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Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

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  • #16
    Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

    Just make sure you sip some of the underlying brew if you plan to do this (ie. not just the crema).

    Since the 6th, Ive gone through 2.5 kilos of coffee beans. Andy better get my new ones to me today!


    please dont hurt me

    Update: Youre very lucky, Mr. Freeman. That couldve ended badly.

    please dont hurt me

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

      Originally posted by 5D485A41404C290 link=1243509448/11#11 date=1243525839
      Sleep is for people who havent drunk like 15 espressos trying to figure out why theyre all shi*te lol
      lol... welcome to my world! 5 shots this morning in the quest for one piccolo figuring out whether it was my tamping causing overextraction or the grind being too fine. (it was the grinder - couldnt be me )


      Originally posted by 5D485A41404C290 link=1243509448/11#11 date=1243525839
      Alternatively will sell these for a profit and go back to buying coffee. If I didnt know they were good machines, Id be asking myself what rubbish I bought....
      Persevere - Youll be making better coffee than most cafes in no time.

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

        *will not sell the Silvia, will not sell the Silvia* must keep telling myself that...

        My puck is sticking to the showerscreen now. Whyyyyy? Anyone?

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

          Originally posted by 786D7F6465690C0 link=1243509448/17#17 date=1243570758
          My puck is sticking to the showerscreen now. Whyyyyy? Anyone?  
          I had that happening as well....  too much dose!! must be at the same level as the line at the top of the basket... but now since I got the synesso basket + pullman tamper... no longer happening.

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          • #20
            Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

            Originally posted by 4356445F5E52370 link=1243509448/17#17 date=1243570758
            My puck is sticking to the showerscreen now. Whyyyyy? Anyone?
            Hi Tashie,

            Glad you picked up the combo at such a great price

            Heres how I managed to get good coffee from Silvia & Rocky.

            Grind at about 6 or 7 and fill the basket to the rim. Level it off with a blade and then tamp with as much pressure as you can muster - a virtual handstand

            Follow the temp surfing advice given earlier - but please ENSURE Silvia has been on for around 45 minutes. Any shorter and you wont get a good shot, she likes to be totally warmed up before she comes good. I used a timer to switch on 45 minutes before my regular coffees.

            Let me know how it goes - but dont give up

            Cheers,


            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

              Rusty: Thanks for that - you know I wouldve loved your PID-ed machine, but this was one suburb away and I couldnt resist Glad yours went to a good owner though. So virtual handstand means more than 30lbs (that is just what i read). My coffee is also already bitter, wont this make it worse?

              I am so close to throwing it out the window - all my shots taste so bitter!

              *must not give up* boyfriend is getting very frustrated poor thing, he likes coffee more than me



              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                Im sorry to have to tell you this, ;D, but you have definitely succumbed to CoffeeSnobbery, and this will eventually lead to caffeine addiction, upgraditis, and financial ruin. Your social life will suffer as you will be practically unable to enjoy coffee out with friends.

                Your only hope is to sell the machines as quickly as possible, and hide under the bed until the desire for a good coffee abates.

                Good luck, mate. Let us know how you go.

                Greg
                or...welcome to the club! :

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                  Hi tashie.
                  The best thing you can do is spend a little more money on a barista course. Get some help from the experts. It will be money well spent.
                  You will probably pay for the course with the money you will save on the coffee beans that you wont be wasting anymore.
                  All the best with it. Silvia/Rocky is a good combination and capable of producing great espresso.

                  Cheers,
                  Alan

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                    Hi Tash,

                    You mention the coffee is too bitter. Are you using fresh beans, roasted about a week or two ago? If so, perhaps you could try to grind less fine. Stop the shot before it starts "blonding", i.e., while it is still reasonably dark. Ideally, you should be able to get something like 60ml in 30 seconds with the double basket. However, 50ml in about 25 seconds makes sense also.

                    If you are not using fresh beans, then get some, e.g., Andys (on the left).

                    Dont give up. It takes a bit of time and patience, but its definitely  worth it.

                    Cheers,

                    Daniel

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                      Rusty: Thanks for that - you know I wouldve loved your PID-ed machine, but this was one suburb away and I couldnt resist Glad yours went to a good owner though. So virtual handstand means more than 30lbs (that is just what i read). My coffee is also already bitter, wont this make it worse?

                      I am so close to throwing it out the window - all my shots taste so bitter!

                      *must not give up* boyfriend is getting very frustrated poor thing, he likes coffee more than me



                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                        Well, how about some stats? I imagine youre using the standard portafilter, which is fine. Once you hit the brew button, how long does it take for liquid to come out? When (time) do you usually stop, and why do you stop then?

                        What sort of vessel are you brewing into -- is it a demitasse (espresso cup)? Do you have some kind of vessel which has increments at about 60mL?

                        Are you using the single, or double basket? From what Ive read (Ive not tried it myself), the single is notoriously difficult to work with. Pull doubles.

                        When were the beans roasted?

                        Lets diagnose this puppy!

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                          Greg: Tell me about it. Cursed coffee-snobbery. Ah to go back to my old standards (yeah right!). Will sell Silvia and hide under bed as you describe. Good plan. Very close to chucking it off the balcony - maybe thats why they make them15kg!

                          Thanks Dan!

                          Pingusam - thanks again for all your help. I will pay it forward to some newbie one day. Coffee Karma and all that.

                          1. Ok, went out and got fresh beans yesterday from Carlisle St. Step one complete. They roast every day or second day.
                          2. Have finally figured out that finding the point when grinder burrs touch requires me to actually turn on the machine. Aaaah. Stupid manual is practically useless, they should pay us in kind to rewrite it for them. Anyway, mine is between 0-1. Lets hope this is right. I turned it on and turned the hopper til I hear (what I assume to be) burrs touching.
                          3. Leave Silvia on for about 45mins before use with PF in.
                          4. Run water through PF.
                          5. Grind and dose for a double basket - no one drinks single shots tsk tsk. (Sidenote: not a fan of doser model...) Gring settings still a variable, I cant seem to find a suitable one.
                          6. Level with the back of a finger.
                          7. light tamp. tap on the counter to get the grinds off the side of the basket into the PF.
                          8. Proper 30lb tamp.
                          9. Put PF into place and.. some combination of the below happens

                          a. not even close to 25-20 seconds and tastes bitter but still has a crema
                          b. 25-30 and nice-ish looking but tastes bitter as hell

                          Shots usually have blondish crema, not hazelnut-looking. They always taste bitter.

                          I am such a noob.

                          CS should have a SkillsSwap section. Mine would read:
                          Makes horrible coffee. Would like coffee making lesson with Rocky/Silvia combo and can offer cooking class or teach texes holdem poker.


                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                            OK, a number of ideas.

                            If the burrs touch at 0, then 0-1 is very fine. I would expect about 4 or 5 to be close.

                            The variance of too fast and too slow says something is inconsistent--grind or volume are the usual suspects, tamp pressure is not usually a determining factor if you are close and are using good beans.

                            After tamping, dry the shower screen (up where portafilter goes), put a 5 cent coin on the coffee and lock in the portafilter. Unlock and remove. You should see a slight impression of the coin pushed into the coffee. Add or remove grounds until this is the case. A teaspoon difference is a lot! Re-tamp carefully after removing coin.

                            Lock portafilter and pull a shot into a well-heated glass or cup.

                            It should start off very black, turn foamy and dark-medium brown, and then start to lighten with streaks in it. Stop as soon as the coffee pales off, not until it runs clear. If you only get 20 ml, then stop anyway. Aim for about 20-30 ml maximum in about 20 seconds at this stage. If you are way off, then adjust grind.

                            Drink coffee--black, no sugar, and right away. This *should be* a ristretto, and have reduced bitterness compared to an espresso. It should be at drinkable temperature--if it is too hot to drink then machine is probably running hot and will deliver bitter coffee always.

                            Come back with your results.

                            Greg

                            ps--there are some great videos at http://www.espressocompany.com.au/how-to.htm that show you how and what. Even though they are on a much bigger machine, the techniques and tips are very relevant.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                              The really important question is why do you stop the flow when you stop it? What clues are you looking for?

                              If youre in Brisbane, I could help -- anything is better than study :P

                              How certain are you that the tamp is level? Pay real close attention to this. One clue something is wrong is if it comes out quicker out of one spout than the other. However, if youre tamping heavier at the top, it will be symmetric and youd never know...definitely something to look out for.

                              Grind, level using a business card or something like that, and then run an unfurled paperclip around in the grounds to break up any potential clumps (do it everywhere, even if you cant explicitly see clumps), then level and tamp as per normal. You do this to break up clumps, which can cause uneven extraction due to easier paths for the water to traverse.

                              What is the texture of the crema? Is it watery, or is there some viscosity? Youre shooting for thick and luxurious, but dont expect it straight away.

                              At Kmart / Target and such, there are these tupperware style containers that are really thick, with big lids called "click clack". If you get one of those, you can apparently use it as a new lid for your hopper. The advantage is that if you pump it up and down, it blows out all the coffee grounds in the grinder, making cleanup a breeze! Just make sure to measure the inner diameter of your hopper. There isnt one for my grinder But there is for yours. Stale grounds can cause problems, hence why this is a good idea.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Finally, a Silvia/Rocky. Now, what do I do?

                                Originally posted by 3E2720293B3D2F234E0 link=1243509448/28#28 date=1243639891
                                Just make sure to measure the inner diameter of your hopper.
                                Just take the hopper with you to the shop.

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