Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

OCdude said:
Basically, have you opened it up and reduced the pressure (by adjusting the "over pressure valve") from the shipped ~14 bar down to ~10 bar?
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ah ok, I haven't got that machine so was just wondering if it was some kind of manufacturer's fault as I have the funds to buy the Gaggia classic and the MC2 grinder that have been suggested in the thread. What does turning the pressure down do? As I would have thought the higher the better. :confused:
 
majnu said:
ah ok, I haven't got that machine so was just wondering if it was some kind of manufacturer's fault as I have the funds to buy the Gaggia classic and the MC2 grinder that have been suggested in the thread. What does turning the pressure down do? As I would have thought the higher the better. :confused:
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its shipped slightly higher than you ideally want to get the best from a shot of coffee. My understanding is its done to give a more frothy crema if you use their funky basket.

If you're doing it properly you want the lower pressure, you will still get a decent crema, but you have to work a bit harder for it :)
 
Just done the OPV mod on my Gaggia, seems very easy. Yet to pull a shot from it (bit late for coffee) but it still works having put it back together... Will have to perfect the grind in the morning.
 
Barry McFungus Pants said:
Quick maintenance question - I need to replace the grouphead gasket on my Silvia. Is it worth replacing the shower screen and basket at the same time?

My cleaning routine is:

After every brew, brush shower screen and gasket with stiff brush. Once every couple of days backflush (just water - no cleaning solution). Once a month a full backflush with cafiza, strip down and soak of shower screen, water distributor etc. It always comes up clean. Once every 6 months I also descale using puly caff.

Machine gets used several times a day. Do the shower screen and filter basket really wear out?

Another query - I've noticed the chrome plate under the grouphead has started to lift - you can feel it bubbling. Any way to fix this? I'm worried it might start peeling off :( The machine is just over three years old.
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Anyone? :)
 
Barry McFungus Pants said:
Anyone? :)
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i wouldn't worry about either tbh, unless all the holes are totally gunked up with no chance of clearing them. I'm still on my originals for the gaggia and its going on a bit now :)

no idea about the plate though, bubbling sounds like rust, might be worth looking underneath if you can, but that sounds like a replacement rather than anything else!
 
OPV mod, Iberital MC2 and some Happy Donkey Italian espresso just gave me easily the best espresso shot I've ever made, very happy. :D Only downside is I managed to drop one of my shot glasses in the process and break it. :( Everywhere that sells them has ridiculous postage costs.
 
After 5 years with the Gaggia Classic and MDF, I thought it was time for a bit of an upgrade :)

XLT1mee.jpg
 
got my first beans from Has Bean yesterday. Because they have been freshly roasted do I have to give them a few days to rest? The packaging was really nice however. They came in a resealable bag with an aroma pocket so you can smell the beans. :p
 
Looks great aMb, it's much more fun whacking shot after shot after shot whilst steaming at the same time if required isn't it!
Could't go back to a small single boiler machine now :D (hx machine fine though)
 
Just going back to grinders for a minute.. my Baratza Encore takes ages to grind a scoopful (~17g) of coffee if that's all I put in it. Reason being that they all just ping out of the burrs, rather than getting caught in and crushed. So it runs for a lot longer than if I fill the hopper up (as the beans are weighed down with other beans). I'm still not sure about it spinning round and round with practically no beans going through so I'd rather keep the bean hopper filled up to make it grind more quickly. What do you guys do with your grinders? Weigh your beans and grind just that amount? I suppose those with espresso machines just grind directly into your portafilter? :confused: I'm just using an Aeropress so I can't really do that.

I tried weighing the coffee bin, resetting the scales then just grinding until I get ~17g. Obviously I have to stop grinding every now and again to weigh the bin with the grinds in, but that's ok. When people aim for ~17g of coffee, is it generally before grinding or after? Is there any difference in the result? :confused:
 
majnu said:
got my first beans from Has Bean yesterday. Because they have been freshly roasted do I have to give them a few days to rest? The packaging was really nice however. They came in a resealable bag with an aroma pocket so you can smell the beans. :p
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24 hours from roasting is usually fine afaik :)

One More Solo said:
OPV mod, Iberital MC2 and some Happy Donkey Italian espresso just gave me easily the best espresso shot I've ever made, very happy. :D Only downside is I managed to drop one of my shot glasses in the process and break it. :( Everywhere that sells them has ridiculous postage costs.
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Recently I just purchased some measuring shot glasses from Sainsburys for £3 each. They seem to be more accurate than the ones you get with the the Iberital and also pretty cheap. Worth checking out if you have a local medium-sized Sainsburys nearby.

aMb said:
After 5 years with the Gaggia Classic and MDF, I thought it was time for a bit of an upgrade :)

XLT1mee.jpg
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Wow... *drool*
 
Scam said:
Just going back to grinders for a minute.. my Baratza Encore takes ages to grind a scoopful (~17g) of coffee if that's all I put in it. Reason being that they all just ping out of the burrs, rather than getting caught in and crushed. So it runs for a lot longer than if I fill the hopper up (as the beans are weighed down with other beans). I'm still not sure about it spinning round and round with practically no beans going through so I'd rather keep the bean hopper filled up to make it grind more quickly. What do you guys do with your grinders? Weigh your beans and grind just that amount? I suppose those with espresso machines just grind directly into your portafilter? :confused: I'm just using an Aeropress so I can't really do that.

I tried weighing the coffee bin, resetting the scales then just grinding until I get ~17g. Obviously I have to stop grinding every now and again to weigh the bin with the grinds in, but that's ok. When people aim for ~17g of coffee, is it generally before grinding or after? Is there any difference in the result? :confused:
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I just weigh my beans and bung them in. I ought to check the ground weight I suppose. One point - when I strip down and clean my grinder, I have to "top it up" with beans if that makes sense? I only grind what I need, but the amount that comes out the first time after grinding is about half what normally comes out. I guess the ground coffee has to fill all the nooks and crannies!

tl:dr - I only weigh my beans but I am going to see if the amount of ground coffee that comes out is consistent.
 
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