Well, the story thus far, I started getting into coffee a few months ago and started trying to make latte art with my sunbeam bar espresso... I got some semblance of a rosetta but the bottom line was that supermarket bricks didnt produce very nice crema. The remedy was that I had to buy a grinder - a lux as it turned out.
Well... I think I choked the machine a bit too much trying to get the 25 second pull from the sunbeam and i totally killed it. (yay?)
Well, I researched and shopped and used my girlfriends breville for a month. I finally decided to impart with $695 and ordered myself a Silvia. Coffee Philosophy in Sydney (Mocopan) didnt have any in stock when I tried to get one last week. I picked it up at lunch today and they gave me my lunch for free ;D . They said they got shipment of 10 units yesterday afternoon, and today at lunchtime when I got mine they said they only had two left.
I ordered myself a Pullman tamper a few days ago, but it still hasnt arrive yet. I now regret refusing Gregs offer of express delivery since now I have to put up with the crappy plastic one that doesnt fit, until at least Monday (SHOCK! HORROR!)
Well, regardless, I tried making some coffees for myself and my four flatmates.
They were crap.
All of a sudden, theres so many more variables that Im not used to. The biggest two variables that I have no idea about is the dosing and what level of the basket I need to tamp to.
I think Ive got the grind about right, but I cant tell because I dont know what the dosing is supposed to be :-/
Most of my pulls have been overextracted - very dark at first, with a small amount of very stiff crema, which breaks up very easily (in a cappa cup - in the shot glass it looks fine). The espresso doesnt start to pour until about 10 seconds after flicking the switch - is this normal? or is it another telltale sign of overdosing/overtamping?
The pulls take about 20 seconds from the first flow of espresso before it goes whitish. Also, it yields only about 30mls in this time, from a double basket.
I tried tamping/dosing less but I just got a 10 second gusher.
Well, I settled on some crap crema, and mediocre espresso to for my own drink.
The milk is a different story - Im not used to the huge steam pressure compared to the thermoblock machines I have been using. My first and second attempt was worthy of pouring straight down the drain. Im getting better at it though - I distributed 5 coffees to my flatmates and myself - three lovehearts and two apples.
Theres still some medium sized bubbles, but Im pretty sure Ill get the handle of it soon enough.
I started cleaning up and suddenly got the urge to try out the LM basket I bought yesterday in anticipation. This one was a 30 second pull into about 30mls. Once again, since it was a double basket, it should really have come out as 60mls. Regardless, it was the first drinkable shot that I ever pulled, which made me quite excited. Sadly, I had to tip it since it was already 8pm and I already had too much for the night already
. I can still taste it even though I only had two of the tiniest sips.
I cant wait till tomorrow... There will be much more time to experiment and also, Ill have some helpful feedback from all you lovely people!
Cheers,
victor.
Well... I think I choked the machine a bit too much trying to get the 25 second pull from the sunbeam and i totally killed it. (yay?)
Well, I researched and shopped and used my girlfriends breville for a month. I finally decided to impart with $695 and ordered myself a Silvia. Coffee Philosophy in Sydney (Mocopan) didnt have any in stock when I tried to get one last week. I picked it up at lunch today and they gave me my lunch for free ;D . They said they got shipment of 10 units yesterday afternoon, and today at lunchtime when I got mine they said they only had two left.
I ordered myself a Pullman tamper a few days ago, but it still hasnt arrive yet. I now regret refusing Gregs offer of express delivery since now I have to put up with the crappy plastic one that doesnt fit, until at least Monday (SHOCK! HORROR!)
Well, regardless, I tried making some coffees for myself and my four flatmates.
They were crap.
All of a sudden, theres so many more variables that Im not used to. The biggest two variables that I have no idea about is the dosing and what level of the basket I need to tamp to.
I think Ive got the grind about right, but I cant tell because I dont know what the dosing is supposed to be :-/
Most of my pulls have been overextracted - very dark at first, with a small amount of very stiff crema, which breaks up very easily (in a cappa cup - in the shot glass it looks fine). The espresso doesnt start to pour until about 10 seconds after flicking the switch - is this normal? or is it another telltale sign of overdosing/overtamping?
The pulls take about 20 seconds from the first flow of espresso before it goes whitish. Also, it yields only about 30mls in this time, from a double basket.
I tried tamping/dosing less but I just got a 10 second gusher.
Well, I settled on some crap crema, and mediocre espresso to for my own drink.
The milk is a different story - Im not used to the huge steam pressure compared to the thermoblock machines I have been using. My first and second attempt was worthy of pouring straight down the drain. Im getting better at it though - I distributed 5 coffees to my flatmates and myself - three lovehearts and two apples.
Theres still some medium sized bubbles, but Im pretty sure Ill get the handle of it soon enough.
I started cleaning up and suddenly got the urge to try out the LM basket I bought yesterday in anticipation. This one was a 30 second pull into about 30mls. Once again, since it was a double basket, it should really have come out as 60mls. Regardless, it was the first drinkable shot that I ever pulled, which made me quite excited. Sadly, I had to tip it since it was already 8pm and I already had too much for the night already
. I can still taste it even though I only had two of the tiniest sips.I cant wait till tomorrow... There will be much more time to experiment and also, Ill have some helpful feedback from all you lovely people!
Cheers,
victor.




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