My EK43 creates way too much fines

Does anyone face the same problem while using EK? I have noticed our EK43 produce a lot of fines while I’m using it for batch brew and normally it is in the end of the ground.

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I have been trying to realign the burrs and also changed burrs once, both of them have same problem. Picture was the last time I’ve done realignment
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I had big screeching on the face while I first learning how to put it back, now the machine still working functionality but I’m trying to replace the face. Not sure it’s the problem, picture shows where the coffee stay on the surface of scratch
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Hopefully someone had same problem before and help me out. Thanks

…I can’t really help you here I don’t think but haven’t you heard, #finesaremorethanfine! :joy:

Regards,
S.

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Hi Jimmy, I see you have sifted the grinds with a Kruve, did you happen to record the % ending up in each section? May be a useful sanity check?

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Thanks! I heard fines are good but not sure if I can see them. That’s a lot of fines for me and I don’t think it makes my brew more tasty and super high TDS 1.56

After changing the face. I solve one problem: moving shaft problem which is awesome.

But fines still there even I tried to align the burr few times still couldn’t fix the problem

So, what percentage of a test grind (say 10g) do you get in the top, middle & bottom of the Kruve at your batch brew setting?

so that whole fines are more than fine thing was just a meme? lol

Normally I shift out everything under 350um try to drop the high TDS from 1.56 to 1.4

Wasn’t sure what you mean. I just not sure I can see the fines or not. Like the photo 2 you can see quite a lot of fines on the bottom edge.

Sorry Jimmy, I was asking what % of your total grind falls below the smaller Kruve sieve, in the middle section & sits above the largest sieve? You say you are batch brewing, you can’t be sifting 60-120g of coffee with a Kruve (it’s too small), is your 350um sieve a Tyler/ASTM 12" sieve?

The reason I’m asking is to get a feel for your overall grind setting.

I think you are excluding too much from the smallest component of your grind, I’d grind coarser, in the first instance, to drop EY/reduce the number of particles below 350um, without sifting.

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Yes I used Kruve to shift 60g of coarse ground for moccamaster, I shift about 5min. Roughly I can got 2g under 350um, and the sieve came with the kruve. Also the reason I used up to 350um is because I already used maximum coarse setting but the TDS couldn’t drop under 1.4, aimed to “ideal” extraction 20-21% (it tasted flat and dry as well)

I assumed the there are way too much fines than “usual” which I didn’t remember I see that when I used another EK before. And the fines made the brew tasted overextracted and high TDS. That’s my hypothesis, and I was trying to find out if it’s “usual” thing to see the fines and so far I couldn’t find any information from interenet. I might write to Mahlkonig UK hopefully can get the idea :slight_smile:

Your Kruve probably won’t give a realistic % with 60g crammed in it. Do a test grind with 10-20g & weigh each section carefully. 400 as the smallest will give a better datum for other users to chime in on.

2g/60g = 3.33% this is a fairly coarse grind…coarse enough for what you need? Maybe/maybe not, but it doesn’t immediately say “too much fines” on it’s own, without more detail (which you’re unlikely to get from Kruve at this grind size, even with the larger sieves in the top).

Dryness may well be related to a lack of finer grounds.

Have you tried reducing the overall brew size (say 800g water & scale down dose) at your coarsest grind to reduce EY?

Yes I found some of my kurve’s hole blocked after shifting, I used 250um in the beginning and then 300, 350um and the TDS roughly dropped to 1.4. And yes I used 20.5 out of 22dail (max 20.7) it’s nearly maximum coarseness.

That’s interesting you said dryness can get from lack of fines. From the taste I found the more fines I removed the cleaner the cup but also more flat taste, lack of favour.

I did 45g to 750ml last night on 20.5 out of 22dial and the TDS dropped to 1.2 but still tasted strong and dryness. haven’t do futher test will do some more today. (Photo was 60g does

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Hey! I’ve had the same issue with my EK43. Did you ever find a solution to this?

Hi, did you find the solution after 3 years?

Another inexplicable fines problem here as well. I’ve even had multiple techs come and look and conclude that nothing was physically, mechanically wrong. But haven’t been able to offer iced coffee, or a decent pourover in months.