Espresso Shot Diagnosis & Adjustment Tool

Diagnose your espresso shot problems (fast/slow, blonding, channeling) and get adjustment recommendations for grind, dose, tamp, and temp.

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Troubleshoots bad shots.

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We ask for shot behavior, current dose, current yield, grind setting, tamp pressure, bean roast, and machine stability because these diagnose and fix shots. These inputs ensure better flavor. Limitation: the tool offers general fixes and may not account for specific bean or machine defects.

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Espresso Shot Diagnosis: Channeling / Spritzing

Current Settings:

• Dose: 18g
• Yield: 28g
• Grind Size: Too Coarse
• Tamp Pressure: Firm
• Temperature Stability: Stable

Diagnosis

Channeling occurs when water finds a path of least resistance through the coffee puck, leading to uneven extraction. This is often caused by an inadequate grind size and tamping technique.

Recommended Adjustments

1. Adjust Grind Size
   • Change: Make the grind size finer.
   • Why: A finer grind increases surface area, creating more resistance for water to flow through the coffee, promoting even extraction and reducing channeling.
2. Re-evaluate Dose
   • Change: Consider increasing the dose to 19-20g.
   • Why: A slightly higher dose can create a denser puck, which helps to slow down water flow and further reduce the chance of channeling.
3. Tamp Pressure
   • Change: Maintain firm tamp but ensure even distribution.
   • Why: A firm and even tamp ensures that the coffee is compressed uniformly, preventing weak spots where channeling can occur.
4. Monitor Brew Temperature
   • Change: Keep the stable temperature, but ensure it’s around 90-93°C (194-199°F).
   • Why: Maintaining the correct brewing temperature aids in optimal extraction. Lower temperatures may lead to under-extraction, while higher may cause over-extraction.

Alternative Fixes

1. Adjust Brew Time
   • Change: Aim for a brew time of 25-30 seconds.
   • Why: Aiming for a specific brew time allows for controlled extraction, which can help mitigate channeling if done correctly with the right grind and dose.
2. Use a Distribution Tool
   • Change: Consider using a distribution tool before tamping.
   • Why: A distribution tool helps to evenly spread the coffee grounds in the portafilter, which can reduce inconsistencies in flow and minimize channeling.

Brought to you by TheToolCollective.com

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Built by The Tool Collective team. As you may know, we are a group of diverse multi-hobby individuals with loads of unique interests. Coffee/Espresso, quite literally, keeps us all going everyday and allows us to make these tools and produce fast, efficient, quality, content for our users. With age, our overall tastes for coffee have changed significantly and we all truly appreciate it for it's variations and palatable beauty. We truly LOVE coffee, and we want to bring a huge batch of highly useful and helpful tools for those that share this enthusiasm for this delicious and impactful beverage. You'll find product decision engines, and highly intelligent advisory tools to help level up your brewing skill. Enjoy!

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Made with The Tool Collective's signature model. We combine an AI engine which process the user's input choices and runs it through our specifically designed logic and reasoning parameters for that tool to curate a precise and organized output. An enthusiast knowledgeable in the tool category designs the tools inputs and input choices, writes custom logic parameters, and defines the output format and requirements. The AI engine powers the system and creates a lightning fast, highly intelligent decision tool, which is always up-to-date with current pricing and publicly available information on whatever the tool is designed for. Combines all of the internets resources into one.

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