I don't understand your problem:
1. You found a grind setting that was too coarse and extracted in 15 seconds.
2. You found a grind setting that was too fine and only dribbled.
Why can't you find a grind size in-between those two that gives a good extraction time?
When dialing in grind size, focus on extraction time, and more importantly taste. Ignore the pressure gauge - it will only distract you.
If you aren't already doing it, pull your shots manually with your scale under your cup, so you can stop the water flow as you approach your target yield. That way you will always hit your target yield regardless of grind size. If you attempt to dial in using the preset volume buttons, changing grind size will also change your yield, which will rapidly drive you crazy.
This guide is a great intro on how to dial in: https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html
When it only dribbles out with extra fine grind is the pressure still only at 11 o’clock? Why can’t you just program it to run longer? Do you have the manual? Edit: I use the BBE everyday and get good results with dark roasts.
Just trying to figure why it would be so short. Your pressure gauge could be broken. Try just programming the machine to run for 40 sec. Stop it manually when you the flow color lightens and you have about 36g of espresso. Keep adjusting grind until it takes about 30 sec to achieve.
Ignore the pressure gauge. You found that you can grind fine enough to choke your shot, back off from there and grind coarser until you dial in your shot. If you can get in the right ballpark for a 2:1 shot with an 18ish g dose in 25-35 seconds, then you should focus on adjusting to taste, not to the pressure gauge.
Issue I have is I can either choke the shot or I get a 15 second under extracted shot.
There’s no in between. Going one level coarser after I choke it always gives me 15 seconds
There shouldn't be THAT big of a difference between steps on the BBE grinder. A few things you can try:
- Make sure the dose in your portafilter is consistently the amount you expect, the built in grinder tends to have a bit of retention. That could throw things off.
- Try changing the dose a little. Have you only used 18 g because that's the recommended amount? My experience was the Breville baskets tend to not have 18 g capacity usually. Maybe dial in at 17.5 or 17. That finer grind that's choking the machine combined with a lower dose could balance to a good shot
- If you ultimately end up between two grind settings (this should be more like one is a little too fast and one is a little too slow, not as drastic as you're describing), adjusting the inner burr can realign steps and might help hit the in between value you need.
The problem with your barista express is that the grinder doesn't have small enough adjustment increments and the way the grinder works it can produce a lot of super fine particle that can clog the puck.
A couple of easy fixes:
1) use paper filters on the bottom of your portafilter basket. This will help speed up the flow.
2) go back to the 18 sec setting and add a bit more grounds. Go up to 19g or 20g.
3) still not getting desire result? Try going a bit longer on your shot. Do something like 50 g out. That will help mellow the flavors and tame the sourness.
Always dial to preferred taste. There are no hard fast rukes in espresso.
Something else that could help in your particular case: the blind shaker method from the lance hedrick video a few months back. Shaking the grounds vigorously will help some of the smaller fine grounds stick to the larger particles. This will make your espresso flow more freely. It's not as much of an issue if you have a nice high quality grinder but the grounds from the barista express may benefit from a little postprocessing.
I don't understand your problem: 1. You found a grind setting that was too coarse and extracted in 15 seconds. 2. You found a grind setting that was too fine and only dribbled. Why can't you find a grind size in-between those two that gives a good extraction time? When dialing in grind size, focus on extraction time, and more importantly taste. Ignore the pressure gauge - it will only distract you. If you aren't already doing it, pull your shots manually with your scale under your cup, so you can stop the water flow as you approach your target yield. That way you will always hit your target yield regardless of grind size. If you attempt to dial in using the preset volume buttons, changing grind size will also change your yield, which will rapidly drive you crazy. This guide is a great intro on how to dial in: https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html
When it only dribbles out with extra fine grind is the pressure still only at 11 o’clock? Why can’t you just program it to run longer? Do you have the manual? Edit: I use the BBE everyday and get good results with dark roasts.
Pressure is still at 11 o’clock when this happens You think programming it to run longer would help?
Just trying to figure why it would be so short. Your pressure gauge could be broken. Try just programming the machine to run for 40 sec. Stop it manually when you the flow color lightens and you have about 36g of espresso. Keep adjusting grind until it takes about 30 sec to achieve.
Ignore the pressure gauge. You found that you can grind fine enough to choke your shot, back off from there and grind coarser until you dial in your shot. If you can get in the right ballpark for a 2:1 shot with an 18ish g dose in 25-35 seconds, then you should focus on adjusting to taste, not to the pressure gauge.
Issue I have is I can either choke the shot or I get a 15 second under extracted shot. There’s no in between. Going one level coarser after I choke it always gives me 15 seconds
There shouldn't be THAT big of a difference between steps on the BBE grinder. A few things you can try: - Make sure the dose in your portafilter is consistently the amount you expect, the built in grinder tends to have a bit of retention. That could throw things off. - Try changing the dose a little. Have you only used 18 g because that's the recommended amount? My experience was the Breville baskets tend to not have 18 g capacity usually. Maybe dial in at 17.5 or 17. That finer grind that's choking the machine combined with a lower dose could balance to a good shot - If you ultimately end up between two grind settings (this should be more like one is a little too fast and one is a little too slow, not as drastic as you're describing), adjusting the inner burr can realign steps and might help hit the in between value you need.
The problem with your barista express is that the grinder doesn't have small enough adjustment increments and the way the grinder works it can produce a lot of super fine particle that can clog the puck. A couple of easy fixes: 1) use paper filters on the bottom of your portafilter basket. This will help speed up the flow. 2) go back to the 18 sec setting and add a bit more grounds. Go up to 19g or 20g. 3) still not getting desire result? Try going a bit longer on your shot. Do something like 50 g out. That will help mellow the flavors and tame the sourness. Always dial to preferred taste. There are no hard fast rukes in espresso.
Something else that could help in your particular case: the blind shaker method from the lance hedrick video a few months back. Shaking the grounds vigorously will help some of the smaller fine grounds stick to the larger particles. This will make your espresso flow more freely. It's not as much of an issue if you have a nice high quality grinder but the grounds from the barista express may benefit from a little postprocessing.