasmo490]

@@BasenjiAdventures And it's so much more pleasant for it.

[@steveiannazzo5451]

I have found a way to change my grind settings without the need to waste coffee by purging the grinder after each change. 1. Determine what change I want to make (finer or coarser). 2. Make the grinder setting change. 3. Call out to my wife, "Honey, feel like an espresso?" 4. Make said espresso 5. After that...make myself an espresso and see how I like the change. It's waste free and my wife is always happy with whatever comes out of the machine.

[@_________2585]

Update: Does not work if your single and alone ;-;

[@GrassiTube]

What about a manual grinder?

[@_________2585]

@@GrassiTube not sure since Idk your model but usually you can manually adjust your grind with a dial

[@RaynmanPlays]

Reminds me of gongfu tea brewing. The first (the tea wash) is for the dog. The second is for your wife. The third is for yourself. This is because the "third" brew (the second _actual_ brew) is generally considered to be the best.

[@jerrynjo1699]

You are lucky to have a great wife ! 😊

[@segamble1679]

My dad started a coffee shop in the early 2000s in rural Alberta (western Canada). Nobody had a clue what specialty coffee was, so we just did whatever we wanted and called it espresso or a latte or whatever. I think the tech who setup the machine dialed the grind setting in when he installed it, but after that nothing was ever adjusted. I am mortified to think of the countless terrible espresso shots I served while working there.

[@sallyche1648]

Wow that's good

[@233kosta]

Eh, if the customers loved it, who cares that it wasn't "perfect"?

[@talialalalala]

I know James doesn't really ask for likes all the time, but the moment I click any of his videos, I automatically hit like because I know I'll love it

[@colourandsound]

It's great that he doesn't need to. The cream of KZbin rising to the top.

[@stephengoldberg7609]

I do the exact same thing

[@craigs902]

Yes I do the same, to me it shows a sign of respect for great info James shares with us all.

[@IAmSylar1996]

Ofc, i do it every time too and i know what u mean It’s instantly good content

[@CoffeewithKartikay]

Ha! Will do this going forward!

[@florentaaninosanu5598]

I'm a beginner barista and all the information I have to process seems a bit scary, but videos like this make it easier to understand! Thank you for breaking it up into easily understandable spes and also putting things into the big picture. You've made a new thing seem less scary and for that I am very grateful.

[@DavidM828]

Just when I’m having this real battle with grind size, here he comes to tell me why. Thank you

[@tgterra99]

Same battle here 😅

[@bassboy2947]

Me too! Perfect timing.

[@hrsllidra]

You just need to understand the grinder , get to know it, feel it, touch it and love it

[@andrewlachambers]

Couldn’t agree more!

[@sting1111]

What causes a puck to turn into a watery soupy mess?

[@kuafg]

I would be interested in a puck prep video. There are so many different techniques out there and conflicting opinions as to what techniques/combination of them is best. Distribution tools, WDT, tapping, Stockfelth, and shakers. I see a lot of people combining these methods too.

[@MrTimitus]

Yeah same! John from Decent taps, does some WDT and then tamps with a springloaded tamper. My sequence: 1) tap on counter to distribute grounds and remove air sockets 2) WDT with paper clip in flower pattern 3) tamp (without spring). I have noticed that lighter tamps give a waayyyy better taste profile. Not sure how that works... Maybe because you need to grind finer and thus get more contact area

[@craigs902]

I’ve gone over to a replica OCD tamp combo, best thing I’ve ever done. Love using it and I find it gives a far better consistent extraction.

[@MrTimitus]

@@craigs902 do distributors work? If your grinds are uneven, don’t they just them down? Asks for some experimenting but I don’t have a machine that is consistent enough. Am I making up excuses to buy a Decent? Yes.

[@craigs902]

@@MrTimitus yes like James has said in the past a good grinder makes a big difference in consistent grind. You don’t have to spend much, I use a breville BCG 800 pro, great grinder for the price for home. AliExpress sell great beveled distribution tamps at a great price. But yes I use a distribution tool at work now, 1 because of the way it works and 2 because of Covid, I don’t like people putting grubby fingers over my coffee, and will not go to coffee shop that dies it.

[@pojweq]

@@MrTimitus BH as well as others have done work showing that distribution tools like the OCD don't really give you any higher extraction compared to just tamping. As long as you're tamping and distributing correctly they don't really do a whole lot.

[@JC-fj7oo]

I do feel like too much coffee in the world gets wasted. At sometimes $20/lb, coffee is a precious resource. Rainforests are being torn apart to grow your beans. Don't throw them away if they aren't perfectly ground. Just have a little container, baggie or whatever to capture the purge grounds. Then there are tons of uses for them Cold brew coffee doesn't need the same consistency of grind. Gather a few days worth of purge grounds and put them in fridge with some water overnight and have a fantastic cold-brew coffee. Throw them in the aeropress and make a quick cup of regular coffee. It's very forgiving for grind size. Make espresso anyway. It's still going to be ok and will tell you if you are heading in the right direction. It's still coffee.

[@StarryNightSky587]

Exactly. I dont get the fuss. If it is absolutely horrible - ok throw it out. Other than that it might just not be the greatest espresso you ever had, but still drinkable. So drink it god darn.

[@GaiaGoddessOfTheEarth]

@@StarryNightSky587 For me if it's not a great espresso I'll just make it into a milk drink. I don't like wasting coffee especially since I have a hand grinder. It may not be the best latte ever but it's still good enough.

[@xuetablya6301]

yup, i don't bother with purging at my coffeeshop, except i have to serve an espresso. it would be still ok in milk drinks and even americano. many people throw in sugar anyway. i'll just look at the next espresso.

[@JC-fj7oo]

@@xuetablya6301 especially if you're pretty close to dialed-in, a few larger crumbs isn't going to change things much. Maybe if the last thing you ground was French press... I also feel like most cafes that sell milk drinks just pick a setting that works and leave it there. I've never actually seen Baristas dial in shots. Then again I usually have four five different drip coffee is but only use the one blend for espresso so there's never a need to adjust anything.

[@xuetablya6301]

@@JC-fj7oo you probably have never seen barista dialing-in because it usually happens before opening, and just takes a few tweaks here and there during the day. espresso goes from pretty good in the evening to god awful in the morning every time.

[@fabianschreuder9541]

Hi James, I am a fan from the Netherlands and would like to express my appreciation for your insightful videos! I often hear you say that puck prep is very important. I'm certain a lot of people would be interested to see your technique, hopefully you will share this with us one day.

[@arshdeepsingh5437]

This is a wonderful video James. I run a Coffee Shop in India and we do some top-notch classics. But it also starts with Understanding Espresso. It instantly uplifts all our coffee offerings. I try to constantly through your videos and other books/resources work on our Espresso and Espresso blends. Getting the grind right is no easy task. Thanks for constantly sharing this knowledge with us. Also, different estates (and roasts) here in India require varied grind settings as well. Hence understanding the core principles allows us to keep our coffee offerings worthy.

[@maxanderson9293]

In which state is your shop man ? If I live nearby I might drop in

[@SimplyJustRed]

our coffee offerings - that is so metal

[@DNA2000-8bit]

I've just ordered some gear, subscribed to this channel and I'm ready to believe anything James says. Because he's very specific in his explanations. He always delivers the "why." Good stuff.

[@culmore170a]

Mr Hoffmann knows his stuff and explains things in a very clear manner. Been banging my head against a brick wall trying to get my expresso dialled in. Was thinking of buying a new machine but but finally my expresso is getting a bit better thanks to this video. Thanks James.

[@RickLilShore]

I have this irrational fear that one day James Hoffmann will knock on my door and ask for a cup coffee in a polite british manner. As I try to produce an acceptable cup with my inferior brewing technique, James keeps saying "interesting" with a seemingly neutral - but to my eyes slightly judging - look on his face. When I finally serve James the product of my nervous labour and he has slurped it very loudly he then either 1) tells me how disgusting it is or 2) lies. His disappointement haunts me to the grave.

[@math_nerd_guy]

HAHAHAHHA

[@dickybirdcch]

It’s a hiding to nothing.

[@AllaMortify]

He grimaces and coughs slightly. His eyes narrow as he peers suspiciously at the machine before he shrugs, frowns and politely says "Do have any tea?"

[@DerekSmit]

When James asks for coffee, you should always say I only have tea and then realize he's a Brit and he's going to hate your tea even more.

[@Baaagel]

"Oh, you made coffee. Right. Thank you" *James grabs the cup, sips, then looks frantically but subtly around the room for the nearest exit*

[@stephenmanis5258]

James Hoffman is my "go-to" guy for all things Espresso. Based on his reviews, I landed on a Niche Zero and a Cafelat Robot, both of which I ADORE! (noting that this was my first ever foray into the world/art/science/journey of Espresso). I actually sat and paused this video repeatedly and took notes, to assist me in my journey to Espresso enlightenment. Thanks JH!

[@martinfilardi2614]

Thank you. I just thoroughly cleaned my conical grinder and am impressed with how evenly the coffee is now ground. I would suggest everyone do this frequently. Great video

[@user-fc3pj2en3z]

the one most important thing i learned during phd: change only one parameter at a time.

[@roberthardy5171]

I learnt that in year 9 science

[@tomdupree2758]

Maybe, I personally find a good experimental design of a batch of experiments more effective. What I find is that reproducibility is a much bigger problem than most of us (very much including myself here) think.

[@donttouchthisatall]

Jup - can relate :P

[@IAmSylar1996]

Right Its too lesson 4 me I like to switch dose and grind settings in the same time I think, it’s ofc good way, but after i do espresso, it is worse then before 😂

[@chefboyardeesnuts277]

I agree. If there's one thing I took away from high school chem and several college research courses, changing one factor helps with control of variables and outcome. Brewing is fun mix of science and art in one cup.

[@samuelkim9794]

i think purging is the saddest part as home barista as it's necessary at the same time money down the drain. i use it to get within the parameter when dialing in and practice latte art so it's not total wastage

[@jameshoffmann]

I agree - I'm a big fan of grinders that reduce purging waste.

[@am-su7hx]

what if we regrind the coffee? is it usable?

[@oli0808]

As a non-Hoffman home barista though, I can not purge and also not tell the difference 👍

[@djcuvcuv]

@@jameshoffmann i also very much agree. i think this is where manual lever machines shine for the home barista, that coupled with a great handheld grinder (e.g. kinu m47) or a niche, and you may never have to throw a shot in the sink ever again. i will say tho that i have always has this suspicion that no grinder has perfectly reproducible grind settings. i.e. ive coarsened my grind and then tightened it back to the same spot and found appreciably different results.

[@tonio3723]

@@am-su7hx No the physics of regrinding are totally different, and you will probably jam up your grinder.

[@elneutrino90]

Is amazing to me how much alike espresso and photography are, exposure and extraction are quite similar and then using a combination of time and apperture to achieve good exposure is like dose and grind setting to achieve good extraction

[@rooftopstudios]

Spoken like a true photographic aficionado.

[@turbulentFlux]

Good analogy, haha!

[@KiLLeRBison1]

I just bought the Flair Classic as my first foray into espresso literally seconds before clicking this video. Highly relevant and much needed.

[@henriquemorato]

The part about depth of the puck i was thinking of my Flair also.

[@Likeacannon]

When it comes to milk espresso I have a VERY strict recipe (our espresso blend changes seasonally, but stays pretty consistent taste-wise), and so grind setting is really the only variable. But with rotating single-origins I teach my baristas to follow the basic advice you‘be given about approximate dose and ratio, and once you think you have something resembling tasty that’s when grind setting comes into play. I love your videos because you give clear language for me to use in training, and that is not something that one sees often. So thank you, Jim.

[@JorryGT]

Your videos are an absolute joy to watch not only because of the quality information but also your diction and tone of voice are just soothing and captivating. Similar to how a professor would speak during an interesting lecture grips you with interest - I'm not only interested in making good coffee for myself and others, I'm now griped by the science behind it. That actually should not be surprising as if you really want to be good at something you must be able to understand it properly. Thank you for making this series.

[@geoffreyfletcher-chef]

As a chef who makes coffee I never throw away coffee. 1. If I change the grind: my reckoning is, if it was descent before the change, it will be descent after and I can wait for one or two coffees to see if it gets even better. 2. If the grind was way off, which it almost never is, I use the coffee to make ice cream or ganache.

[@lucamarin5421]

Thank you for this, I felt insistent that I don't waste the grounds.

[@ryanwood1911]

Thanks James Hoffman four your informative videos! I watched this video this morning and KZbin pointed me toward your January 1st, 2020 video, "Did Science Just Reinvent Espresso." I cannot perform the experiment that was requested in that video because I am using a Gaggia Classic Pro that I have had for about a month and I am stuck with the 15 Bar (!) pressure that they make it with. But these two videos inspired me to brew 17 double shots today. This is what I have experienced: My best tasting shots run about 25 seconds. At twenty seconds or less, they are harshly sour. They improve from say 23-27 seconds and after that they tend to get very bad again and kind of inconsistent shot times, I am pretty sure this is because of channeling. I bought an inexpensive leveler and was trying to use just that without tamping, but I couldn't get consistent shot times with the leveler alone, so I backed it off and used it to just level and tamped after. That did improve consistency, but I still seemed to get channeling with shot times in the 30 second range. After watching the two videos this morning, I was on a mission after work today! My theory is that I can't run a shot longer than about 25 seconds because the 15 BAR that my machine runs at over-compresses my puck, breaking it, and causing channeling. I would like to hear some constructive feedback from someone knowledgeable (James?!) about this theory. So this was my experiment today: I took a coffee that I like, but couldn't get consistent results with. It was tasting "strong," probably sour, in my lattes. Overall, just not very pleasant. I wanted to try to get consistent results tamping with ONLY my my leveler. I first reset my leveler to the depth that I was using when I was trying it out to tamp with before. I then tried to tamp it and discovered that I couldn't. It was already tamped harder than I tamp by hand. And sure enough, I got an OK, 23 second shot, but when I ground finer, the shot times decreased! Even after resetting to the same grind as the 23 sec shot, it was still in the 18-19 second range and terrible. So I tried the leveler where I had is set when I was tamping after and get fast, inconsistent shots. But things improved when I set the leveler in between. I was able to get consistently timed, OK shots, probably about as good as anything I had been able to get out of the Gaggia. I think it will make a nice latte and I am looking forward to trying one in the morning. So what do you guys and gals think? Is the 15 BAR of the Gaggia breaking the puck if I grind to a 30 second shot, causing channeling? Will modding the Gaggia to 9 BAR fix these problems? "Let me know in the comments below!" Thanks

[@arrif826]

You should know how special your videos are when I reserved a special time on my day to tune in every time you upload. Thank you for all the information that you put out there James, I've learned a lot from your videos. Keep up the good work, cheers buddy. A fan from Malaysia

[@kevjmu]

The pursuit of a perfect grind with a perfect puck resulting in a tasty well balanced espresso is why I listen to James👍🔥🔥🔥 I have Niche grinder and make daily 1/2 step adjustments as needed keeping brew time around 25-30 seconds with a 2 to 1 ratio.

[@tonejac]

Is it true the the Niche Zero grinder has almost no retention? So you don't have to purge when making a new grind adjustment?

[@axel.lessio]

The point about changing only one variable at a time is a really good one. It's really hard to understand the impact of each adjustment otherwise. Great tip!

[@craigs902]

Love your vids especially this series James. Now for the grind settings, I love mucking about with it. I get in different coffee, from different roasters, from different regions around the world for work. My customers love me for it, plus It keeps me on my toes for grind settings and ratios. It’s opened up my customers eyes to the many, many different tasting coffees that are available. So adjusting the grind or changing the amount of grind is no biggie. I’ve just had lots and lots of practice. Not that I have not learnt from you over the last 6mths I’ve been watching. I’ve learnt so much more in the last 6mths it’s not funny, so thank you so very much. It’s just a shame now I’ve decided to retire from the game and my customers are not happy with me but the coffee will still flow at work. Cheers James! Oh by the way the Espresso Tonics are Devine !!

[@CertifiedSlamboy]

On the "purging out coffee and wasting it" thing. Here's what I do: Stick it in a container and use it in an Aeropress later. Very forgiving as a brew method and doesn't ruin the flavour much at all.

[@Vypren]

Even tho it’s unrelated to my current coffee problem, which is getting my Mokka pot to produce the best coffee it’s capable of, hearing about the way you change your grind size and properly dial those things in helped a LOT. Thanks mate.

[@jph364]

On only changing one paramater at a time. Be aware that if you change grind setting it will affect the amount of coffee a grinder will churn out in a fixed time. So if you go finer you will probably get less coffee out in the time set on the timer for grinding. The other way around when grinding coarser. So I always manually add some coffee or scoop out excess when dialling in. Later on you can adapt the timer on your grinder.

[@fluffycritter]

This is a good reason to not keep your hopper full and to only add the amount of coffee you’re intending to grind each time. Although I wonder how much that’s affected by grinder retention.

[@TheVitamineE]

this is why you should work with grams not scoops, timers etc. you get to actually repeatable dosages.

[@jph364]

@@TheVitamineE @fluffy that is possible but not very practical if you need to make production (not to mention retention). A good grinder has a very reliable output using the timer. I just wanted to warn that if you change grind size with a timed grinder, your output will vary as well so if you are not careful there is a risk that you vary 2 variables.

[@MattM-24]

@@jph364 You make a solid point, and this is something that is more relevant to cafes where timed dosing grinders are more common. When dialing in, use a scale to make sure you're using the same dose each time and just adjusting the grind, then once you have dialed in make sure the timer is right so that you keep getting that dose. I'm sure there's good videos to explain the process

[@fluffycritter]

@@jph364 Ah, sure, I was assuming home brewing and not a professional environment.

[@MarginalMarvel]

I began my espresso journey not too long ago with my breville barista express and I’ve always treated dose and brew ratio as constant, leaving just grind setting to play with. Issues with retention are a big pain point indeed. The built in grinder on my machine does a decent job at getting into the ball park of getting me to the right flow rate but I never had the luxury of going beyond that since the step size in grind settings isn’t that granular. This series really helped me realise that i can play with the other variables too as well as how to go about doing so. Thanks James :)

[@MarginalMarvel]

Also, really found your review of the niche zero really helpful in this regard. I’m hoping to get my hands on one soon 🤞

[@thejoetandy]

I went back to using my hand grinder after I got my flair, because I wasn't ok with the huge coffee wastage of the ex-cafe electric grinder I bought. Another great video, Mr H.

[@CriticalDarknes]

Just wanted to say a big thank you. As a new dad I needed some good espresso so I got a decent Breville and after 4 of your videos no more over extractions and my tamp is “better’’ but much more consistent and I’m able to see what was wrong by your guru level tips. THANKS!!

[@the3cl3ctic]

I don't own an espresso machine, but I watch these videos because of the quality presentation of the subject!

[@chrisneumann3963]

Excellent. Grind size and tamp pressure is probably the most common reason of serving terrible coffee in South Africa. For this reason I have opened a couple of coffee shops for people to taste what great coffee should taste like. Thanks for sharing your knowledge @James

[@scalwi]

I have definitely chased grind size around in the past. Making changes to the amount rather than grind size has been a good way to have to do less of that. Thanks for these videos. I'd love to see something on the impact of filter basket size. For example, how does extraction, brew time, etc. compare when brewing with 17 g in a 17 g basket vs. 17 g in a 20 g basket, vs. 20 g in a 20 g basket. It is another one of those variables that seems like it should make it easier to dial in exactly what I want, but it mostly confuses me.

[@n14llward62]

Excellent excellent series. I got a Sage Barista pro yesterday and wasted a lot of coffee trying to dial in my espresso watching other videos on KZbin then last night stumbled across this series. It’s not that the other channels were not good it’s just that this series, how it’s presented & explained just clicked for me and after just a couple of attempts this morning, with a better understanding of grind, dose, brew time & how they affect each other I managed to make something that resembled a good cup of coffee. Thanks 🙏 & keep up the great videos…… Now time to perfect the art of steaming🤔

[@ifyourethere]

I've always had a tough time explaining this to people. Personally, When going for a new grinder instead of getting the baratza Sette 270 I got the Sette 30 as it forced me to settle with good and not keep tweaking it to try to get perfect espresso everytime. Generally I'm pouring shots twice a day and I go for 17g in and 34g out and I go through a bag of coffee every 2 weeks so I wait until my roasted coffee (shoutout to quietly coffee usually) is exactly 1 week old as it has settled and you're still drinking the coffee within its prime but coffee that is too fresh makes your pour way too inconsistent. At the end of my shot I decide if I need to adjust for the evening shot, usually I don't have to. I almost waste 0 coffee with this method and I aim for 30s.

[@shanebeck5898]

This is the first time the relationship between the size of grind and amount of coffee have an impact on puck performance - specifically as it impacts channeling. Like many others, I am a very visual learner and your description of the confluence of factors allowed me to “see it” in a way I hadn’t before. I still prefer to pay the professional to do all this for me but I really appreciate being able to understand it so much better.

[@purpleworm4725]

its good that my boyfriend drinks 8 coffees a day and isn't particularly picky about the flavor of coffee - no coffee goes to waste while I learn how to make decent tasting cappuccinos :D

[@sahdevsinghrathore2384]

I do that with my wife 😅

[@ayklization]

James is one of the most passionate professional i have ever come across. Or rather I would say, he is an artist in the art of coffee making.

[@naman_bagdi]

Aa again from "the James", really insightful. And yes this aspect does frustrate me esp coz as an avid only espresso drinker, gotta fiddle and set it right not only with all the different coffees tht i get, but even for every new batch of the same estate too.... But its also essential and worth it if u really love ur espresso. But man, the way u explain, i wish i had a prof like u....

[@armypilot94]

Thank you for these videos! Because of your channel I basically went from automated machine esspresso to filtered Aeropress and now I'm waiting for my 9barista. Having it as hobby, is expensive, yet really interesting.

[@duvalpenny100]

I don't even drink coffee, I have no clue what I'm doing here, but I listened intently. Thanks for the lesson!

[@amyheerspink]

Loving this series. Would really appreciate a detailed video about channeling and proper puck prep to wrap up this series!

[@Samhaiine]

It's the most difficult part to get used to and good at. 1 year in as barista and lots to learn still. Luckily we have lovely people doing these videos. 👌🙌

[@jamesmclaughlin3460]

I'm 63 love coffee . Got into espresso I'm loving this experience. Bought a little gaggia classic and a Sylvia rocky grinder and off I went. It is a very complex and frustrating journey but worth it . I'm single dosing from my grinder, it's not made for that but I work with what I have. These videos are pure gold. I'm loving my frustrating journey!

[@jamestaylor574]

Hi James, I really enjoy watching your videos. The content within them is very informative and helps me understand more deeply about pulling good shots. Also, the quality of your videos is fantastic. The settings, the music, love it. I'm enjoying my espresso more now than ever before and a lit of that is down to you. The advice you gave on changing one thing at a time, whether it is grind or dose, is very helpful. Saves me getting in a lot of knots. Keep up the good work 👍☕️👌

[@jumptheqiu]

Nice, been waiting for this one.

[@roberthardy5171]

hi Albert, will you make any videos?

[@Mr_Foeko]

I love messing with the grind setting on my coffee, when i lived with my parents i always just made the espresso like my father thought me and he fine tuned the process. Now that i live on my own, i bought a la Pavoni europicollo, messing with the grind setting, dosage and pressure and directly seeing how it affects your shot is just such a different way of looking at coffee. And the passion i have for coffee has increased a lot, im pretty sure by now, thanks to your tips i can pull a great shot from my machine.

[@fattlane1866]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge James, it really does allow people like me who have no idea about coffee improve their skills :) I've learned a lot from your videos, my coffee is actually beginning to taste good instead of just drinkable

[@markkelsay6063]

Sandbagging tip and too tight a grind information finally got me in that syrupy look! So pre-infusion kinda out.Took me too long to get here. Flair 58 +and urbanic 70s grinder with 60 mm standard flat burrs. Plenty fines. Medium heat for PID and water temp. 4 on grinder setting for anyone who wants to know that. Thanks, I am now a happy man. And ease up on at 9 bar pressure thing. Hard tamp

[@andykg73]

After watching this i just backed off my sage smart pro as ive been grinding far too fine as id often get channeling, poor extraction sometimes through one side more and a sour espresso which i thought was coming from the coffee bean roast. After backing it off and grinding slightly courser, now the coffee was so much sweeter and no channeling at all.

[@danymeeuwissen5973]

What I love about my manual flair machine is that once you start the shot, you feel if your grind size is too coarse or fine and you can adjust your pressure or pre-infusion and save the shot. With new beans and a freshly cleaned grinder, pulling shots on a semi-automatic makes you go through a 250g bag way to quick, sometimes it can be very frustrating and wasteful.

[@Curt.dammit]

Now I'm worried and excited that I've never actually tasted good espresso.

[@pixelfairy]

may your first good espresso be one you make for yourself

[@katherinegallousis4395]

I have at one place. ACME in Monterey, CA. They hand press and roast in house. Once you try a good one, you will seek it out again forever! Lol!

[@sstraubi]

I am a newbie and did great for first 2 months using Brevile barista pro. I was at a 12 grind and the shots were pulling in 15 seconds. Now my pucks were perfect everything was great. Then they started to not taste good, mostly as they cooled they developed a terrible taste or if I nuked them they tasted awful. After studying and watching and learning more, I realized It couldn’t possibly be good since pulling in 15 seconds. I had tried a Sumatra been, same roaster, dark and oily and have not been able to get back to that decent cup of Joe since. I have vacuumed out my grinder to clear everything out,tried three different beans, I have tried grind size all the way down to two and all the way back up to 12 and I cannot re-create that decent espresso. I lowered internal burr from 6 to 4, could that be it? I tried manually pulling the shots to force it to be longer, and the shots were longer when I took the grind size way down, but the espresso still tasted awful. I mean ‘linger in your mouth turn you off from even wanting to drink coffee anymore’ awful. I’m getting what I described as harsh almost chemically tasting espresso. (With 3 diff beans) Keep in mind I never had straight espresso in my life, so not sure how it should taste but even with my milk it taste awful. It’s undrinkable.I’m tired of keeping a log and throwing away coffee and I don’t know what to do. Your tips would be appreciated!

[@argmooner6524]

@@pixelfairy Old Italian saying ! Well...... it could have been . Lol

[@matterixon]

I’ve tasted really good espresso, but I know I have never made good espresso lol

[@ficklepickle2495]

i’m just getting into espresso, but i have to say that you are so far above other sources i’ve found. expert explaining, sir

[@Olvenskol]

As a relative novice, I'm surprised by how much I have to change the grind setting for different "espresso roast" coffees. The same grind setting on two different coffees has surprisingly different results! (I sprung for a Niche Zero in my kit and love its reliability at reproducing the same setting easily).

[@xcetia37]

Finally cracked the code! Brought my grind to 30 seconds and now I can really taste the shot. Was doing 25 seconds before to avoid a Turkish grounds and felt unfulfilled by the flavor. Much appreciated. 🙏

[@ruibraga1705]

I never waste coffee, if the shot ir cup its not to my liking i still drink it and analyse what went wrong, i belive drinking the bad coffee makes the really good coffee much more satisfing. Please drink your bad coffee, its part of this hobby i belive

[@jadoei13]

If it isn't too far of, just add some milk, but I switched beans and went from around 30 seconds to close to 90 seconds for 2:1 on an 18g dose, not drinking that

[@javiercarbone2769]

sometimes drink a lot of coffe makes you feel bad, becouse of the taste, the cafeine, etc. If you are dialing your espresso and you drink all the shots that you pull out, you will be unable to make a good comparison betwen them. I usually drink just one or two sips, and then i drink water before the next one. I think, that sometimes, its necessary to waste some coffe to drink a good espresso.

[@ruibraga1705]

@@javiercarbone2769 you are right, thant's why i don't usually dial in espresso in one sitting, some times it takes me up to 5 days to get it right, i just pull one or 2 shots and take notes on the changes that i think it needs and in the next morning i continue the process until i am satisfied, its not the optimal way to get the absolutly best shot but at least i dont waste coffee. this is just my way of doing it.

[@chefboyardeesnuts277]

When I make espresso, I always use the leftover shots. Most times, I dump them in a 32 oz container, fill with water, and chill overnight. Now, I have a drink that carries me through several days. It's usually 3-4 shots strong, so I get a good kick in energy.

[@basieniaa]

I always drink it, no matter how bad it is. If it's terrible I iust pour it over some chocolate icecream lol

[@pabloripa2389]

Please make a video on selecting your coffee beans. How to pick a brand what should you look for? Buy a small bag once a week= fresh coffee but risk having to change machine settings all the time? Or buy a big bag 1kg but how does that effect the coffee in the long term if it’s just one person in the house drinking one coffee a day. Buy vacuum sealed bags cheap or fresh from a roaster at higher price? Is it worth it. Super crema beans vs normal or dark roast what is easier for a beginner to deal with? And what gives les variables This could be another great episode in the series. Thanks great content and good video length.

[@hashtag_thisguy]

I know we live in a disposable world, but you can still use the purged grounds and make a "bad coffee" and drink it, you dont necessarily have to bin and waste it... Like you said in a previous video... "you need to taste the terrible things to enjoy the great things; to be reminded of what makes them special"!

[@frederikjukema8001]

That's a good point and also true :) I also do that!

[@xeniakhan3781]

I started watching this channel 3 days before and Today i just threw my coffee in the kitchen sink with a James Hoffmann thought "it's dark, bitter, barky and CRAP". NOW i am going to revise my coffee making procedure. Wish me luck.

[@jdhallas84]

Im curious about how the freshness of beans can affect how you adjust your grind settings. Im also keen to hear about best puck prep practice, as other have mentioned. Thanks for your videos James , they are gold.

[@jedi2254409]

3am ... can’t sleep... James uploads a video with his massive calming voice and I have hope (and espresso knowledge)

[@CarlBorg]

Just got some bad news and then my mood turned positive immediately as I saw a new video from Dr. Hoffmann :)

[@PalavrasdeDeus2023]

Teacher James, I'm from Brazil and I'm learning English with your videos and good espressos too. Thank you for all knowledge that you give us.

[@Giannis27272]

This guy inspires me. I didnt drink coffee before watching this channel!

[@walterward8164]

Just got up and here you are. Cup in hand. Watched your video. And suddenly realized. I needed to rewatch it because I hadn't had enough caffeine yet. I'm a simple man. And have spent 25yrs driving tow trucks. Cup in hand. First rule. Keep it simple. Second, don't over think the job. Third, use the right tools. Fourthly study what your working with carefully. What I found using commercial grinds is that they are not the same for every type or roast. Problem seems to me is that the holes needed to be variable in the cups. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Enjoy your programs. Thanks again

[@DanielEugenePini]

Hi James. Your videos are an inspiration. Thank you! I was wondering what your set-up is, especially with audio. The sound on your videos is the best of any channel I watch and I'm curious how you achieve that. As for grind questions, a video on puck prep, maybe touching on Stockfleth and how relevant it is in a cafe environment would be really great to see. Thanks for your hard work.

[@Polishmywhisky]

You just blew my mind. Not only subjects is great but the way you put it. Thank you for this. Awesome job. Cheers.

[@Reamare]

Dialing in is a very frustrating process sometimes, especially since I'm practically always buying different coffee (coffee offers change often at the supermarket). I always tell my roommates to use my coffee waste, they aren't big espresso nuts but do use my machine ;)

[@CristinaJoaquino]

Some people are just a blessing to this world. Like you, James! Keep up the great work! It helps a lot of us.

[@kindcopy]

The audio quality on this video is incredible. After watching this the grind recipe that comes with my coffee subscription box makes more sense. I'm guessing the 18g example of coffee in is for a double shot. I measured a single at 9g so I'm assuming I'm on the right track with this. So, so useful thank you

[@juanmaperegrino]

I don’t know why this video made me sleepy… likely because I’ve seen MANY in a row, because I loved this channel. Thank you James.

[@onyinoyi_o]

Being a process engineer who loves brewing espresso, this video is beautiful

[@richardgonzales3562]

Great video! Straight forward and easy to understand. You explain it in such a way that a newbie, such as myself, can understand and come away with a plan. It would be nice to have a beginner's guide for us folks at home that don't mind investing into some proper kit without breaking the bank. Want a quality cup of coffee without having to leave home and be able to serve friends and family their favorite coffee (espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha etc) without fear of making a fool of oneself in the effort. 😂 Tough thing to do in this day and age with so many coffee machines, grinders, coffee beans and grounds all claiming to be the best. I'm retired. I could drive out and support a coffee shop and there is a time and place for that. But most of the time, if the urge strikes me, it makes me feel good to be able to do it myself in short order 8n 5ge comfort of my own home. Your video today will help me get there. Thank you!

[@denmcx6538]

So, am I correct if I assume that a "solid" coffee-puck (not breaking in any way) after pulling the coffee may indicate, that my extraction went well (provided, that my espresso tastes well)?

[@craigs902]

Yep they don’t call it a puck got no reason, lol

[@pbk199913]

I have a stepless hand grinder(LIDO-ET) and after watching this video I feel spoiled for how care free I am adjusting my grind levels without the fear of wasting my precious beans. However, I do empathize for those with electric grinders because when I over-adjust my grind and restrict/increase my flow too rapidly it is borderline a heartbreak. The smallest differences in grind size is mind-blowing. You can't possibly express how important it is to change one variable at a time when finding your perfect shot.

[@lubenzz]

If you are serious about your espresso at home, single dose grinder is a no brainier. No need to purge, no need to waste. 😉 Also: that EG1 😍

[@rickastley885]

Luben Z you still might need to purge on a single dose grinder

[@xPentag0n]

I don't purge on my Sette270 and use it as a singe doese. But I also make horrible espresso :D

[@MattM-24]

@@rickastley885 in my experience, it's not necessary. With the Niche Zero, even after just cleaning it out completely, the most I ever retain is .1g which I do not think will have any affect on my grind setting changes. Usually the retention is less than .1g as my scale can't pick up the difference

[@rickastley885]

Matt McP but the whole selling point of the Niche is that it's low retention. A lot of single dose grinders still need to be purged

[@christianmarth9989]

Not really as it’s more effort to pull many shots back to back when hosting people for example and need to make half a dozen coffees

[@10jsfvideo44]

James - thanks for the thoughtful and helpful tutorial on Understand Espresso. I just bought a new Gaggia Classic Pro and Sette 270 Grinder and am using the information in your tutorial to improve my home Barista skills.

[@SneakySpyder112]

My boyfriend just sold one of his rare Pokemon cards so that we can buy some espresso making gear. :-D I've been watching you non-stop and want to thank you for your amazing videos. Best espresso channel I've come across in my last few weeks of intensive research.

[@Tashcakes]

I'm so glad I found this channel, I freaking love good coffee but I haven't got a clue how to make anything beyond 'passable' coffee at home, I'm learning so much now - cheers James!

[@chrisgrimsgaard]

James has the greatest job

[@arpit5317]

Well he did worked hard for it, literally became world champion.

[@chrisgrimsgaard]

@@arpit5317 Absolutely!

[@notelpatsxela]

Just got a Sage Barista Express for Christmas. I’ve been watching (and thoroughly enjoying) James for hours over the last few days. This is truly terrifying! The step change in the quality of coffee I’m drinking at home (which was either supermarket espresso tabs for a Nespresso machine or decaf instant) is phenomenal and obviously this one change is going to have more impact than anything else I do. However, my beans (also gifted and I won’t waste them) were roasted in November (too old but seem oily) and I can’t detect significant changes when I change my dose. I’m really glad for the advice and if you are like me, you don’t like waste and your coffee is already 1000 times better than what you were having, then I suggest you just employ some patience and drink everything you make - which also helps the learning process. James’ material is great to watch, even when I’m not using it!

[@laowai2000]

If drinking milk with coffee, it hides a lot!

[@jervievitriolo6650]

The most scientific coffee making I watched so far

[@sabergermd]

Your videos are very helpful. I hadn't used my Silvia in a couple of years and restarted recently as coffee wasn't agreeing with my stomach. I had completely forgotten dosing, grinding, etc. You got me back on track. I buy my espresso from Red Bird. It's always fresh and the roast date is clearly marked. I have found that using a Rancilio Rocky grinder I consistently get 18gms grind in and 36gms coffee out in about 30 seconds with the grinder set at 5 for lighter roast (Red Bird)and 7 for darker roast (Blue Jaguar). I use the Timemore Black Mirror scale and time from the first drop in the shot glass. An additional variable I recently came across is the choice of portafilter basket. Larger baskets have larger holes . I see a lot of people suggesting that you can squeeze 18gms of coffee into the 14gm basket. I found that to not work well at all. if you use 18 gms of coffee in a Sylvia basket labeled as 14gm double shot or one labeled 18gms double shot you will have two very different extraction times for the same grind. The product from the 18gm basket is way better. Once again, thanks for helping me to make a pretty drinkable espresso.

[@nichj487]

James - in your experience, how often are you extracting a coffee OUTSIDE of the 26-33sec window?

[@ayyylma0]

Please James!

[@81caasi]

I've learned to use grind size to get in the ball park as you say, but importantly I have a target recipe in mind before I start, a dose and ideal yield to aim for. So it's helpful to look up the ideal temp for the roast(high for lighter roast, colder for darker roast) plus considering the elevation the coffee was grown. As well if these beans would suit a smaller ratio1:2 or larger one 1:3, ex: 14g dose so 32g liquid. I decide all of this before I start, and this has helped shorten the frustrating dial-in process. From this video I learned that at any point, you'll get channeling with smaller grind size even with perfect puck prep. So I'll make sure to nudge on the coarser grind size, as I've noticed a hole or two in my puck upon inspection, even though my open portafilter displays a smooth, streamline shot, and my puck has even-distribution. I took your advice a while ago and went with a smaller dosing basket of 14g. In doing so, I had to change the pressure in my machine to 6-7bar for my thinner puck and aim for a 15-22s shot. With a 14g basket the shots have a different character, less astringent and smoother. Lowering pressure to make this change was key. However look out for over-compensating for a smaller puck with too small of a grind size.

[@SexyBakanishi]

If only I could find a cafe that actually knows how to do this

[@local_chemist]

I think a video like this needs to go deeper, especially with grind size. Some grinders aren’t equipped with tech like the mythos etc to make adjustments so minimal, so to talk about why grind changes in a busy cafe cause of xyz, what to do if xyz, and make it real life cafe info. All in all, this video is MONEY and I support totally the direction it’s going in! Bring on more!

[@tyranneous]

Does anyone else notice a change in terms of the age of the beans (well, the time they've been out of the freezer, that is)? I use approx. 1 bag of coffee per week, and what I've noticed is that keeping the dose the same (judging by weight of coffee in vs coffee out) the flavour of the shot noticeably changes - though, that may be subjective, but in addition to that the time a shot takes changes too. In response to this, what I've started doing is adjusting the grind slightly as time goes on, only by a single click at a time. This seems to keep the flow rate consistent, and as far as I can tell the flavour too. Once the bag is done, and a new one comes out, I put the grind setting back to where it began, grind through half a shot and discard, then typically I'm back to where I wanted to be. Which is great until I change beans for different ones! :D

[@gavinkitto4774]

Definitely! I have a Pavoni lever machine and OE Lido E grinder. The Pavoni is notoriously fussy about grind. Keeping all other things constant I need to grind finer as the beans age in order to apply the same pressure to the puck. I was also hoping for a video on bean age to understand exactly why.

[@lesmaisonsroses]

Exactly the same for me. And I have a Pavoni too. Always hard to do coffee with this baby.

[@danman281]

Funny you asked this because I just posted a comment asking the same question! I think it’s an important variable to consider

[@futureskills5561]

Thank you for your precise & patient delivery style - helped me get past the frustration, got down to finding the right grind number - timing the pour and getting the best outcome possible - it is quite bewildering when you start, so guidance here done well, as you have done, is the key to breakthrough into fine espresso shots - thanks so much

[@GetBant]

I like to spin my grind setting around each time I use it and some days I get good coffee

[@angrytrees7519]

💀

[@michaelbourke2111]

Your presentation style is counter intuitive!! Your voice is so soothing, it lulls me to sleep but your content keeps me awake!!😊

[@dem.p160]

Hey, why not saving the incorrectly ground coffee when dialing in espresso for moka pot? Seems like the easiest way to reuse it

[@lucylovesthesunsun8986]

Brilliant

[@dtonpbac]

Not really brilliant. Ground coffee loses freshness and taste/flavour goes bad super-quickly. Consistent grind is also a key important factor for even extraction so different sizes of coffee grinds shouldn't be mixed.

[@seaniethemick]

Appreciating your productions as much as your content. As smooth as your espresso, the videos are so well done! Thank you James!

[@frylochenn]

This gonna be the earliest I've been to any KZbin vid! This being pretty grand at that!

[@Griffo2001]

+1!

[@roberthardy5171]

so what?

[@frylochenn]

@@roberthardy5171 lol go back under your bridge troll

[@roberthardy5171]

@@frylochenn nobody cares if you were “early” lol

[@frylochenn]

@@roberthardy5171 apparently you care, enough to reply so thanks Robert Hardy. Lol

[@viacheslavtkachenko589]

Good day, James. I started to watch your videos a few days ago and I totally fell in love with your channel. =) Thank you a lot for a tons of useful information! You help me to improve my coffee knowledge and reach my next level of a coffeelover. Hope you have a great day! Greetings from Ukraine!

[@liquidiceyt]

I remember the last time I was still learning how to calibrate but my espresso machine is a HX and time programmed. Resulting in many many coffees wasted. lol

[@moisesromero4905]

I change my grind settings very often and only a few times is, as you say, frustrating. I have a modest grinder that i bought on Amazon for less than 100€ but with very good results, the Graef cm702 and my lovely gaggia classic pro. When a change of coffee or even when the weather changes i change my setting. It's true that some times i get some channeling and what it is frustrating is not having a proper distributor to eliminate another variable in the equation. Thank you so much for your videos. They are so easy to understand even for non English speakers. Regards from Spain!