Rancilio Silvia... Part 2!

hopper1
hopper1 Posts: 4,389
edited January 2010 in The bottom bracket
Ok, guys, new Silvia arrived today, so far I've not managed to make any crema on a coffee, as yet!
If I keep practicing like this, then it's possible I wont sleep for about a month, either!! :shock:
WTF?
From what I can see, it's not a fault in the actual making... More likely to be in beans, or grinding size.
I watched a youtube clip..... Dead easy... And, it is, if you want flat coffee! :cry:
Help me...... :wink:
Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
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Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    edited January 2010
    Make sure the machine has been on for 30 minutes, use decent fresh coffee, ground and tamped so that the shot takes 15-20 seconds. After a bit of trial and error you should get there. Most likely fault is too coarse a grind, maybe tamped too hard (or not, and the shot runs through too fast). What grinder are you using?
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    hopper1 wrote:
    Ok, guys, new Silvia arrived today, so far I've not managed to make any crema on a coffee, as yet!
    If I keep practicing like this, then it's possible I wont sleep for about a month, either!! :shock:
    WTF?
    From what I can see, it's not a fault in the actual making... More likely to be in beans, or grinding size.
    I watched a youtube clip..... Dead easy... And, it is, if you want flat coffee! :cry:
    Help me...... :wink:

    Your 'grind' probably isn't fine enough. Just take it down bit by bit. Trial and error, but once there, that's it.
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    Yep, beans vary, and some work better on a finer grind, some more coarse. If you are using stale (or very dry) beans with very little oil you will find it hard to get a crema. What beans are you using?

    IME, it's often trial and error with a new bean to get the grind setting & tamping right. Tamp too hard and the water won't run thru, tamp too light, it will just run thru too quickly and look like dirty water. So getting the right grind and tamping combo all needs a bit of practice. You need to aim to pull a shot in about 23-25 seconds.
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    To add to Ands advice, once you have mastered tamping, use the same pressure always, when you use different beans you may need to adjust the grind, but tamp stays the same (so my coffee mentor taught me).
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Wow! Thanks for all the tips, guys...
    I did suspect all those bits.
    The grinder is a Rancilio MD Rocky, non doser.
    I've been cranking the grinder down, bit by bit, but... :(

    :oops: :oops:
    Now, this isn't called for, on here, but, I am gonna now 'fess up!
    After reading your remarks, and getting halfway through this post, I went to try again, with my new 'tips', only to discover that reading the instructions would have helped a great deal! :oops:
    I remember looking at the grinder and thinking 'how difficult could this be?'

    Stupidly, common sense told me to turn anti clockwise for a courser grind, clockwise for a finer grind. This train of thought seemed to go along with the numbered collar, in that cranking it down (clockwise) for a finer grind, would also increase the number on the collar. :wink:
    :cry: So wrong, fcukin' Italians :evil:
    So, now it's adjusted, as per instructions, tyou lot are probably either p1ssing yourselves laughing, or tut-tutting in a know-it-all manner....
    Edit after the coffee.....
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    It's OK Hopper1, it was a given that you didn't RTFM (honestly, companies should 'go green' and not bother sending out manuals to male customers. :roll: )
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    alfablue wrote:
    To add to Ands advice, once you have mastered tamping, use the same pressure always, when you use different beans you may need to adjust the grind, but tamp stays the same (so my coffee mentor taught me).
    Yes I concur with that :lol:
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Ands wrote:
    It's OK Hopper1, it was a given that you didn't RTFM (honestly, companies should 'go green' and not bother sending out manuals to male customers. :roll: )

    Oooooh, Ands, you kill me! :wink::lol::lol::lol:

    As an aside, my Garmin 705 has just been delivered, and guess what?....

    I'm reading the manual. :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    hopper1 wrote:

    As an aside, my Garmin 705 has just been delivered, and guess what?....

    I'm reading the manual. :wink:
    Ohhhh, I see you've given up on the coffee machine already then. That didn't last long. :lol:
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Ands wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:

    As an aside, my Garmin 705 has just been delivered, and guess what?....

    I'm reading the manual. :wink:
    Ohhhh, I see you've given up on the coffee machine already then. That didn't last long. :lol:

    Multi tasking, Ands :wink:
    Hopefully, I wont find it too taxing and end up spilling the coffee, or dropping the 705 in my cup :shock:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    hopper1 wrote:
    Multi tasking, Ands :wink:
    Impossible!
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Ands wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:
    Multi tasking, Ands :wink:
    Impossible!

    No, it's not...
    As long as I remain seated, and don't hurry things, I can manage to struggle through :wink:

    Oh, and I have to spit my gum out, too!
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Oh... Back to OP... Are the espresso machines supposed to make so much racket!?
    Lot of vibration, I know it's damped, but still unnerving.
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    All quiet on the coffee front today. I guess Hopper1 finally fell asleep at 5am and is still in bed :lol:

    Our machine makes a racket - you can't really have a conversation while it's going. I'm sure the Germans have made one that is quieter, with less vibration, but maybe with the Italian ones you have sacrifice reduced noise for blindingly cool aesthetics!

    p.s. I'll say it quietly so I don't take the thread off-topic.....I just bought a bike
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Yep, I can't make coffee in the middle of the night - live in a flat / family with young baby below. As a consequence I have to manage my insomnia without caffeine :cry:

    what bike did you get?
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Come on Ands.... What did you get, then?

    I can't believe you whispered that!

    It was making a noise because I'd left the 'hot water delivery switch' ON!


    The bike, the bike........ C'mon, woman :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    Have a look! : http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab31 ... ewbike.jpg
    (preliminary photo - doing the bars tonight & changing the saddle - will post pretty pics soon :) )
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    alfablue wrote:
    Yep, I can't make coffee in the middle of the night - live in a flat / family with young baby below. As a consequence I have to manage my insomnia without caffeine :cry:

    what bike did you get?
    Use a stove top! (This is when I may need to alter the grind setting or tamping pressure for a particular bean, depending on if it's going in the machine or stove top. )
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Ah, a stove top - I have 3, should have thought of that - still, grinding is out of the question - will take forward planning.

    that bike is a beauty!
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Ands wrote:
    Have a look! : http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab31 ... ewbike.jpg
    (preliminary photo - doing the bars tonight & changing the saddle - will post pretty pics soon :) )

    Very nice, Ands, impressed with the white/red frame.
    Whats up with the Arione saddle? Is that not intended for the female form?
    I take it you'll be using the white Fizik Microtex tape.....

    I had a few visits from the postie, today... :D:D:D
    Unfortunately, the wheels are going back on Monday, minor glitch... :cry::cry:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    I don't like the Arione, not comfy at all - but I can sell it as it's brand new. I've taken the wheels off and put my Race X-lites on. The shop put different bars on for me as I didn't like the ones it came with. Decided to bring it home and do the fine-tuning with the position of the levers, etc - Fizik Microtex (white of course) going on as we speak (and as I sit back with a glass of wine :wink: ) . And not too much over budget.......

    How is the coffee today? :)
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Coffee is fantastic, today... :wink:
    What wine are you drinking? Must be a vintage, if it's over budget? :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    hopper1 wrote:
    Coffee is fantastic, today... :wink:
    What wine are you drinking? Must be a vintage, if it's over budget? :wink:
    LOL - it's a Tour Down Under wine - 2006 Chateau Reynella shiraz - Mclaren Vale, which of course the TdU has passed thru this week! 8)
    Cannondale Six Carbon
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Well, I hope you enjoy your new bike... Onced you've sobered up, and taken it for a spin. :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Stone Glider
    Stone Glider Posts: 1,227
    Errrm... what is it with the "warm up for thity minutes bit? When I read my instruction manual :oops: I thought it was a mis-translation :?

    Edit: I have tried the thirty minutes bit and have blown the machine up!!!! Big bang, c/b thrown, all is Kaput!

    Any advice? Apart from take it back to the shop.
    The older I get the faster I was
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Well, I only discovered the warm up thing relatively recently - it made a huge difference. I think it may be more relevant to puny domestic machines like mine. What machine did you blow up? That isn't supposed to happen!
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Mine has been 'ON' for the past 6 hours, just keeping the boiler on the go... No problem and nice and quick when I want a coffee, too :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    I switch my Silivia on before I go for my shower in the morning, so it's had 25 mins or so to warm up before I use it -> decent crema every time.

    On my Rocky, for espresso I tend to have the grind set at around about 14 on the scale. It moves one or two notches depending on the freshness of the beans, the weather (humidity and temperature seems to make a difference) and what-not - you'll soon pick that up though. Enjoy! :D
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Philip S wrote:
    On my Rocky, for espresso I tend to have the grind set at around about 14 on the scale.

    :shock: :shock:

    Mine's set on 8 :shock:

    I'll try a bit courser, see how it goes...
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    Philip S wrote:
    I switch my Silivia on before I go for my shower in the morning, so it's had 25 mins or so to warm up before I use it -> decent crema every time.
    Our house rule: first one up goes down to switch the machine on :D
    Cannondale Six Carbon

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