Silvia shot help

[Jezza1984]

Hi all,
i have just purchased myself a second hand v2 silvia and a new compak k3p
i have little experience on this type of setup but I'm slowly getting the hang of it.
i have managed to get a nice 30ml in 30 second shot down however my puk
is still fairly wet! I have played around a bit but generally end up with
an under/over extracted shot . I have not weighed the amount I put in the portifilter
should I be doing this? Any help much appreciated cheers!

[leighaus]

Every variable you leave to chance, leaves you in the dark.

[mulquemi]

Jezza1984,
Welcome along to this great subject...coffee and it's making.
Seems to me you have the opportunity to play with your new toys and get things back onto track.
If your coffee puck is too wet ,you could ease off the tamping pressure,experiment and then experience the difference in output.
You could have a play with your grinder perhaps,see what a finer/ coarser grind does.
Some folk use a grinder and believe the settings should be perfect.....not always the case,try a range of settings.
The resulting used coffee residue should be a compacted and dry(ish) cake,the pour should be a lovely honey drizzlely output with nice crema.
Good beans may cost a lot however,polish up your settings/ technique and don't hesitate throwing some failed results into the dregs bin(makes good compost to).
Keep us informed,always good to know when things "finally click" into proper place,so to speak!
cheers,
Mick.

[Dimal]

Welcome "Jezza1984"...

It's really a matter of becoming consistent with all of the components of the technique required that will get you where you want to be and rather than go into a wordy explanation of what to do, there's some great How-To videos on the ECA website here, that demonstrate the basics required. Although not for a Silvia specifically (which requires intervention from the user to go from Brewing to Steam and back again), the technique being demonstrated is a good one to use across a wide range of different makes of machine.

Have fun...
Mal.

[Jezza1984]

Thanks for your replies guys much
appreciated. I got hold of some scales
today so let the testing begin!

[sprezzatura]

Take and post an image of the resulting shot. This can help us offer some suggestions to you (how the crema looks, etc.). Also, if possible, take an image of the coffee beans and tell us how old they are. How do they smell? We're always interested in these things here. I have a Silvia V.4 standard (although I've tweaked the pump pressure) and will be happy to offer suggestions. Sprezz

[mentasm]

I personally think the 30ml in 30 second thing is a bit misguided. It's ok when you are trying to get in the ball park and dial in your grind etc, but it really doesn't take into accounts the character of the beans you are using.

Some roasts taste heaps better with a shorter, more gushy pour. Some are better with a 45 second slow extraction.

I'd just say be prepared to experiment a bit with the beans you are using and see what works. Try and make your dosing and tamp consistent and then start adjusting your grind to alter your extraction time. Try coarser grind and shorter extraction. Try finer grind a longer drippy extraction.

[tobeanornottobean]

A late post, but something to consider. Google Matt Perger and wet pucks. He has some interesting things to say. But basically, you also need to think about what is left in the cup, not just the group head, at the end of a shot.

[Yelta]

Don't stress re wet pucks with Silvia Jezza, quite normal, particularly with larger baskets.

If the coffee in the cup passes your taste test all is well.

I owned a Silvia for 10 trouble free years, pucks were always on the wet side.

[sprezzatura]

I agree - my V.4 leaves them wet more often than not although not as much since I set the OPV to release at 6-7bar.

[scotchparty1]

What made you decide on 6-7 bar?

[Dimal]

G'day mate...

Spring operated OPV valves don't operate in a 'binary' fashion as such, ie not a simple hard On or hard Off. It's a gradual process such that as the spring is compressed, slightly more pressure is required to allow more water to flow through it. By the time you're getting the appropriate rate of flow through the filter basket, the pressure on top of the coffee cake should be within the ball-park of 8.5-9.0 BAR. This pressure is always best set using a decent pressure gauge with needle valve to adjust flow, mounted on a Group Handle. The Pros mostly all use what is called a Scace Device which not only allows for the precise adjustment of Brew Pressure but Brew Water Temperature as well...

Mal.