Dark Matter Coffee · Unicorn Blood Espresso Blend

Wed, Jun 17, 2026, 3:08 PM (Shot 57)

DoppioVery SlowNormalDay 23 · Still excellent

Shot

Grind Setting35

Dose18.1g

Grinder Retention0g

Adjusted dose 18.1g

WDT UsedYes

Distribution ToolYes

Spring Weight30 lbs

Pre-infusion6s

FlowDripping / Restricted

Shot Time56s

Stopped at37.6g (+6g drip)

Yield43.6g

Ratio 1:2.410.78 g/sVery SlowNormal

Taste

Balance

SourSlightly BitterBitter

Shot Rating

★★★★★

Notes

Flow was very restricted which was surprising since I grinded coarser. Taste is slightly bitter but more balanced than the previous shot with better numbers. Flow started at 12 seconds dripping slowly and became faster and an even flow as the shot progressed, but late in the shot (30 seconds or so). Didn’t drink trying again

Analysis

✦

AI Analysis

Needs Work

Summary

Grind 35 ran 56 seconds — Very Slow — with restricted single-spout flow that only opened up late in the pull. This confirms what the last shot already told you: going coarser is making things worse, not better. The puck is the problem, not the grind setting.

What the Numbers Say

56 seconds is Very Slow and outside the good range regardless of label. Ratio at 2.41 is Normal, so yield wasn't the issue. Balance 5 (Slightly Bitter) fits a slow, over-extracted shot — the bitterness here is a direct consequence of restriction, not the bean being inherently bitter. Flow description (restricted at 12s, only opening late) is a classic puck prep signature: early restriction from uneven puck density, late improvement as water redistributes. This is not a grind problem.

The One Thing to Change

Go back to grind 34. Before your next shot, slow WDT to a full 45 seconds with deliberate edge-to-edge coverage — work the needle from the center to the wall systematically, not random passes. This is the only variable to touch.

Two data points now confirm the pattern: grind 35 ran slower than grind 34, which is the opposite of what coarsening should do. That means grind is not the resistance source — puck structure is. The late-shot flow improvement on both 34.5 and 35 is redistribution as water finds pathways, not normal extraction. Fixing WDT consistency is the move. Grind 34 gave you balance 4 and chocolate flavor — that's the target to return to.

Bean Context

Unicorn Blood is medium-dark washed — it should be forgiving and not prone to restriction at reasonable grind settings. Days 23 off roast is still excellent for a medium-dark. The bean isn't fighting you here; puck prep is. The chocolate and balanced shots at grind 34 show the flavor potential is real when the puck cooperates.

Progress

The good news: you're correctly reading what the shots are telling you. You noted 'flow restricted despite coarser grind' — that's the diagnostic insight that matters. You're asking the right questions.

Cached · Jun 17

Bean

RoasterDark Matter Coffee

BeanUnicorn Blood Espresso Blend

Days Since Roast23 days — Still excellent

Roast Date2026-05-25