4 Letter Word · Decaf Aba Mecha

Shot 2 on the Aba Mecha — 34s Normal time, Normal ratio, balance 3 Slightly Sour. The quick-resolving brightness is consistent with the bean's character, but the lingering acidity at the finish is a flag. More importantly, restricted bilateral flow with the right spout alternating between thin stream and dripping is the same right-edge channel pattern from shot 1. Grind is not the problem here.

Time 34s (Normal) and ratio 2.08 (Normal) are both solid — nothing to chase in the numbers. Balance 3 with a quick-resolving bright hit fits this Ethiopian decaf. The lingering acidity is the one real taste concern, and it's likely downstream of the channeling rather than under-extraction — an uneven puck creates hot spots that push sour notes through faster and longer than clean extraction would. Flow notes confirm the channel is still active on the right side.

At 10 days post-roast on a roast-dated July 28 EA washed decaf, you're right at the bean's recommended 10-day rest minimum and inside the peak window. The melon and milk chocolate notes should come through cleanly once flow is even. Quick-resolving brightness is on-profile for this bean — the linger is the puck, not the coffee.

Two shots in, the right-edge channel is confirmed as a persistent pattern matching what you saw on the Matas and Aba Mecha shot 1. This is a useful data point — your WDT technique has a repeatable gap on the right quadrant that shows up across multiple beans. Solving it here will pay off across your whole rotation.