THE GREAT BURR BATTLE: Demythologizing the Conical vs Flat Debate

Lance Hedrick
2 May 202318:24

Summary

TLDRThis video script delves into the debate between cone and flat burrs for coffee grinders, debunking myths about their impact on flavor profiles. The speaker emphasizes that no universal generalization exists, as taste differences depend on specific grinders and their construction, including factors like motor, alignment, and RPM. The script encourages viewers to consider ergonomics, budget, and reputation when choosing a grinder, highlighting the importance of personal preference and experience over broad assumptions.

Takeaways

  • πŸ” The debate between cone and flat burrs for coffee grinders is contentious with no definitive answer; it depends on various factors including grinder construction and geometry.
  • πŸ‘ The speaker encourages viewers to support the channel through likes and subscriptions, which helps in creating more content.
  • πŸ’‘ Generalizations that cones always produce a 'chocolatey' taste and flats a 'clear' taste are not accurate; the taste profile depends on the grinder's design and operation.
  • πŸ›  The performance of a grinder is influenced by its drivetrain, motor, alignment to the axle, and rotation speed, which all affect the coffee's taste.
  • πŸ’‘ The speaker suggests that one should choose a grinder based on budget, aesthetics, and the reputation of the company, rather than solely on the type of burr.
  • πŸ“Š The script mentions that data from particle distribution shows that certain flat burrs can act more like cones, indicating variability in grind profiles.
  • πŸ”„ The difference in RPM can significantly affect particle distribution, with larger shifts occurring between very low and very high RPMs.
  • πŸ“‰ The script suggests that there is an overlap in the capabilities of cone and flat burrs, with both being able to produce a range of coffee profiles.
  • πŸ”‘ The speaker emphasizes that the key to understanding grinders is not in broad generalizations but in the specifics of burr geometry and grinder construction.
  • 🌐 The script discusses the importance of pre-breakers, feed rate, and the number of edges on a burr, which all impact the grinding process and coffee taste.
  • πŸ” The speaker concludes that bigger burrs do not necessarily mean better coffee, and that smaller, well-optimized burrs can produce excellent results.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video script?

    -The main topic of the video script is the comparison between cone burrs and flat burrs in coffee grinders, discussing their differences and dispelling common misconceptions about their impact on coffee taste.

  • What does the speaker suggest about the relationship between burr type and coffee taste?

    -The speaker suggests that there is no objective evidence to support the broad generalization that cone burrs always produce more chocolatey coffee and flat burrs always produce clearer coffee. The taste of the coffee depends on various factors including grinder construction, geometry, and other minutiae.

  • What is the significance of the number of edges on a cone burr?

    -The number of edges on a cone burr significantly affects the feed rate of the coffee. More edges result in a slower feed rate, which can influence the grinding process and the final coffee taste, especially for lighter roasted coffees.

  • How does the speaker describe the difference in particle distribution between low and high RPM in grinders?

    -The speaker explains that varying the RPM from something very low to something very high, such as from 50 to 500 RPM, can result in a big difference in the particle distribution curve, affecting the taste profile of the coffee.

  • What is the purpose of pre-breakers in both cone and flat burrs?

    -Pre-breakers in both cone and flat burrs are designed to pre-break the coffee beans before they reach the main cutting or grinding area. This helps to manage the feed rate and the overall grinding process, impacting the final coffee taste.

  • Why might a flat burr grinder with a larger gap between burrs be more suitable for darker roasted coffees?

    -A flat burr grinder with a larger gap between burrs can be more suitable for darker roasted coffees because darker coffees are softer and easier to break up, requiring less torque for grinding. A larger gap allows for a faster feed rate, which is beneficial for these types of coffee beans.

  • What is the potential issue with a grinder having a slow throughput?

    -A slow throughput can cause coffee grounds to stay inside the burrs for a longer period, leading to more mashing and potentially producing more fines, which can negatively affect the taste of the coffee when brewing for filter methods.

  • What does the speaker suggest about the correlation between burr size and coffee quality?

    -The speaker suggests that bigger burrs do not necessarily mean better coffee quality. While larger burrs have more potential due to increased cutting area and surface area, the quality of coffee is more dependent on the alignment, motor stability, and overall grinder construction.

  • What advice does the speaker give for those looking to upgrade their grinder?

    -The speaker advises against upgrading based solely on the size of the burr. Instead, they recommend considering factors such as the grinder's construction, motor stability, and user experiences shared in online communities like Facebook groups and Discord channels.

  • How does the speaker address the subjectivity in coffee grinder preferences?

    -The speaker acknowledges the subjectivity in coffee grinder preferences by stating that personal taste in coffee and grinder performance can vary greatly. They suggest that finding the right grinder for one's coffee involves trials and relying on user experiences rather than generalizations.

  • What is the conclusion of the taste test between the Ode and Encore grinders mentioned in the script?

    -The conclusion of the taste test indicates that there are differences between the coffee produced by the Ode and Encore grinders, but these differences become less pronounced as the coffee cools, suggesting that personal preference and grinder settings play a significant role in the final taste.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ” The Debate Over Cone and Flat Burrs

This paragraph introduces the topic of the debate between cone and flat burrs in coffee grinders. The speaker emphasizes the importance of not making broad generalizations about the types of grinds each produces, such as cones being 'chocolatey' and flats being 'clear.' They highlight the influence of various factors like grinder construction, geometry, and motor on the final taste of the coffee. The speaker encourages viewers to consider their budget, aesthetic preferences, and the reputation of the company when choosing a grinder, rather than relying on the hype surrounding certain models.

05:01

πŸ› οΈ Understanding Burr Dynamics and Coffee Grinders

The speaker delves into the technical aspects of cone and flat burrs, explaining how the cutting and crushing dynamics differ between the two. They discuss the role of pre-breakers, the number of edges on cone burrs, and how these features affect the feed rate and torque required for grinding. The paragraph also touches on the importance of the grinder's RPM and how it can affect particle distribution, using specific examples like the Niche grinder and the Baratza Sette 270 to illustrate their points. The speaker refutes the idea that bigger burrs are automatically better, emphasizing that performance depends on a multitude of factors.

10:03

πŸ“Š The Spectrum of Coffee Flavor Profiles

In this paragraph, the speaker introduces the concept of a 'spectrum' to describe the range of flavor profiles that can be achieved with different grinders. They challenge the common belief that cone burrs produce only 'chocolatey' flavors and flat burrs produce 'clear' or 'tea-like' flavors, suggesting that the reality is more nuanced. The speaker discusses the potential overlap between the two types of burrs in terms of the flavor profiles they can produce and uses specific grinder models to illustrate points on the spectrum, from the chocolatey Eureka Silencio to the clarity-focused SSP Brewer's grinds.

15:03

πŸ‘οΈ The Importance of Grinder Selection and User Experience

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the subjective nature of coffee grinder selection and the importance of personal experience. They caution against relying solely on online arguments and generalizations, which may not be accurate or based on objective evidence. Instead, they recommend joining online communities, such as Facebook groups and Discord channels, to gather user experiences and even try out different grinders. The speaker encourages viewers to find what works best for their preferred coffee style and to approach the topic with an open mind, acknowledging that the 'best' grinder is often a matter of personal preference and specific use cases.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Cone Burrs

Cone Burrs refer to a type of coffee grinder mechanism where the burrs are cone-shaped. In the video, the speaker discusses the misconception that cone burrs always produce a 'chocolatey' taste profile. The script uses the example of the Niche grinder, which is known for its 63-millimeter conical burrs, to illustrate that the taste profile is not solely determined by the shape of the burrs.

πŸ’‘Flat Burrs

Flat Burrs are another type of coffee grinder mechanism characterized by flat, disc-shaped burrs. The video script challenges the stereotype that flat burrs inherently produce a 'clear' or 'tea-like' coffee profile. The speaker uses the example of the Eureka Silencio grinder to show that the actual taste profile depends on various factors, not just the shape of the burrs.

πŸ’‘Ergonomics

Ergonomics in the context of the video refers to the design and usability of the coffee grinders, specifically how the shape and construction of the burrs affect the grinding experience. The script mentions that both cone and flat burrs have different ergonomics, which can influence the coffee's taste due to varying grind mechanics.

πŸ’‘Grinder Construction

Grinder construction encompasses the overall design and build quality of a coffee grinder, including the motor, alignment to the axle, and rotation speed. The video emphasizes that the taste of the coffee is significantly influenced by these construction elements, rather than just the type of burrs used.

πŸ’‘Particle Distribution

Particle distribution relates to the range of particle sizes produced by a grinder. The script discusses how varying the RPM (rotations per minute) of the grinder can affect the particle distribution, leading to differences in the taste profile of the coffee. The EG-1 grinder is highlighted as an example where particle distribution can mimic that of cone burrs despite being a flat burr grinder.

πŸ’‘RPM (Rotations Per Minute)

RPM is a measure of how many times a grinder's burrs rotate per minute. The video script explains that changes in RPM can significantly affect the particle distribution and, consequently, the flavor profile of the ground coffee. For instance, shifting from 50 RPM to 500 RPM can cause noticeable differences in coffee taste.

πŸ’‘Pre-Breakers

Pre-Breakers are the initial grooves or ridges on the burrs that begin the process of breaking down the coffee beans before they reach the main grinding area. The script describes how the design and number of pre-breakers can affect the feed rate of coffee into the burrs, impacting the grind quality and, by extension, the coffee's taste.

πŸ’‘Feed Rate

Feed rate is the speed at which coffee beans are fed into the grinding mechanism. The video explains that a faster feed rate can lead to a quicker shatter of the beans, which may not be ideal for lighter roasts. The number of edges or spokes on cone burrs, for example, can determine the feed rate, with fewer spokes leading to larger gaps and faster bean entry.

πŸ’‘Torque

Torque, in the context of coffee grinding, refers to the rotational force required to turn the burrs against the resistance of the coffee beans. The script mentions that a higher feed rate may require more torque to grind the beans effectively, especially with lighter roasts that are harder and require more force to break down.

πŸ’‘Finishing Teeth

Finishing teeth are the final part of the grinding process where the coffee beans are finely ground to the desired consistency. The video script describes how the design and size of the finishing teeth can affect the final grind quality, which in turn influences the extraction and flavor of the brewed coffee.

πŸ’‘Throughput

Throughput refers to the rate at which coffee grounds exit the grinder. The script discusses the importance of efficient throughput to prevent grounds from being over-milled or producing excess fines, which can negatively affect the quality of the brewed coffee. An example given is the DF-83 grinder, where a clogged exit chute can lead to re-grinding and an increase in fines.

Highlights

The debate between cone and flat burrs for grinding coffee is contentious with no objective evidence for broad generalizations.

Different grinders can produce similar results regardless of whether they use cone or flat burrs, depending on construction, geometry, and other factors.

The grinder's performance can vary significantly based on the drivetrain, motor, alignment to the axle, and rotation speed.

The choice of grinder should be based on budget, aesthetics, and reputation rather than the type of burrs used.

The Niche grinder, known for its conical burrs, does not necessarily produce a 'chocolatey' profile as commonly believed.

Particle distribution data shows that flat burrs can sometimes act more like cone burrs, challenging the stereotype.

The impact of RPM on particle distribution is significant, especially when varying from very low to very high speeds.

The perceived profile of coffee ground by cone or flat burrs is not fixed and can overlap significantly.

The Eureka Silencio, a flat burr grinder, is praised for its ability to produce thick, creamy, chocolatey coffees.

High-end grinders like the Baratza Sette 270 and Eureka M3 offer unique grinding characteristics that defy generalizations.

The Weber Key, despite being a flat burr grinder, is reported to provide more clarity than expected, possibly due to variable RPM.

Hand grinders with cone burrs, like the Easy Presto ZP6, can achieve high clarity due to their slow RPM and burr interaction.

The number of edges on cone burrs dictates the feed rate, affecting the grinding process and the resulting coffee.

Conical and flat burrs have different dynamics in cutting and crushing coffee beans, affecting the final taste.

The design of flat burrs, including pre-breakers and finishing teeth, can greatly influence the grind quality and coffee flavor.

The throughput of coffee in burrs and the time beans spend inside can affect the amount of fines produced.

Bigger burrs do not automatically equate to better performance; smaller, well-aligned burrs can produce excellent coffee.

Upgrading to a bigger grinder may not necessarily improve coffee quality and should be based on specific needs and preferences.

The Odes Brew and Encore's Brew were chosen for a taste test to illustrate the differences between popular flat and conical grinders.

The taste test results suggest that as grind size gets coarser, the differences between grinders become less pronounced.

Online arguments about grinders are often based on speculation and confirmation bias rather than objective evidence.

Recommendation to join online communities for user experiences and to try different grinders to find the best fit for personal taste.

Transcripts

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today we embark on a most contentious

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topic which is better cone burrs

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or flatburs

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[Music]

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now before we continue on I'd ask that

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you would take a moment and hit the like

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and the Subscribe if you've seen my

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content before and you enjoy it doing

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something simple like that really helps

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the channel helps me create more content

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helps me do more education more product

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reviews more

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tutorials things like that I also have

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patreon down below that you can check

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out but anyway let's move on so today's

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video I want to just chat briefly about

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the differences between cones and flats

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I see all the time on forums online

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people kind of lopping these massive

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statements into one of these types of

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Burrs like cones are always going to be

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more chocolatey than Flats flats are

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always going to be more clear than cones

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and that's simply not the case there is

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no objective evidence to Showcase

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something that broadly generalized so

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whenever you say Flats have a certain

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profile cones have a certain profile

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that's not true both of them have

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incredibly different ergonomics both of

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them were going to show up differently

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in different Grinders based off the

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drivetrain the motor the alignment to

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the axle the rotation speed all of these

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different things contribute to how the

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coffee is going to taste you can have

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flats that taste like cones you can have

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cones that taste like Flats it all

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depends on how the grinder is

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constructed how the geometry is and a

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lot of the other minutia that contribute

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to the grounds coming out of your

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grinder get whatever's in your budget

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what looks nice to you and what you

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think has a good reputation as a company

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because you're going to want something

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that you don't have to Tinker when you

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begin but what I can assure you is there

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it's not as simple as cones equals

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chocolate Flats equals Clarity for

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instance there is a lot of hype

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surrounding something like the niche

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grinder they say it's very chocolatey

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because it's cones it's 63 millimeter

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Coney bursts in reality I've had better

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cone style shots from a lot of flat

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bursts for instance I got a pair out

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here these are the base bursts from the

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eg1 now I know you're like well that's

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really expensive if you're comparing

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that to the niche there are others in a

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similar price range but this is a really

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really unique situation I've gotten to

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see some of the data from the particle

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distribution of this and these actually

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act more like cones than they do flats

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and what I mean by that is because of

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the Dynamics of cutting and crushing in

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Converse when you vary the RPM from

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something really low to something really

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high say 50 rpm up to 500 RPM you're

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going to have a big difference in the

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distribution of that curve smaller RPM

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changes has been shown to not be as big

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of a deal Dr smirk was just telling me

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on the Weber key between 50 and 150 they

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didn't see many much difference but

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there is much more difference between

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say 50 and 500 you have bigger shifts in

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the particle distribution as shown on

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the eg1 with this between 500 and 1500

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RPM with these Burrs in a similar way

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you have those same types of shifts with

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cone bursts now a lot of the flat burs

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that I've seen the data is not similar

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to this corber or this baseboard from

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Weber normally what you see is the same

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distribution just shifting along the

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coarseness and fineness linear Spectrum

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even when I say things like that I'm

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assuming that cones give a certain

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profile and flats give a certain profile

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which aren't necessarily the truth I'm

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going to speak in terms of a linear

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Spectrum here all right so instead of

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like a boethian Eternal now where

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everything's kind of convoluted we're

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going to talk in terms of a spectrum

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like Everlasting time when we're talking

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philosophy of time we're talking

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beginning and end okay so on this end

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we're going to say is chocolatey body

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the Blended flavors on this and we're

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talking Clarity we're talking tea like

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bodies we're talking florals aromatics

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so let's say that we have this

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hypothetical Spectrum now oftentimes

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people say cones make up this end Flats

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make up this end you have for instance

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some of the Eureka Grinders like the

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silencio can be about right here it's

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very chocolatey very coating I think it

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has incredible espresso shots I prefer

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that to a lot of the hyped Grinders

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under a thousand dollars when it comes

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to traditional style of espresso I think

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it does a great job with thick body

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creamy body chocolatey coffees so that's

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like here on this full spectrum all the

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way over here you also have flats that's

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the only things in my opinion that can

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kind of get here are something like the

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Brewers from SSP or the unimodal

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multi-purpose type verse from SSP you

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have all the way over here so I think

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Flats can kind of fit that whole

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Spectrum in my experience I don't find

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that cones actually can but I do think

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cones can get about to this part of the

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spectrum they cover all of that kind of

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chocolatey you know thicker body type

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stuff but they can also get into the

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brighter Clarity depending on the Burrs

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depending on the geometry I have not

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used a Weber key but I've heard a lot of

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people say they actually give more

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clarity than they would like I think a

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big part of that is because of the

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variable RPM going down all the way to

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50. I know people know with hand

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Grinders you can get some really nice

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Clarity from hand Grinders that have

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cone bursts like the easy Presto zp6 and

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a lot of that is that really slow RPM

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and how the Burrs interact with the

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coffee so you're able to get more

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clarity from these types of Grinders and

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in fact I would put the zp6 pretty in

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the pretty much in the high Clarity area

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what you have though is a higher

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concentration of flats live over here a

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higher concentration of cones live over

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here but there is a lot of overlap I

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would argue that this conical grinder

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has more clarity and filter bruise than

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the Eureka silencio in this situation

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this one has more clarity and is more

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tea like and is more floral and more

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aromatic than this is granted as a cool

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and the coarser you go the closer

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they're going to get

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[Music]

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foreign so let's take a quick moment and

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just take a look at what a cone Burr

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looks like because the Dynamics of

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what's going on the cutting the crushing

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and all of that very different between

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this and a flat bur so what you have

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here is you have the cone and you have

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the collar that sits on top just like so

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now as you see all of these grooves

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right here are going to dictate the feed

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rate of the coffee going into the Burrs

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we call those pre-breakers so what

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they're doing is they're pre-breaking

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the coffee before it gets down further

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into the burst set itself so what we

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have here is a heptagonal bur meaning

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there are seven edges here seven sides

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just like so and then we have these

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grooves in the sides so a bean will go

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down and as this is turning okay as that

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is turning it will cause tension between

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the wall the small entries here and will

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cause the beam to kind of crack and as

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it continues to be fed down through

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gravity and and the centrifugal force

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and the other forces at play as it feeds

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further down it goes through more and

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more phases of cutting until it gets

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down to crushing okay so you have the

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finishing teeth down here that are

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really forcing it to come out of a small

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Gap so when we're changing grind size

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we're moving this Burr or the collar

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depending on the mechanism itself inside

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the grinder up or down and that's

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dictating how much of an aperture there

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is for the coffee to squeeze through and

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that's going to dictate the grind size

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some Grinders like the brats acetate

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they actually spin the cut the collar

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around the cone so there are different

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dynamics that play there as well as

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we're looking at this one of the big one

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of the big things to understand is the

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amount of edges here dictate heavily the

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feed rate of the coffee going in a

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faster feed rate would mean less of

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these spokes so let's say for instance

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you had five of these spokes as opposed

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to seven you would have a faster feed

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rate because the gaps between each spoke

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would be bigger so beans can fit through

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faster what this would mean is you would

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need more torque to grind it if you're

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using a lighter coffee a lot of times

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for darker coffees you would want

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something like that because you can

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grind faster darker coffees are a lot

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softer they're a lot easier to break up

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but what can happen is if you're using

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something like a pyptagon cone with a

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light roasted coffee the feed rates

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really fast it's going to cause too

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quickly of a shatter and you're going to

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have a lot more torque in order to push

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through that which is a bit harder with

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a hand grinder or even on a motor of a

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typical grinder that's why for instance

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a lot of the built-in Breville Grinders

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aren't ideal for lightly roasted coffees

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they have that five spoke and not really

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enough torque to take care of it and in

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my testing and in my time doing coffee

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it seems that there tends to be a

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correlation between more spokes is

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better for lighter roasted coffees and

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vice versa then when we look inside the

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collar here we have initially kind of

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angles like so until it goes straight

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down for that finishing teeth so what we

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have is that initial cracking and

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cutting and then it goes down to that

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final cutting phase so I guess I guess I

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kind of mix those terms up initially you

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do actually have crushing and then you

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have the final cutting phase so that's

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kind of the terminology used in grinding

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is you have the crush and then you have

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the cut with the finalization so we also

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have here an 83 millimeter monster burn

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as you see because it's a much bigger

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Burr there are a lot more pre-breakers

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here to slow down the feed rate if we

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kept a heptagonal design with something

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this big you would jam every grinder

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ever because it cannot accept the feed

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that quick it would go straight to the

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finishing teeth and that would take a

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lot of torque so with Flats you have

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something very similar all the same

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terminology but what we're doing is two

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discs that are faced to each other early

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on you had something like the ek-43 that

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was a spice grinder you would drop beans

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into a hole here and there would be an

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auger that would feed at varying speeds

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depending on which auger you got it

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would feed the beans into the Burrs

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themselves so there would be something

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opaque here to disallow beans going

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anywhere else except inside these Burrs

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and as they're spinning what you'll see

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is you'll see there's a gap here and so

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we have the same idea with pre-breakers

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we have these ridges here that are at

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varying angles depending on the burst

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that you have and they're going to crush

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the beans at different ways so there's

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different tension points different

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stress points different fracture points

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that are going to cause differences

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between the coffees that are being

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ground in it so as it's spinning it's

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causing Central Fugal Force so if it's

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vertical cool if it's horizontal it

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doesn't really matter it's the majority

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Factor at play a centrifugal force which

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is allowing the pre-break of the beans

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with these larger gaps here and then

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they go to What's called the finishing

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teeth now there are times you'll have

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one or two or three phase Burrs so

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something that would be more of a one I

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guess it would be more of a two-phase

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burr would be something like this a

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bruber from SSP as you see there aren't

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really pre-breakers you go straight to

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these cutting teeth into the finishing

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teeth so with this one you can you

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should not really do with darker roasted

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coffees in my opinion uh this is more so

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for lighter roasted coffees it's a

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really slow feed rate as you can imagine

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because when these two birds are

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together the Gap is a lot different than

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whenever you have these deeper grooves

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on something like this when you put

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these two together there's a much bigger

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space for beans to funnel in a lot more

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readily so that's going to cause a much

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more aggressive pre-break to make the

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grinding process easier so Burrs like

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this would require a lot less torque

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than something like this or even

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something like this

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these have just these two big fins right

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here which act as one pre-breaker so you

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just have just there and then as you see

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they have exaggerated teeth like here

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and you have exaggerated finishing teeth

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these are the pre-2015 ek43 SSP Burrs so

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you have differences as as you see here

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and the amount of pre-breakers and the

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amount of curvature on that entries

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which dictates the feed rate you have

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differences on the sides of the

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secondary cutting and you have

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differences on the finishing teeth you

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have differences on ridges on the edges

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which can also dictate the throughput of

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the coffee which shows how long the

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coffee stays in there so something else

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that people don't really think about is

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with with some of these Grinders you

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have diff varying times the beans stay

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inside the Burrs so the longer beans or

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grounds stay inside these burns the more

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they're going to get mashed up the more

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potential fines so for instance an issue

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on a grinder like the df-83 is the exit

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Chute tends to get a bit clogged and it

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doesn't allow coffee to escape readily

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so grounds get caught up and get

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re-ground and re-ground and what happens

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is you get a lot more fines when brewing

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for filter so you want to have a quick

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throughput you want to make sure that

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your Chute is cleaned out if you're

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figuring out that you're getting a lot

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of fines on a certain grinder make sure

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that it's escaping readily we don't

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really know about Burrs it's important

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to know that everything is just kind of

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in the air right now so we can work with

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what we've got and we can do the best we

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can but I'm sure in the future a lot of

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the things I say is going to be proven

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wrong until now these are kind of

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working theories so often people are

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thinking bigger equals better I think

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this is falling to the same fallacy as

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kona's chocolate flat as Clarity just

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because you have a 98 millimeter Burr

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does not mean it's automatically better

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than an 80 millimeter Burr or a 58

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millimeter Burr I think there is

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something to be said about bigger has a

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higher potential in the same way I think

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Flats have a higher potential to create

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more clarity than cones you could buy a

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cheap big bird grinder and it produce a

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lot worse coffee than something like

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this or something like this it really

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depends on a multitude of factors it's

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not clear-cut bigger does not equal

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better I would argue again bigger equals

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more potential there's more cutting area

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there's more surface area to kind of

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play with different cuts there's more

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retail space to mess around with if you

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perfect a 58 millimeter Burr and you're

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getting incredible coffee because you

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have a hyper aligned a grinder that has

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a robust motor that is not going to vary

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on RPM during The Cutting process then

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that might be as good as it's going to

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get until we can optimize the bigger

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Burrs so for all of you watching out

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there considering to upgrading to

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whatever is the next biggest thing don't

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worry about it that is not a fear right

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now now if you're in the minutia that

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really you're wanting that extra two or

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three percent of coffee you're wanting

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to unlock or even 10 because we're

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probably hitting only 80 or 90 with

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typical coffees typical Grinders and

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whatnot if you're wanting that final bit

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of percent sure you can go ahead and

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continue to upgrade to bigger and bigger

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and bigger again in my experience bigger

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does not necessarily mean better

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[Music]

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thank you

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foreign

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[Music]

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these three are the Odes Brew these

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three are the encore's Brew now I chose

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these two because I think they're pretty

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indicative of very popular Grinders in

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the home the fellow ode has been a very

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popular grinder ever since its release

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and it is kind of a stereotypical flat

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bur kind of coffee kind of grinder in

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there I do have the multi-purpose Burrs

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inside to optimize the kind of clarity

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that people say the flat Birds bring to

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the table over here I have the Encore

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which has been the most the highest

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selling Grinder like ever in the US

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um and sells a decent amount around the

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world but it gives solid bruise with

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this is the one the newer one the ESP so

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this has the um the M tubers which are

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in the virtuoso the ones with markings

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on the bottom are the ode the ones with

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nothing on the bottom are the Encore so

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misophonia trigger do not watch if you

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don't like Slurpee noises because it's

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about to it's about to be slurped town

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in the city we built this city on

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slurping coffees

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sometimes it goes down the wrong pipe

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come on it cool for one second I'm gonna

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go one through one more through I'm

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making a switch so let's see all right

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all right all right I got one wrong my

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second guess screwed me over everyone so

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the ones I switched were the uh wrong

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ones so I got two of three on both not

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bad but there are ways to optimize your

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grinder regardless of it being conical

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or flat regardless of the type of

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conical and the type of flat um what I

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found out when I was doing all the

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particle size distributions for hand

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Grinders is the coarser you went the

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more unimodal every hand grinder became

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and at one point they almost all equaled

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out at around a thousand to 1200 microns

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they're very close to being all equaled

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out with a really small find some and a

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really big um you know modality so this

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taste test is more so to show you that

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if you have a Comber grinder or

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something that's more muddy even with a

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flat the coarser you go the less fines

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will be produced for the most part when

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they were hot the or aromatics on this

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were much higher But as time went on and

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they cooled I started to get confused

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because the acidity really started to

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pop here and they tasted it a lot more

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equal so whereas these were a bit more

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Blended especially at their hottest and

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even into the cool they still tasted a

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bit more Blended I think what was going

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on is the two I was mixed up on had

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lower volume so they're both really cool

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in relation to the others but over time

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they do equalize just just a little bit

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there are differences between flats and

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Cones don't get me wrong but you have to

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be much more specific on which Flats

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you're using which cones are you using I

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keep seeing people getting arguments

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online about these great generalizations

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that are just not necessarily steeped in

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anything accurate or in reality at all

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it's just in shared experiences which

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granted is all we really have to work on

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right now until more science is done and

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more testing is done in order to figure

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out more objective connections but until

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then we need to be make sure that we

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understand all of this is kind of not

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proven tldw too long didn't watch let me

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give you a quick little summary there is

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no actual generalization we can

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accurately give to a cone or a flat we

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have to be much more specific we have to

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talk about grinder we have and even when

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we talk about grinder when we talk about

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the Burr geometry itself we're still

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going based off of experience so maybe

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there's a collective understanding of a

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certain bird tasting a certain way but

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even that is not objective it's very

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subjective so take everything you see

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online with a grain of salt but that

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being said if you're looking to upgrade

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your grinder if you're looking into a

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specific style of grinder if you're like

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just tell me what I need to get for the

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most chocolatey espresso just tell me

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what I need to get for the most clear

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espresso you're going to be relying on

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speculation and you're going to be

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relying on confirmation bias you're

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going to be relying on people proud of

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the amount of money they've spent on a

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grinder and they don't want to be told

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that they're wrong there are Cults

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following certain Grinders it's insane I

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have a certain style of coffee I enjoy

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and there are certain Grinders and birds

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that I gravitate towards it's going to

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take trials in order to find what you

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enjoy and what makes your coffee shine

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in the way that you want it to shine so

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I would recommend using Facebook there

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are groups for most of the manufacturers

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out there I'm in a group with for option

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O's for malcolonics from lalits for

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breville's for all these things so I can

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kind of see user experiences of these

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Grinders and see what they're saying

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when I'm doing my own kind of testing to

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make sure I look for certain things so I

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would suggest getting on Facebook

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joining some of those groups get on

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Discord there are lots of big coffee

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groups where they have threads of

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different brands and manufacturers you

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can go on there and ask hey is anyone

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the DC area that can let me borrow this

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grinder or that I can come and see this

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grinder out if you want to then you

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should have put a ring on it if you want

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a Ninja put a ring on it

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I don't know what I'm doing all right I

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love you all I hope you brew something

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tasty today and cheers

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