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I have a Baratza Encore burr grinder. I use it primarily to grind beans to use in a French Press and I've found that 28 is the optimal setting for that. I've been toying around though with making espresso in both a machine and with a Neapolitan coffee maker. I know that I should be getting a finer grind than I would be using for a French Press but I haven't found the ideal setting yet. Is someone familiar with this burr grinder or a similar machine? Have you found a level setting that is ideal for grinding espresso?

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Disclaimer: I don’t own a Baratza Encore.

My sources (e.g.) point out that the Barazza has her strengths in the pour-over range and that espresso grinds are a bit outside her “comfort zone”.

That said, for classic espresso in a portafilter, I’d go pretty low (start with maybe 3-4), then assess the grind structure and fineness, pull a shot, then dial up or down as you see fit. You will need to find what suits not just your espresso machine, but also your choice of beans. If you switch brands (or sometimes just roast batches), going up or down a few clicks is perfectly normal.

Your Neapolitan brewer wants coarser than a Moka (which in turn is coarser than for Espresso), yet finer than pour-over. I would recommend starting maybe around 9-10. If you get too much sludge (or even clogging, yikes), dial up, if you want more extraction, dial down.

If you alternate between a classic espresso machine and a Moka/Neapolitan brewer, you will need two different settings. And the exact number for each will again depend on beans and preference. Have fun experimenting! (And don’t forget that you should change the grind setting always with a running grinder.)

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    Baratza's 2022 doc breville-production-aem-assets.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/… suggests #8 for espresso, while the 2014 manual suggests #2 - #6. Is that due to product revs? Some of their docs say to adjust the grind size while it's running or empty of beans; others say adjust it only while running. I'd avoid size #1 and maybe #2 unless your grinder is well calibrated, otherwise it could scrape the burrs. Commented Oct 4 at 0:55
  • @Jerry101 interesting, thanks for sharing. I had the 2-6 source, maybe they shifted the scale a bit. Commented Oct 4 at 7:15

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