Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Well, I dunno Bro - Ive been lurking the last little while and my extractions arent too hot. Funny - the flavour is right on. I think Ive got to get a finer grind but the shots are miles better than the plunger or percolator stuff I used to enjoy. The learning curve beckons .... Regards.
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Overdosing Cafe Roma
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Thanks CV,
Sounds like you’re on top of it.
My CR group seal hates me and Im not too keen on it.
Actually were not far away from each other in some ways.
newbie : newbie
CR : CR
Sunbeam grinder : Sunbeam grinder
We’are both on our way.
You’re on your way up : Im on my way down
youthful, optimistic : crusty old sceptic
Enjoy your journey and dont get ahead of yourself.
The journey is the most important part of it, arrival will be over in a flash.
Lindsay
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Hey Lindsay - sorry to hear about your woes. I hope my palate is refined enough to offer an accurate critique, but the coffee seems to be great. Im currently drinking Costa Rica Rio Negro from the Beans coffee roastery (Fitzroy, Vic). The profile is nice n strong without being too bitter like some espressos can be. As previously mentioned, the machine Im using is still fairly new - hasnt made more than a couple dozen cups I think. Im using the included scoop and tamper, and not overfilling the scoop when I fill. My water is filtered and up until earlier today I was using an old Bosch grinder (with 2 settings - coarse and fine !) Ive now purchased a Sunbeam Conical Burr that has been so highly recommended here. Im very much a newbie when it comes to the art and science of coffee making, but I know what I like. Id like to think I have a good palate - I was an amateur brewer for many years and enjoyed the profile of many a fine drop - coffee is no different, I guess. Except that coffee is hot, and beer cold ! I hope this helps, good luck with your machine - I hope you overcome the gremlins. Regards.
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Hi CV,Originally posted by 4C676E7D63666A596A6A0F0 link=1242985408/10#10 date=1245622135Im getting what I consider to be wonderful coffee from the machine.
I would love to know how!?
I havent totally given up on my CR but Im punishing it currently, its in pieces and I dont quite know what remedial action to take.
What coffee/grinder do you use?
Share your secrets please?
Lindsay
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
I hope I dont make some of you cringe, I thought Id give my CR machine a final try before pitching it. I scored mine from my previous employer - traded him for a $25 bottle of red - and after a few tries was disappointed with the results. Voila ! CS provides much needed advice and encouragement and Im getting what I consider to be wonderful coffee from the machine. I know Im going to upgrade sometime - I suffer from terminal upgradeitis - but for now Im going to see how far I can stretch the machine. Happy to report none of the failings of the previous posters (sorry) machines seem to plague this one. Mind you, I dont think it has produced more than a couple dozen coffees in its lifetime. Thank you CS and fellow posters !
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Goodbye TashieOriginally posted by 746173686965000 link=1242985408/8#8 date=1243509144Silvia/Rocky bought! woo-hoo.
Now to learn to use it.
Live it up before the kids and mort puts you on short rations.
I love the suggestion will try it ASAP.Originally posted by 6C696E6F6C656F000 link=1242985408/6#6 date=1243467639If you have trouble with your group seal not taking enough pressure, you may want to try what I did with my little EM2300: take a hair elastic, squeeze the metal bit flat with pliers, then put it between the basket and portafilter. This seats the basket a little higher, and the elastic pushes it hard against the group seal. Works for me, your mileage may vary.
Dont use a rubber band, anything with a flat profile wont work properly. A rubber O-ring would probably be best, will try that out after my next trip to the hardware store
Optimism returns.
I was so focussed on that shonky little group seal, I didnt think laterally, usually my strong suit.
Now which of our site sponsors sells hair elastics?
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Silvia/Rocky bought! woo-hoo.
Now to learn to use it.
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Lol - perfectly understandable pre-CS behaviour. But you need to beg borrow or... (ok maybe just one of those) a grinder if you want to get decent coffee out of unpressurised baskets.Originally posted by 6174667D7C70150 link=1242985408/5#5 date=1243432248*guilty* of using aforementioned bean chopper
:-[
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
If you have trouble with your group seal not taking enough pressure, you may want to try what I did with my little EM2300: take a hair elastic, squeeze the metal bit flat with pliers, then put it between the basket and portafilter. This seats the basket a little higher, and the elastic pushes it hard against the group seal. Works for me, your mileage may vary.
Dont use a rubber band, anything with a flat profile wont work properly. A rubber O-ring would probably be best, will try that out after my next trip to the hardware store
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
*guilty* of using aforementioned bean chopper
:-[
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Hi PL,
Yes Im grinding with a cheap em0450 but I must throw myself on the mercy of the courts.Originally posted by 5F666C6C606360436E7B7B6A0F0 link=1242985408/3#3 date=1243386999What grinder are your both using?
Once I got a proper grinder (albeit a cheap em0450) and dialled it in with the unpressurised basket I could get consistent results. (But that was using 4th gear on my tamper... Im sure I could get even better in 5th or 6th
)
I have not dialled it in, I have tried courser and finer grinds but a combination of random performances by myself and the machine, initially on preground, later on me ground, then with a new group seal.
later with unpressurised basket.
Recently with silicone sealer group seal reinforcement.
The pump just chugs away, there is no tendancy to stall it just pops the group seal.
I am not experienced enough to confidently know how to manage these multiple issues. I blame the group seal, I dont think it is robust. I have fitted a new group seal result slight improvement initially then deteriating perforance so I have used silicone sealer on two occasions each time with initil success before shes back to her old tricks.
I have a cheap plastic tamp without gears but CR doesnt seem to respond to variation of tamp pressure at all.
Im Lindsay
and that was my story.
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
What grinder are your both using?
My cafe roma was highly intolerant of the crappy magic bullet blade-typegrinderbean chopper I used for a while.
Once I got a proper grinder (albeit a cheap em0450) and dialled it in with the unpressurised basket I could get consistent results. (But that was using 4th gear on my tamper... Im sure I could get even better in 5th or 6th
)
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
Hi Tashie and CSrs,
I am currently depending on a Cafe Roma for coffee at home and yes I do have lower standards and I do intend to maintain them as long as possible (for budgetary reasons).
My Cafe Roma may be unique but I find it highly intolerant of over dosing and fine ground coffee.
My problem seems to be the group seal (steam ring Breville call it) it doesnt seem able to take much pressure, I push it, it blows.
I have been using silicone rubber to modify the group seal with only short-term success.
I have replaced the group seal and converted the only basket I use the double to non-pressurized, if it helped it didnt fix the problems.
For my machine the only consistent solution so far is a modest coffee dose per shot, that is smaller coffees.
I dont give up easily but trying to bend the CR to my will is hard work and so far unrewarding.
If you dont want to be as stubborn as I am and dont have significant budgetary restrictions CSA just may have a point or perhaps Im just at low point and need a coffee?Originally posted by 39353C3C3F3F05293435385A0 link=1242985408/1#1 date=1243142919get a new machine,
Good Luck Tashie,
I hope you find your answer (and same to me)
Kind Regards
Lindsay
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Re: Overdosing Cafe Roma
get a new machine, being a pressurised basket i have not noticed a diffrence with over dosing for shot improvment
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Overdosing Cafe Roma
Does anyone know if overdosing the CafeRoma will help with the shot quality? Maybe Im not doing it right
Lots of people seem happy with their Romas but maybe they have better techniques and/or lower standards (sorry)?
I meant to buy unpressurised baskets, but the more I read, I think I might as well save up for my new machine
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