The pre-wetting of the coffee puck reminds me of when you water a plant and the soil is very dry: if you water it with lots of water right away it just starts channeling out of the vase and the soil won't absorb it. On the other hand, if you first pour a little water on top to moisten the surface and then water it, it will be absorbed much more evenly without channeling
It actually make sense when you think about ur plant example. Do you still do puck pre wetting and if so how much sprays, 1 or 2? Definitely gonna try tomorrow!
I discovered James Hoffman a week ago. I have now for the last week spent every evening without fail watching this channel in the bath in the dark sipping filter and jasmine tea like fucking Gollum. What have you done to me. I had a life. This is not ideal
@@Fitzrovialitter With a dark coffee bean I have found putting a drop of water in the beans really cuts the static but with lightly roasted beans unnecessary.
I discovered this channel 3 weeks ago and since the have bought an Aeropress, a Prismo, a V60, a Hario Mini-slim, a coffee scale and a thermometer. I've also shelved my blade grinder. Enjoying my coffee much more than I ever thought possible.
Protip: If you're a home cook, pick up 3 or 4 of them since they're very cheap. Just make sure they're food grade and BPA free. I've been using them for years putting in oil infusions like garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil etc to spritz on things like a pan of veggies before going in to roast. It can also give roasted meats a nice crispy outer layer. Corn on the cobb? Add a nice thin layer of melted butter. Add in some herbal or spice notes as a final garnish where you'd need something more delicate than sprinkling ground herbs or spices directly. They're great for seasoning cast iron pans as well.
Whisper the beans a slow but soothing lullaby before grinding, I found it works wonders as the beans will be calmer and sleepy before their final moments.
I just watched the niche zero grinder video yesterday and laughed a bit seeing how you’re still using it. James is like the dad who says he doesn’t want a dog then sleeps with the dog on the floor. I love seeing you enjoy things you were skeptical about at first. Like the ember mug too
I use a small spray bottle in my espresso ritual. I weigh out the beans in a small plastic cup, spray the beans, put a matching plastic cup upside-down on top and gently shake to spread the water and then put the beans in my Comandante hand grinder. I find it helps prevent the ground coffee from sticking to the inside of the Comandante's glass jar. I also discovered an added benefit: I received beans from a roaster who didn't do a very good job of removing the chaff from the beans; spraying the beans and shaking in the double cup spread the water but also removed the chaff which would cling to the walls of the cup when I poured the beans in the grinder. Happy New Year, James!
Nice tip for static beans, i have been using this trick a while now. Somebody told me this but in a different way. In my testing it's also working when sturring the beans with a wet spoon. This is enough to get rit of the static and prevents a wet counter top. 😊 I have the Eureka Mignon Specialta.
@@SebXD1 Yes definitely. In my daily workflow the grind retention is max +-0.2 grs. After cleaning the grinder there is more tho. The beans need to fill all thoses edges again. 😊👌🏻
I was dealing with a particularly static prone dark roast and thought to give this a go. With no sprayer, Iturned to my steam wand. Gave the beans about halve a purge and voilà. I think many can skip the spray bottle and use this instead.
I use a small plastic container with a drop of water on the bottom -then I measure my bean in it. I shake the container around a few times to cover the beans with the water. Half a minute later I grind away. I have been using this system for at least 5 years with great success.
A hint for the ladies (and their gents): Chances are, there's already one of these in your cosmetics stash. Companies such as Clinique use them for gift-with-purchase samples of low-density skincare liquids such as toners and hydrating waters. So if you can't be bothered with the palaver of going online to get a tiny misting bottle, it's worth taking a look in the beauty cabinet first - one may be languishing there unused. Wash it thoroughly first of course, in the dishwasher preferably. And if its held anything you're a bit unsure about (e.g. a retinol), of course, err on caution's side. And folks, please do ask before rummaging through your beloved's cosmetic samples. You may get some odd looks otherwise.
I'm happy with the drip-on-end-of-spoon technique. I've already got my spoon out and it's nothing to get it wet and stir it around the beans before I grind.
@@risktrader3821 Also I don't want to see him do it at this point. I've "perfected" my technique and I just KNOW James will list at least 4 ways i have it wrong.
@@CertifiedSlamboy Yeah, but if his method produces better results, do you really have your method ‘perfected’ and is it not worth switching to a method that produces better results? *this is implying that Hoffman’s method produces better results, hence your mention of probably having some things ‘wrong’ with your method*
I started with the drop method per your prior video. I then moved onto using a spray bottle with my hand grinder, one or two pour over brews a day. Great results, no issues. Having separate containers is key.
I'm not sure, but I think I read to not add water to the beans when I got my Niche Zero. And I have to say I don't have static issues. I just wait a bit after grinding and tap the dosing cup once or twice and it's all good. I'm so happy that there is no mess when grinding with the Niche Zero. With so many grinders there is coffee everywhere. My most expensive kitchen appliance (apart essentials like my stove and oven), but totally worth it. James reviews helped me to decide on buying it. Thanks James for your helpful AND entertaining videos! 💗
I have a ROK hand grinder and I have been using the Ross Droplet Technique since almost the start. There were static issues initially. I viewed the Whole Latte Love video on the ROK grinder where he introduced the RDT and using a spray bottle. I started with an eyedropper and then found a Stainless Steel mister that complimented the Stainless steel ROK. I do use the original cup to spray the beans and another to receive the grounds otherwise using the same cup has moisture and doesn't release the groundd completely. I also use compressed air to clean and dry the grinder after every use to dry and clean out moist grounds that might be left behind. The ROK has minimal retention, so there is little grounds left behind,but I want to keep the burr set completely clean and dry.
Hi James Thanks again for your video. I love watching your videos with our kids to see their reactions. They particularly like your IKEA one. Now days they just say "oh no, not James coffeeman again" but they love it deep down I'm sure. We've been using the spray with our EK for the last 2 years at our little shop. But we haven't seen many coffee shops taking up on this hack. We've used the droplet method for batch brews and spray every coffee shots that goes through our EK both for espresso brewing and single dose manual filter coffee. The reduction in static has been great. Less mess less fuss. Some people have said that adding water is going to create rust issues in the chamber and burrs but we have not experienced that yet. Quite the opposite. Chamber is super clean. whenever we'vw open it up to clean it, there's hardly any coffee residue in the chamber. The only time that we don't spray is when customer opt in to grind their take home coffee beans. My hesitation here is perhaps that I don't know how the added moisture here affects the quality of ground coffee over a week or two in a bag. But maybe I'll try it for myself tomorrow and wait 2-3 weeks and see how it makes any difference. I'd be interested if you've tried this already and what the results were. A lot of people ask what we are doing with the spray bottle and we just point to the "special" sticker on the bottle and say that we're making their coffee extra special and addictive. I can't speak for everyone else's set up but we've had a positive experience with extra special spray.
I used this at the start of getting my Niche when it was super static-y. But now I don't seem to really need it. Currently the static it produces is quite minimal, and very well contained. A quick shake of the steel cup, or stir with a chopstick, leaves me with a homogeneous grind and pretty clean cup after dumping the grinds. It even appeared in the video that while it did make a visual improvement to the static with the Niche, it wasn't as dramatic an improvement as with the other grinders, and in my experience it doesn't improve the experience with the Niche - I still have to do a quick shake/stir even without as much static. I happen not to use the steel cup for weighing, and my atomizer (for cocktails) sprays finer so I don't think I get that large an amount of water or large droplets on mine and have less of an issue with bean stickage, especially if I add a stir or shake before dumping into the grinder. I just find too small of a difference with vs without the added step to make it worth it for me. I think the tip with the prewet before preinfusion in an espresso puck is something worth looking into. But I have a Flair, so this pre-prewet is unavoidable as I pour from the kettle into the dispersion screen, the puck surface gets wet for a few seconds before I can get into preinfusion, so I actually can't test this one myself as I can't skip the step.
Been spritzing the beans for months after watching your earlier video. And as well use a paper bowl placed on top of Virtuoso Grinder with a small cut hole to drop a few beans at a time, for a more consistent bean grind. Plus a pinch of Kosher salt to the grounds to add a touch more sweetness. Using the recent Clever Brewer technique of water first and then coffee grounds. Absolutely works great. Thank to Hoffman for all the ideas.
What a great video, thank you so much! The spray of water worked wonders with our old-school wooden Zassenhaus grinder (still saving up for that Baratza). You'd think that static wouldn't be an issue in a hand grinder, and that added moisture would actually be problematic in a wooden tray, but it has made keeping it neat noticeably easier. We're deep down the rabbit hole with our V60, and the many experiments we do got a lot less messy since we included the short "pfft" before grinding. We spray the water directly into the brass reseptacle once the beans are in and give it a good shake.
I guess that's an upside to keeping my beans frozen: they pick up a bit of humidity on them when I'm measuring them out cold, so they don't get static cling when I grind them.
I’ve got the niche and tested both your droplet-and-spoon method as well as the spray bottle. I got frustrated with the latter for all the reasons you stated, while the former yielded better results.
Use it and with the Niche is a must, at least for now. Not sure once the burrs are “seasoned” if that will change but for now my thanks to the little spray bottle and hope you have a nice day as well... Saludos !!!
I've been having lots of static with the Breville Barista Express' built in grinder but I'm also concerned that putting some amount of water will damage the burrs in the long run. Thanks for this information, James! Looks like spraying the puck is a safer and better option to try :)
I have had good results by giving the grind receptacle a little spritz from my hand wet under the spigot, then giving the receptacle a little shake after grinding and voila! No sticking, no static.
Why is there no coffee grinder with an included ionizer? These devices generate ions, which come into contact with charged matter, thereby discharging it. They have been in use for decades to protect electronic devices during assembly, and can be built in a compact form factor.
At least some of these deionizers produce also a bit of ozone. I think there is a risk of degrading the coffee while you grind it then. Freshly ground and instantly degraded would not be a good solution to the problem...
James, I immediately went to my kitchen and prepped an 18g double in an IMS barista pro basket. I did a 3 second far away mist on to the tampered puck from a flairosol pressurized spray bottle using remineralized RO water. Since this is only my first attempt I would take it with a grain of salt. I absolutely believe it did something. Less channeling and a sweeter shot was had due to the more even extraction. I did this on my 2014 Gaggia classic calibrated to 8 bars with a naked portafilter, toothpick method, distributor, and a calibrated tamper at 27lbs.
Great video! I wanted to provide a semi-long term report on my experiences using this technique. I have an Orphan Espresso Pharos and have been adding a drop or two of water to every dose for almost two years. I routinely strip down the grinder and clean it thoroughly in two month intervals. I have never encountered any evidence of corrosion on the burrs as it seems the oils from the beans offer enough protection.
Been using the spoon trick for about a year. This idea of using a spray bottle actually came to my mind today making my morning coffee. Then this video popped up in my feed some hours larer... Wow!
I've been stiring the beans with a wetted handle of the spoon I stir my pour over with before grinding in my encore, and I've been loving the results. Massive reduction in static.
As a Pavoni user i'll definitely test that for puck preparation. with water rushing in instead of dribbling, channeling and puck resistance quickly becomes ones main concern
Since watching your video about adding a small amount of water to the beans before grinding I have been using a spray bottle to give the beans a little spritz before grinding. I use a Baratza Encore grinder and before I started spritzing ground coffee would stick to the bin and the cavity it fits into and when I returned the bin to the cavity coffee would be pushed out on to the counter. With spritzing I have no more coffee on the counter. One more thing, I weigh the beans in the lid for the bean hopper and then spritz them right on the lid before dumping the in the grinder.
James, I’d love to know the different types of decaf and if there are any good choices out there for decaf coffee. Maybe to demystify decaf as being bad and to help bring awareness to the topic.
Love the way James always mention that the sample size wasn’t big enough thus the results aren’t conclusive, this guy knows his stats. We should all be James whatever the activities we take part in. Sincerely, A guy who makes a living with stats
Pretty much every problem James found with the spray bottle can be solved by using an atomiser - like the ones used for perfume/cologne. The travel ones are ideal. The very fine mist means no sticking or big droplets and an even spray over all the beans.
I just woke up from a dream that James Hoffman was a wealthy guinea pig youtuber with a job at Walmart and I was in love with him but I woke up before I got the chance to tell him
I use the ROK hand grinder and it is absolutely NECESSARY. The grounds turn into static city if you don't. I have noticed that if you use too much water you can get clumping in the grounds.
Completely impressed. Possibly one of the best hacks I’ve tried and have already passed my new knowledge on. Waiting to see the inside of my Encore when I clean it to see that difference.
Thanks to this channel I've changed my coffee setup for Lelit Grace and coffee grinder Mignon Specialita. With this grinder I've no static issues at all . You can argue with me that is not top of the range setup , but for my personal needs is good enough. Get Mignon grinder and you not will need any spray bottle .
Although, thanks to your comment I now know it's an actual website. And I have to say, I like the fact that James is leaning in to the aeropress request spam this way.
I consider the spray bottle an ABSOLUTE essential for single dosing in my EK43s, and even a clear benefit when using my 1Zpresso Jx hand grinder. It makes everything a lot less messy!
Waiting with you from Singapore! Although living in such a humid country I don't think I've had too much issues with static and retention personally? I'm down to experiment though
@@averylfong4843 it’s a recent problem for me! Possibly bc it’s winter here and super dry. Everything is already static😂 I’ve recently switched to lighter roasts and that could also be why...
@@harukakmr1 Ahh that makes sense with lighter roasts! Good luck on your static-reducing journey! I've only had issues myself with very freshly roasted coffee that still has a lot of the silver skin attached - it does stick to the sides a bit in the grounds bin of my Encore, but after a few days the problem is less apparent because of the humidity 😅 It's been raining a lot recently so we have had 'cold weather' (only 22-24C! 😂), which is at the same time VERY humid/wet
Definitely an essential for me! Recognised the spray bottle the minute I saw it, the amount of mess it stops with my monolith is huge. Definitely seems to change with the local humidity and with different beans. When the grinder was new I needed two all the time but now sometimes as little as half a spray for some beans and a full one for others. I find spraying the shaking the beans around helps them not stick too much to the intake for the monolith but I definitely have to rescue a few every now and then.
I have been using this with my Niche since the beginning, and it works great. I do get "bean-stickage." I spray right into the hopper funnel. I know that Niche does not endorse the technique, but when I clean the grinder I see not issues at all.
I have another “espresso machine essential” which you might wish to review, any which many your viewers would like: an ice hockey puck. Perfect for raising a cup closer to the portafilter spouts; and also for supporting a larger milk jug on the worktop for hands-free foaming. Cheap as chips, heat resistant, and mine is in black to match the machine.
I am using the NICHE that I like very much! Spraying a little bit of water is so great to minimize static spreading - the little bottle is an important part of my workflow!
I spray the surface of the puck more then a year now. From my experience, it stabilize the surface and improve the pre-infusion of the puck. It kind of distribute the water more evenly. The water/puck penetration is better. It definitively improves my shots.
My morning coffee routine involves drinking a glass of water before and then wetting a few beans in the empty glass and then mixing them with my beans before grinding.
For light roasts I just drop 1 bean into the filtered water I am about to heat, but not for oily roasts. I only do at max 21 grams and a Feld 47. I don't want to rust the thing.
With regular running tap water, I wet the stirring paddle for my aeropress, and stir the wet paddle in my unground coffee beans before pouring the beans into the hopper of my Baratza grinder. Works like a charm!! Yes, I do have a few wet beans that get stuck to the side of the hopper, nothing that a quick swipe with my espresso brush can't resolve.
It can still help with static if you grind your own, AND misting pre-infussion _might _(ie worth trying) give you a richer result. I also use a moka pot: grinding immediately before brewing make a big difference even then. I would even say grinder + mokka pot is better than pre-ground and entry level esspesso
My view: After roasting stored beans will sorb moisture from the surrounding (store room) air. As the Relative Humidity of that air differs a lot the moisture content of beans will be different too. I noticed that many beans do not have the static build up problem, but that those who do, cause a lot of retention. Knocking the grinder while grinding helps. But what I do is very simple and less problematic than using a fine spray just before grinding. Just spray or drip some water in the bag or can in which you store the beans. Shake a little and put aside for a day. This will allow spreading of the moisture through and IN all beans, instead of only on the outside which causes sticking. Although manufacturers of grinders may improve their grinders to lead away the static electricity (less plastic, more metal) the best solution would be to standardize the moisture content of packed beans by introducing an ISO standard for this. Greetings and keep going with the challenges coffee offers you! Gerard
I’ve doing this since 2017, but not in a cafe heavy duty environment. I totally agree with the downsides you’ve mentioned as well. So far it’s been only an improvement for clean and consistent workflow. Best,
Dear James, I have had the EG1 for 6 months now. I started using the spray for the same reasons you described BUT stopped using it after a month or so. My reasons are the following: 1- using the "shaker" does a good job in catching all the particles. 2- I did not notice any real difference in taste, channeling or any other factor. 3- As you mentionned, I am not a fan of putting water in the grinder, I get it won't kill it but once you pay the price of these grinders for home use, it hurts to degrade them in any potential way on purpose. Last but not least, the EG1 is very easy to clean so static is not a real issue in my mind. I look forward to your analysis and see if we agree or not. I am very happy with the EG1 but I have not tried the others so I cannot compare. My gut feeling is that once you go to those levels of grinders, esthetics aside, you can't reallt go wrong. They might have different features but will they produce dramatically different results? I am very curious to find out!
Can you coffee science the hell out of this? I'd love to know specifically what the water does for the static and flow of the grinds. Would using vodka instead of water be better since it would dry faster?
Other than the obvious great coffee content I always enjoy your choice of music! I have not listened to Soular Order in years, thanks for bringing that back to my mind. Peace!
Been spritzing for the last year or so. Two things i noticed. 1. Distilled water is best for one reason. - Hard/tap water minerals will eventually clog the spray mechanism. 2. Some grinders have carbon steel burrs like my Virtuoso. after a year, there's some noticeable surface oxidation on the burrs. i don't notice anything flavor wise, but i'm sure it will prematurely age the burrset
What about using, say, Everclear instead of water? Given the relatively quick evaporation of alcohol, might it mitigate some detrimental effects to the grinder?
Aside from alcohol being a strong solvent, so it'll likely influence the flavour. Possibly even leaving some of it in the grinder. It's also non conductive, so it won't work for the static..
I use the grinder from my Kenwood machine (it is an accessory I have bought separately) and I find it fantastic because doesn't create any mess, the coffee powder is already the in the glass container where it will be and you just put the lid on. No water needed of course!
Works for grinding just good old beans for coffee too! I daily and Aeropress with the 1ZPresso JX-Pro Manual hand grinder. (I don't spritz just a few drops of tap water into my dosing cup mixed with beans.) The difference from store bought ground beans to self grinded beans upon consumption is definitely worth it, if your serious about your cup of joe. Happy coffee drinking! 😁☕
@@joemamium I have mine set at 23. (2 full turns, plus 3 numbers.) But it doesn't always stay there! There are alot of factors that influence taste besides just the clicks. Therefore one click setting won't work for everyone. I change typically when switching to a different roast if needed. If the grind is too coarse, water isn't hot enough, or brew time isn't long enough the coffee will be sour! (Weak, thin, and acidic.) But if grind is too fine, water is too hot, or brew time is too long it can end up bitter! (Harsh, Chemically-almost.) Also the darker the roast the easier the extraction is! So, sometimes you might want to alter the way your cup of joe tastes in the morning ever so slightly to chase that perfect taste. Instead of messing with time, amount, temperature, or other variables; just spin that dial a click or 2. In the end there's no perfect setting, so take mine as a starting point and don't be afraid to adjust to your liking. Happy coffee drinking!☕😄
@@tylerdevore6520 oh, I definitely grind my beans fresh. I had a cheap-o grinder I got off Amazon but I got tired of the labor so I recently purchased a Baratza Encore from my regular coffee shop. My morning cup(s) are from the clever dripper. Espresso, to quote James, is a hobby one I just haven’t gotten in to yet.
I have a Baratza Encore I use as a single dose grinder. In the winter, when the air humidity is low, I get static. My solution is to wet my fingers (usually with the water on my wet paper filter) and tap the inside of the bean hopper. I don't worry if the beans get wet, the tiny bit of extra humidity is enough. In the humid summer, I don't bother. I also once got beans that were a bit more heavily roasted then my usual light-medium, and they had a lot more static issues.
I've always used water with my Kinu M47. The way I do it is in a plastic cup. The reason for the plastic is because of the cohesion of the water to the beans and to the cup. By adding water to the beans in a glass or metal cup, the beans would start to really stick on the sides after a single droplet. The 'wet' beans don't stick to the plastic at all. Adding water has been an essential thing to prevent a mess in the grinder since I only use it to make espresso.
At a rough guess, probably no affect at all unless used in a damp environment in a grinder that's only used a few times a week, then you'd maybe see some corrosion.
I’ve been using a spray bottle on my Beans before grinding for a few months now and It definitely helps with static. I’m gonna try the method of spraying the puck today to see if that makes a difference. Thanks for all the informative videos.
I saw the spray bottle and thought we might be getting the hair routine video...
We can all hope
Or it may be a secret James keeps from us forever
Yes we need video about his hair lol
How he does that swoosh remains one of the worlds great mysteries.
i would instantly click on that!
I clicked on this expecting a video on an espresso essential oil...
Same hahaha
I was relieved to find it wasn’t a hazelnut syrup perfume 😅
I shoulda checked the comments more. I posted almost the same thing.
beat me to it lol
And then my brain went to how quickly that would go rancid. Eew.
Finally James reviews a piece of espresso equipment I can actually afford. Dollar store, here I come!
One year late but your comment made my day 💫
I feel like every James Hoffmann video is a cinematic experience at this point
Yup. And I completely support and love it.
The pre-wetting of the coffee puck reminds me of when you water a plant and the soil is very dry: if you water it with lots of water right away it just starts channeling out of the vase and the soil won't absorb it. On the other hand, if you first pour a little water on top to moisten the surface and then water it, it will be absorbed much more evenly without channeling
It actually make sense when you think about ur plant example. Do you still do puck pre wetting and if so how much sprays, 1 or 2? Definitely gonna try tomorrow!
I don't even have an espresso machine, sorry, but this analogy came to mind
This is basically what preinfusion does, no?
I discovered James Hoffman a week ago. I have now for the last week spent every evening without fail watching this channel in the bath in the dark sipping filter and jasmine tea like fucking Gollum. What have you done to me. I had a life. This is not ideal
Welcome to the cult. 😂🤣 We’ve all been there!
Get a coffee, that's ideal!
You and everyone else here 🤣
So you're saying you watch most of his videos naked? 😂
@@WarfareJournal yes I suppose that’s true
The hoffmann droplet technique: two spritzes at the roots of your hair and sweep back for maximum lynchness
The difference in spray vs no spray in genuinely impressive
How, exactly?
@@Fitzrovialitter Did you get bored and click off before the 3 minute mark or something?
@@Fitzrovialitter I mean, did you watch the comparison clips?
@@silent_pete No.
@@Fitzrovialitter With a dark coffee bean I have found putting a drop of water in the beans really cuts the static but with lightly roasted beans unnecessary.
I discovered this channel 3 weeks ago and since the have bought an Aeropress, a Prismo, a V60, a Hario Mini-slim, a coffee scale and a thermometer. I've also shelved my blade grinder. Enjoying my coffee much more than I ever thought possible.
"I've also shelved my blade grinder."
And I'll bet your taste buds are thanking you with every sip of coffee!😁☕️😁
This is exactly my setup after watching this channel for a similar period, what a coincidence
2 years later, and I’ve done something similar. I’ve gotten a Aeropress, Mako pot, and Breville Bambino Plus on the way….
Protip: If you're a home cook, pick up 3 or 4 of them since they're very cheap. Just make sure they're food grade and BPA free. I've been using them for years putting in oil infusions like garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil etc to spritz on things like a pan of veggies before going in to roast. It can also give roasted meats a nice crispy outer layer. Corn on the cobb? Add a nice thin layer of melted butter. Add in some herbal or spice notes as a final garnish where you'd need something more delicate than sprinkling ground herbs or spices directly. They're great for seasoning cast iron pans as well.
Whisper the beans a slow but soothing lullaby before grinding, I found it works wonders as the beans will be calmer and sleepy before their final moments.
I fear that grinder noise would ruin the charm...
Whole Food level 5 bean welfare certified
@@VojtechRozsival it drowns out the screams.
I just watched the niche zero grinder video yesterday and laughed a bit seeing how you’re still using it. James is like the dad who says he doesn’t want a dog then sleeps with the dog on the floor. I love seeing you enjoy things you were skeptical about at first. Like the ember mug too
I use a small spray bottle in my espresso ritual. I weigh out the beans in a small plastic cup, spray the beans, put a matching plastic cup upside-down on top and gently shake to spread the water and then put the beans in my Comandante hand grinder. I find it helps prevent the ground coffee from sticking to the inside of the Comandante's glass jar. I also discovered an added benefit: I received beans from a roaster who didn't do a very good job of removing the chaff from the beans; spraying the beans and shaking in the double cup spread the water but also removed the chaff which would cling to the walls of the cup when I poured the beans in the grinder. Happy New Year, James!
Nice tip for static beans, i have been using this trick a while now. Somebody told me this but in a different way. In my testing it's also working when sturring the beans with a wet spoon. This is enough to get rit of the static and prevents a wet counter top. 😊 I have the Eureka Mignon Specialta.
I'm planning on getting the Specialita very soon, is the grind retention generally very low?
@@SebXD1 Yes definitely. In my daily workflow the grind retention is max +-0.2 grs.
After cleaning the grinder there is more tho. The beans need to fill all thoses edges again. 😊👌🏻
@@TheBaristaGame cheers mate 👍🏼
The B-roll footage in this video is the best yet. Really fantastic visual explanations alongside the narrative. Thanks, James!
Why did i think James was making espresso essential oils when is saw the thumbnail?
Me too. Seems like a natural progression from the pumpkin spiced latte preparation
Same here!
Same! 😂
The note for the grinder manufacturers at 5:23, thank you James for always sincerely encouraging everyone to get better!
I guess making the parts where the coffee comes through of conductive material and make sure they are properly earthed, would fix the problem?
Thank you for the idea! Not having a spray bottle, I used steam wand for the same purpose and with the same effect. It works!
I was dealing with a particularly static prone dark roast and thought to give this a go. With no sprayer, Iturned to my steam wand. Gave the beans about halve a purge and voilà. I think many can skip the spray bottle and use this instead.
I use a small plastic container with a drop of water on the bottom -then I measure my bean in it. I shake the container around a few times to cover the beans with the water. Half a minute later I grind away. I have been using this system for at least 5 years with great success.
A hint for the ladies (and their gents): Chances are, there's already one of these in your cosmetics stash. Companies such as Clinique use them for gift-with-purchase samples of low-density skincare liquids such as toners and hydrating waters.
So if you can't be bothered with the palaver of going online to get a tiny misting bottle, it's worth taking a look in the beauty cabinet first - one may be languishing there unused.
Wash it thoroughly first of course, in the dishwasher preferably. And if its held anything you're a bit unsure about (e.g. a retinol), of course, err on caution's side.
And folks, please do ask before rummaging through your beloved's cosmetic samples. You may get some odd looks otherwise.
I'm happy with the drip-on-end-of-spoon technique. I've already got my spoon out and it's nothing to get it wet and stir it around the beans before I grind.
Well now he's just trolling us about that aeropress video
I saw that!
theres too much aeropress video already out there. he has more important contents to produce(like this) than another aeropress video.
@@risktrader3821
Also I don't want to see him do it at this point. I've "perfected" my technique and I just KNOW James will list at least 4 ways i have it wrong.
@@CertifiedSlamboy Yeah, but if his method produces better results, do you really have your method ‘perfected’ and is it not worth switching to a method that produces better results?
*this is implying that Hoffman’s method produces better results, hence your mention of probably having some things ‘wrong’ with your method*
@@TannerForrest he's kidding buddy.
I started with the drop method per your prior video. I then moved onto using a spray bottle with my hand grinder, one or two pour over brews a day. Great results, no issues. Having separate containers is key.
The pre-preinfusion wetting is interesting. I will definitely be giving that a go.
Don't forget the pre-pre-preinfusion though.
@@wololo817 Hah. Noob. I've been pre-pre-pre-infusing for 2 years already.
I'm not sure, but I think I read to not add water to the beans when I got my Niche Zero. And I have to say I don't have static issues. I just wait a bit after grinding and tap the dosing cup once or twice and it's all good. I'm so happy that there is no mess when grinding with the Niche Zero. With so many grinders there is coffee everywhere. My most expensive kitchen appliance (apart essentials like my stove and oven), but totally worth it. James reviews helped me to decide on buying it. Thanks James for your helpful AND entertaining videos! 💗
“Bean-Stickage” - another Hoffman gem. 👍
I have a ROK hand grinder and I have been using the Ross Droplet Technique since almost the start. There were static issues initially. I viewed the Whole Latte Love video on the ROK grinder where he introduced the RDT and using a spray bottle. I started with an eyedropper and then found a Stainless Steel mister that complimented the Stainless steel ROK. I do use the original cup to spray the beans and another to receive the grounds otherwise using the same cup has moisture and doesn't release the groundd completely. I also use compressed air to clean and dry the grinder after every use to dry and clean out moist grounds that might be left behind. The ROK has minimal retention, so there is little grounds left behind,but I want to keep the burr set completely clean and dry.
no plans to make espresso but at least now I can critique those who do
Most underrated comment
@@kaffeepsychologe I appreciate the appreciation! :)
Hi James
Thanks again for your video. I love watching your videos with our kids to see their reactions. They particularly like your IKEA one. Now days they just say "oh no, not James coffeeman again" but they love it deep down I'm sure.
We've been using the spray with our EK for the last 2 years at our little shop. But we haven't seen many coffee shops taking up on this hack.
We've used the droplet method for batch brews and spray every coffee shots that goes through our EK both for espresso brewing and single dose manual filter coffee. The reduction in static has been great. Less mess less fuss.
Some people have said that adding water is going to create rust issues in the chamber and burrs but we have not experienced that yet. Quite the opposite. Chamber is super clean. whenever we'vw open it up to clean it, there's hardly any coffee residue in the chamber.
The only time that we don't spray is when customer opt in to grind their take home coffee beans. My hesitation here is perhaps that I don't know how the added moisture here affects the quality of ground coffee over a week or two in a bag.
But maybe I'll try it for myself tomorrow and wait 2-3 weeks and see how it makes any difference. I'd be interested if you've tried this already and what the results were.
A lot of people ask what we are doing with the spray bottle and we just point to the "special" sticker on the bottle and say that we're making their coffee extra special and addictive.
I can't speak for everyone else's set up but we've had a positive experience with extra special spray.
I used this at the start of getting my Niche when it was super static-y. But now I don't seem to really need it. Currently the static it produces is quite minimal, and very well contained. A quick shake of the steel cup, or stir with a chopstick, leaves me with a homogeneous grind and pretty clean cup after dumping the grinds. It even appeared in the video that while it did make a visual improvement to the static with the Niche, it wasn't as dramatic an improvement as with the other grinders, and in my experience it doesn't improve the experience with the Niche - I still have to do a quick shake/stir even without as much static.
I happen not to use the steel cup for weighing, and my atomizer (for cocktails) sprays finer so I don't think I get that large an amount of water or large droplets on mine and have less of an issue with bean stickage, especially if I add a stir or shake before dumping into the grinder. I just find too small of a difference with vs without the added step to make it worth it for me.
I think the tip with the prewet before preinfusion in an espresso puck is something worth looking into. But I have a Flair, so this pre-prewet is unavoidable as I pour from the kettle into the dispersion screen, the puck surface gets wet for a few seconds before I can get into preinfusion, so I actually can't test this one myself as I can't skip the step.
Been spritzing the beans for months after watching your earlier video. And as well use a paper bowl placed on top of Virtuoso Grinder with a small cut hole to drop a few beans at a time, for a more consistent bean grind. Plus a pinch of Kosher salt to the grounds to add a touch more sweetness. Using the recent Clever Brewer technique of water first and then coffee grounds. Absolutely works great. Thank to Hoffman for all the ideas.
If i was ever confronted by a genie and granted three wishes,one of them would be to have a cup of joe made by this charming gentleman.
What a great video, thank you so much! The spray of water worked wonders with our old-school wooden Zassenhaus grinder (still saving up for that Baratza). You'd think that static wouldn't be an issue in a hand grinder, and that added moisture would actually be problematic in a wooden tray, but it has made keeping it neat noticeably easier. We're deep down the rabbit hole with our V60, and the many experiments we do got a lot less messy since we included the short "pfft" before grinding. We spray the water directly into the brass reseptacle once the beans are in and give it a good shake.
I guess that's an upside to keeping my beans frozen: they pick up a bit of humidity on them when I'm measuring them out cold, so they don't get static cling when I grind them.
that's actually interesting
and if you had a lab scale you could measure moisture uptake v non frozen
@@damfadd If only I had a lab scale!
really loving this new set and lighting setup - miles above the shelf
I’ve got the niche and tested both your droplet-and-spoon method as well as the spray bottle. I got frustrated with the latter for all the reasons you stated, while the former yielded better results.
Use it and with the Niche is a must, at least for now. Not sure once the burrs are “seasoned” if that will change but for now my thanks to the little spray bottle and hope you have a nice day as well... Saludos !!!
I've been having lots of static with the Breville Barista Express' built in grinder but I'm also concerned that putting some amount of water will damage the burrs in the long run. Thanks for this information, James! Looks like spraying the puck is a safer and better option to try :)
I love the spray/waterdrop method. Helps so much with maintaining my grinder and less of a Hassle. - Owner of a Baratza Encure
James, I used MCT oil instead of water.
Sprayed my beans once, haven't had to spray since.
Give it a try!
I have had good results by giving the grind receptacle a little spritz from my hand wet under the spigot, then giving the receptacle a little shake after grinding and voila! No sticking, no static.
Why is there no coffee grinder with an included ionizer? These devices generate ions, which come into contact with charged matter, thereby discharging it. They have been in use for decades to protect electronic devices during assembly, and can be built in a compact form factor.
The fine grind of coffee means the ionizer would be caked in powder far too quickly. It’s a good idea but in the wrong environment
like dyson have in thier hairdryers th-cam.com/video/j-vJxez9UF8/w-d-xo.html
@@andk1987 +rep AvE video
Sounds like yet another thing to break...
At least some of these deionizers produce also a bit of ozone. I think there is a risk of degrading the coffee while you grind it then. Freshly ground and instantly degraded would not be a good solution to the problem...
James, I immediately went to my kitchen and prepped an 18g double in an IMS barista pro basket. I did a 3 second far away mist on to the tampered puck from a flairosol pressurized spray bottle using remineralized RO water. Since this is only my first attempt I would take it with a grain of salt. I absolutely believe it did something. Less channeling and a sweeter shot was had due to the more even extraction. I did this on my 2014 Gaggia classic calibrated to 8 bars with a naked portafilter, toothpick method, distributor, and a calibrated tamper at 27lbs.
Great video! I wanted to provide a semi-long term report on my experiences using this technique. I have an Orphan Espresso Pharos and have been adding a drop or two of water to every dose for almost two years. I routinely strip down the grinder and clean it thoroughly in two month intervals. I have never encountered any evidence of corrosion on the burrs as it seems the oils from the beans offer enough protection.
So how does the water, i mean spraying or adding droplet or two impact the grinding for you?
Been using the spoon trick for about a year. This idea of using a spray bottle actually came to my mind today making my morning coffee. Then this video popped up in my feed some hours larer... Wow!
The most dramatic intro for a spray bottle... ever.
I've been stiring the beans with a wetted handle of the spoon I stir my pour over with before grinding in my encore, and I've been loving the results. Massive reduction in static.
As a Pavoni user i'll definitely test that for puck preparation. with water rushing in instead of dribbling, channeling and puck resistance quickly becomes ones main concern
Since watching your video about adding a small amount of water to the beans before grinding I have been using a spray bottle to give the beans a little spritz before grinding. I use a Baratza Encore grinder and before I started spritzing ground coffee would stick to the bin and the cavity it fits into and when I returned the bin to the cavity coffee would be pushed out on to the counter. With spritzing I have no more coffee on the counter. One more thing, I weigh the beans in the lid for the bean hopper and then spritz them right on the lid before dumping the in the grinder.
James, I’d love to know the different types of decaf and if there are any good choices out there for decaf coffee. Maybe to demystify decaf as being bad and to help bring awareness to the topic.
Love the way James always mention that the sample size wasn’t big enough thus the results aren’t conclusive, this guy knows his stats. We should all be James whatever the activities we take part in.
Sincerely,
A guy who makes a living with stats
Pretty much every problem James found with the spray bottle can be solved by using an atomiser - like the ones used for perfume/cologne. The travel ones are ideal. The very fine mist means no sticking or big droplets and an even spray over all the beans.
I'm a psychology student and coffee lover. I really enjoy your semi-scientific/empirical content.
I just woke up from a dream that James Hoffman was a wealthy guinea pig youtuber with a job at Walmart and I was in love with him but I woke up before I got the chance to tell him
I use the ROK hand grinder and it is absolutely NECESSARY. The grounds turn into static city if you don't. I have noticed that if you use too much water you can get clumping in the grounds.
I have the ROK as well, and it's an absolutely essential part of my workflow too.
The Ceado E37S, I use, has an anti-static mechanism on the outlet chute and seems to mitigate static buildup on the grinds.
Completely impressed. Possibly one of the best hacks I’ve tried and have already passed my new knowledge on. Waiting to see the inside of my Encore when I clean it to see that difference.
Finally! Confirmation of the test of the EG1 and other great grinders that you see in the back. Can't wait!
Thanks to this channel I've changed my coffee setup for Lelit Grace and coffee grinder Mignon Specialita. With this grinder I've no static issues at all . You can argue with me that is not top of the range setup , but for my personal needs is good enough. Get Mignon grinder and you not will need any spray bottle .
Lol "a little spritz of water on your beans" boy am I a child 😂
Great advice! From now on no coffee grinding without a spritz of water, it makes all the difference.
crying at howtobrewanaeropress.com, don't even own an aeropress and am begging James to release the vid already
Although, thanks to your comment I now know it's an actual website. And I have to say, I like the fact that James is leaning in to the aeropress request spam this way.
I consider the spray bottle an ABSOLUTE essential for single dosing in my EK43s, and even a clear benefit when using my 1Zpresso Jx hand grinder. It makes everything a lot less messy!
I thought this was gonna be a recipe for a sprayable espresso that you spray in your mouth like a freshener.
Hey James!
Just want to say thank you for the constant high quality educational videos
Were all loving it
It’s almost midnight in Tokyo and I’m now laying in bed impatiently waiting for tomorrow to come... can’t wait to try it in the morning!
Let's go Japan time!!
Waiting with you from Singapore! Although living in such a humid country I don't think I've had too much issues with static and retention personally? I'm down to experiment though
@@averylfong4843 it’s a recent problem for me! Possibly bc it’s winter here and super dry. Everything is already static😂 I’ve recently switched to lighter roasts and that could also be why...
@@harukakmr1 Ahh that makes sense with lighter roasts! Good luck on your static-reducing journey! I've only had issues myself with very freshly roasted coffee that still has a lot of the silver skin attached - it does stick to the sides a bit in the grounds bin of my Encore, but after a few days the problem is less apparent because of the humidity 😅
It's been raining a lot recently so we have had 'cold weather' (only 22-24C! 😂), which is at the same time VERY humid/wet
No, you are lying in bed, not laying.
Definitely an essential for me! Recognised the spray bottle the minute I saw it, the amount of mess it stops with my monolith is huge. Definitely seems to change with the local humidity and with different beans. When the grinder was new I needed two all the time but now sometimes as little as half a spray for some beans and a full one for others.
I find spraying the shaking the beans around helps them not stick too much to the intake for the monolith but I definitely have to rescue a few every now and then.
I find "Bean stickage" the biggest problem with RDT. Quite irritating especially with handgrinders where you usually dose out in the beans catcher.
I have been using this with my Niche since the beginning, and it works great. I do get "bean-stickage." I spray right into the hopper funnel. I know that Niche does not endorse the technique, but when I clean the grinder I see not issues at all.
I have another “espresso machine essential” which you might wish to review, any which many your viewers would like: an ice hockey puck. Perfect for raising a cup closer to the portafilter spouts; and also for supporting a larger milk jug on the worktop for hands-free foaming. Cheap as chips, heat resistant, and mine is in black to match the machine.
I mean, just use a weighing scale ?
I am using the NICHE that I like very much! Spraying a little bit of water is so great to minimize static spreading - the little bottle is an important part of my workflow!
As this video has a sponsor, will you be giving the spray bottle away? 👀
I spray the surface of the puck more then a year now. From my experience, it stabilize the surface and improve the pre-infusion of the puck. It kind of distribute the water more evenly. The water/puck penetration is better. It definitively improves my shots.
My morning coffee routine involves drinking a glass of water before and then wetting a few beans in the empty glass and then mixing them with my beans before grinding.
How well does that work? Because that's pretty smart, start the day with a little hydration and then right into coffee.
For light roasts I just drop 1 bean into the filtered water I am about to heat, but not for oily roasts. I only do at max 21 grams and a Feld 47. I don't want to rust the thing.
You're adding your mouth's bacteria to the beans...
I’ve been using this with the Fellow Ode for a few weeks now and totally worth it. Otherwise quite a bit of retention and mess.
A new James Hoffmann video? I'M THERE! I'm here. :D
With regular running tap water, I wet the stirring paddle for my aeropress, and stir the wet paddle in my unground coffee beans before pouring the beans into the hopper of my Baratza grinder. Works like a charm!! Yes, I do have a few wet beans that get stuck to the side of the hopper, nothing that a quick swipe with my espresso brush can't resolve.
Me watching this as I drink my Moka Pot coffee with condensed sweetened milk...
It can still help with static if you grind your own, AND misting pre-infussion _might _(ie worth trying) give you a richer result. I also use a moka pot: grinding immediately before brewing make a big difference even then. I would even say grinder + mokka pot is better than pre-ground and entry level esspesso
@@haberdashery314 Agreed 100% I daily an Aeropress, but when using my Moka Pot likewise I still grind and spritz!
Over ice? That's some next level viet coffee if you are using the mokka pot. She shops use instant or drip.
That’s what I do!
Well now that just sounds delicious
Can’t wait for the grinder video! I’m literally holding off a purchase until then...
My view: After roasting stored beans will sorb moisture from the surrounding (store room) air. As the Relative Humidity of that air differs a lot the moisture content of beans will be different too. I noticed that many beans do not have the static build up problem, but that those who do, cause a lot of retention. Knocking the grinder while grinding helps. But what I do is very simple and less problematic than using a fine spray just before grinding. Just spray or drip some water in the bag or can in which you store the beans. Shake a little and put aside for a day. This will allow spreading of the moisture through and IN all beans, instead of only on the outside which causes sticking. Although manufacturers of grinders may improve their grinders to lead away the static electricity (less plastic, more metal) the best solution would be to standardize the moisture content of packed beans by introducing an ISO standard for this. Greetings and keep going with the challenges coffee offers you! Gerard
It is very dry in Munich during winter, I use a humidifier for this reason. Also takes care of the static in the grinder. No need for spray bottle.
I thought this was a video about espresso essential oil from the thumbnail and title :(
your videos and knowledge and testing and in depth Analysis and narrating and looks are just great
Make a video on how to make coffee ice cream!
I’ve doing this since 2017, but not in a cafe heavy duty environment. I totally agree with the downsides you’ve mentioned as well. So far it’s been only an improvement for clean and consistent workflow. Best,
I'm just here for James to thank me so much for watching, and I appreciate that he hopes I have a great day.
Dear James, I have had the EG1 for 6 months now. I started using the spray for the same reasons you described BUT stopped using it after a month or so. My reasons are the following: 1- using the "shaker" does a good job in catching all the particles. 2- I did not notice any real difference in taste, channeling or any other factor. 3- As you mentionned, I am not a fan of putting water in the grinder, I get it won't kill it but once you pay the price of these grinders for home use, it hurts to degrade them in any potential way on purpose. Last but not least, the EG1 is very easy to clean so static is not a real issue in my mind. I look forward to your analysis and see if we agree or not. I am very happy with the EG1 but I have not tried the others so I cannot compare. My gut feeling is that once you go to those levels of grinders, esthetics aside, you can't reallt go wrong. They might have different features but will they produce dramatically different results? I am very curious to find out!
Can you coffee science the hell out of this? I'd love to know specifically what the water does for the static and flow of the grinds. Would using vodka instead of water be better since it would dry faster?
Other than the obvious great coffee content I always enjoy your choice of music! I have not listened to Soular Order in years, thanks for bringing that back to my mind. Peace!
James, does it affect burrs wear or performance somehow? ;)
Been spritzing for the last year or so. Two things i noticed.
1. Distilled water is best for one reason. - Hard/tap water minerals will eventually clog the spray mechanism.
2. Some grinders have carbon steel burrs like my Virtuoso. after a year, there's some noticeable surface oxidation on the burrs. i don't notice anything flavor wise, but i'm sure it will prematurely age the burrset
What about using, say, Everclear instead of water? Given the relatively quick evaporation of alcohol, might it mitigate some detrimental effects to the grinder?
Aside from alcohol being a strong solvent, so it'll likely influence the flavour. Possibly even leaving some of it in the grinder.
It's also non conductive, so it won't work for the static..
I use the grinder from my Kenwood machine (it is an accessory I have bought separately) and I find it fantastic because doesn't create any mess, the coffee powder is already the in the glass container where it will be and you just put the lid on. No water needed of course!
I’ve never made espresso in my life, but now I feel better for knowing this trick.
Works for grinding just good old beans for coffee too! I daily and Aeropress with the 1ZPresso JX-Pro Manual hand grinder. (I don't spritz just a few drops of tap water into my dosing cup mixed with beans.) The difference from store bought ground beans to self grinded beans upon consumption is definitely worth it, if your serious about your cup of joe. Happy coffee drinking! 😁☕
@@tylerdevore6520 how many clicks do you use for an Aeropress?
@@joemamium I have mine set at 23. (2 full turns, plus 3 numbers.) But it doesn't always stay there! There are alot of factors that influence taste besides just the clicks. Therefore one click setting won't work for everyone. I change typically when switching to a different roast if needed. If the grind is too coarse, water isn't hot enough, or brew time isn't long enough the coffee will be sour! (Weak, thin, and acidic.) But if grind is too fine, water is too hot, or brew time is too long it can end up bitter! (Harsh, Chemically-almost.) Also the darker the roast the easier the extraction is! So, sometimes you might want to alter the way your cup of joe tastes in the morning ever so slightly to chase that perfect taste. Instead of messing with time, amount, temperature, or other variables; just spin that dial a click or 2. In the end there's no perfect setting, so take mine as a starting point and don't be afraid to adjust to your liking. Happy coffee drinking!☕😄
@@tylerdevore6520 oh, I definitely grind my beans fresh. I had a cheap-o grinder I got off Amazon but I got tired of the labor so I recently purchased a Baratza Encore from my regular coffee shop. My morning cup(s) are from the clever dripper. Espresso, to quote James, is a hobby one I just haven’t gotten in to yet.
I have a Baratza Encore I use as a single dose grinder. In the winter, when the air humidity is low, I get static. My solution is to wet my fingers (usually with the water on my wet paper filter) and tap the inside of the bean hopper. I don't worry if the beans get wet, the tiny bit of extra humidity is enough.
In the humid summer, I don't bother.
I also once got beans that were a bit more heavily roasted then my usual light-medium, and they had a lot more static issues.
From the thumbnail, I thought you were making an essential oil from espresso to use as a scent.
I've always used water with my Kinu M47. The way I do it is in a plastic cup. The reason for the plastic is because of the cohesion of the water to the beans and to the cup. By adding water to the beans in a glass or metal cup, the beans would start to really stick on the sides after a single droplet. The 'wet' beans don't stick to the plastic at all. Adding water has been an essential thing to prevent a mess in the grinder since I only use it to make espresso.
James, have you heard any conclusive reports on whether this can have an appreciable affect on burr lifespan?
At a rough guess, probably no affect at all unless used in a damp environment in a grinder that's only used a few times a week, then you'd maybe see some corrosion.
looking forward to the answer of this question
I’ve been using a spray bottle on my Beans before grinding for a few months now and It definitely helps with static. I’m gonna try the method of spraying the puck today to see if that makes a difference. Thanks for all the informative videos.