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VST 18g Basket and the L2
Yesterday morning the ridgeless 18g VST basket I had ordered finally showed up. I was impressed by the quality of manufacture immediately - and by the supplied QA sheet. Nicely done VST....
I will not go too far in the reasons behind the purchase of the VST - but essentially it was because I felt that some of the shots I was pulling were a little 'thin' for a given volume. These shots looked phenomenal, but I seemed to have to run them quite short to get the intensity of flavour I was looking for. I am certain this is all about my preferences - what I have become accustomed to - rather than the result of some undefined issue. Anyhow, Reiss, Frans and others recommended the VST as an avenue to explore.
The first shots I pulled yesterday with the VST were from a Brazilian SO from a local roaster - actually not dissimilar in flavour to Riess's own roast which I have been playing with. I was not being scientific at this stage - I just wanted to see if I could connect with the VST just doing what I do. I was probably dosing about 15g - leaving a lot of headspace between the screen and the puck. But anyhow, I ran a few just to see how they would go. Immediately I found the 'body' I had felt like I was missing. I had other things to do yesterday, but I left the situation feeling encouraged.
This morning I revisited things. I settled on a dose of 18g with a slightly coarser grind than I expected. I found that the shots behaved quite differently to similar doses in the OEM basket. Firstly, the extraction was forming in a much more uniformed way across the filter, with many drips forming and falling to cup in the initial phase, then centralising in a uniform manner. The shots I have pulled with the 15.8g baskets almost always begin extracting around the edges, then centralise comparatively faster than the VST does. Based on looks alone, the VST appears to be 'making the most' out of the puck.
I ran a couple of shots to about 25mls and found huge amounts of crema, flavour, body and a much bolder, creamier mouthfeel than I have had to date from the L2 with the 15.8g baskets. It was like drinking caviar - tiny bubbles of flavour hitting my tongue and bursting into chocolates, butter, and smokey, earthy notes - awesome. I want to stretch these shots out a fraction longer as I think I was still erring to the short side after the earlier issues. This morning I was seeing the density of flavour I have been hoping for - and more. So that is positive!
I did experience two extreme channelling situations though - which I have not had at all with the standard baskets. Both times, a significant jet of water would force its way through the edge of the puck and exit at exactly 6 o'clock - in line with the handle. Inspection of the pucks revealed some erosion on the surface around the edge between 4 and 8 o'clock, and in both cases a hole approximately 1.5mm in diameter at 6 o'clock. All this no doubt reveals I need to work on my tamp. No surprises here - everyone says these VST baskets will punish poor technique.
But the good news was I got a good few tamped well enough to achieve the lovely shots I described without hint of channelling.
I am looking forward to more time with the VST and feel even more enthusiastic about the Londinium than I have - which is saying something. Other than needing to invest in some vessels with wider mouths - I reckon I am set. Oh, and maybe a new grinder, and a Londinium tamper, and and and ................................................................
A shot from this morn.....
I will not go too far in the reasons behind the purchase of the VST - but essentially it was because I felt that some of the shots I was pulling were a little 'thin' for a given volume. These shots looked phenomenal, but I seemed to have to run them quite short to get the intensity of flavour I was looking for. I am certain this is all about my preferences - what I have become accustomed to - rather than the result of some undefined issue. Anyhow, Reiss, Frans and others recommended the VST as an avenue to explore.
The first shots I pulled yesterday with the VST were from a Brazilian SO from a local roaster - actually not dissimilar in flavour to Riess's own roast which I have been playing with. I was not being scientific at this stage - I just wanted to see if I could connect with the VST just doing what I do. I was probably dosing about 15g - leaving a lot of headspace between the screen and the puck. But anyhow, I ran a few just to see how they would go. Immediately I found the 'body' I had felt like I was missing. I had other things to do yesterday, but I left the situation feeling encouraged.
This morning I revisited things. I settled on a dose of 18g with a slightly coarser grind than I expected. I found that the shots behaved quite differently to similar doses in the OEM basket. Firstly, the extraction was forming in a much more uniformed way across the filter, with many drips forming and falling to cup in the initial phase, then centralising in a uniform manner. The shots I have pulled with the 15.8g baskets almost always begin extracting around the edges, then centralise comparatively faster than the VST does. Based on looks alone, the VST appears to be 'making the most' out of the puck.
I ran a couple of shots to about 25mls and found huge amounts of crema, flavour, body and a much bolder, creamier mouthfeel than I have had to date from the L2 with the 15.8g baskets. It was like drinking caviar - tiny bubbles of flavour hitting my tongue and bursting into chocolates, butter, and smokey, earthy notes - awesome. I want to stretch these shots out a fraction longer as I think I was still erring to the short side after the earlier issues. This morning I was seeing the density of flavour I have been hoping for - and more. So that is positive!
I did experience two extreme channelling situations though - which I have not had at all with the standard baskets. Both times, a significant jet of water would force its way through the edge of the puck and exit at exactly 6 o'clock - in line with the handle. Inspection of the pucks revealed some erosion on the surface around the edge between 4 and 8 o'clock, and in both cases a hole approximately 1.5mm in diameter at 6 o'clock. All this no doubt reveals I need to work on my tamp. No surprises here - everyone says these VST baskets will punish poor technique.
But the good news was I got a good few tamped well enough to achieve the lovely shots I described without hint of channelling.
I am looking forward to more time with the VST and feel even more enthusiastic about the Londinium than I have - which is saying something. Other than needing to invest in some vessels with wider mouths - I reckon I am set. Oh, and maybe a new grinder, and a Londinium tamper, and and and ................................................................
A shot from this morn.....
Comments
Raced home for lunch (ie. espresso) just now. Opened the grinder burrs another notch, stuck with 18gr in, paid careful attention to nutating/tamping and then pulled the two best shots I have made myself, period. Off the charts flavour and mouthfeel from approx 30ml. This is a darker roast than I would normally prefer, but I was able to enjoy the heck out if it as it took me through its different phases of presentation - I was lost in syrupy goodness for every second - nuts, fruit, acid, chocolate that finished with an almost menthol-like sensation. I'm buzzing!
In fact, I think I can only recall having one espresso that yielded similar results - but even then not quite as smashing - and that was a superb ristretto delivered by a very crafty barista from a very expensive Synesso rocketship a couple of months back. If someone had told me then I would be pulling similar shots at home, I would have laughed it off.
VST + L2 = Sensational espresso.
After the first few shots, I spent more time distributing and tamping, and have not had the channelling issue since.
I am using an old Faema MPN commercial grinder with (new) 54mm flat burrs, modified to doserless..it is probably a weak link, sure. Technically it should be similar to a Mazzer Mini. It seems to grind more evenly, or at least deliver less clumps than the Mini I previously owned. In any case, it is with me until I am able to purchase something better.
First shot at 30g yield had clear, separated flavours, but seemed a fraction 'stretched' out for my liking - I would still have been more than happy though, had I been served this at a cafe. I stopped the next at 25g and found it was spot on in all respects - and even a bit better balanced than the next shot at 20g - which was much more like yesterdays' unweighed shots.
At roughly 1 : 1.4 ratio, the 25gr yield was my preference in this case. Being able to quantify input and output with the scales is certainly an advantage - giving me some figures to work with in future.
The spritzing I was referring to is when a jet (or jets) of water squirt out the bottom of the puck, often at a weird angle and making a bit of a mess. It is a form of channelling I guess. I thought this was what you were describing in your original post, apologies if I got the wrong end of the stick