I attended a demo that Craig gave a few weeks ago and he did indeed cool the machine down under running water and reuse it. He also kept changing the temperature using the Otto induction top. He said that the Otto button was set at level 4 whereas the other cooking button can be set from 1 - 5.
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Otto- Getting it right.
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Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on how to get the grind right for the Otto (The Little Guy). I've been messing around for almost 2 months trying to find the right balance. I'm using the little guy induction cook top with the Breville BCG820 smart grinder, is any one using this combination? I seem to get pretty good extraction time and steam pressure with the "supermarket basket" but there's heaps of brown foam coming out quite early in the extraction which doesn't look like creme more like the head on a beer. When I use the "espresso basket" and adjust the grind finer I can get a better looking extraction (nice creme like the DVD) but it takes ages to extract 60ml and usually results in steam coming out of the group handle and the milk steam pressure isn't nearly as good. Any suggestions how to get it right? Otherwise I'm considering selling and getting something more suited to my poor coffee making ability.
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Sounds a bit like your grind is too fine. If steam is coming out where it shouldn't then maybe too much back pressure as the water tries to push thru the 'too fine' coffee granules. If your grind is too fine then your extraction will takes ages and ages and could taste quite bitter.Originally posted by Brollond View PostHi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on how to get the grind right for the Otto (The Little Guy). I've been messing around for almost 2 months trying to find the right balance. I'm using the little guy induction cook top with the Breville BCG820 smart grinder, is any one using this combination? I seem to get pretty good extraction time and steam pressure with the "supermarket basket" but there's heaps of brown foam coming out quite early in the extraction which doesn't look like creme more like the head on a beer. When I use the "espresso basket" and adjust the grind finer I can get a better looking extraction (nice creme like the DVD) but it takes ages to extract 60ml and usually results in steam coming out of the group handle and the milk steam pressure isn't nearly as good. Any suggestions how to get it right? Otherwise I'm considering selling and getting something more suited to my poor coffee making ability.
As for the 'head of beer' creme, what does it taste like? If it tastes like coffee creme then maybe its OK to run with.
Just my 2 cents worth, I am sure someone here will know a bit more about this and be a bit more helpful.
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Hi Smokey, thanks for your reply.Originally posted by smokey View PostSounds a bit like your grind is too fine. If steam is coming out where it shouldn't then maybe too much back pressure as the water tries to push thru the 'too fine' coffee granules. If your grind is too fine then your extraction will takes ages and ages and could taste quite bitter.
As for the 'head of beer' creme, what does it taste like? If it tastes like coffee creme then maybe its OK to run with.
Just my 2 cents worth, I am sure someone here will know a bit more about this and be a bit more helpful.
Seems to be quite a fine line between too course and too fine when using the "espresso basket", I found the coffee would extract too fast with little creme and poor steam pressure for milk texturising suggesting my grind was too coarse (factory settings on Breville 820 and adjusted to finest grind) so I adjusted the outer burr setting from 6 to 3 which reslted in a much finer grind. This slowed the extraction (maybe too much) and produced a creme more like how it looks on the DVD. However I then found the problem with the steam coming out of the group handle.
How do you know when you've got it right? Craig suggests that when the extraction starts at the 8 minute beep (on TLG induction hob) that's a good indication, then watch the extraction and pull the jug when the coffee goes blonde if that makes sense?
When I use the "supermarket basket" the coffee doesn't taste bad it just looks very foamy (see image below). The instruction manual suggests that "when the coffee drops become froth the espresso is ready to serve" but if I were to remove the jug at this point I wouldn't have enough coffee to make one cup.
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Otto- Getting it right.
Thanks for your help smokey, I've went a little more coarse and getting much better results now... I've adjusted the upper burr to setting "4" and "9-10" on the display. I can get good pretty much the same extraction as the DVD, using the "espresso basket" and steam pressure is pretty good. Now I just need to practice getting the milk rightOriginally posted by smokey View PostSounds a bit like your grind is too fine. If steam is coming out where it shouldn't then maybe too much back pressure as the water tries to push thru the 'too fine' coffee granules. If your grind is too fine then your extraction will takes ages and ages and could taste quite bitter.
As for the 'head of beer' creme, what does it taste like? If it tastes like coffee creme then maybe its OK to run with.
Just my 2 cents worth, I am sure someone here will know a bit more about this and be a bit more helpful.
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Hi Brollond,
I hope you are still active on this particular forum.
Could you please let me know if you double dose your basket? (Apprently Craig Hiron does this as well).
I have the exact same grinder as you at home! Do you get 60ml within 90 seconds on this setting?
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Being a lover of the cafetiera, I always wanted to get one of these OTTOs but the "boss" wouldn't let me, still interested in them, unfortunately I recently purchased a lever espresso machine, but will be watching this thread to see how you guys and gals go... Good luck
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Don't be too focused on crema. Doesn't mean its going to taste good. I enjoy using a coarse grind on my Baratza Vario & a lightly roasted coffee from a boutique roaster. I don't get any crema at all but the flavour is very sweet. I also bought an Atomic filter basket from DiBartoli, which has more holes around the basket than the standard one that comes with the Little Guy.
Turn up the heat after extraction and there will be plenty of steam for milk.
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