When pulling shots on the Flair using the 2-in-1 Bottomless Portafilter, there is no hiding your extraction. Whether it’s perfect, needs a slight improvement, or whether you need to completely rethink your process, a bottomless portafilter shows you your extraction from start to finish and will help you dial-in your perfect shot.
The main difference in using a bottomless portafilter instead of a spouted one, is that you can see what’s going on with the extraction before it forms a steady flow and hits your cup. Instead of that information being hidden by the bottom of the portafilter and either a single or double spout, you get to watch the shot in its early stages and identify the colours of the extraction and whether it is even, too slow, or if there are air pockets.
Some common issues that people find when brewing with a bottomless portafilter for the first time can include the following:
1. Large pockets of lighter/darker extractions visible from the bottom of the basket.
2. Spritzing, spraying, or dripping from the portafilter.
3. Uncentred flow.
LARGE AREAS OF LIGHTER OR DARKER EXTRACTIONS
The perfect espresso extraction has colouring similar to ‘tiger striping’, where darker and lighter colours are alternating. If you can see large areas in your extraction that are either lighter or darker, then you possibly have areas of coffee in your basket that are being extracted at slower or higher rates. This is caused by an uneven distribution of your coffee in the basket, and leads to an uneven extraction. Some parts of the shot may be bitter because they have had longer water-to-coffee contact time, and other parts may be under-extracted and lack body due to a lower water-to-coffee contact time. To ensure that you have an even distribution of coffee in your basket before you start your brew, you can either stir the dosed coffee with a thin tool, or you can tap the bottom of the portafilter on the bench. This will help to collapse any air pockets in the coffee and ensure that the coffee bed is as level as possible.
SPRITZING, SPRAYING, OR DRIPPING FROM YOUR BOTTOMLESS PORTAFILTER
Poor distribution and an uneven tamp can also result in spraying or spritzing of coffee out of the bottom of the bottomless portafilter. When the coffee bed is unevenly distributed, channels are created through the coffee that allow the brew water to take the path of less resistance. This means that the water runs at a faster rate and instead of flowing in one steady stream, it spurts out in jets – and sometimes makes a mess! Further to this, if a spray shoots sideways and hits the skirt of the portafilter, it can create a bridge for the extraction and continue to pull the flow out to the edges where it can pool and drip. Following the tips above for an even distribution can help eliminate this issue when brewing with the Flair.
UNCENTRED FLOW
Together with an even distribution, a pre-infusion, and precise lever control, a level brew head is an important factor in keeping your extraction nice and centred. If you don’t use the included screw to lock the lever and post assembly to the base of the Flair, it may decline slightly to the front of the base. This essentially may cause your shots to pull in that same direction, affecting the flow. If the angle is significant enough, the flow of coffee could make contact with the skirt of the portafilter, causing the extraction to drip from there. If you are finding that this is an issue for you when brewing with the Flair, you can consider using the included screw, and also ensure that your brewing surface is level.
If you have any further questions regarding brewing tips or problems with your Flair, please feel free to contact us via phone on 1300 724 249 or via email at [email protected].
