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Bezzera BZ10 + Quamar. "Second" impressions

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  • #76
    Originally posted by BLW View Post
    Hi Azzabee,
    I also upgraded just a bit over a month ago from a SB EM7000 to the BZ10 and was struggling getting things to taste nice (not bitter) and avoid channelling. My shots started nicely, then sped up half way through with the 16g basket.

    First thing I did was buying a bottomless portafilter to see how my shots look like during extraction (I went with the one from Edesia Espresso, but there are others and most come with a triple filter as well: JetBlack, Baristasupplies/-warehouse...).

    With the bottomless PF in, I spend some time playing around with an old bag of beans changing the grind (finer/coarser) and the dosage and found most of the times I still got some channelling (no single stream) despite the pour going slower/faster.

    So I played around with my technique, which is ended up quite different to what I do in the cafe I'm working at (commercial equipment works a bit better I guess).

    1) Fill the portafilter
    First, I grind about 18g into the 16g PF (my scale isn't as accurate as yours). Less runs too fast with reasonable tamping (you can put your whole weight on it for it to work with less, but I'd rather not). More and the puck hits the shower screen which leaves a mess on it and results in mid-way channelling.

    Second, I distribute the ground coffee with my fingers as good as possible in the basket to make it level (make sure it covers especially the edges!)

    Third, I tap the filter on a towel (works fine with a bottomless) which I guess distributes the grounds more evenly in the filter and get's them off the sides (No tapping the tamper against the PF - I love my equipment without dints). Before I just set the tamper on top and let it sink in (and had channelling).
    The level is now below the ridge.

    Next, I set the tamper on top of the ground coffee without any pressure. I use the Bezzera tamper, which is the same size as yours (58mm) and it leaves some grounds on the side if I don't do the tapping mentioned above (sometimes I brushed the 5mm or so from the edges, but the tapping works much better).

    Then, I played around with a nutation tamp ("roll" tamper 360 on the edges - no twisting) which I think it helped to get an even pour.

    Last, I tamp down and do some polishing twists to get a smooth surface.
    Little gound coffee up on the side of the basket, level a few mm below the ridge.

    2) Pull the shot
    Before I put the PF into the group head, I flush for 10 seconds (or 120 ml).
    I wait a little bit before I finish my shot (tip the flushed water out of my measuring shot glass) and then finish my shot in the 30 sec, 30+ ml area.

    My shots all tasted bitter if I didn't do the flush straight before the pull (did so before grinding for a while). Now my espresso tastes as expected, a creamy rich texture without any sour/bitter overtones.

    You can read a lot about adjusting the machine's internal settings, which voids the warranty (adust the boiler pressure form around 1.2 to 1.35 by cracking the "glue" or open it up and lower the OPV from 11 to 9 - which is from what I read the setting for rotary pumps that most E61 machines come with, not the vibration pump used in the BZ10 - but I leave that to people with real knowledge to answer).

    This routine made all the difference for me. I'm not saying this is the perfect way to go. However, everything I did before resulted in quite bad espresso and was ok at best for a latte.

    So, I finally enjoy my BZ10!
    The espresso at the cafe I get my fresh coffee from still tastes better, but that might be due to me using a SmartGrinder on the finest setting it can do instead of a SuperJolly.

    I hope that helps on your journey.
    It is great to learn other people’s experiences and find this machine can be challenging to work with when you start. After over 4 years of using this machine, I guess you develop a routine by which you settle in nicely to get the best results out of your kit, I would almost forget the learning curve I went through myself.

    I read quite a few experiences of people with E61-based HX machines and specifically regarding temp management, people’s routines that work for them vary widely. Some meticulously time their flushes, then time their recovery and then pull, others just flush and brew away. The beauty of the BZ10 I think is you can go about this flush routine fairly casually and you are always in the ball park or better. I tend to dose, flush, allow slight recovery while redistributing the grinds and then brew. I find that I can go about it similarly to how people do on a SB machine; flush just enough to start a heating cycle, let the boiler reach top of cycle while I redistribute and tamp and then pull the shot. Not saying this is the be-all end-all though.

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    • #77
      Thanks for the detailed response BLW. I will try incorporate a cooling flush into the routine. I normally flush water into an empty cup before I grind, then distribute, tamp and pull the shot. It might be getting a little too hot in that time.

      I recently bought a Pullman tamper at 58.63mm, and a OCD ripoff distributor. These have helped in getting more consistent results. I now realise how crap my technique was!

      As far as dosing, I’ve started using a 21g basket that was supplied with my bottomless PF, and settled on 19.5g. The standard Bezzera 16g basket doesn’t have holes all the way to the edge and I found my shots with this always had a little burnt flavour. The larger basket looks to be constructed better and is giving pleasing results.

      More cooling shots on the way. I’m loving this machine, and the thought that it can get better!

      Comment


      • #78
        If you want to see how long it takes for the water to heat up just watch it coming out of the shower screen - you'll see the water all bubble up as it emerges from the screen, which indicates the super-heated water that's still liquid under pressure but above boiling temperature (i.e. the bubbles are the super-heated water reacting to ambient temperature/pressure). You'll then observe the water start to stream out without the bubbles, indicating that the water is now at correct temperature. So do a flush, and then follow it up at various intervals, say 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds etc. That way you can find out where to it it into the routine!

        Comment


        • #79
          Originally posted by Azzabee View Post
          ...
          My question to tannyboy (and others with the know-how) is how are you finding the standard Bezzera baskets? With some recent reading, I keep hearing the dosing for this machine is sensitive, and I read lots of differing opinions on what amount to use for the supplied double 16g basket.

          I’ve gone up and down the recommended dosage amounts and have settled on 18g for my 16g basket (according to the scales on my grinder). ...
          I just noticed that the BZ10 was changed a few times while skimming through the BZ10 diagrams. Some figures state different dates, including up to 31.12.11, 18.3.13, 1.4.13, 28.1.14, 31.11.15.

          The most obvious change is the swap of the On/Off buttons to switches. By further look, there are 2 different double baskets listed, a 12g filter basket (5471021.01) and the 16g one (5471035) that came with my 2017 machine. No change dates here.

          So quite possibly, early BZ10 owners who could fill their included double basket with only 14g might have a different one to the 16g basket the machine comes with now.

          Before my BZ10 arrived, I read somewhere that the supplied steam tip was too powerfull (4 hole) and is best to be replaced. Although some BZ07 owners chimed into the discussion too, the diagrams again show that the steam tips listed up to 6.10.11 were a 4 hole (7305010) and/or (?) a 2 hole (7305013). Now it's a different terminal 2 hole (7305014).

          Great to see that Bezzera introduces changes to improve the machines. However, it makes it harder to find the right info in forums for a specific topic (as seen with the don't overdose beyond 14g tip).

          Comment


          • #80
            We can confirm all BZ10s now come with a two hole (1.5mm) tip.

            I am glad to see happy BZ10 owners here. Its has been an underrated machine IMO.

            The actively heated group head is a great feature that not many others have.

            Current specifications listed here https://www.casaespresso.com.au/bezzera-bz10.html

            Cheers

            Antony
            www.casaespresso.com.au

            Comment


            • #81
              Originally posted by Casa Espresso View Post
              We can confirm all BZ10s now come with a two hole (1.5mm) tip.

              I am glad to see happy BZ10 owners here. Its has been an underrated machine IMO.

              The actively heated group head is a great feature that not many others have.

              Current specifications listed here https://www.casaespresso.com.au/bezzera-bz10.html

              Cheers

              Antony
              www.casaespresso.com.au
              The heated group head was probably the main reason why I chose the BZ10. And I'm glad I did!

              I read many comments about how a timer on E61 machines can overcome the morning heat up times. However, I doubt I would be happy at all having to wait for 30+ minutes when I feel the need of a ristretto on one of those afternoons to get me going. Those 10-15 minutes are just the right time. Turn the machine on, get everything ready, stretch the legs and off you go.

              It also takes up less bench space than some other machines and you can fit mugs as well (atm I pour into a 120ml shot glass while still learning).

              Without having a comparison other than to a commercial machine in a cafe, I'm happy with my purchase - after the initial learning curve

              Edit: I prefer the new-ish switches on the BZ10 as well Anthony. It looks quite funny seeing it with the chorme plated buttons

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