Nearly ruined my grinder by not cleaning it for 6 months

I used to think cleaning my grinder was just for show. I would maybe brush it out once a month and call it good. But last week I pulled it apart for a deep clean and found this thick paste of old coffee oils and grounds stuck under the burrs. It smelled rancid, not like coffee at all. A buddy at the local roastery in Austin told me that old oil buildup can go bad and actually affect the taste of fresh beans. He said to do a full tear down with a brush and a vacuum every 2-3 weeks depending on use. I did that yesterday and the difference in my morning cup was night and day. Has anyone else noticed a weird stale taste and traced it back to a dirty burr set?

2 comments

2 Comments

evannelson1mo ago

the_mia same here, ran an old espresso through mine and it tasted like burnt plastic.

the_mia1mo ago

My Baratza Encore was the same way! I pulled it apart after four months and that rancid paste under the burrs was gross. It totally changed my coffee taste too, I thought my beans went bad but it was just the grinder being nasty.