Thinking of the plunge into a Rancilio Silvia

[Blueface]

Finally had to do it.
My machine broke so the Rancilio is on order.
Should arrive in five days or so.
After I pay for it, Rocky is next.

[floydpink]

Congrats!!!!

I spent a week waiting for my Macap to arrive after breaking my Gaggia grinder, and wasn't disappointed too badly stopping by the local roaster and having beans ground up for a few days in a pinch.

Not like fresh ground beans, but not horrible either.

I predict a home roaster in your future, but that's another story.

[Blueface]

Patiently awaiting my notice of tracking number.

[DocLogic77]

Originally Posted by floydpink

Congrats!!!!

I spent a week waiting for my Macap to arrive after breaking my Gaggia grinder, and wasn't disappointed too badly stopping by the local roaster and having beans ground up for a few days in a pinch.

Not like fresh ground beans, but not horrible either.

I predict a home roaster in your future, but that's another story.

Ahh yes...the plunge into the deep abyss of the coffee passion. Honestly, roasting my own was the biggest leap in tasting terrific coffee. Until you have tasted a bean that isn't stale...you just don't know what you are missing.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by DocLogic77

Ahh yes...the plunge into the deep abyss of the coffee passion. Honestly, roasting my own was the biggest leap in tasting terrific coffee. Until you have tasted a bean that isn't stale...you just don't know what you are missing.

I see myself going downhill here.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Finally had to do it.
My machine broke so the Rancilio is on order.
Should arrive in five days or so.
After I pay for it, Rocky is next.

Nice. Make the grinder a priority, you're virtually dead in the water without it. The Silvia runs pretty steadily when it's calibrated, but it needs calibration almost every day or least a few times a week. Having pre-ground coffee can be hit or miss. You can always tamp harder...

Enjoy it. Get a quality tamp. Everyone has their little tips on making espresso as well, but that is a different thread.

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Nice. Make the grinder a priority, you're virtually dead in the water without it. The Silvia runs pretty steadily when it's calibrated, but it needs calibration almost every day or least a few times a week. Having pre-ground coffee can be hit or miss. You can always tamp harder...

Enjoy it. Get a quality tamp. Everyone has their little tips on making espresso as well, but that is a different thread.

True to all smaller machines. Temp is key, and keeping the portafilter in the grouphead to warm it and even flushing some hot water over the portafilter is never a bad idea. Not sure I agree with the daily calibration part and that would tend to scare me if I was waiting on my first machine to arrive.

The Silvia has a great brass boiler which blows away the aluminum ones in inferior models and down the road, the PID mod is a relatively inexpensive mod that's worth looking at IF you are having temp issues. It's described here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Modifying_Miss_Silvia

I learned these tips on my old Gaggia, which was finicky, and probably pushed me into an E61 heat exchange model which eliminated those problems but put me in the hole a couple grande, which isn't what I ever wanted.

The owner's manual says 15 minute warmup, but I'd go at least 20.

This is a great little video on temp surfing, which can also be a huge help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Bn5...eature=related

Another thing that can not be understated is the importance of tamping. Gail from Seattle Coffee Gear demonstrates it quite well in this video I feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRsEF...eature=channel

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by floydpink

True to all smaller machines. Temp is key, and keeping the portafilter in the grouphead to warm it and even flushing some hot water over the portafilter is never a bad idea. Not sure I agree with the daily calibration part and that would tend to scare me if I was waiting on my first machine to arrive.

Daily or weekly calibration also has to do with humidity or barometric pressure. Both the coffee and machine are in flux to a degree. How many times have you had to adjust your grind or tamp when you just had extra ground coffee from the day before? Pretty regularly I bet.

[floydpink]

hmmm, I can't remember ever having ground coffee from the day before.

If it is left in the grinder and I'm not using it within 20 minutes, it's going into the sink.

When you say the Silvia needs calibration every day, I am wondering if you mean the Rocky needs calibration every day.

Silvia= espresso machine
Rocky= Grinder


I'm not even sure what calibrating an espresso machine is, but am with a grinder.

My grind and tamp depend more on the particular bean and roast I am using than the humidity.

I use a Macap M4 with the worm drive and can say that since I have dialed in, 1/4 to 1/2 turn is the most my grinder moves.

I do occassionally time my double shots to ensure they fall in the 25-30 second pull time frame and then make minute adjustments based on the results.

Normally, I'm working through a 5 lb bag of beans I am roasting once a week and the adjustments are rare until I switch beans and roast.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by floydpink

hmmm, I can't remember ever having ground coffee from the day before.

If it is left in the grinder and I'm not using it within 20 minutes, it's going into the sink.

When you say the Silvia needs calibration every day, I am wondering if you mean the Rocky needs calibration every day.

Silvia= espresso machine
Rocky= Grinder

Essentially they are a pair (grinder and espresso machine). Since he has pre-ground coffee, all he can do is adjust the tamping or “machine”. So yes, I also mean grinder, but the grinder is in response to how the machine is working since we have a base adjustment we start off grinding from.

I try not to grind more than I need, but I am not tossing anything left over and I never put coffee grinds in the sink.

I don’t time my shots. If it comes out angel hair thick streams, it’s going to be on time. Having two thin even streams and puck that did not crack is what I look for.

[Blueface]

Let the games begin.
Now to read up on this pup and go pick up some distilled water.
Rocky should be here in 3 to 5 days.

[Blueface]

Must take getting use to but not too thrilled right now.

I wait for the light to go off and if I run water through no portafilter, it comes out blazing hot.
I wait for the light to go off again and brew my coffee and the temperature is vastly cooler on the brew.

Also, perhaps being Cuban, use to strong brews, not impressed with the watery consistency of the coffee, without even making it to two thirds of the way of a small expresso cup.

Trying to get tech support to see what it is I am doing wrong.
You would think making espresso now for almost 40 years, I would know how to work this thing.