Re: Noob with Sylvia
Thtas great Alec! enjoy ;D and so it begins.
p.s check out the flat screen in my previous post really helps reduce chanelling from that pesky hex screw.
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Noob with Sylvia
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Update from noob here - the other day my wife (who I was afraid would not go for this new manual machine) said to be she thopught the coffee the Sylvia was producing was amazing and so much better than the old auto machine - and (surprisingly) she is actually enjoying the ritual of pulling shots and frothing milk and fancies herself as a barista
..... she feels her milk/foam is top notch and is now going to attempt foam art....
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
This the BIG benefit with a ridgeless basket 8-).... No ridge to absorb the tamping force rather than that force being applied to the coffee cake itselfOriginally posted by 43485249534C4E47200 link=1315038590/21#21 date=1315800731in addition I find it easier to tamp as there is no ridge to catch your tamper on.
Mal.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Thanks. I "think" my current basket may be ridgeless as the tamper has no problem tamping ... could that be - I think its the standard one....Originally posted by 2C273D263C2321284F0 link=1315038590/21#21 date=1315800731These are ridgeless so they tap out really clean. Also the shape aids to increase the volume of coffee it holds. Also in addition I find it easier to tamp as there is no ridge to catch your tamper on.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
These are ridgeless so they tap out really clean. Also the shape aids to increase the volume of coffee it holds. Also in addition I find it easier to tamp as there is no ridge to catch your tamper on.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Whats the purpose of the double basket?Originally posted by 62697368726D6F66010 link=1315038590/17#17 date=1315732448
P.s. Also a cheap upgrade well worth the while for any Silvia owner is a Synesso double basket. 8-)
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
I found it to really boost the steaming power and perhaps, yes, dryer.
Just dont open too much for the counter effect to happen.
Good luck with the basket (I love them!). The only thing I would recommend along with it is a flat screen from these guys. Very cheap and great for reducing channelling.
http://www.pidsilvia.com/screen.htm
The seller is great to deal with and is very prompt.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Ill be getting that ridgeless one soon in the 18gm capacity with the recommended spring for security from Pullman.Originally posted by 767D677C66797B72150 link=1315038590/17#17 date=1315732448P.s. Also a cheap upgrade well worth the while for any Silvia owner is a Synesso double basket
In the Cup, if i do the every second purge of the steam wand, would i get a drier steam?
I found that the Silvia produces a wet steam and makes the coffee taste watered down. :-?
Gary at G
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Hi Alec,
Basically opening the steam wand for split instance as it is approaching steam temperature clears additional room in the boiler for more steam.
When I mean quick; I mean open,close.
As for running water through the boiler before steaming, this just ensures you not exposing the heating element at any time to the higher temps of steaming; not necessary but just safe in my opinion and really not any extra work.
P.s. Also a cheap upgrade well worth the while for any Silvia owner is a Synesso double basket. 8-)
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Yes. Great links and thanks for posting.
Goodness, those pics from Jetblack look like they have not been cleaned in weeks.
I normally clean mine once a week as a matter of habit.
Have to say, once you have backflushed with the machine cleaner, you need to re- backflush with plenty of hot water through the machine using the blind filter, and then make an espresso and discard.
Youre good to go after that.
Have tried using the powder using cold water but found it difficult to dissolve, so i use hot water.
Reminds me, have to go clean my Silvia. Cya.
Gary at G
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Alec, those links are good guides to follow. You seem to be on the right track.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Thanks to all - the coffees are now coming out nice and hot
So now to cleaning. Am I right in having read I should backflush regularly (http://www.frcndigital.com/coffee/HowToBackflush.html) and semi-regularly actually clean it out (http://www.jetblackespresso.com.au/equipment/rancilio-silvia/cleaning-the-rancilio-silvia/)
Are these the best practice instructions?
So I need:
- blind filter
- group head brush
- cleaning poweder
??
Any recommendations on the above?
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Good advice for the first two sentences.Originally posted by 585349524857555C3B0 link=1315038590/11#11 date=1315120014Hey Alec ideally needs a 30 min heat up. You may reduce this to about 20mins by pulling blank shots to make the boiler go through cycles.
When ready to go, portafilter should be hot to touch, romove, dry, dose, tamp pull blank shot wait for light to go off. lock in and pull shot.
If preparing milk, fill jug whilst shot is going. switch off when blonding stop shot and open steam tap and hit hot water for about 10 secs, switch off and listen for the boiler to fill. When sound stops hit steam switch and at about every 15 sec open and close steam knob to bleed excess water when light goes off bleed water and steam milk.
Last paragraph though, im puzzled.
I thought you only need to open the hot water tap after steaming to top up the boiler, not after brewing.
Also you only need to bleed the steam wand once when steam temperature is reached.
Opening the steam wand every 15 seconds to bleed is superfluous.
Thats my opinion.
Does others have a take on this?
30 minutes is definitely recommended for the warm up.
A 24 hour timer is handy.
Just set the time for when you make the coffee.
For eg. In the morning you have breakfast at 8am. Timer set for half hour at 7.30am.
So by the time youre ready, the machine is ready.
Heat up the cup with hot water through the grouphead with the empty portafilter locked in.
This helps keep everything warm.
Put your teaspoon in the cup so that warms up too. A cold teaspoon can affect the temp of the coffee.
One trick i can recommend if youre in a hurry or have forgotten to set the timer, is to turn on the machine, turn on the steam switch and lock in the portafilter handle. Fill up jug with milk.
When light goes off, steam milk.
After steaming, turn off steam switch and turn on brew switch for hot water to go into your empty coffee cup. This step serves the purpose of re-filling the boiler at the same time, while bringing the boiler down to brewing temperature as well as getting rid of any stale coffee grounds in group head.
Remove portafilter and dry wipe.
Fill portafilter with coffee and brew.
Move the milk around the jug to prevent the microfoam from separating while brewing.
This reverse procedure saves the possibility of burning out the element, and theres no need to re-fill the boiler.
Gary at G.
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Make sure you heat up your cup too, with new users this is the most common fault
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Re: Noob with Sylvia
Hey Alec ideally needs a 30 min heat up. You may reduce this to about 20mins by pulling blank shots to make the boiler go through cycles.
When ready to go, portafilter should be hot to touch, romove, dry, dose, tamp pull blank shot wait for light to go off. lock in and pull shot.
If preparing milk, fill jug whilst shot is going. switch off when blonding stop shot and open steam tap and hit hot water for about 10 secs, switch off and listen for the boiler to fill. When sound stops hit steam switch and at about every 15 sec open and close steam knob to bleed excess water when light goes off bleed water and steam milk.
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