PSA: My new grinder made my usual beans taste like burnt rubber

I finally upgraded to a Baratza Encore after using a cheap blade grinder for years, expecting a big jump in flavor. I used my normal medium roast from the local roaster, but the cup came out bitter and harsh, almost like a chemical taste. Did I mess up the grind size, or could it be that my old grinder was hiding flaws in the beans I've been buying?

3 comments

3 Comments

lindaowens8d ago

Honestly, burnt rubber sounds like a stretch. I get a weird break-in period, but that's extreme. Adams.linda has a point about cleaning it first, that's just common sense. Could be you're just not used to how much more flavor a good grinder pulls out, and maybe you're tasting the roast flaws for the first time. I'd try a totally different, fresh bag of beans before deciding the grinder is the problem.

adams.linda14d ago

Wait, you said burnt rubber? That's wild. My Encore made things taste a little off at first, but never like that. Are you sure the grinder was totally clean when you got it? Sometimes they have factory oils or leftover bits in there. I'd run some cheap beans through it a few times to clear it out.

sam_murphy3914d ago

Totally agree about running cheap beans through it. I'd do at least a half bag of the cheapest stuff you can find, maybe even a full pound. Also, take the hopper off and wipe everything down with a dry cloth, because sometimes that factory dust gets in the nooks.