Dialing in the Rao Allongé and Adaptive v2 profiles



Youtube video


This video has us dialing in the Rao Allongé and Adaptive v2 profiles on the Decent Espresso machine


Rao Allongé Profile

  • Best for: Light roast beans (especially fruity, defect-free beans)
  • Drink type: Long espresso (5:1 ratio), closer to filter in strength but with espresso-like clarity and body
  • Purpose: Easy, go-to profile for demos and travel; ideal when you don't want to do much dialing in
  • Behavior:
    • Very fast flow, high pressure (6–9 bars)
    • Generally 30–35 seconds total shot time
    • If the chart looks right, the taste is usually right
    • Mouthfeel: Clean, smooth, open with good fruit expression
  • Grind Tips:
    • Slightly finer than medium roasts
    • Adjust grind to see a pressure curve that starts high, gently drops, and may rise again due to fines
  • Taste Note Tricks:
    • Aeration using a milk frother significantly opens up flavor

Adaptive Profile (V2)

  • Best for: Medium to light roast; adaptable to grinder type
  • Drink type: Traditional espresso with more control and consistency
  • Purpose: Automatically adapts flow rate to hit a peak pressure within 7 seconds, then maintains flow rate
  • Behavior:
    • Uses a “pre-fill then pause” strategy to ensure even puck saturation
    • Lower flow than Allongé (around 2.0-3.5 mL/s)
    • Can be used with both conical (e.g., Niche) and flat burr grinders
    • Updated to better handle lower-fines grinders (e.g., flat burrs)
  • Grind Tips:
    • Fine tuning impacts flavor significantly
    • Ideal pressure peak around 6–9 bar
    • Too coarse = acidic, unbalanced; too fine = muted
  • Taste Note Tricks:
    • Very balanced, intense mouthfeel, long-lasting finish
    • Less acidity than expected for light roasts

  • Chinese (simplified): Rao Allongé 和 Adaptive v2 曲线咖啡参数调整
  • Korean: 알롱제 프로파일, 자동조절 프로파일 다이얼 인 방법
  • German: Einstellung der Profile „Rao Allongé“ und „Adaptive v2“

    Updated 2025/04/15