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Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete Newbie)

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  • #16
    Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

    Hi Brett!

    Yes. Thats the master plan; the deeper basket and a Pullman (for the time being anyhow)... hopefully the upgraditis which affects most people around here wont get to me too quickly ;D

    Chris suggestion was to leave the PID for a later time, as they take a few weeks to ship and it also affords me some time to get used to using the Rocky/Silvia (and a chance for my bank balance to go back up :P)

    Drinking an espresso yesterday without any sugar at all was a revelation...

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    • #17
      Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

      I stopped taking sugar from my very first shot on my machine.

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      • #18
        Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

        Thanks guys!

        Ive taken the plunge and gotten myself the Rocky/Silvia combo.
        Will be picking it up tonight, I cant wait!

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        • #19
          Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

          Ive managed to resist the "upgraditis" ever since I bought the Silvia/Rocky combo 12 months ago. Even now, I dont feel the need to go up and Ive even managed to run a Home Machine course using the Silvia as the show piece! The Silvia still has a very good place in my home and as I really only generally make one coffee a week on it, I think that shell last me a lifetime at this rate!! (being a pro barista means that I make coffee at work for myself and not at home very often!)

          So, I think youll enjoy the package, Marco and get a lot of great coffee out of it! Just dont forget to ask if you need to know anything!

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          • #20
            Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

            Well, the Silvia and Rocky have been unpacked and Ive put them to use for the first time at home.

            To say I had mixed results would be an understatement! ;D

            I think this just underlines the need to get some sort of technique happening and get it happening routinely and roboticly...Going to do lots of reading and practice...and going through lots of coffee real fast!

            If any of you have any tips, please enlighten me!


            *off to make the most of the search function!*

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            • #21
              Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

              Mate I have never used a Silvia. I have the Rocky part of your combo and it is very consistent in grind. There are plenty of people here with Silvias, or who have had them and have produced excellent results. Good luck - Im sure that you will be delighted with the results based on the reports on here previously.

              Cheers

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              • #22
                Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                Originally posted by marco link=1182334969/15#19 date=1182858964
                Well, the Silvia and Rocky have been unpacked and Ive put them to use for the first time at home.

                To say I had mixed results would be an understatement! ;D

                I think this just underlines the need to get some sort of technique happening and get it happening routinely and roboticly...Going to do lots of reading and practice...and going through lots of coffee real fast!

                If any of you have any tips, please enlighten me!


                *off to make the most of the search function!*
                The one issue I post about agian and again is the need to fill the portafiller to the line around the rim of the basket, or just above it. The amount of coffee in the basket makes a big difference to the pour and small chnages can turn a gusher into a fairly tight pour. It should take a little more effort to lock the PF in place with the right amount of coffee.

                Also the Silvia needs a very fine grind, so dont be suprised if your Rocky needs to be set in the low singles. Mine is set around 4 and always has been around that number. Finally try to change only one variable at a time. Either grind, fill level or tamp pressure. This will help you get a feel for it.

                Matt

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                • #23
                  Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                  Thanks Matt!

                  I had one too many shots last night and it was getting late :P, so I decided to call it quits until I get home from work today.

                  Ill try filling the portafiller around the rim of the basket as youve mentioned and work out whether I should be adjusting the grinder or its my dosing which needs the most work.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                    Originally posted by marco link=1182334969/15#22 date=1182897198
                    Ill try filling the portafiller around the rim of the basket as youve mentioned and work out whether I should be adjusting the grinder or its my dosing which needs the most work.
                    Errrr make sure its not filled TO the rim after tamping . The final tamped level should be level with the line inscribed around the inside of the basket which is down from the top edge.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                      I use la mazocca oversized basket on silvia- 21 grams
                      I have rocky set at around 10 and fill, tap on the bench repeatedly till its loaded. Then I take a knife and gently scrape the top till its all smooth. Then tamp with pullman, hard. pull out- tap side to get left overs, tamp hard then swirl.
                      It just locks in and provides a magnificent 30 second pour of rich, dark sumptuous espresso.
                      With the OPV altered, I think it does change the grind setting too... eg with a higher pressure you need a finer grind to hold back the flow and last your 30 seconds.
                      Sometimes humidity or ultra freshness of beans effects it and I have to adjust a notch or two.
                      In the barista course I did, we were told to use the coarsest grind you can that will achieve the 30 second shot
                      RH

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                      • #26
                        Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                        Marco

                        Break the process into discrete stages, ie: Dosing, Distributing, Tamping, pulling the shot, texturing the milk etc and try and concentrate only on each stage at a time.

                        Give yourself a running self critism of each stage as you go

                        Within a week, youll probably be happy with 6/10 shots.
                        At a month, you will have progressed to the point where standards/skills have improved so much, youd probably ditch any of those original 6/10 shots, but youd be pulling pretty good shots by then.

                        I suggest you buy your freshly roasted beans from somewhere where you can also taste an expertly pulled shot, that way you can calibrate your pallate.

                        If the dose is correct, you will see a faint impression of the shower screen screw in the puck....check this before you pull the shot.

                        A really good tamper is a must [Pullmans are awesome]

                        I also found WDT [see link below] very helpful in getting consistantly great shots, funnilly enough after a while, I didnt need to do it any more.

                        http://www.home-barista.com/weiss-distribution-technique.html

                        Hopefully it will all become second nature within a few months....then comes the hardest bit....giving up Silvia to your dad.

                        Ive just asked my 3YO for a giotto

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                        • #27
                          Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                          Thanks again guys!

                          Tonights proved a little disappointing...

                          I really shouldve checked this thread to read all of your feedback before going through a whole lot of coffee

                          As Mr Macchiato predicted, I kept overfilling the basket and tried to tamp down until the PF fit into the group head. (haha, Im starting to pick up the lingo :P)

                          I have a Pullman and Im trying to learn to get the hang of tamping at 90 degrees...we dont have a set of bathroom scales at home, so I think its time to invest so I can get a consistent tamp happening...there are plenty of sales going on at the moment

                          RH, (took me a while to find out what OPV was...hehe) do Silvias come with altered OPVs? Mines brand new, I havent had anything done to it - except for putting a slight bend to the steaming wand to help make frothing easier...although Ive only tried that once to break the cycle of failed espressos

                          Thanks for the link for WDT reubuster - it looks like something fairly simple to do (exactly what I need!), Ill scout around for something I can use as a funnel...I have been finding the grind from my doserless Rocky to be clumpy...could this also be due to grinding the beans too finely?

                          Also, before pulling, and after checking the puck for the impression of the shower screen; if Ive overfilled the basket...can I loosen the puck and distribute/level/tamp again, or do I need to grind a new lot over again?

                          Dads actually being slack - he seems content to leave me to messing around trying to get a consistent pull happening...

                          With regards to getting the beans somewhere where I can also do a taste test, can any of you suggest somewhere to do this? I do work in the Melbourne CBD, so if theres somewhere close by, thatd be great!

                          Im indebted to all of you!

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                            Originally posted by marco link=1182334969/15#26 date=1182947281
                            Also, before pulling, and after checking the puck for the impression of the shower screen; if Ive overfilled the basket...can I loosen the puck and distribute/level/tamp again, or do I need to grind a new lot over again?
                            Gday marco,

                            You probably could loosen up all the grounds again, refill, distribute and re-tamp but personally, I wouldnt... By the time youve stuffed around doing all this the coffee will have dried out somewhat from the heat of the PF/Basket. Id just drop the puck out into your knock-box, clean the basket out and lock the PF back into the Group for a little while while you grind a fresh lot of coffee and try again.

                            Lots of good info from the guys above and also plenty of info to be found on CS about getting the best from Silvia and of course lots of other places too, so a search should serve you pretty well. Id also use Google with the site specific tag ":www.coffeesnobs.com.au" after your search keywords as it provides another method of drilling down to information. This is a great site for info directed at Silvia owners...

                            Cheers,
                            Mal.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                              Marco

                              Remember, much of this advise above applies to any coffee machine, not just Silvia.

                              Tell us, How is you extraction?
                              ideally you want [for a double] 60ml in 20 - 30 seconds and at that point the shot should be just at the onset of blonding [the transition from a rich tan pour to what looks like dishwater]

                              Clarifying some of your questions:

                              The finer you grind, the more clumps youll get, but a small percentage of clumping [say 5-10%] would indicate you are in the right espresso territory.

                              You can do the WDT by grinding into a cup or whatever, then transfer it to the PF. Many snobbers user a 250ml yoghurt container with the bottom cut of. It just rests in the PF, you grind in, WDT and then remove it and tamp.

                              Bathroom scales are the best way to measure a 14kg push. You will be surprised how much force it takes.
                              For now, just throw your shoulder into it and try and be consistant [let your grinder make the required adjustments]. Better to overtamp than under tamp.

                              Once you get the dosing about right, the tamp pressure actually becomes less critical. [I suspect the expansion of the puck against the shower screen creates its own pressure].

                              Once tamped, the dose should be just above the top of the V ridge in the basket [ie about 3-4mm from the top of the basket].

                              If you overfill too much, you will not be able to load into the PF, you can try dislodging the puck and refilling or scrapping off a little from the top, but usually once disturbed, the puck will end up with channelling.

                              Channelling: This is when sections of the puck have cracks/channels. Pressurised water looks for the path of least resistance, so whilst your grind and tamp pressure may be right, the water will gush through the puck very quickly.

                              In my personal experience, poor tamping and resultant channelling were the biggest problems I had as a beginner.

                              Assuming youre right handed, Try resting the PF handle gently on your left index finger whilst keeping the top of the basket level [ie parallel to the bench].
                              Them do the tamp.
                              If your tamp pressure is uneven and/or favours any one side youll see it pretty quickly.

                              One of the great things about the Pullman Tamper are those rings marked on the side. They make a great guide to see how level the tamp is progressing.

                              Finally, I can thoroughly recommend site sponsor Veneziano/First pour located in Abbotsford. [see left]
                              They sell beautifully roasted blends and pull great shots for you to try. ....This is what you need to aim for and the equipment you have is certainly up for it.

                              Keep up the good work, in 1 week you will be amazed how far youve come.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                                Great post Reubster [smiley=tekst-toppie.gif],

                                Mal.

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