Coffee machine

[V12man]

Like this from Doppio Zero at South Downs. Not sure what to call this ****!?

Warm dishwater with scalded washing up liquid on top perhaps?

 

R17 my ass, they're going to hear from me, they need to train their staff.

 

Can I post that picture on FB? did you take it?

 

My 6 year old makes better coffee than that.

[Eldron]

Ground coffee never does keep well - the surface area (i.e. exposure to oxygen) increases a gazillion-fold when you grind a bean, and the volatile oils which provide the flavour begin to oxidise immediately. First they lose their flavour, and then they become rancid and taste like pod coffee different. Really you should grind only the beans you need for the next cup of coffee you're going to make. If you're fussy.

 

Thats what I meant. I buy beans then grind and espress as I need.

[Eldron]

Packed with nitrogen gas, being a noble gas it lengthens the shelf life of products.

Many of the raw materials I buy have been filled with nitrogen and it makes a big difference in taste compared to the same product that hasn't been packed with nitrogen.

 

<geek hat on>

 

Nitrogen is just inert - it isn't a noble gas. Only group 0 elements are noble (Ar, Ne, Kr etc).

Edited October 4, 2013 by Eldron

[Eldron]

Hmm, I was watching the Discovery channel the other day and they had that show "Megafactories" on. This week it was ILLY the huge Italian coffee manufacturer. The numbers are mind boggling, they make around 5 million pods a day, let me just repeat that 5 million pods a day.!! its the fastest growing form of coffee sales.

 

They have a machine which checks every bean for quality and on normal speed it checks 11000 beans a second, its really quite incredible.

 

Anyway, they had the top taster on and he said coffee should never be roasted and ground / drank, it needs about 8/12 weeks to mature in an air free environment to develop the nose and taste, so they have this system where the coffee is packed into a special container, all the air is removed and its packed and held for about 3 months before been released to market. The machine that removes the air also slightly squeezes the bean which releases the incredible aroma hit you get when you crack the tin open.

 

In the light of this thread it was quite interesting.

 

Megafactories rocks!

 

I love watching machines whizz, whirl, buzz and pop ouot products at crazy rates. I giggle like a schoolgirl when they have to slow the machine down so we can see what actually happens...

 

Hmmm didn't think the roast bean maturation was that long. I normally keep beans for a week then start grinding and espressing - normally takes me a few weeks so I guess by luck I'm in the good zone.

 

I'm an 80/20 coffee drinker - I'll do the little things to make it taset better but damned if I'm going to turn every coffee making moment into a 20min session!

 

@the guy that doesn't like Illy - the barista and equipment make such a difference to taste that it's tough to write off a brand (unless you make it yourself). I love Illy but have had many *** cups of Illy made by "baristas".

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Megafactories rocks!

 

I love watching machines whizz, whirl, buzz and pop ouot products at crazy rates. I giggle like a schoolgirl when they have to slow the machine down so we can see what actually happens...

 

Hmmm didn't think the roast bean maturation was that long. I normally keep beans for a week then start grinding and espressing - normally takes me a few weeks so I guess by luck I'm in the good zone.

 

I'm an 80/20 coffee drinker - I'll do the little things to make it taset better but damned if I'm going to turn every coffee making moment into a 20min session!

 

@the guy that doesn't like Illy - the barista and equipment make such a difference to taste that it's tough to write off a brand (unless you make it yourself). I love Illy but have had many *** cups of Illy made by "baristas".

 

Megafactories, does indeed rock, I particularly liked the one on Ferrari, real innovation.

 

Anyway, I dont know, each to their own I guess, but when I look at factories like ILLY with millions spent on R&D the most up to date state of the art equipment, decades of experience, professional specialist taste panels, top chemists, access to the best beans in the world, a massive market penetration and a loyal following worldwide, I cant help but agree, ..............its the Barista.!

[Frosty]

<geek hat on>

 

Nitrogen is just inert - it isn't a noble gas. Only group 0 elements are noble (Ar, Ne, Kr etc).

Thanks, that's what I meant to say.

 

"latte scremato in polvere - azoto" the label showing on the skimmed milk powder I get from Italy

"skimmed milk powder - nitrogen

[cadenceblur]

Okay, so I took receipt of my machine yesterday - now the fun starts.

One bag of coffee later and I reckon I have my grinder dialed in however I have some issues.

 

When dosing a single shot - there appears to be hardly any coffee in the basket - I'm working on 7g - just doesn't look right. When I pull a single shot - the coffee comes gushing out and blondes what looks like immediately!

I have therefore worked with doubles (14g) and this also looks like too little coffee. Should I increase the dosage amount?

 

I am working with a timer and managed to get a double shot in about 27 seconds.

That brings me to another question (mixed answers on the web) - when do you start timing?

From the moment you start the shot OR once you see coffee coming out?

 

My baskets are also very loose fitting - I was under the impression that they need to fit snugly, but mine don't clip onto the PF at all, in fact, if I turn it upside down, it falls out - is this a problem?

[Vlamrouge]

Okay, so I took receipt of my machine yesterday - now the fun starts.

One bag of coffee later and I reckon I have my grinder dialed in however I have some issues.

 

When dosing a single shot - there appears to be hardly any coffee in the basket - I'm working on 7g - just doesn't look right. When I pull a single shot - the coffee comes gushing out and blondes what looks like immediately!

I have therefore worked with doubles (14g) and this also looks like too little coffee. Should I increase the dosage amount?

 

I am working with a timer and managed to get a double shot in about 27 seconds.

That brings me to another question (mixed answers on the web) - when do you start timing?

From the moment you start the shot OR once you see coffee coming out?

 

My baskets are also very loose fitting - I was under the impression that they need to fit snugly, but mine don't clip onto the PF at all, in fact, if I turn it upside down, it falls out - is this a problem?

 

You start timing when you start the shot.

 

Doesn't sound ideal that your basket is so loose. Maybe contact the supplier.

 

When I pull a shot I will count, giving myself up to a max of 35 seconds or when the coffee goes blonde, whichever comes first.

[Weight Weenie]

Megafactories rocks!

 

I love watching machines whizz, whirl, buzz and pop ouot products at crazy rates. I giggle like a schoolgirl when they have to slow the machine down so we can see what actually happens...

 

Hmmm didn't think the roast bean maturation was that long. I normally keep beans for a week then start grinding and espressing - normally takes me a few weeks so I guess by luck I'm in the good zone.

 

I'm an 80/20 coffee drinker - I'll do the little things to make it taset better but damned if I'm going to turn every coffee making moment into a 20min session!

 

@the guy that doesn't like Illy - the barista and equipment make such a difference to taste that it's tough to write off a brand (unless you make it yourself). I love Illy but have had many *** cups of Illy made by "baristas".

 

I've bought and made Illy myself, don't like the taste. But my gripe comes with it being touted as such superior coffee and costs so much, but it's roasted in Italy, and then sealed and shipped here and sits on a shelf for a long time before I buy and use it so it's old by the time I want to make coffee with it. Also blends aren't my favourite.

 

There are great local roasters offering fresh coffee at way better prices. I use an Illy jar lid upside down for a coaster and the tin to hold my coffee accessories in the cupboard haha.

[Weight Weenie]

Okay, so I took receipt of my machine yesterday - now the fun starts.

One bag of coffee later and I reckon I have my grinder dialed in however I have some issues.

 

When dosing a single shot - there appears to be hardly any coffee in the basket - I'm working on 7g - just doesn't look right. When I pull a single shot - the coffee comes gushing out and blondes what looks like immediately!

I have therefore worked with doubles (14g) and this also looks like too little coffee. Should I increase the dosage amount?

 

I am working with a timer and managed to get a double shot in about 27 seconds.

That brings me to another question (mixed answers on the web) - when do you start timing?

From the moment you start the shot OR once you see coffee coming out?

 

My baskets are also very loose fitting - I was under the impression that they need to fit snugly, but mine don't clip onto the PF at all, in fact, if I turn it upside down, it falls out - is this a problem?

 

Lekker great you got it!

 

There is a spring that needs to go in a groove in the the PF first before the baskets go in, take it you didn't put it in?

 

If the grinds are fine like salt but not clumping like wet sand you are in the ballpark.

 

I found the double basket to need about 18g on the Oscar, tried weighing 14 but doesnt work.

Fast flow with wet puck.

Fill the basket so it's heaped then use the NSEW method to flatten it and tamp. There's a ridge in the basket right below which the coffee bed should be when tamped if it's filled right. Your tamper top of the bottom part should be flush with the basket top when tamped.

 

Timing officially starts when you press the button but I go from start of flow.

Main thing is to check for an even pour so you know grind and tamp is right and stop as it blondes, nevermind the time.

[Weight Weenie]

Can I post that picture on FB? did you take it?

 

My 6 year old makes better coffee than that.

 

Yip I took it you are more than welcome!

Name and shame!

[cadenceblur]

Lekker great you got it!

 

There is a spring that needs to go in a groove in the the PF first before the baskets go in, take it you didn't put it in?

 

If the grinds are fine like salt but not clumping like wet sand you are in the ballpark.

 

I found the double basket to need about 18g on the Oscar, tried weighing 14 but doesnt work.

Fast flow with wet puck.

Fill the basket so it's heaped then use the NSEW method to flatten it and tamp. There's a ridge in the basket right below which the coffee bed should be when tamped if it's filled right. Your tamper top of the bottom part should be flush with the basket top when tamped.

 

Timing officially starts when you press the button but I go from start of flow.

Main thing is to check for an even pour so you know grind and tamp is right and stop as it blondes, nevermind the time.

Lekker great you got it!

 

There is a spring that needs to go in a groove in the the PF first before the baskets go in, take it you didn't put it in?

 

If the grinds are fine like salt but not clumping like wet sand you are in the ballpark.

 

I found the double basket to need about 18g on the Oscar, tried weighing 14 but doesnt work.

Fast flow with wet puck.

Fill the basket so it's heaped then use the NSEW method to flatten it and tamp. There's a ridge in the basket right below which the coffee bed should be when tamped if it's filled right. Your tamper top of the bottom part should be flush with the basket top when tamped.

 

Timing officially starts when you press the button but I go from start of flow.

Main thing is to check for an even pour so you know grind and tamp is right and stop as it blondes, nevermind the time.

Thanks. It didn't come with a spring, will follow this up. On the dosing, I assume you you dose 9g for a single then?

[V12man]

'cadenceblur' timestamp='1380981376' post='2085857']

Okay, so I took receipt of my machine yesterday - now the fun starts.

well... the hard work anyway..

 

 

One bag of coffee later and I reckon I have my grinder dialed in however I have some issues.

 

Nope - going to take a while still - the grinder will settle over the first 10kg or so, so you keep moving it a bit.

 

 

When dosing a single shot - there appears to be hardly any coffee in the basket - I'm working on 7g - just doesn't look right. When I pull a single shot - the coffee comes gushing out and blondes what looks like immediately!

I have therefore worked with doubles (14g) and this also looks like too little coffee. Should I increase the dosage amount?

 

Check that scale, and make sure you are using the single basket for singles.

 

I am working with a timer and managed to get a double shot in about 27 seconds.

That brings me to another question (mixed answers on the web) - when do you start timing?

From the moment you start the shot OR once you see coffee coming out?

 

From pump on - should take about 6 seconds before coffee starts coming out of the PF

 

My baskets are also very loose fitting - I was under the impression that they need to fit snugly, but mine don't clip onto the PF at all, in fact, if I turn it upside down, it falls out - is this a problem?

 

Yes - that will be a problem when knocking the puck out, going to be a BIG mess - there should be either a spring or a fairly tight fit of PF to basket.

[cadenceblur]

Thanks I'll check the scale for accuracy. Have raised missing spring with supplier.

Will also increase the dosage slightly as Weight Weenie suggested.

You're right, this is lots of work, frustrating and fun at the same time as well.

[V12man]

Thanks I'll check the scale for accuracy. Have raised missing spring with supplier.

Will also increase the dosage slightly as Weight Weenie suggested.

You're right, this is lots of work, frustrating and fun at the same time as well.

 

Actually I would suggest using a scale that measures to a least 0.1 g of accuracy,,,, a 1g accurate scale as too much margin of error - so from 6.5 - 7.49g gives you a reading of 7g - and on a 7g single this makes a real difference - I dose up to 21g for a double sometimes - depends on the coffee - don't be too concerned about what you land up with, as long as you don't have showerhead impressions in the puck afterwards - then it's too much.

 

Singles are anyway much harder to get right than a double - so pack the single basket away for a while, till you have mastered the double basket to some extent.

 

And practice your tamping pressure using a scale... about 15lb is right... even distribution of coffee before tamping is more important, and there are several techniques you can use to get it even - stirring it with a big needle/dissection needle works quite well - before tamping.

[b-rad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxVYe-TE2eU&sns=em Edited October 6, 2013 by b-rad