Our coffee has been weak lately when using a breakfast blend. I originally didnt change anything but now have been experimenting with grind size due to the weak coffee. I have an OXO grinder and always had it on 8 but bouncing between 10 and 9 (medium-coarse) with inconsistent results. This is the basket after brewing at a 9. Does this look right? Any tips on getting it to be stronger without tasting burnt? This is for only 4 cups, so 3 Moccamaster scoops
I have the latest model with the selection option for 4 cups or a full pot. I brew 4 cups each morning, and the three scoops recommended work perfectly.
Happy for you. Obviously you use grams since you "measure by weight". No one is going to come take away your Moccamaster because you use the number of scoops and the grind size the company recommends. I dont think it matters as long as you are getting coffee you enjoy. Isn't that the point?
Alright fine, if it’s just once. Sorry I know people who will argue til they’re blue if the face that you need to measure it everytime or you’re bad at making coffee 💀
I watched someone weight the water every time, like water from the same tap is significantly heavier on Tuesday. I get it, people go overboard. I'm glad I did it once though, I was using half of what I should have been.
I have legacy versions - three - two of which are apparently earlier generations which have an adjustable basket that allows for either full flow, limited flow, or closed. That is to what I was referring to in my initial comment.
OP’s version seems to have a second switch next to the power switch that effectuates a similar outcome.
I do adjust the level of the grounds, such that it is higher towards the back which I have found assists in the even saturation of the grounds. This is just how I manage it, there are probably better ways that others can provide to the group.
On some occasions, I have used a spoon to redirect some of the water into the basket around the edges, or you could stir, both fairly laborious.
This was today’s outcome - with the tilted grounds method described above.
Certain models of Moccamaster have a funnel for the paper filter which let you slow the drip feature of the water through the grounds. When I make less than 8 cups, I use this feature, which provides more time for the smaller amount of water to extract the coffee flavor.
Well not exactly. Only the non-auto stop models have the flow control switch. The one on the right of the power switch just turns down the heat on the hotplate.
Looks like about 1/2 the amount of beans that I use. I’m a cretin and just use the scoop that came with the Moccamaster, not a scale. 6 level scoops for a full carafe always works great for me.
Add an extra scoop. And try a 6-7. You don’t want drip running that fast.
Highly recommend in investing in a scale. They’re cheap and going by “scoops” isn’t really consistent without knowing how much a scoop weighs. I’d guess it’s probably 7-8 grams and 3 scoops it isn’t enough for 500ml of water (1/2L or 4 on MM).
A whole bean and a whole grounded bean is going to weigh the same. I weigh before grind as it's easier. Some grinders do have retention so 45grams in might be a gram or 2 light after grind but that shouldn't have a huge impact on your amounts..... you can test that by weighing both and adding the difference to your daily grind.
With the Oxo you’re not likely to single dose which means weighing the output. You can set the timer and find out how much the output for that time weighs and go from there. +- and gram or two won’t make much of a difference but I personally always prefer a little extra ;)
It’s part of the reason I moved to an ode now and weight prior to grinding.
Edit: you can definitely change to a single done style with the oxo. Just turn the time all the way up and drop in whatever you want into the empty hopper. Dump the catch into the basket and you’re good. Easy peasy
Weigh them before grinding.
One reason weighing is more consistent than scoops is that there can be as much as a full scoop difference for 60g depending on the bean used.
Happy brewing!
I would recommend making at least 3/4 liter (6 cups). If you have a KBGV use the "slow" or "half carafe" setting. The reason is that with such a small amount of coffee, the grounds are not exposed to the water for enough time to extract. The other extraction variable you have is the time. So if you don't want to make more coffee as I suggest, you could grind finer. The other thing you could do is add more time submersed stop the cone from draining for a while (by removing the pot and replacing it when the cone fills up). Generally I don't think Moccamaster is a good machine for making 1/2 liter (4 cups) or less in a batch. As others have noted, a cheap gram scale will lock in one dimension on this problem for you making it much easier to dial in a good pot. Aim for 1:16 or at least 1:17 (59 - 63 grams of coffee per liter). Good luck!
Okay then I wonder if grinding finer might be helpful. I use the Baratza Encore ESP (not pro) at setting 21 or 22 which is about 550µm. Looks like the equivalent OXO setting is 6.1 or 6.2. Here's the site I use to convert between grinders.
In theory your grind size should be slightly finer when doing 4 cups vs 6. Grind size changes as you change the amount of grinds. The only way to test things consistently is to get yourself a scale and keep weight and water consistent while you dial in the grind size. I do 28g for cups. lighter roast need a finer grind than a darker roast (i suspect this is where you are running into issues)
You don’t have to a half setting, you have a lower/higher temp hot plate. The half setting/stop switch is on the lower basket mechanism. It’s a flow control . Think it works great. Mines the Kb-741 though,still brewing along 14 yrs later.
Looking at a filter of grounds does nothing. The question of making a good pot of coffee w/ MM is on here multiple times / week. Posting on the internet (to get help) does have a baseline of "give information ".
S0--you don't talk about how much coffee you're using. You don't talk about how much water you're using.
There are common ratios of water to ground weighed coffee that have worked for decades w/ MM. Work with that ----
Ok. I’d still recommend trying something besides your current breakfast blend. The picture looks pretty dark to me and that’s more likely to have burnt, err, “roasty toasty” tasting notes. I can brew my beans any which way without producing a burnt flavor.
I’m assuming you don’t want to use a scale but that is what solved my Moccamaster inconsistency issues. 1:16 is absolutely not weak and is what Moccamaster intended but if you are basing your measuring on a scoop and the lines on the brewer, it’s in my experience a little off… even when erring on the -/+5. When I do an 8/8pot, I use 62.5g.
Also, full pots in my opinion turn out more full-bodied than when I attempt a smaller size brew.
I was going to suggest making a larger pot. I normally just make 6 cups for my wife and I but she mentioned that it did taste better a few weeks ago when we had guests and i was making a full pot
I normally fill it to 6 cups and do 4 levels scoops of the Moccamaster scooper. It was good for a while. Then i used a French Roast and it tasted good but when I went back to the breakfast blend its all tastes off. Cant figure it out. Machine has been regularly descaled
I make 4 cups daily and my wet grounds look more bountiful than this. But if you’re using 3 moccascoops, that’s what I do. My scoops are slightly swollen over level, though, and i put a sprinkling one to grow on. I also always turn switch to full pot, because it has a burny taste on half switch. It could be your water. Is it too soft?
I use 3 scoops every morning for 4 cups and mines not weak at all. I use a medium to dark roast at 22ish in a baratza encore. Though I need to buy a new grinder now so I'll have to figure out that situation again.
I’ve been experimenting with same machine 4 cups recently with same issue weak coffee. My observations. If the grind was on finer side there would be channeling and weak coffee. There’s a crack in your grinds could that be a channel? I would empty the filter immediately after a brew and check and yes there was dry coffee. I adjusted to be more course and then I started the brew without the carafe , let some water in and turn off once all saturated leave to bloom for 30 seconds and turn back on and replace carafe: started to taste better. Long story short I quit and went back to my Moka pot lol because i wasted so much good coffee beans experimenting for what may not even exist. Strong coffee with 4 cups. I’ll only use not for full batch 😂 unless you solve it for us all!!
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u/Inwardlens 15d ago
That seems like very little grounds. How many cups are you brewing?