Rancilio Silvia and PIDs

[rotuts]

Channeling?

in thinking about the triple basket, the RS might not be able to go this justice. one might need a

E-61 group head

but youd have a good time!

[Jason Perlow]

I had a lot of early channeling problems and I still get a little bit of it, but the cone "merge" happens within a half a second so I'm not getting that concerned about it. The better I tamp I figure the less it will be an issue, now that I am focused on the measurement,

[rotuts]

do the 'stir' first? I use a thin skewer.

go for the triple basket some time.

but beware: you might have to move to a E-61 group head!

$$$

[Jason Perlow]

I'm not going to an E-61 like a La Marzocco for a very long time, if ever. I don't have the space, and I am not sure if the quality of espresso shot would be that much higher than the system I have in place now. But it's good to fantasize about. I'd have to really justify that $7000 or so!

[rotuts]

nope: Alexia PID + ComPak K3 doserless:

http://www.chriscoffee.com/Alexia_by_Quick_Mill_p/970.htm

http://www.chriscoffee.com/product_p/k3touch.htm

I dont do milk.

1700. Big Bucks. I had and still have the RS.

took me many months to take this plunge.

you would have to motor up to Albany and go to Coffee University.

as the song said: tossing and turning all night!

4 years: thats what it takes

Edited February 18, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[Jason Perlow]

1700 is not that bad. It looks like a very nice machine. But is it making that much better shots than your PID Silvia?

[rotuts]

yes. and believe me Im a Frugal Guy ( different than Cheap ). when Im One w the Bean, the shots are stunningly sweet w no sugar.

if you do milk you might have to get the dual PID Quick-Mill Anita its a HX machine

http://www.chriscoffee.com/product_p/n990.htm

just something to think about in about 4 - 5 years.

Pleasant Dreams !

[Jason Perlow]

It's 1700 and you STILL need to PID this thing? For that kind of money, you might as well get that Rancilio for 2 grand that has the integrated PID, no?

[rotuts]

they have set it up with the Italians that there is a cut out, sent to them only, then they put the PID in the Alexia for about 50 bucks

in that predesigned space. or you can do it.

what the RS does not have, which you do not need now, nor may ever is the

E-61 group head

heat sink extra ordinare!

[weinoo]

I'm pulling 19 - 20 gram shots for 25 - 30 seconds and get 1 - 1.25 oz. shots.

I have singles, doubles, and triple baskets, but now I use a double doser basket - but am not sure which one it is.

[nickrey]

The splattering on your cup still says that there is some channeling going on. Any reason why you haven't tried a nutating tamp rather than your light one? It got rid of channels when I tried it.

[rotuts]

full disclosure: I had to look it up:

http://www.home-barista.com/tips/nutation-how-to-do-it-right-t12625.html

Ive pretty much eliminated channeling buy doing the skewer thing. when I got my system at ChrisCoffee they suggested the tamper (sp?) with the slightly beveled edge around the rim. this was helpful but felt to light in my hand so i went back to the heavy SS tamper SweetMaria added to the SR when i got it from them, which replaced the black plastic junk SR supplied.

nothing like a bottomless portafiler to point out Life's Little Problems!

[nickrey]

I use a solid stainless steel tamper with the nutating motion. Seems a lot easier than the whole skewer thing and as effective. I was told about it by my daughter and her friends who work as baristas in a coffee obsessed cafe. In their world a skewer tamp is going to waste much more time than a nutating tamp. Time is money and dissatisfied customers. Try it, it works, and is less of a process. Easier and the same or better results, which one would you pick?

[rotuts]

excellent points. I do the skewer ( AKA paper-clip thing-y ) while the filter fills with fresh grounds. I see it as

free therapy, once you get the tempo just right! not too fast, not too slow. Zen-like

the paper-clip thing-y is a large paperclip with 2/3ds of it bent out to a point. the last two coils are for you to

hold

Edited February 19, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[weinoo]

I'm using very fresh beans, I went to the Rowland Coffee Roasters factory in Doral FL on Monday of last week and bought 8Lb of their Bustelo Supremo which was roasted within hours of me purchasing it, so I think I have all the variables set.

There is plenty of argument/discussion re: storage of beans. But I will throw out there that I think buying 8 lbs. at a time is not necessarily the best way to do it. No matter how you store the beans, by the end of the 8th pound (unless you're using 4 lbs. a week) Miss Silvia is not going to be happy with the coffee...and neither will you.

Backing up, beans within hours of roasting are not at their best either. They need 36 - 48 hours to gas out before you use them. Then they are good for 5 - 7 days and I store them on the counter in a Mason jar.

That said, I generally store small quantities of beans (say 1/3 lb.) in vacuum-sealed packages in the freezer. I take them out the night before I want to use them.

[rotuts]

Ive kept 1/2 lbs of 24 hour beans in the freezer in thick vacuum bags. they will keep for a long time in this thicker bag.

as i roast my own, I use these for Emergency Use Only when i forget Im running low and failed to roast a new batch that need to sit for a least > 24 hrs. I roast about once a week, but sometimes forget and this work fine for that.

[Jason Perlow]

A pour from about 10 minutes ago:

http://t.co/eKLlMQsj

[Jason Perlow]

The splattering on your cup still says that there is some channeling going on. Any reason why you haven't tried a nutating tamp rather than your light one? It got rid of channels when I tried it.

What's a nutating tamp?

[Jason Perlow]

I'm using very fresh beans, I went to the Rowland Coffee Roasters factory in Doral FL on Monday of last week and bought 8Lb of their Bustelo Supremo which was roasted within hours of me purchasing it, so I think I have all the variables set.

There is plenty of argument/discussion re: storage of beans. But I will throw out there that I think buying 8 lbs. at a time is not necessarily the best way to do it. No matter how you store the beans, by the end of the 8th pound (unless you're using 4 lbs. a week) Miss Silvia is not going to be happy with the coffee...and neither will you.

Backing up, beans within hours of roasting are not at their best either. They need 36 - 48 hours to gas out before you use them. Then they are good for 5 - 7 days and I store them on the counter in a Mason jar.

That said, I generally store small quantities of beans (say 1/3 lb.) in vacuum-sealed packages in the freezer. I take them out the night before I want to use them.

So yeah, I wanted to buy about 4lbs. Which seemed about as much as I could realistically get through in about a month. However, the factory only sold the beans in 8 1lb packages at a time, so that's how many I bought

[weinoo]

Is your drip tray white? Or is that just the photography?

[Jason Perlow]

Is your drip tray white? Or is that just the photography?

Yes, the drip tray on this Rancilio V3 is white. When it's not being splattered.

A pour from a few minutes ago:

http://vine.co/v/b6iUF9TFMwl

I centered this one a little better. Still slight splatter. Used "Don Pablo" from COSTCO, an older bag I needed to finish. Less crema but still tasty.

[Jason Perlow]

Ah. The nutating tamp. Yeah, I've been playing around with this as well.

[weinoo]

Is your drip tray white? Or is that just the photography?

Yes, the drip tray on this Rancilio V3 is white. When it's not being splattered.

Are you sure there's not some sort of a vinyl shield on that drip tray that is removable?

[Jason Perlow]

Is your drip tray white? Or is that just the photography?

Yes, the drip tray on this Rancilio V3 is white. When it's not being splattered.

Are you sure there's not some sort of a vinyl shield on that drip tray that is removable?

Just looked at it. You're right, it's packing material I forgot to take off. It's been stuck on for weeks. Just removed it. LOL!

[weinoo]

Is your drip tray white? Or is that just the photography?

Yes, the drip tray on this Rancilio V3 is white. When it's not being splattered.

Are you sure there's not some sort of a vinyl shield on that drip tray that is removable?

Just looked at it. You're right, it's packing material I forgot to take off. It's been stuck on for weeks. Just removed it. LOL!

You know, we Silvia owners have been around for a while... ...so don't take this the wrong way when some of us might raise an eyebrow to what you think are perfect shots!

You'll see as the weather changes, you use different coffees (there's some great stuff available via mail order), different grinds, different water temps, different tamps, etc. all challenge you to get the best out of Miss Silvia.

Start tamping, for one.