Espresso Shot Troubleshooting

Espresso Shot Troubleshooting


In short, shots, also called Extractions, are the result of finely ground coffee brewed under heat and pressure transforming it into a concentrated beverage known as espresso.  This finely ground coffee is called a dose (a puck once tamped into the portafilter) and is achieved by adjustments made on the grinder. From here, the espresso machine will extract the desired shot at 9 bars of pressure given programmed parameters and user determined ratio.


Notes7 Brew has standardized shot recipes to help aid with coffee dosing, grind adjustments, and espresso machine parameters. This guide, as well as the complete 7 Brew Help Center, is tailored to ensure consistency.

Symptoms:
  1. Shots are too fast.
  2. ...Too slow?
  3. Water is leaking.
Causes:
  1. Improper Espresso Preparation
  2. Grinder Requires Adjustment
  3. Espresso Machine Parameters not set.
  4. Worn Group Gasket
  5. Worn Burrs
  6. Flowrate Issues
Resolution:
  1. Puck Preparation
  2. Adjust Grind
    1. Espresso
    2. Decaf
  3. Confirm 7 Brew Parameters
  4. Replace Group Gasket
  5. Service espresso machine and/or grinder.
  6. Run a flowrate test.

Grind Size
Grind size is best described as the uniform particles of ground coffee dosed through the grinder. In essence, ground coffee and grind setting adjustments are correlated in the following ways:
  1. Coarse = Water moves through coffee grounds at a faster rate.
    1. Think of ground coffee as gravel.
  2. Fine = Water moves through coffee grounds at a slower rate.
    1. Think of ground coffee as sand. 
If the shot times are taking too long. Chances are the grind setting is too fine. Inversely, if shot times are too fast... a finer grind will be necessary to slow down the extraction.
  1. Adjust Grind Settings:
    1. Mazzer Robur (Espresso)
    2. Mazzer Super Jolly (Decaf)
Info
Additionally, grind adjustments affect the dose. Whenever adjustments are made on the grinder... timer or doser volume adjustments will also need to be made.

Puck Preparation
The process and technique between grinding and brewing.

Idea
Tech Tip! Understanding how an espresso shot may yield and undesirable result is imperative to differentiating between 'puck preparation' and equipment fault.

Dosing & Tamping:
  1. Always grinder and dose the 7 Brew recipe of 14g coffee into the portafilter basket:
    1. Two full pulls of the grinder lever!
  2. Tamp level and firmly.
    1. This will ensure an even and compact compression of the coffee grounds in the portafilter.
The Mazzer Robur Auto S Grinder comes equipped with a tamping mechanism where baristas press UP and INTO the tamp base.


Info
Consistent practices reduce waste and deliver quality tasting shots!

Espresso Machine Parameters & Best Use Practices
  1. Now that grind size and puck preparation are understood. Black Rabbit Service recommends confirming equipment settings and parameters to round out equipment expectations.
    1. 7 Brew Button Parameters
    2. Pump set to 9 Bars.
      1. Adjust Pump - Linea PB
  2. ... And last but not least, there are several best use practices where an end user can perform to ensure equipment is being used appropriately:
    1. Best Use Practices
Notes
Best use practices include Routine Cleaning and Preventative Maintenance!