How long can you rest a shot?

[Buschy]

I do my shots first, then steam milk. Im a bit concerned about the length of time Im leaving the shot glasses sitting around on top of the machine while I go about steaming. Ive read a couple of mixed opinions on the net. How long is too long? It takes my single boiler Levetta a little bit of time to get to the stage where I can start steaming, then obviously it takes time to steam the milk. Im averaging around 3.5 minutes by the time everything is said and done and the shot actually enters the mug and the milk starts getting poured. OK?  :-?

[Dennis]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

In an ideal world you would have the milk steamed just as the shot is completed. we dont always live in an ideal world, so why not let your taste buds do the deciding for you?

Oh, and stop using a mug! ;D

[GregWormald]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

That shouldnt really be a problem.
How do you get the Levetta to slow down so much? Mine goes from coffee temp to steaming in about 45 seconds.
Greg

[Buschy]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

Correct...45 seconds to get to the stage where your ready to steam with little moisture spurting out of wand. However, add another minute or so to steam, lets say 300ml, and your looking at 1m45sec without any fiddling around. Add another 45 seconds (roughly) if your really good at coordinating everything (which Im not yet) and your looking at 2m30sec best case scenario...   Mean while shots are sitting there. Sitting there...

PS. Its not really a mug. Its kind of a cup/mug and I like it.   > It makes me happy at 5:30 in the morning.

That shouldnt really be a problem.
How do you get the Levetta to slow down so much? Mine goes from coffee temp to steaming in about 45 seconds.
Greg

[GregWormald]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

That explains it--I only steam 75 ml. of milk for my doppio ristretto!
With 350 ml. of milk in a mug, are you sure you like coffee?  ;D
Greg

[Buschy]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

;D... actually I do not like a lot of milk but there are others lurking about at that time that do.

[gronk62]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

I always drink lattes in a 200ml duralex.

The routine on my Silvia is hit the steam switch, grab the jug, fit the thermometer, pour milk in, bleed steam pipe into cold glass, steam milk and sit the jug on top of Silvia. Kill steam switch.

Refill boiler by running hot water through steam pipe into glass till boiler light comes on again. Clean steam tip.

Grind and tamp beans, discard hot water from glass and pull shot. Swish milk jug to silk the milk (Bit of bloody poetry there 8-)) and pour into nice fresh shot.

mmmmmmm..... laaaaatttee

[bolb]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

My preference is to

• Fill jug with milk
• Grind, dose, tamp and fit group handle
• Pour shot
• Pour over milk

I also preheat the cup/mug with hot water.
The war dept never complains, if she did, i wouldnt make her another  

[Kelrizzo]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

Ive never timed it. I do make my shots first on my Silvia then steam the milk, but I have no complaints.

[GregJW]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

I always drink lattes in a 200ml duralex.

The routine on my Silvia is hit the steam switch, grab the jug, fit the thermometer, pour milk in, bleed steam pipe into cold glass, steam milk and sit the jug on top of Silvia. Kill steam switch.

Refill boiler by running hot water through steam pipe into glass till boiler light comes on again. Clean steam tip.

Grind and tamp beans, discard hot water from glass and pull shot. Swish milk jug to silk the milk (Bit of bloody poetry there 8-)) and pour into nice fresh shot.

mmmmmmm..... laaaaatttee

Hey there Greg.

Youll find most Silvia (and other single boiler) owners pour the shot(s) first before steaming the milk. This is mainly because the temperature of the water (as well as the hardware it is in contact with) increases substantially above boiling point during the steaming phase. When the steam switch is turned off, the system doesnt automatically return to brew temperature, even if the super-heated water is bled off as youve indicated. It has been suggested it may take about 10 mins to re-stabilise at brew temp, even with rigorous flushing.

There was a thread on this about 6 months ago (I think Greg Pullman and Jim from PID kits were prominent in it) - I cant find it at present. But this is one of the shortcomings of single boiler machines (otherwise, why would anyone buy a HX?).

From what I recall, to achieve a good stable brew temp, ideal (minimum) time periods are:
* 45 min (apx) initial warm-up;
* 4 mins (apx) after brewing each shot;
* 10 mins (apx) after steaming.

In general, too low a brew temp results in a sour shot, too high temp results in a bitter shot.

A bit OT I know, and please correct me or add more info if anyone knows any more. (FWIW I brew first then steam milk, although if making multiple coffees I do a bit of a brew - steam - flush - brew - steam shuffle like you :. And, as I understand it, espresso is meant to be consumed as soon as its brewed -unlike French press, etc- but in the real world...).

Greg

[greenman]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

My method is as GregJW described above, brew the shot them steam the milk.
If I have guests over and need to do 4 milk drinks I pull the shots first and then steam the milk and this enables me to serve 4 hot capo/lattes at once.
If I am in a hurry I use the cheating Miss Silvia method and run water through the group and steam wand to bring her up to brewing temp in a shorter period of time, seems to work well for me!!
After temp surfing for the past year and a bit I have just ordered a PID dual control from Jim and am eagerly awaiting its arrival from the US of A.

[Buschy]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

From what has been discussed, it sounds like leaving the shot(s) sitting around for a few minutes while steaming milk, etc. (single boiler machine) is still much safer than potentially cooking the shot with water that is much too hot, having just been steam. At the end of the day, if youre making milk base drinks with a single boiler machine it appears you dont have much of a choice.... !

Although I initially asked the question, my shots dont seem to suffer any serious ill effects from being left sitting on top of the machine for a few minutes. There is still plenty of crema and theyre still warm when poured. Yeh...in an ideal world less than a minute I guess would be optimum but I wonder if you could even tell the difference once mixed with the milk. Cheers.

[ezralimm]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

On an good day:


weigh. grind. dose. level. tamp.

pop portafilter back into grouphead.

Steam milk.

when milk feels almost warm, still a little cold,

Start pour.


If the milk foam is well homogenized, and the timing of the pour matches the time taken to steam milk, the milk foam and crema mixes wonderfully. Neither the crema or milk foam has separated fully yet. So you get a nice rich top layer of savoury, creamy goodness on top of the coffee. Foam and crema intertwining like marble cake...or a rosetta or heart depending on how its poured

[GregWormald]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

I forgot to mention--I pre-heat my glass with hot water from the machine, grind while the machine re-heats, flush a tad as the heater shut off, dump the hot water from the glass, and then pull the shot.
Then steam the milk.
Greg

[gronk62]

Re: How long can you rest a shot?

I always drink lattes in a 200ml duralex.

The routine on my Silvia is hit the steam switch, grab the jug, fit the thermometer, pour milk in, bleed steam pipe into cold glass, steam milk and sit the jug on top of Silvia. Kill steam switch.

Refill boiler by running hot water through steam pipe into glass till boiler light comes on again. Clean steam tip.

Grind and tamp beans, discard hot water from glass and pull shot. Swish milk jug to silk the milk (Bit of bloody poetry there 8-)) and pour into nice fresh shot.

mmmmmmm..... laaaaatttee

Hey there Greg.

Actually its Phil, not Greg...but Ive been called a lot worse ;D

Youll find most Silvia (and other single boiler) owners pour the shot(s) first before steaming the milk. This is mainly because the temperature of the water (as well as the hardware it is in contact with) increases substantially above boiling point during the steaming phase. When the steam switch is turned off, the system doesnt automatically return to brew temperature, even if the super-heated water is bled off as youve indicated. It has been suggested it may take about 10 mins to re-stabilise at brew temp, even with rigorous flushing.

I did try this earlier today just out of interest and I think it will become my new routine.
Learning new stuff all the time