☕checklist for dialing in a new bag before you blame the machine
every new bag needs this, roast date and bean density shift more than people think. three shots, in order, no skipping ahead
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1
weigh 18g into the basket, every time
skip this once and you'll blame the roast for your own inconsistency.
2
start on the grind notch from the last bag, not zero
3
pull one shot before touching anything else
4
time it from the moment the pump actually engages
not from when you press the button, that's not the same thing on most machines.
5
taste before you look at the clock or the scale
6
adjust grind first, dose second
dose changes are a crutch, grind is the actual answer most of the time.
7
go finer if it's sour or running fast, coarser if it's bitter or running slow
8
log the bean, roast date and settings before the next shot
three weeks in you will not remember which setting fixed the last single origin
9
give it three shots before deciding it's a bad bag
10
check the roast date, not just 'says fresh on the bag'
lighter roasts (single origin) usually want a few more days of rest than the dark stuff.
11
clean the group head before the first shot of a new bag
old oils from the last bag skew your first read, dial it in on a clean slate
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