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Originally posted by 4A53545D4F495B573A0 link=1242097904/21#21 date=1242373189
Where are you guys getting your scales? I could only find ones (at best) 1g accuracy.
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Originally posted by 123D372A1019530 link=1242097904/19#19 date=1242365662
Ive also Gronked my machine - which is attaching a $40 thermocouple to the outside of the boiler...
Unfortunately it looks like the price of the Gronk standard thermometer has just gone up to $50 - at half the price of the much, much more useful CS Datalogger makes you ponder a bit harder about how long upgraditis can be held at bay.
Also - following other reading Im going to try (when I can find some styrofoam cups) the Weiss grind/tamp method. Along with this Im going to measure the weight of the beans first on my gram scale. http://www.home-barista.com/weiss-di...technique.html
Ive also Gronked my machine - which is attaching a $40 thermocouple to the outside of the boiler to get a "relative startpoint" for when I should run the shots - this makes temp surfing MUCH easier. http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1227428190/0
All that seems like a lot of messing around - but if you have the same weight grinds in there every time - thats fixed. If you use Weiss method, the distribution should be pretty close to fixed. If you tamp the same pressure every time - thats fixed (kitchen scale as suggested), and if you run the shot at the same "relative" temprature then thats also fixed.
As far as espresso goes - that will HELP to ensure you can reproduce the shot. And the naked PF will help you SEE youve done well.
Thats my bag... but saying that... this morning I just loaded it all up - blasted it thru and wolfed it down. Still tasted pretty damn good. Go figure.
Id recommend doing what Im doing SPL.G, just bite the bullet and experiment a lot, testing grind settings and being prepared to sink a few shots. Be a good little scientist though, and only change one variable at a time!
Still small problems with the Silvia, but they’re more like my stupid error instead of the machine. Was going to test the temperature again this morning but didn’t have time , maybe tomorrow..
About the Synesso basket, I have already ordered that from Greg along with the Pullman tamper. Should be good! … Still need to play around with the grinder setting though… but it’s hard to tell what a good grind is….
In terms of the rocky number setting; all rockies are different, for example a number 7 on one machine could produce the same grind size as a number 11 on another. Its just a matter of mucking around until you find an OK grind setting for your dose (and tamp). There is also a stepless modification that some people do (if you find that the increments are too large).
Just thought Id add that but if youve been reading around youve probably read that already.
I found that changing to the Synesso double ridgeless basket was a good move.
In terms of the water temperature
The boiler goes on until the water in it has reached the top temperature (which doesnt take long as its a small volume of water in the boiler and a big coil), then it goes off again until the water has cooled to the bottom temperature and so on. So whilst the water in the boiler is heated the rest of the machine needs time to heat up. As the hot water runs from the boiler, through the plumbing and into the cup, heat is lost. So heat loss is minimised when the machine is hot and the cup is hot.
50 minutes is the accepted norm for Silvia to have all parts at correct operating temperature unless you use some tricks to speed the process up, such as activating the steam switch and running steam through the group, etc.
Its all been documented before and a search should bring up the threads. Its possible to have Silvia at correct operating temperature in 15 minutes using the shortcuts. Easier though to just turn Silvia on 50 minutes before you want to pull a shot.
I think the traditional low cost method for measuring the temperature is to use a styrofoam cup (or similar) containing the thermocouple, held in the Group Head. You loose too much heat otherwise.
Also, as noted by others above, Gronking gives invaluable info and is (relatively) cheap
I think 15 - 20mins is the generally accepted minimum time that the Silvia (or most domestic machines?) should sit warming up before running a shot.
My morning routine is to switch the machine on as soon as I rise and put the PF into the grouphead at that time, then go for shower etc . By the time I am dressed ready for the day, so is my machine.
Identical performance here using the procedure in the link in my signature -- 60° from cool, 70° after surfing.
However, I then boiled water in a kettle, and as soon as the switch flicked I poured it into a new mug (same type), with another (same type) thermometer, and it registered 80°. The mug soaks up a lot, and I imagine it cools pretty quickly regardless (especially in Sydney this time of year).
Keep in mind that I know very little though; some food for thought nonetheless.
Guys, thanks for the suggestion. Baby steps is the way to go, and after following a suggestion from another thread, tamping the grind down to the ridge level did stop the shower screen from disturbing the puck.... the shot is improving also,..... great.
One thing which I noticed on my Silvia is that, after turning on the machine in the morning, the boiler light goes off after only about 5 minutes (from cold start)? HUH? I took out the Thermometer and measure the Temperature of the hot water and it was at about 50-60 degree C (in the bowl). So I ran more hot water to get the boiler going again (light on). After the light goes off, I ran the hot water into the bowl and measure the water temp again, its now at about 70 degree C.
--Shouldnt the hot water from the group head be close to 100 degree after temp surfing? Am I measuring it wrong? Ie. Measure in the bowl instead of the water that just came out..
Originally posted by 5B1C1F5C57472F0 link=1242097904/8#8 date=1242171364
Budget about 1/2 - 1kg of fresh beans, then just play with the machine and practice, practice, practice.
After pouring a couple of dozen shots you should have the grind right and your dose & tamp fairly sorted.
Sound advice no matter what machine you start with I reckon.
Budget about 1/2 - 1kg of fresh beans, then just play with the machine and practice, practice, practice.
After pouring a couple of dozen shots you should have the grind right and your dose & tamp fairly sorted.
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