Dialing In the Breville Barista Pro
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2023
- The many, many failures of my first 2 weeks as an espresso machine owner. Channeling, timing, grind size, and my final settings. #coffee #homebarista #breville #brevillebaristapro #brevillebaristaprodialin #espressomachine #espresso #espressodialin
your efforts are very appreciated, u have no idea. thank u so much!
Don't use the single dose, always use the double dose. Go with 16 to 18 gram and your espresso will taste much better.
Thank you for sharing your espresso “dialing in” journey with us. I have the Breville Pro on order and trying to learn as much in advance!
This is very entertaining. Your faces are the same I made when I started dialing in my barista pro. Keep it up and make sure to just have fun!
You inspire me so damn much
Superb video, great to see other peoples experiences and walkthroughs to how they self improved their process. I've yet to purchase a puck screen nor a better tamp but I may have to take the plunge after seeing your results here. Thanks for the content!
Thanks so much!!
Having gotten one of these machines over Christmas, I'm at the start of the learning hill too. Your grind recommendations are really appreciated so will give them a whirl here too 😊😊
Let me know what happens! If you haven’t yet, I’d recommend my most recent dial in video too, i think it’s a lot more accurate and refined in its advice than this one.
Absolutely loved seeing another espresso aficionado go through the beginning processes of this journey. Brought back memories. I been working on my own espresso/latte journey for about 8 years now.
Just a couple notes from a random CZcams nobody - You can't really diagnose a puck after the shot is pulled. Once the machine pulls out the water it obliterates the puck inside. The bottomless portafilter is the best way to diagnose a shot. A wet/soupy puck is also a non-issue. Those picture-perfect "dry" knock-out pucks are only for show, they don't affect the shot itself.
What are you using for WDT? Looks like a purchased product / needles, which is good, but size of the needles is important. You want between 0.25-0.4mm - if the needles are too big, you can actually do more damage with the WDT than help. That said, your last couple shots after the puck screen (which definitely helps), looked great - so channeling may no longer be an issue.
You seem to be to the point of just dialing in each coffee. Every coffee will be different, and the 1:2 ratio in 25-30 seconds is merely a guideline/starting point - it is *not* a universally good recipe. Some darker roasts may prefer more 1:1.5 with faster times, and lighter roasts more 1:3 or higher and longer shot times. This where the fun of experimenting comes in :). You'll definitely outgrow that grinder, but you're in a good spot right now. Enjoy your espresso journey! Great video.
Thank you for the encouragement + thoughtful advice, your thoughts on the puck and my final shots definitely made me feel better about where I’m at at the moment!
My WDT is from Normcore, I’ll have to look at the size of the needles.
I’ll bear the ratio thing in mind, I didn’t know it was that fluid. I might try these beans with a slightly larger ratio and longer pull time because they are on the lighter side for espresso and I have been struggling with a little too much acidity.
Normcore WDT should be fine, I think it's 0.3. Definitely change up the recipe a bit, the "golden" ratio is just to get you into a good "zone" on grid size. Basically if you feel the shot is under-extracted you can fix it in two ways: Pull a higher ratio (1:3), grind finer and pull longer (do 40, even 50 second shots at 1:2). Both of these will increase contact time with the brew water. Conversely, if it's too astringent and bitter, pull shorter and/or grind coarser for faster times. For me personally - I find the best spot to be just under 1:2.5 (18g/40g) in around 30s *from first drop* (I have both timers going). This means closer to a 35-40 second overall shot time. Experiment, have fun, and start all over again on your next bag :).
Thank you so much for making this video. We just purchased a Breville Barista Impress Touch, and spent yesterday morning trying to dial in the shot. Still working on it, but your video gives me hope and that I am not totally nuts going through this process.
Also coming from using the AeroPress fingers crossed!
You are most definitely not alone! Thank you for the kind comment, and good luck!! :)
Looks like my start with that machine. Stay passionate!🎉
It all comes down to the grinder love that video and of course find a coffee roaster near you fresh beans make big difference
This was so similar to my own espresso journey with the Barista Pro! So glad you shared bc all the videos I watched were “experts” making it look way too easy. I felt like an idiot and my shots were awful!
This was an amazing video. Thank you for this help-sharing video :)
Thank you!!
Don't feel bad. I could not dial in my Barista Touch until I changed the internal burr setting on my grinder. I bought some cheap coffee just to get the grind size and timing down before I used the good coffee. Dose 18g. Internal burr 4 and external 10. That is where I start with a new coffee. I usually get it dialed in in one to two attempts.
Welcome to espresso. Loved seeing your progression and tenacity. I have to admit, I was perplexed on your insistence on using the commandante grinder in the beginning. My best advice to you is please don't get lost in the neverending uogradeitis that is espresso gear. You can get good shots from that machine! Write down exactly what you do every time you pull a shot. The more detail the better. Eventually you will see a pattern.
Great job. I find a 3/7 or 4/8 setting works the best
I had some special coffee once where I has a to fast shot. Took the extract and the grounds and put the grounds in my Hario Switch and the extract in the cup below. Added water in the switch to my normal ratio subtracting the already extracted fluid. Temp around 90 degrees - 1 minute infusion before releasing the switch - actually fully drinkable cup bringing the balance back but now as a pour over/immersion
I have the express model and burned through a whole bag before I got my first shot dialed in. The demo videos make it look so easy. I stuck with the single shot basket, got it dialed in then moved to double basket.
Good job, way to stick with the process. If you stay that enthusiastic and you are enjoying the process, you will be putting perfect shots in no time, at least as perfect as the Breville allows. 💯
Thanks so much!!
I feel ur pain, been through the same when I bought mine
Been there done that it was super frustrating. I had to walk away from it and try the next day and pulled up a chair and a big bag of beans. Writing everything down helped me to do a process of elimination. Then one day bam!
Noticed I said one day. With every bag it's a different pull and if I get close I'm happy. Not chasing perfection.
Thanks - I definitely had and continue to have similar experiences.
What I don't understand in your video is that every coffee bean will have different settings. So one setting that may work for one type of bean may not work another type.
Fun video to watch! I have some experience pulling shots in a home setup, I don't own a Barista express but a couple of friends have one and I've been able to pull good shots, My first suggestions would be actually lowering the dose to 16gr as 18gr or 20gr depending on the density of the coffee you are using could sit really close to the shower screen causing uneven distribution of water to the Puck. My second suggestion would be trying to dial in with proven espresso blends like Intelligentsia black cat or Stumptown hair bender, some local roaster coffee beans as Noble Coyote could be very light and acidic to be pull as Espresso without the right equipment.
Good luck in your espresso journey!!
Thanks for the advice!!
4:15 When you said you were also an Aeropress person I felt seen lol this is gonna be me in the literal next few weeks. I am gonna buy my machine on Black Friday or cyber Monday and I move in like the day before so I will be starting to figure out that dial in process myself. Oh speaking of that I need to start buying fresh coffee beans because I only have pre-espesso ground coffee for the aero press and I definitely do not have a scale or anything like that 😆 ohh lanta what am I in for. I don't even know what I got right now but I will be using a 14g-18g portafilter basket but maybe I should just use the 18g portafilter basket like you're doing otherwise there is like no information out there.
I literally put like one or two scoops into the aero press and then just fill hot water to the top stir it lightly and then press it and then use my moms Keurig for steamed milk so it's gonna be something 🤣 but I would love to level up my morning coffee but it's gonna be a lot of bitter and sour coffee for a while lol
It's good to know I'm not the only one scratching my head with the BBP.
I’m so happy I’ve found you!! 🙏🏼 Thank you for putting this video together!
I’ve been struggling with inconsistent and vile tasting shots out of my barista pro for two months now. I’m adjusting grind size up and down and still haven’t got results I’m happy with! I’ve avoided buying anything off Amazon yet and relying solely on the standard kit.
What is your advice after going through similar struggles? That I should get some better gear?
I’m currently running internal grind size 4, external 7, dose 19g, running my double shots manually with a 7 sec pre infusion. Coffee Kev settings…
Are you just running the standard single / double shot button settings?!
Hi!! I would say that better gear was my primary life saver, as well as adjusting the internal grind setting. Here's my routine as of right now (consistently pulling 40g in around 26-27 sec post-pre infusion):
Coffee: Intellegensia Black Cat Espresso
Dose: 20g
Grind settings: 3 internal, 9 external
3 sec pre-infusion
Gear: (all Normcore) dosing funnel, WDT tool, distribution tool, weighted tamper set at 25lb, puck screen, bottomless portafilter.
All of this stuff cost a fortune, but it made such a massive difference. If I had to narrow it down, I would say that the puck screen and weighted tamper are your main essentials, but I did notice the shots steadily get better/more consistent with each addition.
I'm planning on making an updated video on my final settings ASAP as a more comprehensive example/guide for all of us who struggled! SO glad to see that I'm not the only one who had an extremely hard time with my dial-in.
The grinder on the Barista pro is not the best from a consistency standpoint which is why the channeling occurs sometimes as you can keep all the settings the same but it will pull slightly differently. WDT is the main help with getting better consistency, but honestly my experience changed massively when I bought a Niche Zero grinder. Now I can pull channel free shots with the bottomless portafilter very consistently. All the yootoob gurus tell you spend more on the grinder as opposed to the espresso machine to achieve better results.
I'm sure I'll upgrade my grinder one day, but while I'm prioritizing learning and fun over absolute perfection, my setup is treating me pretty well (: It'll also be a good while before my wallet has recovered enough for another big splurge, but I'll definitely have a look at the Niche down the line. @@Thetache
This is everything. Thank you.
Ok i love this! I’d love to know what bottomless portafilter you use???
Thank you!! I use one from Normcore, it’s the 54mm one for the Breville :-)
I used 2 two pound lavazza bags and almost gave up dialing in espresso on super automatic jura machine, until I tried local fresh roasters. Much better results. No more Amazon coffee orders.
Local is the best!!! I’ve been buying from the same local roaster since getting into coffee and I’ve been so happy with every bag!
Everybody says something different on when to start the time :) my logic is that automatic and very expensive coffee scales start the time with the first drop of coffee in the cup, so I do that to. But that’s probably 8-10 seconds later then you do…. So that’s confusing 😅
Awesome video. Just got the Barista Pro myself and every shot is nasty imo even though the timing seems right.
By chance could you provide links to the material you purchased for yours?
Thank you!
www.amazon.com/s?k=normcore&crid=4CAP2903FA45&sprefix=normcore%2Caps%2C115&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 here's a link to all of the Normcore products on Amazon; everything was Normcore brand and ordered online! Hope this helps!
As silly as it may sound, you’d be better off investing on a separate espresso focused grinder. The built in breville grinder unfortunately isn’t as precise and doesn’t really have fine adjustments. Something like the Eureka manuale is good and reasonably priced and will improve your shots a lot! :)
Another suggestion would be decreasing your coffee dose, make your grinding settings finer, increase the pre infusion and increase the ratio. Something around 1:3 often controls the bitterness and acidity of the espresso!
Nice video, keep em coming :)
How would that grinder compare to her manual grinder?
The newer updated baratzas in the Brevilles are great! Inner conical has 6 points instead of 5 on the upgraded ones.
How's ur progress in the espresso journey? Can u tell the Puck Screen is the mvp? Can't wait for the next dialing episode. Cheers ☕
It's going pretty well! Still getting a bit of channeling, but feeling worlds better than I did while filming this. LOVE the puck screen. Will make an update video soon! :)
If this is your first set of attempts at pulling the perfect shot you should be INCREDIBLY Proud!
It might just be the coffee talkin but enjoyed every second of your struggle.❤
I'm having issues dialing in the coffee I'm having right now but thats a story on its own.
Just some feedback tho, you want to keep a gap between your grounds and the group head. Lance Hedrick released a video Recently on Dialing in thats Incredibly informative. He even talks about allowing some pre-infusion to help bring out some notes (not sure if in that specific video).
But honestly, if you're enjoying the flavor at the 10 grind size, just stick to that. That last shot was beautiful, but looked a lil bitter cuz the color was falling too deep into the lighter spectrum.
Color is a clear indicator of over and underextraction. Maybe with the 21g, at 10 size and cut the dose a bit Early if thats what you like? You should get less bitterness.
If the perfect shot doesn't leave a good result, consider grinding to a 9, filling to 18g and dialing in from there.
Please do not take my advise as a suggestion from any sort of wisdom tho. I'm likely a lot closer to your level of knowledge and experience. Truth.
Happy Satruday!!
My love, my sweet sweet best friend, I love this video so much, and I also have no clue what you're talking about in 80% of it. Would you consider making a video about the terminology that is necessary to understand when you enter the world of coffee? Or send me resources on what things mean? Like dialing in, pre-infusion (which I know you touched on a little in your video with Nat), the grind settings and what's ideal, blah blah blah. Coffee for dummies basically. Again, even texting me resources would be great. I just want to be able to follow along better than I'm able to right now lmao
Also puck prep and what a puck screen does and channeling and why air bubbles are bad and things like that lmao
HAHAHA yes I’d be happy to do this. I’ll make you some cute infographics
I also do definitely want to make an intro video and actually shot a lot of one weeks ago, but I wasn’t happy with it so I scrapped it. It was mostly about what kind of coffees to buy and what roast level / tasting notes are but this actually gave me a great idea for one big expansive video on everything you need at the very beginning. I don’t feel like I’m experienced enough to teach people things but it would be a fun challenge to try
i'm struggling with the same problems hopefully i will some day enjoy my 600 dollar purchase! ufff
Same same same, I can't figure out how to dial in this machine, coffe is always sour
Don't feel ashamed or anything of the sort. Doing the same exact thing as you. Initially frustrated, but the more videos I watch, including yours, I feel much like I need to get more "sciency" to get this sorted. I'm 4:30 mins in...hoping you dial it in by 12 minutes. Lol
that video is so nice ! didn't expect to be entertained while I try to dial my Barista pro
Thank you!! Good luck with your dial in :)
Your accent is smooth are you from the US please if so which part?
Thank you! I'm from Texas (:
just order a breville touch impress just so i don't have to cry! but i figure coffee got so pricy might as well it will pay for itself
I'd recommend practicing on some kind of Italian espresso blend, such as Lavazza's Super Crema. It's very forgiving, not very expensive, and you'll likely get something fairly drinkable even if it's not perfectly dialed in. Also, lowering the dose to about 16ish grams (as another commenter suggested) will reduce the intensity of the flavors, which may be preferable.
I love this blend. I use it at work for Espresso on our Touch.
That’s the one I use as well. My favorite from Amazon. Still working on dialing my breville touch impress
It's so frustrating because all this process its not fun all the time! If you go to an Italian coffee bar you don't se the barista wdt the puck or put a shower disc or measure the beans or other things that coffee nerds came up with! They just make incredible espresso without all this fuss! And i think the key is the freshness of the coffee, the grinder and those 10.000 euros coffee machines.
Great video anyway 👍
I can’t also dial in correctly. Just like you, I’m using manual grinder comandante. Hurts my arm like crazy. I’m now buying tools.. and an electric grinder on its way. For now, settling for pour over. Don’t want to waste my good specialty coffees.
I was shocked at how difficult the process is, especially compared to pour over. I’m sure you’ll get there though!! The electric grinder will help SO MUCH; my arm also got super tired trying to grind “espresso fine” on the commandante and switching to electric was a life saver. Come back and let me know when you get dialed in! :)
Timer starts as soon as you hear the pump kick in. Don’t include pre infusion
l was thinking about buying a coffee machine but having watched your video l realise that it's not at all easy to make it work correctly.
Maybe I'll stick with my ancient moka pot after all.
It’s a long, tedious process but it’s SO rewarding when you start to pull decent shots! Even after everything I went through in my dial in process, I still recommend getting a machine if you like challenges (I TOTALLY understand sticking with the Moka pot if you choose to do so though- moka, pour over, and aeropress are so much less frustrating)!
That’s not true. I always time my shots when I get the first drop of coffee. I never start it when I push start and I get perfect coffee all the time. There is no right and wrong answer. You can time it however you feel comfortable.
Why are you using a single dose basket?? There are two very important factors when making good shots, #1 have FRESH ROASTED beans within a week of roasting is ideal and #2 use a non pressurized double shot basket...please stay away from the dual wall (Pressurized) baskets. Good luck
these youtube ads are ridiculous
I'm sure you would have realised now but trying to dial in espresso shot with old stale coffee is a pointless exercise.
Nobody starts out an expert and the learning part is a fun process when you get to the good shots and look back with the 20/20 hindsight and laugh at what a naive noob you were trying to wing it with no research
Thanks to opening people s eyes about how terrible shitty machine the Breville Barista is.
Not my perspective at all- I think it's been a great machine, but was a very challenging dial-in as an absolute beginner. This video was more to poke fun at my many user errors than highlight any negatives about the machine (:
Your dose is too low
Hi - i think the first step is using fresh beans - try a dark roast with a good robusto bean in the mix - grind size is very important - i dont follow the so called Rules - i go by the end result - how does it taste to you - dont worry about that 30 sec etc, stuff yet - it depends on your taste - i see this video is 7 months old - by now your should be doing much better :)
double basket always - try a IMS nano 18g basket - mines works great using anywhere from 16g to 19g - puck prep - even grinds in the basket - level it - tamp evenly - should be much better