AlexKilpatrick Senior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 117 Location: Austin
Espresso: Breville Dual Boiler Grinder: Bairtiza Vario
Posted Sat Feb 2, 2013, 5:24pm Subject: Great grinder, crappy machine. Help a newbie?
(I have been getting into espresso after learning how good a shot can be at a good coffee shop in Austin (Houndstooth, if you are from the area)
I upgraded my grinder to a Baritza Vario, which I got last night. My current machine is a Delonghi K-Mix (Click Here (www.seattlecoffeegear.com)) Everyone always says you can make good espresso with a good grinder and a weak machine, but not vice-versa. I'm starting to have my doubts, though.
I am upgrading to a Breville Dual Boiler, but i won't have that for another week or so. In the interim, I am trying to see how good of a shot I can make on the DeLonghi. When I make a latte on this, it tastes great. However, I have been tasting the shots before making the latte, and they are awful - very bitter. It makes me think that if all I cared about was lattes, *any* machine would work. The milk seems to make up for all kinds of sins.
Here are some of my questions/issues. Bear in mind that I have only a few things I can tweak: grind, amount, and time.
1) Is this kind of a machine capable of making a "good" shot? I'm not hoping for God shot, just something that is drinkable as a shot. 2) Currently, my shots take about 15 seconds to get started, which I know is long. But they blond about 25 seconds in, and are almost clear very quickly after that. What should I adjust? Just coarser grind? 3) This machine has a pressurized portafilter. Should I tamp with the standard 30 lbs of pressure? Or does the tamping not really matter with a pressurized portafilter?
Thanks in advance for you help. I think it is an interesting experiment to see what this machine can do.
AlexKilpatrick Senior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 117 Location: Austin
Espresso: Breville Dual Boiler Grinder: Bairtiza Vario
Posted Sat Feb 2, 2013, 9:17pm Subject: Re: Great grinder, crappy machine. Help a newbie?
OK, based on this tip, I read some more about PPF, and this definitely seems like a limitation. More of a coffee soup than a real pressurization.
I popped off the valve at the bottom, basically turning the pressurized portafilter into a normal one. Made a shot with it. I wouldn't say it was great, but it was drinkable, and WAY better than what I had with the PPF, without changing anything else.
I have no idea why companies use PPFs. I know they are supposed to be "more forgiving," but I certainly didn't see it.
Iluvdabean Senior Member Joined: 7 Mar 2005 Posts: 1,057 Location: California Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Nuova Era Cuadra/Gaggia... Grinder: Baratza Preciso/K-A Pro... Drip: Capresso MT 500/Pour Over Roaster: Nesco 1010/Behmor 1600
Posted Sat Feb 2, 2013, 9:40pm Subject: Re: Great grinder, crappy machine. Help a newbie?
If companies that sell espresso machines want to make money it follows the more they sell the more they make. If they can sell a machine that makes the majority of people make a espresso like substance while telling them its espresso they will sell more machines . The small hole creates a fake pressure and people think its espresso. Espresso is made when pressurized water at the right temperature is forced through the beans.The beans cause the resistance as the correct pressurized water at the right temperature rips the essence of that coffee out in a 30 second pull. Before you buy any machine do your homework everything in the market place isnt grade double A.
AlexKilpatrick Said:
OK, based on this tip, I read some more about PPF, and this definitely seems like a limitation. More of a coffee soup than a real pressurization.
I popped off the valve at the bottom, basically turning the pressurized portafilter into a normal one. Made a shot with it. I wouldn't say it was great, but it was drinkable, and WAY better than what I had with the PPF, without changing anything else.
I have no idea why companies use PPFs. I know they are supposed to be "more forgiving," but I certainly didn't see it.
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