Re: use of OCD: Some of you have expressed disappointment in my use of the OCD in this video. I understand that. Using that tool alone has caused lots of "doughnut" shots. To be clear, this channel is not JUST for home enthusiasts. The initial intent was for it to be of use by baristas, as well. The fact of the matter is many MANY cafes use OCD tools and others like it. I believe tapping prior to the OCD greatly increases shot consistency and decreases side channeling. Of course, I personally do not use the OCD. In fact, my personal distribution will be covered in another video as regards what I do for my own espresso. Anyway, let's all calm down and understand that barflow is important and reality is, many cafes use distributors. We need to find ways to optimize them, since they aren't going anywhere anytime soon! Cheers P.S. If you recall, I never implied the tool was necessary. I even give a caveat when I was using it.
Just wanted to chime in and say, I think the majority of us are interpreting this as a series of generalizable techniques, regardless of equipment. I would argue that people complaining about the OCD missed the point -- the whole idea was that you're adjusting the techniques used until the shot tastes good TO YOU. Use what you have, taste the shots, and adjust until it's good. Do what you can with what you have!
Can I clarify something? I understand that people are against OCD like tools as it creates a false sense of security, right? As in you think you have an evenly distributed bed when you don’t? I have an Amazon knock off I use, but that is after tapping, WDT and then I use the tool prior to tamping.
No- the reason they're against it is because it doesn't do its job well. If you used just the ocd, it can cause really channeled shots. It misproportionately distributes the grounds in an ill-advised way. The disdain towards it is understandable, but not to the extent it is usually presented
@@LanceHedrick do you think me using it after tapping and WDT would theoretically be detracting from my extraction quality? I low key also just find it satisfying to spinnnn and see that smooth surface 😎
I love going back and watching this now and seeing you talk about WDT as a brand new distribution method that most people wouldn’t have. Oh how far we’ve come in so little time.
I tend to agree with you Brian. While other channels put much more effort into production and aesthetics, Lance's videos contain lots of wisdom and good tips for people interested in technique. Regarding Jonathan's comment, James Hoffmann is also a technique beast and a very good communicator. Why stick to one channel when you can give more love with the same effort?
Getting into coffee, all my friends sent me James videos and while the sound of his voice is infinitely soothing, the content was way too detailed and rather uninformative for my level. He often describes things as good/bad but not a lot of “this is tastes sour because it was likely under extracted, I’m going to a finer grind but keeping all my other variables the same to see if that fixes it” he just assumes that’s baseline knowledge his viewers have. Watching this basic series by lance FIRST has enabled me to get a much better appreciation for James and his stuff afterwards. Soooo basically I love everyone and am happy there is so much free educational content here for me 😅
Hell yes!! All the reddit and home barista "experts" who preach things like "always pull 25-30 second" shots and "never touch the coffee...never look at the coffee" need to see this. Great to finally see an actual qualified barista sharing knowledge. Just coz somebody spends $5,000 on a linea mini and watched a bunch of James Hoffman vids doesn't make them an expert on coffee. Love your channel dude, you are a total natural too in front of the camera...keep it up.
haha droppin bombs right here!! I like these vids too and love james hoffman too... but i run a second hand ascaso basic and a second hand smart grinder pro. only drawback is the SGPro loves to clump .. so i found a guy selling 3D printed WDT tools that use acupuncture needles... wow what a game changer those fluffy grounds make! :D
I am so thankful for you! My son bought me a Breville barista express. I’m having a terrible time dialing in. My son have a super fancy machine and knows how to do it all! I’m in Washington, he’s in California. Our FaceTimes are frustrating. Your videos are so informative and help me understand. Still trying to dial in, but watching your videos. I’m sure I can do this with your help! Thank you!!
You gave me two phenomenal actionable tips: 1. Start coarse and dial-in finer because you may misinterpret channeling and other byproducts of a fine grind wrongly. 2. Don’t tap down after WDT, just compress. I’m still working through the feedback to improve my shots, but these are new to me and make sense. Although James Hoffmann suggests a single downward tap before tamping, so we’ll see :)
Lance is so charismatic. Also, incredibly bright! Clearly, he has put forth a great deal of effort to master his trade. And to share it with us? Pretty awesome. Thank you.
I knew all this since I was a kid. Some 40 years later, experimenting with my E61 took 2 years by now, and I still didn´t recall my basic knowledge. -- Now you have given it back to me. You´ve recovered my memory. Thank you.
At the start of the pandemic I was missing going out to specialty cafes, so I bought myself an espresso machine and set about learning how to use it.... and in the process tearing my hair out! This series of videos manages to summarise many things that I have taken months to learn elsewhere from blogs, forums and other RU-vidrs. Real knowledge here for us home hobbyists!
Started my home cafe here in the Philippines few months back. I’ve been learning a lot of techniques from you from proper coffee extraction to latte art. As they say, you need to find a mentor to grow your business. Thank you for being one of the best mentors I could have, Lance. I am wishing you and your team more success in everything that you guys do. Please continue to be a blessing to others. 🖤 Cheers! ☕️
or maybe that figure going down would be more beneficial because it would mean a bigger channel reach? I dunno haha, either way keep up the great work brother
4:00 to 4:15 my favourite part of this video. probably the funniest but at the same time down to earth approach on espresso tasting you will find on RU-vid. Can't wait for the next videos!
Got an espresso machine this last week, and coincidentally happened to find your videos at the same time. Thanks, Almighty Algorithm. Dope stuff, dude. Excellent info, charismatic delivery, what’s not to love.
This video totally proved itself this morning, I tried out new beans (Colombia Silvestre, medium roast). Dialed back the grinder to a coarser setting (20 on my Niche Zero), pulled a shot. Came out bitter and with little crema. Threw it away, dialed the Niche two steps finer, keeping all other variables the same - wow, what a difference. Tons of crema, acidity and fruity flavors came out with a much better texture. I could try one step finer but this was pretty close to perfect. I’m learning…
Lance, what an absolutely engaging, intelligent, entertaining, informative, and insightful instruction filled with talented secrets and tips. Fantastic presentation. You are an amazing teacher with a wonderful personality. I absolutely love everything about your classes including your enthusiasm, the delightful lessons, and shared knowledge. Thank you sooo much! I'm hooked! You have taken a confusing subject and lit it up with a clear spotlight that really makes someone want to learn more. Keep bringing the magic!
What a man in the world have the package of sense of humor/knowledge/passionate/Unselfishness of teaching. Except for myself I can't find another man like him. He's da man! Love watching him
@@LanceHedrick I can tell! I am enjoying your videos. I have been watching tons of RU-vid espresso videos for over a year now, so most of the info is review, but I am picking up some good tips. You give very solid instruction. Keep it up!
I received a Barista Express as a gift. THIS VIDEO HELPED ME SO DAMN MUCH! I haven’t been behind the bar in years and after watching this one time I finally got it. THANK YOU.
Omw I think you just changed my life! I was clueless and in tears an hour ago! So clueless. I love your technical jargon and your unsnobby manner. You rock! Im no longer afraid of this beast I just invested in. Now I WANT to learn. I was regretting life choices until I found your channel and I have liked and subscribed ❤❤❤
Liked. Subscribed. Alarm bell on. Excellent and easy to follow content. We just got our first espresso machine and your tutorials have been guiding us through our first shots. Even made my first white blob circle today (in attempting a heart) We're still not 100% sure if we can tell the difference between sour and bitter but my wife and I came up with "sour hits the side, salty hits the tip, bitter hits the back of your tongue and roof of your mouth, and sweet hits right in the middle." For people struggling themselves this may help with that.
Cracked me up when you were alluding to the coffee snob commenting on the bouquet. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear you say: “break the rules”. I am enjoying your energy and “being real”. Keep it up.
Dude... You're incredible. You are explaining a lot of things I already know, but explaining it very clearly and concisely. I think this video will change my dial in process (starting coarser) and probably talk me into getting a dosing cup of sorts to help me with clumps. Can't wait to get into the rest of your content!
Just discovered your channel as a newbie to home brewing, amazing. A champion for your art is what you are and i am now brewing confidently as a result of this channel. Thankyou
I love what Lance is doing so positive so encouraging I really get everything he says I hope he continues doing this really easy to understand and super positive keep it UP Lance and thank you again. This is exactly what I started to do last Sunday, be cause making a espresso is art not easy at all, so I'm tweaking my settings by the day and I drink whatever comes out that day I won't be wasting more coffee. Thank you man!!
I remember when I took a barista course, when we tasted the shots, it was so amazing that when perfect, I ended tasting each distinct flavor on each side of my tongue. Eureka!!
Thanks for another fabulous video Lance! I've noticed since pulling shots with my machine over the last month, that I'm beginning to trust my taste more and relying less on strict brew times and ratios. This video is really informative in giving us a basic flavour profile to go by. Thanks alot! ❤️🙏🏾
Your production is top notch and your delivery style is so refreshing Lance ... each video I watch feels like a workshop packed with information, technique and science ... I come away from your vids better educated ... this is my favourite coffee channel ... thank you ... stay well and healthy :)
I turned off notifications almost five years ago for all my apps! I turned them back on for your channel! You do such a good job! Thank you so much. Best from Germany Max.
I actually want to say thank you for the repetitions! I have retention problems man 😂 I watched many videos & I like your style of teaching. A lot of people think they are critics and they have too much time on their hands that they sit around at home and criticize coffee videos where the creator has best intentions. Pretty sad. I love that you’re staying true to you! The good ones appreciate it
Your tip to extend the extraction time by allowing more yield to flow though, rather than rely on the shop settings, saved me. Thanks for the incredible amount of info you get in, in an understandable way for a beginner who likes to understand!
This salami shot thing is absolutely genius, I could definitely taste notes of pork fat, herbs and salt. Pro tip: try frying the used salami puck afterwards, it makes for a delicious side dish! On a serious note: I’ve been reading on coffee/espresso for the last year and never heard of it until now, thank you!
Hey Lance, your show has transformed the way I'm frothing milk !Thanks for the superb work you and your team is doing. Don't change, the show has a nice flow and you're energetic and have clear pedagogical skills.
Just discovered your channel a few days ago and it seems you already doubled your sub count - and it is WELL-DESERVED. - Videos are well shot and well produced; - You speak eloquently and with visible passion, I'm hanging on every word; - Super informative, you're obviously very qualified on the topic. Looking forward to seeing your channel hit a few million subscribers. James Hoffmann no longer reigns as sole king of Coffee RU-vid!
Lance, you're a life saver. Yesterday I switched baskets and got a really salty flavour out of my shots, despite yield and brew time being spot on. Turns out I had to go a lot coarser to fix it. I never would've guessed that if I hadn't seen your videos.
22:00 YEESSS! I got the Dora question right! It DOES get hotter! Swiper no swiping! It's only taken me a couple of viewings to remember this - I think I need longer videos 😉 Who are the 22 people who Disliked? Are they rogue tea-drinkers? 🤦🏻♂️
amazing lecture by Lance! Always new, original and super useful tips unlike any other out there! Every time i hear from Lance I learn new stuff. This time : start courser! And excellent analytical explanation of the physics behind it!
Loved part 2 - well worth the wait. This was by far the best dial-in-coffee explanation I’ve come across. Such a simple way to understand the different taste profiles all contained within a single shot 👍🏾 great point on your own style of running longer shots as I Had spent an age trying to dial in within the 20-30sec for a 1:2 ratio and found running it longer with same grind was far more enjoyable and thought it was me/grind/machine 😀
I worked as a barista for 2 years and have been getting into espresso on my free time at home during the pandemic and this is the most educational video I've come across in a while.
Awesome video as usual! Do you think you will ever do a "Basic maintenance to do on your home espresso machine" and also a "DIY water for espresso"? Most videos tell us what to do, but doesn't really explain the "why" of it, which you're very good at.
Correct! Water is massive. I like to tell people starting out to buy distilled water and packets of the third wave water for espresso. Easy and cheap (all things considered).
I've been discovering specialty coffee for a year now and espresso mostly since December. Now that I have a proper capable espresso machine (flair) I am still struggling to find a proper explanation on dialing in the shot, more than "this is how a too fine, too coarse or perfect grind size pull look". Your videos are so well done both explanatory and filming wise.
Thank you so much! I've been teaching for a while and feel pretty good about the articulation and its ability to help. Appreciate you leaving a comment and watching!
As a nerd of all trades, I’ve never felt more prepared to start a new hobby than I have thru watching ur vids! Understanding from first principles rather than arbitrary zombie instructions FTW!! (Now time to cram before my machine arrives later today!)
This is absolutely amazing! Watching part 1 and 2 of this, gave so many good inputs for a beginner like me, And with the late art video, i manage to create a somwhat decent heart :D As a suggestion, could i ask for a video on the different coffes based on the espresso, like milk to cofee ratio in latte or cappuccino, or water to cofee ratio in americano? Ofcourse i know taste is subject to the individual but i would love a starting point! Anyhow thanks for the lectures, i am looking very much forward to the next :)
Not only did I learn so much and subscribed to this beautiful channel. I actually laughed. You are a lovely barista I have to say. Best of luck to you and thanks for the genuine information
I’ve got a breville as well, a barista express specifically. At what point would you start counting your extraction time? At the time the pre-infusion starts/ends or when the first drop hits your cup? Thanks a ton for the videos, Lance!
For the last 2 months i had an espresso machine i used the stock flat method and 50% of the shots just seemed not to make it. With the taps its so much better. Just made an good tasteful shot. Thank you so much
My shot still tastes bitter, im currently at 18g in 36g out medium roast with 28s extraction time (no channeling noted) . If I reduce the ratio to 1.5 do I just keep everything the same and stop the machine earlier? Or do I go finer to keep the same 28s extraction time with the new ratio?
First, ask yourself if it is bitter and pungent or bitter and watery. If the former, then I'd let it run longer. If the latter, you may want to look at the size of your basket and ensure that you aren't overfilling it. It would sound like channeling to me if you think it is overextracting at a 1:2 ratio. Next to impossible to overextract in that range.
Great vid! Have you ever tried only OCD-ing the puck without the tamping? I read it somewhere, that lot of people just use a distribution tool and it doesn't make a big difference wether you temp or not. Plus what is a good process to go through to dial in my OCD? How far should it reach into the basket? What should I look for? Thanks!
I don't like the idea of not tamping, mostly because the depth you'd have to set the ocd makes me nervous about what it is doing to the integrity of the puck. That being said, many do it to success. I just haven't spent the time. I like mine shallow- just enough to groom the top layer.
Subscribed. Thanks for the video. After a lot of sour shots I found your video and the salami shot and realized I had the extraction backwards. 20 minutes after the video I pulled the best shot I ever made
Lance, thank you for starting this channel. I've been making what I thought was decent espresso at home for nearly 1.5 years until I came across your channel. Your passion for coffee shows in your videos. I find your teaching method to be engaging, easy to follow, and informative. Your videos have helped me improve my espresso shots and milk texturing. Thank you again.
I've been making espresso at home for 4 months now and I just blindly accepted that I need to adjust my grinder so that an 18g in, 36g out (1:2) shot extracts in 25 to 30 seconds. I've been doing fairly good puck prep with the tools available but I did not understand why certain beans tasted more sour than the others. When you did and explained the salami shot it was an AHA! moment for me. Now I think I understand why (and more importantly how) I should play with input weight, ratio and extraction time. Thank you for such a clear explanation!
After watching this, I'm looking fordward to dial in in my new Maracaturra from Nicaragua this afternoon! Thank you for your valious contribution and greetings from Spain, Lance!
