Espresso: The delay timer hack

Simon's Coffee Shop has been working with a delay timer on the machine for the last few weeks. The basic setup involves a flow regulator and an adjustable delay timer that controls when the rotary pump kicks in.

The idea is that you use the flow regulator to control line pressure during a 'pre-infusion' where the pump does not kick in yet. To set it up, you adjust your line pressure to get your first drip at a desired time.

Let's say in this case, 5 seconds. Then you setup your timer to kick in at that same 5 second mark and your pstat will swing up to 9 bars at that point from your line pressure of say, 4 bars. This involves a lot of grind tweaking and adjustment during the early stages and graphing it would be weird so don't ask.

You then go through a series of adjustments testing from 3 seconds on up to 10 seconds to find the right balance for your espresso(assuming a fixed dose/extraction volume... at least temporarily). It helps to have an ideal batch of roasts lying around or work with it over a week or two instead of trying to coffee out and fix it in one night.

The original idea we had was that we could imitate the Synesso's style of pre-infusion where the pump kicks in at your manual control. Often overlooked on a Synesso, you can soak the puck with line pressure by moving the paddle to the middle position and then let pump pressure start when the paddle is moved to the full on position. The delay timer/flow regulator setup is meant to imitate this in an automated manner.

It's a hack. Don't get me wrong, I don't profess anyone should install this setup on their machine unless they know what they are getting into. For the price though, it gives you an almost lab style setup to make adjustments and we should credit whoever we originally took the idea from but I can't remember who we stole it from. Of course, a local tea guy is now treating it like the greatest thing since sliced bread and intends to push this as a solution to consistency(user/roaster) ills involving espresso at a small profit, of course. He thinks it will take out the variation in espresso.

It's not a cure all and in all honesty, if the roast has wild variations, homogenizing the brew method is only hack compensating. If people don't have the fundamentals in preparing espresso and clean grinders with new blades, none of this is worth even debating. That said, everything in espresso starts with the roast. In Simon's case, he is using a prolonged(close to 9 seconds) pre-infusion to build mid tones and smooth a roast that had very little mid tone on the cupping table. He's also using a low brew temp to mellow sharp acidity into something more approachable to the general espresso drinker's palate.

Simon isn't trying to reinvent espresso or try to force a new perspective on espresso that everyone else 'should follow.' The result is a very approachable but not super complex espresso that fits his personal palate. While roasted for high tones and lemon acidity, this Brasil comes out mellow, clean, and smooth nuttiness with hints of cocoa after all the tweaks. I think that's a great thing when the espresso matches up to the owners personal palate very well.

I find it educational and a lot of fun to muck around with experiments like this. Realisticaly, a newer machine likely would negate the need for such modifications. A Synesso, FB series LM, or GB5 completely negates this setup since the pre-infusion is built in already. Most heat exchangers have a mechanical preinfusion built in and won't work with this either but a machine like older LM Lineas could be modded with this setup just for curiosities.

UPDATE:
A few more changes since and the shots for Simon are now a very low line pressure with a 7 second timer delay at 196F 17g. If I implied that you absolutely had to sync first drip with pressure kicking in, you don't.

Labels: delay timer, espresso, gear, preinfusion

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 4:06 PM 2 Comments

  Espresso: Time vs Volume
I wanted to discuss prefinsuion but I think a stepping stone in working up to that topic is to address time vs volume and one methodology I use in evaluating espresso.

I have made a lot of empirical observations in espresso, troublesome finicky espresso at that, which have led me to value timing over volume. If I had not been using such an 'all or nothing' espresso, I might have a different perspective so don't take this as gospel but rather a set of observations to be tested on your own.

When dialing in an espresso, I often would establish a dose, volume, and time, sometimes new temp for the blend. In essence, I would set all the variables down to timing and leave volume as the last variable which I would control by adjusting the grind. This means, the timing of the shot would be set. This somewhat contradicts a lot of people out there so let me explain.

I noticed shots at the 'ideal volume' and and 'ideal time', let's say 28 seconds, were good. If at the same volume but plus or minus 3 seconds, the shot quality deteriorated immensely.

Conversely, shots that hit that 28 second extraction time but had a plus or minus of .25 ounce change in volume from the 'ideal volume' were actually quite drinkable. In fact, they were either a bit more intense or a bit thin but not as bad as the time variance shots.

Why volume is a tricky subject!

I surmised timing plays a very important role on extraction and was therefore more important as a perceived constant than volume. The problem is that most semi autos don't let you adjust the volume unless you go through a lot of trouble. This means that anyone using the semi autos would have a hard time adjusting for roast aging or variances in the cup while keeping the shot timing as a constant. They would have to rely on the flow meter or go for free pour thereby eliminating the need for a flow meter.

It occurs to us that a volumetric setup is indeed a problem on a machine. It is often the source of temperature fluctuations and is a relic of the super auto focus.

Why not put delay timers on machines that counted down from a certain time and killed the shot leaving you to adjust the volume as your only variable, constantly tweaking it towards your 'ideal volume'?

I propose for a volume cafe, everything on the machine should be set and programmed leaving your one external variable, the grind, to be tweaked.

Labels: article, espresso, timing, volume

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 8:59 PM 4 Comments

  Brian Quinn on the ristretto
"I think ristrettos can be very limiting, and in many instances, are often compensating for poor green quality. Or, put differently, ristrettos often compensate for darker roasts, which are often compensating for poor green quality.

A traditional double - by traditional, I mean ~1.75 ounces of liquid pulled in ~25 seconds - pulled from high quality, lightly roasted beans can offer incredible nuances that make ristrettos taste dull and flat in comparison. You can get higher-toned flavors and aromas of citrus, berries, and flowers that are just crushed by the overwhelming mid-tone flavors in ristretto pulls. You appreciate the sense of balance and range in the coffee as well - those higher notes playing against the more "typical" flavors of chocolate, nuts, and tobaccos in the coffee.

I made a point about green quality, because ristrettos can also smooth out defects or detracting notes in a coffee. You can take a funky, fermented Yirg or an overwhelmingly earthy Sumatran, and knock down those flavors by roasting dark. You can also knock them down by overdosing the basket and tightening the grind. That high note of wild strawberry funk, and that deep note of wood and earth get knocked down - because, in my opinion and experience, the ristretto pull tends to underextract the higher and lower notes in a coffee.

And some coffees, in my opinion - even high quality coffees - taste terrible when pulled as a ristretto. Terroir's Southern Italian (yes, I mean the darker roast) tastes like ash when I push the dose into the 18-21g range. At 16g, you get a nice mellow cup with some great flavors of pecans and hazlenuts, with some chocolate and citrus on the edges. And in no way does that cup lack in flavor or intensity. It's just different.

I'd also say that in my experience, darker roasts and tighter pulls are actually easier to do at home than the more traditional double. Paradoxically, I find ristrettos FAR more tolerant of distribution issues than lighter doses and lighter roasts.

When I first got into higher quality espresso, I used to really like ristrettos. Lately, I find them to be pretty boring. I don't know if you're into wine at all, but for me, ristrettos remind of the whole California cab craze 10-15 years ago. You had these wines coming out with incredible body and extraction - thick, inky, tongue-coating wines. And some of those wines were great, but many were really relying on extraction to make up for lackluster / boring fruit flavors. They turned my head at the time because of the mouthfeel, but as time went by, I started to really appreciate the incredible finesse and clarity that a great Bordeaux or Burgundian wine offers, or a top quality California Pinot Noir. The latter three wines, for me, are the best analogy for what a great traditional double offers.

So, no, I don't think ristrettos should be the default pour at all." Brian on home-barista.com

Labels: espresso, musings, ristretto

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 10:33 PM 7 Comments

  Boston eXpresso


I have been thinking recently about how you don't see espresso that are meant to be enjoyed simply as espresso. A straight shot. Maybe a machiatto and maybe a traditional cappuccino.

You have a lot of either dark roasted or very earthy espresso that are designed to cut through milk leaving a less than desirable taste as a straight shot in most areas of the US.

Sure it's one of those things where business owners have to look at where the money is(big milk drinks), but I have always wondered about that. Seriously, the espresso out there is really quite wretched in most shops. Short of a complete revolution, how does that change?

I live in Cambridge and there are a handful of barista who can pour latte art at different shops. I can name on one hand the number of people who pull me consistently good shots, it's that small. Sure there is some latte art and fascination with the patterns, but truth is there are few really good shots to be had in this town.

This is where it gets weird though, at most every shop here in town you will get an espresso that brims over the top of the demitasse. It's not like these are small demis either, it's like trying to chug three and a half ounces of thin tasteless bilge water.

We call this the all too common Boston eXpresso.


I'm not sure this is an accident either. I typically hear:
A) It's to give you your money's worth by giving more volume(sure you get more volume but it tastes bad, so why bother) B) They think more volume will cut through the milk (a misconception as it simply doesn't) C) They were taught this by the roaster or were not trained at all by he roaster.

The part that bothers me it that it seems they are taught this way or are sold the coffee on some big up sell and then left to fend for themselves. It wouldn't be worth mention but there are some big time so called '3rd wave' roasters behind many of these local accounts that are paying top dollar to sell these coffees. Yet, I do not blame the cafes, I inclined to blame the roaster or companies who over hype their green quality, unrealistically romanticize the farmer, or simply talk about quality as if they are the absolute definition of the term. There are so many expectations that come with quality that I would think training should surely be one of them.

Then again, why pay for a great coffee if it falls flat on the cafe floor?

Really peaks your cynical nature doesn't it?

Labels: boston, cambridge, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 1:15 AM 3 Comments

  BGofT and Wendelboe
Noteworthy read: Barista Guild of Taiwan forum interview with Tim Wendelboe Part one, two
...excerpt from the interview.
"The worst flavours for me would be if the espresso is stale and has a charcoal or burned flavour. I do not like over roasted espresso, nor too light so it tastes like lemon juice. I also dislike ferment, mustiness and all other defective flavours. I believe in a good balance between sweetness, bitterness and acidity and mouth feel. Sweetness is always the taste I try to enhance the most. But without bitterness the coffee is not interesting. I prefer many styles of espresso. Right now my blend has a strong aroma of almonds and marzipan. The taste of the espresso reminds me of dried fruits. The aftertaste is very long lasting, oily and has the flavour of bittersweet chocolate. I like fruity espresso and also chocolaty espresso, but taste is individual and there is no correct answer to what an espresso should taste like. If it pleases you and stands out from other espresso, then you have probably tasted a good one, right? - Tim"

Anyone has some espresso like what he's describing, get me a bag. Good to see the folks in Taiwan are taking an interest in Tim and others.

Labels: espresso, musings

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 1:10 AM 0 Comments

  Tell me how you really feel about espresso
Ben and I worked on shots of a Kenya AA yesterday. The first time in a long time that we actually got back into espresso. We have an espresso goal that a friend down south will be intrigued to see progress on as I promise we will make it there first!

It has been a particularly long time since we tried pulling a Kenya or anything exotic as a shot and I do miss pulling espresso. I love working the machine and miss it a lot because what I have been tasting lately has not been all too thrilling. Not necessarily bad, just rather boring. To be honest, I am really tired of working with Brasils right now and particularly fatigued with being asked to diagnose roast variances in them! I want to move past it but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good Brazil when I see it. It's just that I really want to get back to the days when we were pulling shots of interesting coffees and doing something unique. Yup, coffee shots and what not!

I have been into vac pots lately and it finally gave me an appreciation for brewed coffees other than espresso. Still, the truth is that there is nothing quite like the complexity, viscosity, aroma, and intense sweetness of a beautiful espresso.

So back to this Kenya pulled as espresso. It was clean candied fruit rather than what most would define as the more common sharp acidity you would expect. Some of this is owed to the particular roast style. Like the mysterious shots of Crescendo we are still chasing, it remains an interesting goal to pull a complex but not overpowering shot of a coffee like this. This was exciting and at one point, we were able to even subvert the fruit to get a very unique perfume from this coffee. Strangely pleasant but a bit unexpected in this Kenya. I would post notes but it defeats the purpose of writing today.

Very few people blend exciting coffees in their espresso. Most of the time it's coffees that are rather boring and quite focused on body, earth, and spice. A caramel cocoa espresso... Yawn. I have no problem with that being doused in milk!

It's hard to sit around and listen to people talk about letting the coffee speak for itself and decrying the value of straight shots and less milk when often the coffees used in the espresso are simply put, cheap. The shop may be paying a lot for these coffees but the cost of green coffees used is not quite expensive.

You might say that's being snobbish but I think it's snobbish when you want someone to drink your espresso straight simply because you believe in some hip standard for sizing drinks. If the espresso is good enough, people will naturally move towards smaller drinks and less milk. This much I have seen before. If the espresso is expensive, you sure cannot dump it into a large milk drink. It wouldn't really make sense, would it?

Dare I say it?

To us, third wave doesn't exist. It's largely irrelevant. Talk to me about good great coffees. That's all I want to focus on, a better cup. All the technical stuff and marketing jibe is grand but really it comes down to what you are drinking.

What are you drinking?

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 5:07 PM 14 Comments

  'Lemony' Espresso


I had another shot of a 'lemony' espresso this morning. One I would normally refuse but it was free and I felt I could not refuse since it was my opinion that was sought. It was not painful, nor was it comparable in sweetness to our last espresso venture. In fact, it was kinda boring or you could say clean in the 'I don't mean' way. Not much aroma, very little creaminess and little viscosity. It was like a little lemon curd pastry in it's singular flavor component. It is not that I do not like a little lemon citrus in my espresso, it's just that I like somethng creamy and thicker for espresso. Once upon a time, Ben and I may have said this was a unique espresso but times have changed... a lot.

A nice Yirgacheffe with beautiful aromatics and a hint of lemon is nice. A Kenya, a Guat, or a Colombia with some lemon would be interesting. I love a good fruit character in a coffee but this shot was none of these.

It is not that a Brazil cannot be lemon but the question is should a classic washed Brazil in espresso be all lemon? OR maybe the question is, could I sell something like this with confidence and conviction?

Brazils can be boring but honestly, they make a much better base than your garden variety earthy spice characters often used as a base in espresso. When I think of Brazil though, I think vanilla, sarsaparilla, nut, cocoa, caramel, molasses... sure, but lemon, I am not sold on that. It's like trying to pull fruit out of something that isn't, for lack of a better term, fruity.

I don't know if lemon is really a big issue for me in an espresso I don't drink and would not serve but maybe that's not my point in writing today. I realized that this drink sparked a conversation.

You have to have perspective.

The best thing I ever did was consistently serve multiple espresso and varied roaster's coffees in one shop. When you only see one roaster's perspective, you lose your perspective. If all you ever really taste are your own coffees from one source, you will not have a greater understanding of other people's styles and the realm of possibilities that exist beyond what you are currently serving in a cafe. As a Barista, a shop owner, a consumer, and also at the roasterie, trying various styles leads to growth in palate and appreciation of what coffee can be.

I had a long debate about this with friends (Corinna and Jorg) in Guatemala. The greatest single thing you can do for yourself is to try everything and don't buy into the hype about anything. For all the Gurus and supposed Masters, there are a dozen others who scoot by under the radar doing amazing things without flashy egos or lengthy diatribes on why they are the best.

Sometimes, it's the guys who aren't selling themselves to their peers who are doing great things in their own shops. If I hadn't been guesting coffees, I never would have run across Andrew Barnett, Miguel Meza, or a whole other group of roasters out there doing respectable work. Heck, we may have even thumbed our nose at other great roasters simply because they didn't agree with what our current roaster is doing if it weren't for our guesting program.

Some podcaster once offered that a roaster is like the religion you choose, I would offer that roasters are like chefs and there are many to choose from with lots of perspectives on interpretation of the same ingredients. Sometimes, you can mix or match to what you perceive as their strong points, other times you let them lead you to a unique experience.

Coffee is an evolution and if you lock in too hard to one philosophy, there you will be and no further.

Point is, whether you were hooked into coffee by a chocolate ristretto or a lemony lungo, take the time to see what else is out there and give it a chance with an open mind and a curious palate. Don't listen to the pundits and try everything for youself because there are no standards and there is a unique new taste out there around every corner.

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 12:00 AM 1 Comments

  Spouted vs Bottomless.. again

Spouted and Bottomless portafilters

Bottomless portafilters are great for training but we have been big fans of spouted portafilters for a while.

Whatever we were perceiving, we live by it in most cases. Long ago, the novelty of watching bottomless shots wore off and we began to drool over the thought of something like teflon portafilters.

Whatever your opinions may be, it's interesting to see other people musing over this topic though and how many different ideas exist. Phil offers an introspective look at the topic and there was even a thoughtful post about this on coffeed.

Labels: bottomless, espresso, portafilters, spouted

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 9:05 AM 4 Comments

  Espresso: Blends are a compromise
A blend is a compromise. An alchemist's approach to coffee in many cases. Taking parts, that alone can be quite inferior which equal something greater as a whole. Lead into gold, not quite, but close.
Of course I am pitching the extreme to prove a point here.

Espresso blends are historically composed of some of the lowest grade coffees available. Robusta, monsooned malabar, and low grade indonesians are the backbone of the traditional generic milk espresso blend.

What if you took a wine approach to blending? Two or three high grade varietals blended together for something even more complex. Instead of putting together inferior parts, use components that were great as separate pieces.
What if we took only amazing high grade coffees and were to blend them? Not to suddenly abandon the terroir view of micro lots and soil quality, but to add this blending on top of the great single origins/green quality concepts with one caveat to give the farmer due credit:
What if blends came to market that were transparent and labeled the contents and percentages proudly on the bag?

Abandoning the black box approach to espresso and stating what was contained inside for the consumer.
What if?

It's been done with percentages and all by the Danes.

Labels: article, blending, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 7:38 PM 8 Comments

  Clean Espresso
Have you ever tasted a "clean" espresso?

By "clean", I mean:

Clarity
Brightness
Distinct flavor components

It's very much like drinking a fine glass of wine (a nice Cab, for example).

By "clean", I don't mean:

Lack of body
High acidity
Astringency
Lack of low tones (such as roast flavor)

Among all the espresso I have tasted, only two fits this category - S.O. Yirgacheffe from Terroir and Caffe Crescendo from Kaffa. One is a single origin pulled at a ridiculous low temperature of 194F and the other is a blend (of 4 beans) pulled at normal espresso brewing temperature (~198/200F?). Both are very aromatic, clean, void of any off flavors (from green defects), bright without overbearing acidity, and have enough low-tone roast flavor without any smokiness (much like barrel aged flavor in wines).

Problem is, I can't get any of them now.

You all know how I felt about that Yirg from a earlier post. However, ever since the first batch, it never come back to that amazing roast again. And after so many tries and knowing how great it could be, I simply gave up.

Caffe Crescendo is another story. I had a tiny sample from Chris Owens when we visited nyc a while back. It was a life changing experience. Never have I had anything like it. It was so clean and so sweet; so bright but lack of any sharp acidity; it has enough low tones to keep the shot very balanced; and so aromatic even 8 days out of roast. Sad thing is, I don't know how I could get some more. And even if I am willing to pay for some ridiculous amount of shipping cost ($40 per lb?), I am not sure if the coffee will survive the trip.

So... are there any alternatives?

- Ben

Labels: clean, espresso

  ¶ Ben Chen 12:46 PM 3 Comments

  Espresso: Dosing video
A quick short film about dosing(The Schyndel Move?). No theme song or dance yet, but the video is done. Dedicated to Rich(for coining the phrase) and BenC(for forcing me to do the video).




I didn't count on the Youtube logo so I will fix that later.

Labels: espresso, technique

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 2:19 AM 2 Comments

  Why the North American cafe culture is a negative on coffee quality

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We pull up to a table at the nearest cafe and nestle ourselves in with a 20oz to go cup of coffee flavored milk and sit. Content to settle in for a few hours of work. Comfortable watching all the others in the cafe sitting on their laptops, headphones on, happily typing away on study projects and work assignments. We just want a cheap tea or coffee that will justify our sitting in the cafe for hours on end, taking up space that the owner would surely love to have for other paying customers.


We should be ashamed of ourselves that this is what our cafe culture has come to. Isolated individuals who no longer converse and talk. Too easily irritated by the commotion around us. Impatient with the people behind the counter and complaining about the lack of ambiance. We miss out on great coffee experiences because the perception of cafe owners is that they will be over run with students or laptops so why pay more for good coffee? Why invest in training good barista? Why work on making the coffee prep consistent? Why buy the good equipment when the consumer will only douse their coffee with milk and sugar? They cynically believe consumers are a bunch of people who will come in and choose the cheapest menu item and pull up taking table space for as long as their conscience will allow. Many shop owners believe customers won't pay a nickel more for bettter coffee and they may be right in many cases.


The sword cuts both ways when we complain about the coffee or tea, realize that we, as the consumer share a fault in this. As long as we settle for less, we should expect only the minimum. The majority of us will miss out on great coffees coming out of the Cup of Excellence program. We will miss out on great barista who can pour and know tastes like a sommolier.


When it comes down to changing this, consumers need to see these tiny developing sections of coffee no longer as a commodity but as a true specialty that has nothing to do with syrups or chemical flavorings. These are the micro-lots of coffee that have distinct floral and naturally sweet flavors which need to be recognized as unique by themselves. Each region and microlot being distinct and unique in taste from the next.


When you demand to know the name of the farmer and the specific farm it comes from as well as it's growing climate and then begin to educate ourselves about what this means, we can begin to challenge things. We can demand the division of more auction lots of coffees into smaller lots too small for large commercial chain roasters but just right for artisan roasters who can focus on perfection of roast. We can get past burnt bitter over roasted coffees and defect laden under roasted grassy coffees to perfectly roasted ripe defect free coffees. We can learn to accept these disctinct coffees as quality experiences of flavor and not something based on volume or quantity. We can stop trying to get the most volume for the cheapest price and focus on the best tasting drink where caffeine is an afterthought. When we demand fresh ground, fresh brewed, AND fresh roasted(with dates), then we will see things begin to change.


When consumers and shop owners head in the direction that the Cup of Excellence is going, then the debate over what is good coffee will change from what goes good with milk to what flavors are inherent in a Grand Cru Kenya or is the Brazil CoE really worth $50/lb? That's a beautiful thought.


-Jaime

Labels: article, cafe, coffee, espresso, north america

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 7:09 PM 4 Comments

  Espresso: Puckology




Interesting coffeed discussion.



Even though I agree with bits and pieces of what everybody posted (in the thread), I think Tim Wendelboe pretty much summed up my opinions on this matter. I believe there is more than meets the eye when you examine a spent puck. A soggy puck does not necesary equate to bad extraction, and in fact, sometimes what appeared to be pinholes are actually not a result of channeling. You have to spent a little time playing with different combinations of setups before you can really see what the puck is telling you.





Here's my take:





I believe how wet or dry the spent puck is largely a factor of the head space (result of the combination of group head design, basket size/depth, and dose volume) and how the 3 way valve is plumbed.





When there is little or no head space, the puck's expansion during depressurization is restricted, which results in a nice firm puck. With the type of coffee, flavor profile, and shot pulling style of most US shops, you will see mostly firm spent pucks. In this case, pinholes and fractures will definately tell you that something is wrong with the dose/distribution/extraction (though side channeling and intra-puck channels are much harder to detect...).





On the other hand, if the total expansion is less than or equal to the head space, then the spent puck will most likely to be spongy and sometimes, soggy wet. This is due to the puck's free expansion. Now, how the puck looks like (especially the top surface layer) is another story. My theory is that, it depends on how the 3-way is setup, you will either get a nicely shaped spongy puck or an ugly roughed-up mess.





With the coffees I use (light-roast, high acidity/intensity beans), I found that I get a better flavor profile if I don't up-dose and keep a nice head space. On the Linea/GB5/Synesso, this results in shapely but spongy spent pucks (with the GB5 having the best looking of 3). On the other hand, on my Rituale, the spent puck mostly looks like a ugly mess. The top layer are often very disrupted with "hills" pulled up by the depressurization (and subsequently stuck onto and broken by the group screen). Sometimes, you even see craters which, w/out careful examination, could be interpreted as pinholes. The ugly puck issue troubled me for quite sometime. It continued to puzzle me as I have checked with a naked PF numerous times and there were absolutely no channeling or other extraction issues (and the shots tasted perfectly fine). I recently had Jaime double check me and was reaffirmed that the ugly pucks are not indications of dosing/distribution problems.





My conclusion is that, due to the setup of the 3-way in my Rituale, the depressurization at the end of extraction is much more violent than the LM/Synesso setup. As a result, instead of letting the puck expand (relatively) gently, the puck (especially the top layer) was ripped up which caused all the roughness of the top surface layer. However, this has no effect on the shot as the phenomenon occured after the end of the extraction. So just like what Wendelboe said:





"But really, If the taste is excellent, what does it matter ?"




- Ben






ps. food for thought (tossing a bone here, dear readers): I know it prob adds to the complexity of the mechanical design, but why don't we see a group head design that has a separate path for depressurization (or maybe it already exists and I am just not aware of it but will be interested in knowing...). This way, all the residue will be (mostly) contained in the depressurization path, leaving the brew path relatively clean. Sure, you still have to clean it to prevent any sort of clogging, but I imagine this setup will produce a better cup in a busy cafe environment (where you do not have to luxury to detergent-flush the group often).

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Ben Chen 11:45 AM 1 Comments

  Dose variance...

I was thinking of dose variance numbers and what it means when you say acceptable variance. I have always thought of +-0.5 grams as being the ideal. It isn't until you get the scale out and really measure your variance that you can really grasp consistency in your dose. It's an issue right now because of a conversation I was having with a new friend from the west coast who discussed how some of his coworkers rather than tweak the grind would make small adjustments to the dose. I was shocked.. well not really...

First of all, lower doses mean you have more variance as a percentage of the whole. This does not mean a lower dose is worse but that it is harder to pull consistently. It is, look at the numbers! Even so, any consistent variation over 0.5 grams should be unacceptable.

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I'm not advocating changing coffees to fit doses. I believe there are defined sweet spots for coffees at certain doses and sometimes we are just stuck with tricky doses. Barismo!

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The lower your dose, the wider the variation in your shots. Sure we are talking a tiny amout but if anyone wants to do the numbers and see what those variances translate in volume changes and you realize how difficult you are making your life as a barista. But wait, I'm not advocating higher doses... well maybe just a little when you can get away with it. The higher doses meant that you could have a slightly greater variance and get away with it. Q:What is the difference between a 1 gram variation on a 22gram dose and a .5 gram variation on a 14 gram dose? A: 1 percent.

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Imagine a 1 gram variation on 14 gram dose and the change that would have on the cup. That's a %7.14 plus or minus change in the cup. For a shot that is under 2 oz, that's a lot of change.

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The thing I am really thinking about is how you can't measure your doses except when learning and so you have to have that feel for consistent dosing. It's fun when training when you can call your shots gram weight and then nail it for trainee but the truth is that you can show a person and show a person and they may not get it until they pull a thousand shots. You have to develop a feel for the coffee. Then there is the problem that arises from having the feel down for one coffee then being presented with another coffee of different density... Everything is turned on it's head.

---

Barista don't have scales to weigh every shot nor the time to do extended tamping routines with a line waiting. They have to have a routine based on feel.

---

I guess all that is in it's very essence why I believe in a dosing methodology where you keep your leveling methods the same but change to different volume baskets. It is all in the feel but if you want to leave the scale on the sidelines you gotta use different baskets so you don't have to alter your ritual.


Take the time to feel the grinds and weigh your dose a few times next time you pull shots.


-Jaime "I hate ridged baskets!!!" v.
Update Dosing video

Labels: espresso, technique

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 12:42 AM 5 Comments

  Espresso and absolutes?
I just finished covering a bit at the shop so Simon could get a emergency dentist appointment. Painful so I sympathize. I caught up a bit and heard some different things going down. A lot of people have been coming in and asking for 'ristretto' lately. Not just straight shots but in everything. A bit annoying. Simon's pulls the Ecco as ristretto and anything else they guest that tastes better as a ristretto.

I think it goes to the NY times article where Ken Nye got some plentiful coverage on ranting about the ristretto in espresso. It reminded me of something GHH said about espresso is only 2oz and that is the only espresso.

I just don't really know if I am alone on this, but I feel like there are not many cut and dry absolutes for espresso. There are variables but there are only a few things in espresso that you could say are true for all beans. Fresh roasted, tamped, clean machine, fresh blades, etc fall into the obvious but what about extractions and beans to use for espresso? I have on occassion pointlessly weighed in and started fights with people on forums who post absolutes(Jim and Jon, right Jason...) for one size fits all home user advice. When somebody says triple updosed is the only way to go or that only certain beans can make good shots, I get a little ruffled. No disrespect to anyone who has an opinion of what they like, but I feel like it is so limiting in an area we understand so little about to declare anything as absolute. We as a passionate coffee culture don't know espresso very well. That much I know is absolute. I am only beginning to understand the magnitude of the research I personally need to do in espresso to better understand it.

The thing is, how many people are just experimenting and playing with temp, volume, and dose to find the sweet spots in each coffee(not commercial blends but individual coffees pre blend or SOE)?

Maybe I am off on my own on this, but I really feel like few of us in the industry are talking about the same things when we talk about espresso. Some of us are hung up on being techies, some like the culture/community, some just like the flavors. It's all a bit muddled.


-Jaime

PS to you know who: Master Barista??? It sounds a bit arrogant and I know you aren't...

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 5:01 PM 2 Comments

  Ecco Reserve and Yirg SOS...
Waiting for the Ecco Reserve right now. Maybe monday. If you go into Simon's they still have some of Andrew's N. Italian running right now. Simon will order the Terroir Yirg SOS for next week but I am uncertain as Simon is getting two of his grinders serviced leaving him short on grinders.

Just had Denez pull me a great shot of Ecco N. Italin but I still like the Reserve much better.

-Jaime

Labels: coffee review, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 8:36 PM 0 Comments

  Clamouring for espresso... and didn't know it?
Denez(a barista @Simon's) and I had a long conversation the other day about where the shop has come and where it seems to be going. Part of it is that Cambridge, MA for all it's diversity is a great area to test out this coffee as a culinary thing. The truth being that nobody had done it yet. Going into a little coffee place in Inman Sq. where they had a one group, an undersized plastic tamper, and 4 demitasse cups lonely, unused on the top of the machine gave me perspective. At Simon's, we currently keep 20 demitasse cups on the machine during the summer... and we run out. I want to illustrate the evoloution of this shop. Simon's went from drip coffee/bowls to espresso in two years. A fantastic thing if you think about it.

Denez proposed one thought. People want this, they really want this. They are clamoring for this, but they just don't know it until we show them. We've been culturing and nurturing this move towards espresso and in the end we just didn't know that people were already searching for this independent of us... sometimes unknowingly.

It really is a fabulous thought. People want better drinks, often they don't know what drink they want until we help them satisfy that want. Sometimes it's an evoloution of trying different drinks on the menu, sometimes it starts with a simple question 'What do you recommend?' All I have to help them is to choose an Ecco ristretto, a Terroir SO, or a guest something else on tap....

Thought for the day... Barista as a Sommolier isn't too far from the truth.


-Jaime

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 7:35 PM 0 Comments

  Do Aromas die at high temps?
I was thinking about this. For a multitude of reasons, key aromatics disappear at high temps. Anything pushing over 201F and after that you are probably killing it. Obviously there is the roast issue. Roasting it dark for higher temps kills those jasmine clover floral notes.

So you are saying no, that can't be right... Rethink it though. Yeah, you can still get your blueberry ferment and earthy spicy dirt coming through... but what about those delicate notes. What happened there? Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating we all start pulling at low temps the home user can't achieve(except for experimenting!). Just think about where are the aromas in your espresso today. Why can't we have an espresso that has all the complexity and character of a Sao Benedito? Espresso shouldn't be elitist or intense strong coffee. It should be an experience... the essence of coffee under pressure. Think about those aromatics trapped in that crema and rolling over your tongue. Clovers on the nose and on the tongue... Put a little thought into your espresso and get back to me.



-Jaime

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 12:22 PM 0 Comments

  My personal milk bias...

Milk. Moo Juice. The dairy. That's the problem. I have a personal milk bias. Don't get me wrong, I drink milk at breakfast and I am not lactose intolerant. Soy and dairy. I have it all the time, by itself.... The thing is I never really got into coffee and milk together. I came into coffee drinking it like you would a green tea. Straight. No sugar, no dairy. This is why it became so important for me to find naturally sweet, less bitter, pleasant coffee and espresso that stood on it's own. The thing is I did this cupping... got this lecture from this coffee fanatic who kept stating a dislike for milk and disregard for coffee's pairing with milk.

Then I thought about it. It goes back to relevance. Yes, I love espresso. But espresso in milk is something I serve, not something I would drink. I realize I have to push people to drink less milk and get to smaller sizes and better proportions but... I cannot be 'that guy.' The guy lecturing what coffee is supposed to be and how it should be enjoyed. I can only present the best drink possible and hope that the taste alone will win over. it got me thinking, I have to make a excellent cappuccino and let people naturally find their own way down to espresso. I have to have faith that people will figure, hmm, this tastes so good, what if I had a little less milk and could taste the coffee more?

Make that fabulous espresso drink and people will naturally gravitate towards the better flavors. First with extra shots, then smaller sizes. Then finally coffee unfiltered... the straight shot.

Case in point. A regular customer who has come in for a long time and loves the latte art came ordering a large skim latte(way back when Simon still had the bowls). She migrated to a triple skim cappa and started moving around a lot on her drinks suddenly. It was like she couldn't pick one drink anymore. Skim then whole, then cappa, then latte. Suddenly this morning she says, I want to try a fancy espresso. I chuckled and said 'what drink do you want it in?' thinking it would be a cappa or latte... She says a double shot. A bit suprised but unfazed, I served her a double shot of Ecco Reserve. She took it back to her table and I went back to my routine with other customers. She comes up later and orders a cappuccino and raved about the espresso. So sweet, smooth, and creamy... tasty. She was smiling and plush with emotion about it. I have had many customers try their first espresso (she was the second to announce it that morning) with me but this one stuck in perspective to the milk thing.

What I think is that if I do my thing on all levels well, people will naturally migrate towards better flavors. Latte isn't as satisfying as a cappuccino and machiatto though smaller has more flavor. Finally the espresso on it's own and the unique flavors can be an experience. It's not about what is right, but what tastes good. I don't want to be the "soup nazi," I want to share the coffee experiences I have had so others can fully appreciate the coffee. We can all sit around and talk about fancy flavors and theories but in the end of the day it comes down to one thing:


Prove it in the cafe.

Learning to overcome my milk bias and help others develop theirs-

-Jaime

Labels: article, espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 4:26 PM 4 Comments

  Espresso is not just another brewing method...
Most espresso, the crema tastes good, the remaining liquid is quite offensive. You get creamy mouthfeel but at the bottom of the cup, it's like bile. I guess the triple ristretto all crema pull makes sense for that. Get only the good stuff and avoid the bad. The reverse being where the crema is blah but the liquid underneath is excellent. People who fancy the coffee like wine analgoy lean this way. To me, the best espresso I have had are smooth and consistent from top to bottom. The crema is tasty and the resulting liquid underneath is excellent also. Not only that, but it also is enjoyable as it begins to cool. How many espresso really qualify as this?

Part of why I am such a fan of Andrew Barnett over at Ecco Caffe (besides his zen master knowledge and humble nature) is his roasting style lends to soft flavors in espresso, top to bottom. The coffees typically have flavor consistency from crema to last drip. Even as the coffees begin to cool, it's tasty. It's been part of my learning curve of graduating from kick in the face intense flavors for my beginners palate to the more subtle flavor profiles. I now have a strong desire for sweetness and complexity over sharp peaks and intensity.

I guess I yearn for espresso to be something so tasty that the average coffee drinker could have an espresso and go 'wow, that's tasty', not 'whoa that's intense'.



-Jaime

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 12:11 AM 5 Comments

  The dose...

Dose. It come down to how the grinds exit your grinder and enter your portafilter. You move your portafilter around to make sure all empty space is filled and the coffee lands evenly in the portafilter. In essence, you slightly overfill to make sure all crevices below the lip of the basket are filled. You can Schomer it NSEW with a finger, Stockfleth it in a circle with you palm, or you can Schyndel(I can make my own up right?) it. I prefer to pinch the coffee using a scissor(index and middle finger) move on the surface of the basket and then swirl or go NSEW compensating for the deficiency of grounds in the basket. The idea is to let the lightly pinched coffee fall gently into the areas of lower density but in no way should you be pushing the coffee down. Seriously though, you could lid scrape NSEW or whatever variance works for you. The important thing is to use the right basket for your dose.


Yes, I said it, use the right basket for the gram dose weight you wish to attain. Dose volumetrically. Whatever gram dose you want, you need the right basket for that dose. That means when you run a lab or multiple coffees, you need an assortment of baskets that you can move through to find the right dose. 14g 16g 18g 22g, these are all different baskets. Try it and really think about it. If you use the right basket, all you have to do is level it with no fancy moves every time and you get the right dose. If you underdose/overdose a basket, you lose consistency. Consistency which is one of the most important things behind the bar(reduce all variables for repeatability). Break out your gram scale and see how consistent your shots are trying to over/under your dose every time.

When it really comes down to it, baskets are designed for volumetric dosing and you really can't break out the scale for every shot in a cafe setting. Have that scale handy so you can 'compare apples to apples' but when it comes down to it, you got to use the right basket. Your pucks will be beautiful and have room for proper expansion without crushing the screen or being a soupy mess.



-Jaime

Labels: espresso, technique

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 10:55 PM 5 Comments

  Distribution Method
A good read:

Coffeed Discussion

A while back, I was puzzled why Jaime can "distribute" by simply leveling the portafilter w/ a scrape of the doser lid and get a beautiful pour. This was also the time I had a lot of problem of uneven pour out of the basket. It was then I found out that my grinder (in conjunction of the way I dose) causes the coffee to deposit more on one side of the basket. This results in differences in the density of the grinds (in the basket), and that the post leveling/distribution move (schomer/stochfletch/chicago chop) did not help to distribute the coffee (especially the lower-half) much at all. It was not until I start to pay real attention to de-clump and center the ground falling into the basket till I have some decent pours.

I think Alistair said the best:

"Distribution is a fix for coffee that has been dosed unevenly in the basket. Concentrate on the landing."

So forget all the focus on the different "distribution" moves and pay attention to the dosing that actually distribute the coffee. Fix the root cause, not the sympton.

-Ben

Labels: espresso, technique

  ¶ Ben Chen 11:34 AM 2 Comments

  Gimme doing some SOS
Having worked with Gimme! Coffee's new Single Origin Espresso for a few days, I have a few things to say. First off, it was a very generous freebie that I was not expecting and much thanks to Janet for thinking of us.

Extraction parameters- 16-18g 1-1.25oz Double 24-26sec @ 199F-201F

I found the heavier dose and higher temps to be a natural fit for this espresso. Subtle would be the way to describe it as nothing jumps out at you. It was lightly chocolate at this extraction. Very tight ristretto. The aftertaste produces something of a orange-esque flavor reminiscent of candied fruit. many noted the sweetness of the espresso and it's flavor similarity in relation to other offerings from Gimme!. It really follows the lineage of gimme's somewhat dark roast styles and is what I would usually associate with a french roast from GHH. I would love to see this coffee in a lighter roast where I could really taste more origin flavorsat a large volume such as a 1.75 oz double. This would sacrifice body but let me feel more of the uniqueness of the coffee. Something I don't think they could do given that the standard practice is the tight triple at Gimme. Being a Cup of Excellence Colombia coffee means it will probably be subtle, complex, and sweet. There was little citrus in the cup as this had been roasted out if present.

On a side note, this espresso fared well as a triple ristretto in a cappuccino and cut through the milk without losing much. I honestly feel this is part of the growth phase for Gimme and that this is definately a step in the right direction for them. Getting into SOS and CoE is definately a good thing. Fans of the triple ristretto and bottomless portafilters will be in heaven with this coffee.


-Jaime

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 11:29 PM 1 Comments

  Espresso rumble royale in Boston...

Just got 2lbs of Andrew's new espresso blend as freebies to check out and two pounds of his CoE Brazil 2005.

---

Brazil - 2005 Cup Of Excellence - Fazenda São Benedito
$19.00/lb
Farmer: Antônio José Junqueira Villela e outros

(Very Limited Release)

World coffee aficionados were stunned with the results from the 2005 Brazil Cup of Excellence auction. The 1st place winner, Fazenda Santa Ines, fetched a record-shattering price of $49.75 per pound after receiving the highest Cup of Excellence score ever! Quietly, family and friends from neighboring coffee farm Fazenda São Benedito were awarded the 2nd place spot with an international jury score of 92.65, missing the highest rating by a mere half point.

Ecco Caffè invites you to discover São Benedito’s ethereal floral tones, ripe apricot, sweet honey, rich chocolate and lingering caramel finish. This enchanting jewel of a coffee satisfies beautifully from beginning to end. We strongly encourage you to purchase ASAP, since it is an extremely limited release and guaranteed to go fast!

---

To say Ben, Simon, and I are excited to cup this is an understatement. Simon completely dropped this on me as usual. For once, it was a good surprise. I think Judson will be floored to hear it as he had almost given up hope on Simon ordering more Ecco espresso.


This all happened as Simon finally got around to ordering some consistent espresso from Ecco to be our dedicated guest espresso. Customers had such a warm welcome for the Ecco that we were jonesing to bring it back in. Simon will now be consistently ordering from Ecco and will also sell some retail bags of Ecco to go with our ususal lineup of Terroir coffees.


We will be overflowing with great espresso. A guess we can't call it a guest anymore and will just have to think of a new way to pitch it. If we carry Northern again with Southern from Terroir, an Ecco espresso, an SOS, and then Decaf.... oy, my head is spinning. We may have to do a tasting again as I have had a couple of customers suggest we should do it being fully unaware of our first attempt at a tasting.


A special thanks to Ben for helping set up the preinfusion on the 4g LM. Mark M(the tea guy) was confused by the pressure setup when he tried to get a taste of what was going on one night while I was off. I'll give him a heads up when he gets back from Armenia. Now I have an adjustable preinfusion on the machine. Woo hoo. The shots are smooth and creamy now while crema is much more persistent and dense. I don't even want to get into how many months and how many industry people I went through trying to get preinfusion on the machine and yet no one helped. would've settle for the flow rate screw in the group head... anything really but what ben set up is working very well actually. Thanks again Ben.






-Jaime

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 10:19 PM 3 Comments

  Shots of Kenyans of course...
Given the depth of Tegu and the sweetness therein, I wonder if that experience will be repeated or even outdone anytime soon. As Ben noted, the most ibteresting experiences have come lately from Kenyans.

I sampled the Kenyan Kiambu Rioki over the last week. I was looking for the plush tomato citrus you get from the Tegu. I got something I was describing as blackberry/mulberry. The tomato cirtus was toned down and the sweetness was not as prominent as the Tegu but it was still a fantastic cup. The ever present sweetness in the aftertaste was excellent. That pleasing mouthwatering effect is something that lingers in the memory long after the flavors disappear.

It was excellent plush dark berries in the cup and surprisingly more savory than I was expecting. We typically associate the savory flavor of beef in Tegu with a too dark roast or brew temperature being too high but I got the feeling the savory flavors in this were inherent to the bean not other factors.

On a side note: Spinach like flavors are major off flavors. I got a disgusting pea soup flavor out of a few samples brewed way too hot.


-Jaime

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 10:45 PM 0 Comments

  Rituale Transformation Project: Stage 2 (aka PID in da house!)

Alright, so PID is in. Installation is fairly non-eventful (though not comepletly trouble free), and it only took about 2 to 3 hrs to put in the hardware/wires. The swagelock borethru fitting was a bit pain in the butt to use because it was so small (1/16" OD x 1/4" NPT) and I was a bit worry about the probe hitting one leg of the heating element. But it turn out okay I think. The probe should be about 3/8" to the heating element with about an 3/8" or so of immersion.



Okay, now the hard part. With the PID, I am learning the machine all over again.
I have been taking A LOT of data trying to understand the new behavior and to setup a routine to get what I want. Due to its HX nature, it's a bit more complex than I anticipated. I have to get more data before I can provide an more comprehensive picture. This will take a while (at least a week or two), so don't be surprised if I disappeared for a while again.



One other behavior of the PID - the pump does drop pressure whenever the element comes on (ever 1 sec). This has cemented my idea of getting a rotary pump so part sourcing has begun. I ultimately decided to get an outboard setup to save me money and agony of fitting everything in the case. The parts should be coming in next week or two...



Until then, go drink some espresso. Ecco's Daterra Reserve rules! (Check out their new website! Online order finally!!)



-Ben

Labels: espresso, rituale mod

  ¶ Ben Chen 11:57 PM 0 Comments

  Rituale Transformation Project: Stage 1





First, a disclaimer about the equipment. The brew water temperature is measured with a K-type thermocouple imbedded between a puck of styrofoam and a puck of sponge stuffed inside a basket. The wire is fished out of a hole on the side of the basket then out to the handle. The limitation of this setup is that, the temperature measured is essentially at the sponge, saturated with brew water. There is a definate delay between actual brew temp and recorded temperature. As a result, the 1st half of the temperature curve is to be used in a qualitative manner. 2nd half of the reading, taken while the prob is soaked in brew water, should accurately reflect the brew temp. Also, I took the measurements at fixed volume flow instead of fix time increments due to the test rig we setup. There is a slight error in this method but I believe it's neglectgible. Anyway, it's the best I can do with what I have. If you want to donate a datalogger or a scace device, feel free to write me an email. Much thanks to Jaime for doing the very boring and tedious datalogging with me. I am sure he is REALLY looking forward to another round of this when the PID goes in, haha.



So here is the summary for the stage 1 of the modification project:



1. The original HX loop is very stable at steady state. The shot has less than 1 degree of variation at the tail end. Shot-to-shot variation seemed to be within 1 degree F.



2. The pre-heater loop seemed to further stablized the temperature. Shot-to-shot variation and overall tail temperature is less than 0.5 degree F (the resolution of my meter).



3. With the Isomac Rituale (1400 watt heater), a recovery time of 2.5 min are required to prevent temperature drop-off at the end of the shot (2 min = 1 degree drop off).



4. The HX configuration can be manipilated with cooling flushes (rebound time of 30 sec) to control the brew temperature (within normal espresso brewing range). The pre-heater loop configuration did not like to be flush too much and require much much longer rebound time.





Conclusion:



1. Looking at the numbers, it seemed that the pre-heater loop configuration sets up the machine very nicely for a sucessful PID job. With tighter broiler temperature control, the brew temperature could be really rock solid.



2. While attempting to adjust the pressurestat to obtain a brewing temperature of 201 F, it was discovered that pressurestats do not really like to be set that low and shot to shot variation became very large. This means that, for normal HX operation, a (large) pre-heater loop is NOT adviced as you could not flush the gouphead to proper temperature with reasonable reovery time.



So, that is it for now. I eagerly awaits the arrival of the thermocouple probe, and hopefully can post further results soon.



- Ben

Labels: espresso, rituale mod

  ¶ Ben Chen 12:21 AM 2 Comments

  Coffee Shots...
Ben is tweaking on calling the low temp extractions of drip coffees 'Coffee Shots'. Still putting together numbers on what is going on but we have a working theory and things are really taking shape.

Simon's is currently serving Peru Cecovesa as Coffee of the Day(or week...) and I am pulling it as espresso or coffee shots at Simon's. You can get a taste of it if anyone is curious about this experiment. The Peru makes a nice Americano as well as a straight double shot. Defined by dominant notes of nuts(hazelnut), malt, and clean citrus(ben suggests dried plum). Is it something I would drink everyday, no. Is it something I would like to have every now and then, yes. As a standalone experience, it is worth it.

I can't really qualify these shots as classic espresso. They lack the intensity and viscosity of the so called classic espresso and in particular don't compare to the ristretto style chocolate viscous extractions many favor. In essence they resemble the drip coffees with excellent clarity but with a thick creamy texture of espresso. The origin flavors jump out of the cup and are as obvious as a brick to the face. Well, not quite a brick, but it makes going back and tasting the drip easier to understand. Espresso brings clarity to the flavors and as I found myself saying in the shop: "It sure beats the hell out of drinking coffee."

I think we are all very excited about where this is taking us. I only wish I could serve it when the Ecco arrives and have the SOS, house, and guest running at once.

-Jaime

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 11:08 PM 0 Comments

  Day 3?



I am tired... This mod job has taken way more time than I have imagined. In general, I took my time and double/triple check my works. Some mistakes were made, but none are deal breakers. Upon powe up, only 3 leaks were discovered. One at an elbow that I decided to JB-weld it. One at the pressure gauge, which I have re-fitted with some extra teflon tapes. The last leak is at the compression fitting going in the heat exchanger. The tip was cut and a new "bead" was used. Lesson learned - never teflon tape any compression fittings... and make sure you tighten the crap out of it...



The pre-heater loop was a major pain the butt to put in. Bending "soft" copper tubes are not as easy as it seems. I mean, it bends; but if you are not careful, you will "flatten" the tubes. Also, short length and small loops are difficult. The broiler loops are not as tight as I had hope, and only very small parts of each loop is in contact w/ the broiler. This made me worry about it's performance. I put as much insulation as I can all around the broiler/loop. Hopefully this will help its performance a bit. Anyway, what's done is done. I will have to do some measurements to see its performance later this week.



Anyway, I think this finally concludes "Phase 1" of the Rituale Transformation Project, which consists of re-routing all the wires, relocating the controller box, relocating the pump/solenoid assembly, and adding the pre-heating loop (top picture). An machined aluminum braket replaced the orginal internal frame to make room for the relocated pump, which occupied an space alloted for future rotary pump conversion.



Phase 2 of the project will be replacing the current pressurestat with a PID control system. All the parts have been ordered and they should be arriving in the next 2 weeks. Adding these parts should be much easier than phase 1 as all the accomidations for wiring/mounting has been made. It should not take more than an evening worth of work.



If the pre-heater loop + PID works well, I will be looking into replacing the current vibe pump with a rotary pump (phase 3). During my research for the modification project, I have learned that vibe pump is very sensitive to voltage drop. If the heating element comes on while the pump is operating, the output pressure could drop as much as 0.25 bars. This causes the pressure profile to be really jagged and reported to reduce the overall clarity in the cup. Since the PID system will make the heating elements goes on much frequently than the pressurestat, this problem is worsen. However, I hesitate to purchase the pump right away as the miniature version I have spec out is quite expansive (~ $260). If anyone knows another (cheaper) source for the 1/4 HP motor that espresso parts sells, PLEASE contact me and help me save some money!

Labels: espresso, rituale mod

  ¶ Ben Chen 11:55 PM 4 Comments

  Day 2

Did not have much time today so just some minor work. Start to rewire the system. Routing looks much cleaner so far...

Labels: espresso, rituale mod

  ¶ Ben Chen 11:47 PM 0 Comments

  And the transformation begins

Labels: espresso, PID, rituale mod

  ¶ Ben Chen 6:58 PM 3 Comments

  Musings: Espresso research: Why challenge the standards?
I think the results we get this weekend will define our theory. An intermediate tasting of extreme light roast Terroir's Daterra Reserve has shown that we are definately onto something. What it actually means is unertain right now. Is it a Terroir roast/bean specific thing? I got feelers out to different friends and acquaintances looking for answers to this. I realize that person(s) at Terroir are working on it and good luck to them. I hope they post the data in a open forum for others to see at some point. I want to approach this from a community standpoint and really try to challenge the conventions of espresso. These single origins may be just the coffees to do this with. What if all those flowery descriptions on the bag that you struggle to frame in drip coffee could become obvious in the espresso extraction? That's what is driving me right now, the next experience.

Crazy, definately, but then again, everything I learn points me in a new direction. I came into coffee blind and maybe that's a good thing. Not knowing anything or even having a palate for any coffee. All I knew was that coffee was strong and often bitter. Espresso in fact was unpalatable in my early experiences with rubbish beans. This set me off in exploration that led us at Simon's to brewing Terroir. The drip Terroir has, when brewed correctly, is amazing. A cup of Tegu brewed correctly will shake your perceptions of coffee. That said, I am an espresso head these days and this new low temp concept is my key to marrying the two things. Espresso effectively clarifies the flavors in the coffee for me and there is the unlocking of those flavors I cannot always identify in drip without a struggle.

What does it mean effectively? I don't know yet. I will post the data when Ben and I have more conclusive and logged numbers. Our intermitten samples have convinced me the lighter roasts theory works fine. Even going as low as 180to 185F for a very light roast seems likely.

The next step once we cycle through all the Terroir offerings is to get roasts from other roasters and see how they compare. Stumptown, Ecco, and the likes.
BTW I talked to Simon and I think there is a free bag of Ecco coming for Ben from Simon.

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 3:27 PM 0 Comments

  Espresso is spelled with an s not an x.
Overview of notes from espresso tasting on the Synesso 4-29-06

Pump pressure set to 8.5 bars.

I will leave out the in between shots and only post the significant notes.

Use a scale if you want to repeat our results ;)

Ecco Reserve from Ecco Caffe

Dose 16g Temp 201F 6sec preinfusion 28s extraction 1.75oz volume

Notes: Sharp Citrus and grainy taste. Pump pressure was too high so we put it from 9.5 to 8.5 bars

Dose 18g Temp 201F 5sec preinfusion 35sec extraction 1oz

Notes: Mellow. Smooth creamy and fabulous classic ristretto flavor but not bitter.

Dose 18g 201F 5sec preinfusion 25s extracion 2oz volume

Notes: Meaty and savory nut flavors. For all these pulls we have used the ridgless LM aka a 16g basket.

Dose 20g 201F 5sec preinfusion 27sec extraction 2oz volume

Notes: Switched to down dosed triple basket and got inconsistent results. Barnett uses more dose but we feel more comfortable with the results in the 16g ridgeless basket. Had trouble with channeling and getting a good shot before exhausting the beans.

Notes on the Ecco Reserve: Fabulous. Ben is in love with this espresso at the moment. Complex and it has play(it works at different but specific temps, doses, and volumes combinations). A smooth/creamy milk chocolate ristretto or a light citrus floral complex nutty profile. It lacks the harshness and intensity but has all the citrus flavors in a clean and controlled flavor. Barnett knows espresso.


Fazenda Cachoeira 2005 crop

using 16g ridgeless again from here on out.

Dose 18g 201F 1.5oz - some citrus

16g 202F 1.25oz - Roasty toasty

Notes: roast was a bit darker than last time. Espresso was very good but paled in comparison the the Ecco Resrve. Light ferment? (ben says)Is that the screen drying?


Conclusions: The Ecco Reserve contains both Daterra reserve and the Cachoeira. Ben inferred he felt the the Cachoeira might be holding it back but I think the combination is something greater than the whole. It's in the cup this time and we can argue over the minute and complex details of the tastes but the reserve was good. Barnett comes from the mold of a barista through and through. It's obvious he cups the espresso himself and pulls shots himself.

Labels: espresso

  ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 5:16 PM 3 Comments

  Barista Machismo...

A naked triple ristretto into a bowl for latte art practice.
The art has been coming out wicked easily lately. I feel in awe sometimes at how much muscle memory plays a role and you just do it without thinking.

The nerves have gotten me lately to where I have been tweaking at work. Tired and yet nervous about all the attention lately. It's weird when someone asks for your autograph in this business. I'm not a rock star baristi, I shy from the limelight. Though, the sentiment was truly appreciated. In the last two days, I really feel we have served as many straight shots as drip coffees. At one point we had only brewed 4 airpots but had served so many espresso I couldn't get cups washed in time. I believed so much in this idealism and philosophy that now I am apt to question whether it is starting to take or it's just a fluke and one day things will go back to the way they were. I can't accept in some ways how everything is happening all at once. The real question is why should we sacrfice? Why shouldn't we force things to happen at some point and drive these idealisms to come true. [idealism]Someday, I will be able to talk with my coffee distributor middleman and he