HELP!! (coffee extraction)

Bluefoam

I've run out of the Illy supermarket coffee & I'm still waiting for my single wall baskets to arrive, so I'm still using the pressurised ones... The machine is a Bambino Plus with Sage Smart Grinder Pro.

I took my (once) fresh beans out of the freezer, left them defrost for a day & ground them at the preset Smart Pro settings... but have achieved zero extraction. No coifee comes out. Have tried the grinder grind size: 2; 6; 12; 18, I'm using the Razor Tool for dosing, but have also tried going by weight. Have tamped heavily & lightly... No liquid comes out.

I would appreciate if anyone could tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Squidgy Black

Bluefoam wrote: »

I've run out of the Illy supermarket coffee & I'm still waiting for my single wall baskets to arrive, so I'm still using the pressurised ones... The machine is a Bambino Plus with Sage Smart Grinder Pro.

I took my (once) fresh beans out of the freezer, left them defrost for a day & ground them at the preset Smart Pro settings... but have achieved zero extraction. No coifee comes out. Have tried the grinder grind size: 2; 6; 12; 18, I'm using the Razor Tool for dosing, but have also tried going by weight. Have tamped heavily & lightly... No liquid comes out.

I would appreciate if anyone could tell me what I'm doing wrong.

When you take the portafilter out, is the puck wet?

Dial your grinder back coarser, if you're still get nothing no drops at all it would indicate that the grind is still too fine to push through, but if you go coarser (to almost pourover) it should fly out of the portafilter. Is this the first time you've used the grinder? Take off the hopper, and you should see the top burr. On it there should be numbers, and a red dot. Usually from factory it's set to 5, but the problem is not all these grinders are calibrated correctly so it could in fact be grinding finer than some of the online suggestions.

Bluefoam

Squidgy Black wrote: »

When you take the portafilter out, is the puck wet?

Dial your grinder back coarser, if you're still get nothing no drops at all it would indicate that the grind is still too fine to push through, but if you go coarser (to almost pourover) it should fly out of the portafilter. Is this the first time you've used the grinder? Take off the hopper, and you should see the top burr. On it there should be numbers, and a red dot. Usually from factory it's set to 5, but the problem is not all these grinders are calibrated correctly so it could in fact be grinding finer than some of the online suggestions.

Yes, first time using the grinder... I dailed it up to 28 & got an extraction... It wasn't a pleasant cup of coffee. I'm going to put the grinder on hold and get some more supermarket coffee in the meantime. Single wall baskets should arrive shortly and I'll give it another go when they do.

Gooey Looey

I have a Sage grinder pro and have it set to grind for 18 seconds on grind setting 8 for espresso using my regular coffee (Fusion from artofcoffee.ie).

Bluefoam

Gooey Looey wrote: »

I have a Sage grinder pro and have it set to grind for 18 seconds on grind setting 8 for espresso using my regular coffee (Fusion from artofcoffee.ie).

Thanks, I'm using the pressurised baskets, so I don't think I'm going to ghet the right results. Have the other baskets arriving soon, so hopefully that'll sort things...

It's good to know other peoples grind settings... It's a minefield.

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks, I'm using the pressurised baskets, so I don't think I'm going to ghet the right results. Have the other baskets arriving soon, so hopefully that'll sort things...

It's good to know other peoples grind settings... It's a minefield.

I use the Sage for my Delonghi Dedica with pressurised basket (waiting on a unpressurised basket), has to be grind setting 20 or higher to get extraction, thats on SAM beans from Cloudpicker bought about a week after their roast dates and stored in a dark press, the odd time on those settings it still doesnt come out.

Bluefoam

Thanks. I'm also using Cloud Picker Sam... Sounds like you're using pressurised baskets too...

Squidgy Black

Bluefoam wrote: »

Yes, first time using the grinder... I dailed it up to 28 & got an extraction... It wasn't a pleasant cup of coffee. I'm going to put the grinder on hold and get some more supermarket coffee in the meantime. Single wall baskets should arrive shortly and I'll give it another go when they do.

Likely that the coffee's too fresh compared to the supermarket coffee and needs a much coarser grind for the pressurised baskets. I'd say you're probably best waiting for the single wall baskets to avoid wasting any more expensive beans with the pressurised baskets, but even when you get them you might spend a bit of time running multiple shots trying to dial it in

Bluefoam

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Likely that the coffee's too fresh compared to the supermarket coffee and needs a much coarser grind for the pressurised baskets. I'd say you're probably best waiting for the single wall baskets to avoid wasting any more expensive beans with the pressurised baskets, but even when you get them you might spend a bit of time running multiple shots trying to dial it in

I think you're right

Mr Magnolia

Weigh each dose, choose a volume, say 16g and stick to it. That's one variable looked after.

Once you know how much your dosing adjust the grind until you get your required volume of espresso. Again, fix the volume you desire, say 45ml in 25sec.

Try and keep your coffee evenly distributed in the portafilter and your tamp consistent.

Mr Magnolia

What's a pressurised basket?

Bluefoam

Single wall baskets finally arrived today!

My first proper coffee was actually quite nice. I'm going to adjust my grind slightly, but impressed so far.

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

Single wall baskets finally arrived today!

My first proper coffee was actually quite nice. I'm going to adjust my grind slightly, but impressed so far.

What about the hole where the screw in portafilter was does it effect flow?

Bluefoam

Technocentral wrote: »

What about the hole where the screw in portafilter was does it effect flow?

Not sure I understand. Old basket pops out of the portafilter and new basket pops in. Very simple swap.

The Hound Gone Wild

Not that you need it now but you don't need to tamp with a pressurised basket.

willabur

I have the sage bambino plus

I don't have a grinder yet but getting through coffee angel coffee quickly enough to not justify the outlay. First bag of coffee was ground espresso setting 1 in shop. The machine couldn't push through it. I had to reduce dose by a couple of grams and then run two double shot runs to get enough coffee out.

Second bag of coffee I explained the situation to coffee angel and they changed setting to 3 and it's working nicely now.

Out of curiosity I might pick up the non pressurised filters and try them with the finer grind. Can you tell me where you ordered from?

Bluefoam

willabur wrote: »

I have the sage bambino plus

I don't have a grinder yet but getting through coffee angel coffee quickly enough to not justify the outlay. First bag of coffee was ground espresso setting 1 in shop. The machine couldn't push through it. I had to reduce dose by a couple of grams and then run two double shot runs to get enough coffee out.

Second bag of coffee I explained the situation to coffee angel and they changed setting to 3 and it's working nicely now.

Out of curiosity I might pick up the non pressurised filters and try them with the finer grind. Can you tell me where you ordered from?

I had a very difficult time getting to them... Ordered from Sage originally, but they had to cancel the order because they were out of stock. I then got on to customer care and they were able to scrounge a non packaged pair and get them to me... But that's it until they restock, which is slow due to covid... I did find some on eBay in Australia... They are pretty much sold out worldwide.

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

Not sure I understand. Old basket pops out of the portafilter and new basket pops in. Very simple swap.

I read that you need to remove the plastic part for new basket to fit, it said that on comments for only one I could find that people said would fit, waiting for it to come from China. This one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JRH3DMS/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_6AdVEb6A6THAM

Gooey Looey

Technocentral wrote: »

I read that you need to remove the plastic part for new basket to fit, it said that on comments for only one I could find that people said would fit, waiting for it to come from China. This one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JRH3DMS/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_6AdVEb6A6THAM

You don't remove anything, they just fit in

Bluefoam

Technocentral wrote: »

I read that you need to remove the plastic part for new basket to fit, it said that on comments for only one I could find that people said would fit, waiting for it to come from China. This one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JRH3DMS/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_6AdVEb6A6THAM

Mine fit without the need to remove the plastic base from the portafilter. Some people say to keep it, others say dump it...

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

Mine fit without the need to remove the plastic base from the portafilter. Some people say to keep it, others say dump it...

It's a pity its so difficult sourcing those baskets, I ordered mine last week said mid to end of June delivery time.

Gooey Looey

Bluefoam wrote: »

Mine fit without the need to remove the plastic base from the portafilter. Some people say to keep it, others say dump it...

Yeah I've been considering that, I remove and clean mine fully every few days it gets manky if left

Gooey Looey

Technocentral wrote: »

It's a pity its so difficult sourcing those baskets, I ordered mine last week said mid to end of June delivery time.

Amazon delivery times are crazy these days, don't need them, that's just worst case scenario. I've ordered stuff that was expected delivery the end of June and is already dispatched

Technocentral

Gooey Looey wrote: »

Amazon delivery times are crazy these days, don't need them, that's just worst case scenario. I've ordered stuff that was expected delivery the end of June and is already dispatched

Said it was dispatched May 8th, don't believe them though, easy thing to say.

Bluefoam

Technocentral wrote: »

I read that you need to remove the plastic part for new basket to fit, it said that on comments for only one I could find that people said would fit, waiting for it to come from China. This one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JRH3DMS/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_6AdVEb6A6THAM

I just had a look at that link & it seems to be a 51mm basket... The Bambino takes a 54mm.. I'd double check that it's right.

Bluefoam

Aghh... This is wrecking my head...

Yesterday, I got a good shot.
Grind size 8, 17 seconds
The basket was slightly over filled & the puc stuck to the head (but a nice enough shot).

Tried the same today, but dropped the grind time to 16.6 seconds... no extraction...

Increased the grind incrementally until I got an extraction at 14 grind size, but the shot wasn't good, infact it was far from drinkable.

I'm pulling my hair out... All fun though.

Have ordered a stash of Kaph blend, so hoping I don't waste too much of that.

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

I just had a look at that link & it seems to be a 51mm basket... The Bambino takes a 54mm.. I'd double check that it's right.

My mistake, I have a Dedica I thought baskets were the same as Bambino.

Technocentral

Bluefoam wrote: »

Aghh... This is wrecking my head...

Yesterday, I got a good shot.
Grind size 8, 17 seconds
The basket was slightly over filled & the puc stuck to the head (but a nice enough shot).

Tried the same today, but dropped the grind time to 16.6 seconds... no extraction...

Increased the grind incrementally until I got an extraction at 14 grind size, but the shot wasn't good, infact it was far from drinkable.

I'm pulling my hair out... All fun though.

Have ordered a stash of Kaph blend, so hoping I don't waste too much of that.

I have a different, cheaper machine but yeah its frustrating, sometimes 4/4 coffees extract sometimes one just drips a little bit or not at all, I have to grind at setting 20 and just fill the basket, I just tamp to flatten coffee (basically weight of tamper) if I press even a tiny bit harder nothing comes out, I wonder do even 1000 euro plus machines have this problem?

The Hound Gone Wild

Bluefoam wrote: »

Aghh... This is wrecking my head...

Yesterday, I got a good shot.
Grind size 8, 17 seconds
The basket was slightly over filled & the puc stuck to the head (but a nice enough shot).

Tried the same today, but dropped the grind time to 16.6 seconds... no extraction...

Increased the grind incrementally until I got an extraction at 14 grind size, but the shot wasn't good, infact it was far from drinkable.

I'm pulling my hair out... All fun though.

Have ordered a stash of Kaph blend, so hoping I don't waste too much of that.

Are you weighing your input and output? Are you pulling doubles or singles?

Bluefoam

The Hound Gone Wild wrote: »

Are you weighing your input and output? Are you pulling doubles or singles?

Brewing doubles. Going to reduce the quantity & lighter tamp. I've burned through a bag of coffee over the past few days, so waiting for a restock...

alec76

Technocentral wrote: »

It's a pity its so difficult sourcing those baskets, I ordered mine last week said mid to end of June delivery time.

58 mm would be the industry standard for the baskets,no problems of finding those...
Ones you’ve got non pressurised basket you might be interesting in bottomless portafilter ( the easy way to learn how to pull perfect shots )
Not sure if it is easy find for this particular product.