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Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete Newbie)

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  • #31
    Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

    Hi reubuster,

    Thanks for your great advice!

    I only pulled one shot tonight - it went quite well for my current skill-level (although I had to dislodge the puck and redistribute/tamp) and I was so eager to taste the shot that I burnt my tongue :P

    Also, Ive still got to get my dosing down pat - I think I may be under-tamping: I got enough grind into the basket that there was a little heap which went above the top of the basket and I levelled off and then tamped, tapped the PF with the tamper and spun off, but I still couldnt get the PF to fit into the group head...after redistributing and pulling the shot, I got a bit of an impression of the shower screen and the screw into the puck (which was dry-ish to touch and consistently firm throughout)

    The extraction itself went a little like this;
    - drippage at just on the 5 second mark (my hopes were soaring ) although it went from a drip to a pour fairly quickly...
    - but I got to 30ml extracted before getting to the 25 second point (from memory, it was around the 18-19 second mark)
    Incorrectly (retrospectively) I let the extraction continue until the 25 second point when I just couldnt let it go on for any longer...

    I then watched the crema separate from the coffee...

    ...then I burnt my tongue

    The espresso tasted bitter (going on what this thread explained), but I suspect this is largely due to the over-extraction.

    Originally posted by reubster link=1182334969/15#28 date=1183008875
    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]
    So should I let the extraction run until the blonding starts, or the 30ml, or the 25 seconds, or whichever comes first? :P)

    Ill see if I can take an extended lunch tomorrow and head up to Veneziano

    Thanks again for the continued help!

    Comment


    • #32
      Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

      I reckon- forget the 30mls and the 25 seconds- go with the visual of the pour. If it is pouring too fast then your 25 seconds are going to be way too long and you start to get tertiary extraction- bitterness, if its too short-eg drips for a long time- it will taste overextracted and burnt.
      I always try to have the coarsest grind possible into an overfilled basket that will achieve as close to around 30 seconds as possible. Sometimes the humidity or the freshness of the beans will effect how quickly it pours.
      A nice pour will take a few seconds to come out and then drip in long thin "rats tails" into the cup gently increasing throughout the pour- cut them off as they hit a blond point or it will be bitter.
      good luck
      RH
      ps opv gasket can be gotten from coffeeparts- very ultra cheap. not hard to fit them.

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

        I agree with rayzurhed that it is better to focus on the visual and stop the shot there, but as your a beginner, I would still recommend keeping an eye on the time & volume as well.

        30ml at the 18-19sec mark is not too bad and if you stopped there, it should have tasted OK.
        The "flavour" of the extraction once the point of blonding has been reached becomes bitter.

        If your going for 30ml, I assume that means your using the Single basket. Well guess what.......
        On any machine, it is harder to pull a single shot than a double [less dose leaves more room for error] and on Silvia with its [lower dose baskets] many will tell you....dont even bother.

        I suggest, you use the double basket from now on [or at least until you get confident] you will find pulling doubles much more forgiving.....remember, with the double, its 60ml in 25 sec

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

          Hi guys,

          Im still having trouble getting a consistent pour...

          Ive asked the folks to try tamping some bathroom scales this afternoon when they go visiting the relos...Hopefully theyll get a feel for the 15kgs of pressure so we can try to get that side of things working properly...

          I was wondering; if I have two espresso cups under the PF and find that a larger extent of the pull ends up in one of the cups, is this an indication of poor distribution?
          The last shot I pulled, after about 23 seconds, one cup had around the 30ml mark, whereas the other had about 10ml...

          Ive resorted to the Gloria Jeans coffee to practice on (as were almost out of yours) but Im not sure its actually helping...the beans seem over-roasted and the shots turn out bitter even if the pull seems to progress well...

          I might have to resume once I get some freshly roasted stuff...

          Comment


          • #35
            Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

            Marco,
            Yes, it could be poor distribution [or more probably an uneven tamp], but I think not.....

            From what Ive read here and elsewhere, some Silvias seem to have uneven/unlevel spouts. [mine does]

            You could check your machine is level, but it seems to be a problem in the spout design/manufacture itself.

            Certainly, in my experience, I consistantly get a "worse" pour from the left spout, but as I only drink doubles, I care not.

            Is it always the same spout/side?

            Some have suggested replacing with the La Mazzoco spouts [from site sponsors Coffee Parts]....same thread & the bonus is that they look more retro.

            As a test, you could try rotating the PF 180deg, and then trying your tamp. If your problem swaps sides, its technique and not spouts.
            As I suggested earlier, if you lightly rest the PF on a finger, any uneveness in your tamping will be very obvious.

            So best, when evaluating your shots with the double basket, to use only one cup and go for around 50-60ml in around 20-30 sec.

            Your observations on coffee extracted from Glorias Jeans are spot on.

            If I recall, youve only been going a week or so, so its early days yet. Youre probably more consistant now than when you started, but in the pursuit of great coffee, the "standard of excellence" keeps raising as you progress.

            zen and the art of espresso

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

              Ive resigned myself from making any more espressos with Gloria Jeans coffee until this Saturday when Im off to Veneziano to go through some training with the pros and some freshly ground goodness! :P

              I hear the Bean Bay will be there at the same time, so I might even see some of you there!

              Thanks to all of you again for your continued assistance. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
              No doubt Ill be back with some (hopefully) curlier questions and an improved technique!

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: Rancilio Rocky/Silvia ? (Warning: Complete New

                Marco,

                Which basket are you using in your PF? It was mentioned a couple of post back by reubster using the single shot basket is near on impossible. I drilled a hole in mine and put a temperature probe in it for messing about with, thats about all its good for.
                Use the double shot basket, grind, pack and tamp as normal, aim for 40 - 60ml in ~25 seconds, stop the pour on blonding and you will get a good shot every time.

                Comment

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