My barista in Portland told me to stop weighing my beans and just taste the shot | Coffee Enthusiasts - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
My barista in Portland told me to stop weighing my beans and just taste the shot
I was at this little spot on Division Street chatting with the barista about my home setup and how I'd been obsessing over hitting exactly 18 grams in and 36 out every single time. He laughed and told me he hasn't used a scale in 6 months, just watches the flow and tastes everything. At first I thought that was wild for someone working in a shop, but then I tried it at home for a week and honestly some of my best shots came from just going by feel. Your mileage may vary depending on your grinder, but it made me think about how much of this hobby is numbers versus just paying attention. Has anyone else ditched the scale and gone by taste, or am I about to ruin my consistency?
Ha, my grinder drifts so much I'd be pulling sink shots all day if I didn't weigh. I've got a hand grinder with settings that move on their own if I look at it wrong, so 18 grams one morning is 15.5 the next. That said, when I do go by feel on a lazy Sunday, some shots surprise me in a good way. Just don't ask me to repeat them on Monday.