Re: To knock or not to knock.
Steve
If the shot is good then you wont need sugar, use that as a guide to perfecting your technique, if the shot is smooth and silky then its spot on and you can leave the sugar for those that drink instant ;D
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
I always knock.
Immediately after the pour, I add sugar to the shot, then I knock, run water through the group and clean it and the seal with a brush, then wipe down the ss with a cloth. After Ive steamed I clean with a cold sponge and then purge as I prime the Silvias boiler.
After that I empty the drip tray and give that and the drip screen a wipe down, then clean the pf and place that on the drip screen.
Then its time to stir the shot and drink in the coffee awesomeness.
Its the coffee ceremony, I enjoy the whole process.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
Oops I forgot that one
I purge the steam and clean the hole with the "pin" gadget supplied by Sunbeam.
Dont forget the grinder as well :
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
purge some steam too rustyOriginally posted by 684F494E433A0 link=1243134560/10#10 date=1244620013After each steaming I wipe the wand with a damp cloth
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
As per previous - I have accidentally left the puck in and have lived to regret it with the extra effort to clean up afterward. It is much easier to clean it straight away in a home environment.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
Part of the coffee ritual is cleaning up - a bit like a Japanese tea ceremony
When I finish my run I empty the portafilter, rinse under the tap, run hot water through the group, clean the group with a cloth, insert the handle and run water through while jiggling.
After each steaming I wipe the wand with a damp cloth.
When finished for the day I do a water backflush.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
I use to with my old SB machine have pull shot, steam milk pour coffees clean up, then knock out puck by that point is nce and hard to tap out. New silvia no longer a problem when.
Let me say this though, When u have finished making coffees and cleaning up definatley knock out pucks then!!
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
Thanks for the responses guys. I think it makes me feel a lot better to know that something isnt in my shiny portafilter potentially corroding the thing away. I guess even worse is the damage that could be done to the group and the screen.
Thanks again
JB
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
Thanks David.
When I said soak for a while, it just depends on when I notice.
If Im about to make a coffee Id do as you say.
Sometimes though Ive found it when the machine is off and I have no boiling water on hand, so despite my saying to add water from the group, I add water and soak for a bit.
When working in a cafe I leave the handle in for heat retention but am also aware not to leave the puck in if its quiet and when cleaning my work area I also double check the pucks are dumped as part of my routine.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
If making a series of coffees, I do as David suggests above (as if in a cafe situation) but after the last brew is made the puck is removed immediately and the PF/Basket also cleaned up....
Mal.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
If this does happen, I recommend instead of soaking the portafilter, just wipe it out, pop out the basket give it a rinse under the hot water tap, wipe dry and reinsert! Takes a less than 30 seconds and you can start making your next coffee. Imagine if cafe baristas had to do this every time it happened and they suddenly just get hammered after a long lull in service.Originally posted by 0E322F343E3F283D353E5A0 link=1243134560/4#4 date=1243139801Finding out reinforced why I clean up before I drink my coffee (it only takes a few seconds).
If I leave the puck in, the heat from the group dries the sucker in place and its a b!@#h to dislodge.
When I finally whack most of it out there remains a thin layer of coffee grounds "welded" to the bottom the basket.
The easiest way to remove this is to add some hot water from the group and let it soak for a while.
JB, to definitively answer this question as a working barista -Originally posted by 102F292E333405183523363F5A0 link=1243134560/0#0 date=1243134560Ive heard some people say that you should leave the old puck in until you want to make your next coffee.What does everyone do?
this only applies if youre in a cafe environment, I recommend you should always knock out your extracted pucks when making coffee at home. Wipe basket dry, flush group head and reinsert handle. As TG said, it only takes a few seconds!
To baristas I train who work in cafes, I teach them never let the puck sit in the group for more than a couple of minutes. If youre busy, its fine to leave it in the group because youre going to be knocking it out sooner rather than later anyway. The reason why some people say leave the puck in the handle is for temperature retention - but often is told without the condition above.
The lesson is - at home, always discard of extracted pucks! Hope this helps.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
Lately Ive been distracted a couple of times and left the puck in the basket.
Finding out reinforced why I clean up before I drink my coffee (it only takes a few seconds).
If I leave the puck in, the heat from the group dries the sucker in place and its a b!@#h to dislodge.
When I finally whack most of it out there remains a thin layer of coffee grounds "welded" to the bottom the basket.
The easiest way to remove this is to add some hot water from the group and let it soak for a while.
All that is WAY too much trouble!!!
Clean now NOT later.
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Guest repliedRe: To knock or not to knock.
Knock, for sure. Unless maybe youre in a cafe environment or something?
I pull my shot, examine it, take my first sip whilst knocking our the empty puck, sit in my mouth whilst I do a portafilter wiggle, take another sip, more wiggling, another sip, dump the contents of the filter, sip, brush with a grouphead brush (GET ONE OF THESE) and do a final rinse.
Thats a lot of text, but its all over very, very quickly. Cleaning really doesnt take much time, and youll be better off for it.
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
I clean after making coffee while everything is still moist & soft to be easily cleaned
KK
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Re: To knock or not to knock.
always clean it up after making coffee just due to taking care of my stuff. dont think is good to let them fester
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