5 profiles for medium roasted beans
In this 3rd video in the series, I suggest and explain 5 profiles, using medium-light beans from L'Alchimiste and a medium dark bean from Dark Arts.
In a digression, I explain why espresso machines generally use 9 bar of pressure, and not more or less: the secondary compression that happens above 9.5 bar, completing at 10.5 bar, causes increasing pressure to decrease flow, contrary to what you might think physics would predict.
The last part of this video (49:23) gives an extensive tutorial on D-Flow, one of the most innovative features on the Decent.
If you don't know about D-Flow, you really should! It's not so much a profile as a family of profiles that you can easily change to mimic many other profiles, using coffee-concept adjustments. You don't need to become a skilled profile programmer.
I explain how Flow Profiling works and its benefits. Most people only use Pressure Profiling, and so this is not a widely understood ability. I argue that stopping a shot at the “Pressure elbow” during flow profiling is likely a winning strategy, as the extraction rate has greatly slowed after the elbow point.
The difference between fines-producing and no-fines grinders (ie, large flat burrs) is discussed, in terms of what kind of extraction curves you'll see on-screen, and how you should dial in differently for each.
The 5 profiles we show are:
- Default
- Flow profile for milky drinks (and Flow profile for espresso)
- Londonium
- Adaptive v2
- D-Flow
Here are important chapter points in the video:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction to Medium Roasted Beans
- 00:00:35 - Defining Roast Types
- 00:01:54 - Differences in Medium Roasts
- 00:03:11 - Personal Tasting Journey
- 00:04:20 - Overview of Espresso Profiles
- 00:05:29 - The Default Profile
- 00:07:39 - Pulling a Default Shot
- 00:10:19 - Tasting the Default Shot
- 00:12:43 - Comparison to Previous Dark Roast
- 00:15:14 - Technical Insights into Pressure
- 00:19:31 - Introducing Flow Profiles
- 00:21:15 - Evaluating Extraction Quality
- 00:25:02 - Londinium Profile Introduction
- 00:29:23 - Exploring the Art of Extraction
- 00:33:31 - Adjusting Grind for Better Results
- 00:39:37 - The Adaptive Profile Explained
- 00:43:25 - Flavor Forward Espresso with Adaptive Profile
- 00:44:32 - Dflow Profile and Its Flexibility
- 00:55:10 - Final Tasting and Observations
- 00:58:25 - Q&A and Conclusion
Related videos:
Summary from the transcript:
Introduction and Roast Definitions The video explores five espresso profiles for medium-roasted beans, which John primarily drinks but finds challenging due to the broad spectrum from medium-light to medium-dark. Light roasts avoid roast flavors like chocolate or caramel, focusing on fruity notes like pear, while medium roasts emphasize chocolate and red fruits. Dark roasts introduce bitter chocolate and burnt notes. Medium roasts straddle the middle, with medium-light offering chocolate without bitterness and medium-dark removing fruit but avoiding char. John notes that medium roasts are often seen as “boring” but serve as a comfortable base for espresso or milk drinks.
Profiling Techniques and Challenges John compares five extraction profiles, starting with the “default” profile—a classic lever-style approach with declining pressure (8.6 to 6 bars) that works across grinders. Next, the “flow profile” maintains a constant flow rate (1.7 mL/s), yielding a fruitier, more nuanced shot compared to the default's chocolate intensity. The “Londinium” profile, inspired by spring-lever machines, uses a pressurized soak time to enhance extraction but struggles with lighter roasts, which risk over-extraction or sourness. The “adaptive” profile automates flow adjustments based on grind size, ideal for medium-light beans, producing a balanced, layered shot with pronounced acidity.
Dflow Profile and Flexibility The “Dflow” profile stands out by combining pressure and flow control, adapting to grind coarseness. It uses a pressurized pre-infusion to ensure even saturation, then adjusts pressure or flow dynamically. For fine grinds, it mimics a traditional 8.5-bar shot; for optimal grinds, it behaves like Londinium; and for coarse grinds, it limits flow for a gentler extraction. John praises Dflow for its ability to “heal” uneven puck prep and its versatility across roast levels. A test with medium-light beans highlights its ability to bring out floral and fruity notes, like mango, while retaining chocolate undertones.
Conclusion and Practical Takeaways John emphasizes that there's no “correct” profile—taste preferences dictate choices. Darker roasts suit pressure-focused profiles (default/Londinium), while lighter roasts benefit from flow-based methods (adaptive/Dflow). Key variables include grind size, soak time, and pressure/flow balance. John shares their personal journey from dark to medium-light roasts, reflecting a common trend among espresso enthusiasts. The video closes with a reminder that experimentation is essential, as AI can't replace human palate preferences, and encourages viewers to explore these profiles to find their ideal balance of flavor and mouthfeel.
#medium #mediumlight #mediumdark #darkarts #lalchimiste #dflow #d-flow #default #flow #adaptive #londinium #9bar #flowprofiling
Updated 2025/05/06