rbh1515 Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 1,251 Location: Milwaukee Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: LM GS3 Grinder: Mazzer Vac Pot: have one Drip: no Roaster: never use it
Posted Wed May 2, 2007, 9:14am Subject: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12 mo.
I've been making espresso for about 17 years now. Just when I think I'm making the best espresso I possibly can, or steaming the milk just right, I figure out a new technique, or hear about a new technique, or buy a new product that improves my espresso. The last 12 months have seen a number of good changes for me. See below. What good discoveries have you made? Rob
I have had a naked portafilter for a while, but I never liked using it much because I often got some channeling, and espresso would occasionally spray out and make a mess. I knew I had a problem with the distribution and packing of the grounds but wasn't sure of the fix until my neighbor told me about the technique of using a small yogourt container--you cut out the bottom of the container so that it fits in your portafilter basket. Then you dump the grounds in the basket and use an impliment (I use a extra temperature probe) to stir the grounds around so you have a good distribution. Now I have no more channeling!!
I bought a Scace device and a Fluke digital thermometer. I found out that my water was too hot coming out of the group head. I turned down the pressurestat a bit and flush a bit more. Now my water is at a much better temp!
I won the WLL latte art contest last summer--free beans for a year! One problem--I get a couple pounds of beans at the beginning of the month, and if I let them sit they would go stale. A few of my neighbors have benefited--I gave a lot of good stuff to them, such as Vivace Vita. Plus, occasionally my dad in Seattle sends me something tasty like a pound of Victrola's Streamline. Too many beans to have on hand at once!! I started freezing some of the beans in airtight bags--they actually are great 2-3 weeks later. Recently I saw an article at HomeBarista that stated freezing beans is not a bad thing to do!
After I bought the Scace device, I found that the device didn't fit that well in the grouphead of my Astra Gourmet. The Astra uses a fairly thick dispersion block (the dispersion screen fits onto the dispersion block). They say that with this system you don't have to tamp. Well, of course I have always tamped, and the thick dispersion block was the only thing on the Astra that I didn't like. It just protrudes too far into the basket. I called Astra, and sure enough they carry a much thinner dispersion block--the Scace devise now fits perfectly, and the dispersion screen isn't butting up against the grounds in the basket anymore, which can disrupt the tamped grounds!
Thats it. I hope there will be more revelations in the years to come. Anyone else have any good ideas?? Rob
Jasonian Senior Member Joined: 8 Aug 2005 Posts: 3,856 Location: Lubbock, TX Expertise: Professional
Posted Wed May 2, 2007, 9:35pm Subject: Re: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12
Upgraded to an HX.
Put together an SC-TO combo.
Developed a new "super fast" distribution method.
Learned some things about dosing, grind setting, and their impacts on flavor.
Became obsessed with honesty in the cup, which lead to an obsession with green quality, which lead to suspicion of the term "Specialty Grade".
Re-analyzed everything I thought I knew about how espresso worked, and came to the conclusion that there is no conclusive evidence of any of it without access to Illy's theoretically existing glass portafilter.
I learned that degree of roast greatly impacts the behavior of the puck during extraction.
I learned just how important a good steam tip can be to getting microfoam.
I learned not to trust everyone I run into who happens to be interested in coffee quality.
I realized I prefer normale dosing.. which is related to the honesty thing.
I'm sure I'm leaving out a whole lot, but that's all I can remember for now.
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 12:57pm Subject: Re: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12
Jasonian
You really hit it on the head. Those are things I have learned as well and feel we have a long way to go before we start seeing better quality coffee and espresso
Me too, returned to primarily normale vs ristetto shots. Harder to pull well but ultimately worth it. (Atleast I think that's what you were referring to.)
Second big thing was started using finger tripod each simultaneously touching tamper piston and top lip of PF/basket to help assure properly aligned tamp. (yeah be hot, (hobby) chef fingers:-)
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 10:16pm Subject: Re: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12
mcKoffee Said:
Me too, returned to primarily normale vs ristetto shots. Harder to pull well but ultimately worth it. (Atleast I think that's what you were referring to.)
Second big thing was started using finger tripod each simultaneously touching tamper piston and top lip of PF/basket to help assure properly aligned tamp. (yeah be hot, (hobby) chef fingers:-)
rbh1515 Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 1,251 Location: Milwaukee Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: LM GS3 Grinder: Mazzer Vac Pot: have one Drip: no Roaster: never use it
Posted Fri May 4, 2007, 12:14pm Subject: Re: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12
mcKoffee Said:
Me too, returned to primarily normale vs ristetto shots. Harder to pull well but ultimately worth it. (Atleast I think that's what you were referring to.)
Second big thing was started using finger tripod each simultaneously touching tamper piston and top lip of PF/basket to help assure properly aligned tamp. (yeah be hot, (hobby) chef fingers:-)
I've never heard of anyone refer to the "finger tripod". I started doing this a couple years ago so that my tamp would be more level. I guess there are a lot of techniques out there that many of us discover independently. Rob
mcKoffee Senior Member Joined: 29 Dec 2001 Posts: 849 Location: Vancouver WA USA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Bricoletta, Audrey, LM 3&4AV... Grinder: Mazzer Major,SJ, Rocky,... Vac Pot: Gold Royal Balance Drip: When it rains...Moka, FPs Roaster: USRC3k,CCR HT, Behmor, Cafe...
Posted Fri May 4, 2007, 12:27pm Subject: Re: What new espresso related things did you learn/discover/adapt in the last 12
rbh1515 Said:
I've never heard of anyone refer to the "finger tripod". I started doing this a couple years ago so that my tamp would be more level. I guess there are a lot of techniques out there that many of us discover independently. Rob
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