The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

PBL

Just replaced my old ‘Rocky’ grinder with a brand new Eureka Specialita grinder. A huge difference, both in the grind experience and the resulting espresso. First the grinder, the Specialita is approx. 3 times faster, much quieter, does not clump and there I no static cling to the grounds. The Rocky...

PBL

Wow, great way to customize an S1. My would would probably comment that it doesn't match the cabinets. LOL

PBL

Interesting review, the reviewer seems to put a lot of effort and thinking in his work. I like the PID but it would need more oomph from the second boiler. For a 2k$ machine I see no reason to stray from La Spaziale. The Expobar Brutus was not in the same price-quality category two years ago and whi...

PBL

Three comments on the milk based drinks from recent experience: - overextracting will generally ruin the espresso and the milk based drink, either by getting the bitter end or just diluting the shot. - the problem may be too much milk, use a smaller cup and try again (I recently dropped our double c...

PBL

I also noticed that the Vivaldi was less forgiving than other machines when I bought the machine almost fifteen months ago. But I don't think it is the tall pucks, as I would suspect that a tall puck should have the opposite effect due to the greater depth of coffee. I think it is mostly due to the ...

PBL

My S1 has become quite quiet over the last several months. It doesn't make any noise other than a bit of pump noise when the pump comes on. Certainly no vibration. I have a little Breville Cafe Roma at the cottage. Now that is a noisy machine with a lot of vibration. You have to tie down the shot gl...

PBL

Adding a great shot to the hot water from my S1 makes a great Americano. I have learned to let the water cool a few degrees to get rid of the bitter edge for some coffees (seems to be the darker roasts only) but otherwise it only makes a minor difference. A double shot with about 6.5 ounces of water...

PBL

Awesome job. I have always been a tinkerer, but have not had the need yet with my machine, like I did with my prior two machines, Gaggia and Trevi Spidum. These Vivaldi

beauties are so well built I guess there is no real need to by them new!

PBL

Congratulations! I have also had my V1 for one year today.

I can't think of anything it needs other than to keep on using it to make great coffee. PS other than to keep it as clean as possible and to change the big rubber gasket now and then.

PBL

The Idrocompresso Mirage is an awesome loooking espresso machine and from what i have read it is good as it is reputed to be. Prices are another concern. The Bad Ass is a serious looing machine as well, probably better suited to getting an entire hockey wired on caffiene before a game. :lol: . Bad a...

PBL

Thanks for the info on the Daterra Reserve and Atomic coffee. Just fired off an e-mail to see if they will ship to Montreal. Been looking for some different roasts for a while.

PBL

Yeh, also get water on the puck. And as Chas has suggested I don't worry about the water on the puck. As for the mess my sink is inches away and I use the garberator as my knock out block. Therefore no mess. Now back to the discussion. The facts appear to be: The amount of water on the puck is not c...

PBL

I am probably a little too inclined to buying blends from my preferred local roasters. I do think it is time to go back to some caf

PBL

Agree with Chas. When the S1 small screen is inverted and inside the bigger screen it will squeeze water out on the sides of the two diffusers because they do not sit snuggly on the shower-head block. This may also be why the grinds are moving around when the shots are being pulled. Putting the big ...

PBL

Nice video, seems to be very effective. The esprosso shot looks marvelous. Thanks Nilo. :D

PBL

Funny, good humour even if you are staying up too late and drinking too much espresso!

And I thought I saw the loose nut that Niko dropped inside the machine when it opened up.

PBL

Glad you get everything sorted out. The Vivaldi and Mini-Vivivaldi are quite sensitve to grind, I guess you experienced it the hard way. When I bought mine in December, I worked the other way down, from too coarse and wasted a few shots. Now that you have her going its time to experiment. I really l...

PBL

Running a water line is not that bad. Almost all cupboards have a cavity either near the floor, behind the drawers or under the lip. The Vivaldi flex line is fairly long, some 42 inches or so. That would get you around or behind any appliance, just like running the line for the dishwater. Once under...

PBL

You could also check the following thread.

Portafilter Blues

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PBL

Yesterday when I was cleaning the machine I took a look at taking the baskets out of the single and double portafilters. After a couple of practices, it comes out real easy with a butter knife and a quick flick beteen the edge of the filter basket and the portafilter if you are right above one of th...

PBL

Congratulations and I agree with you, I couldn't believe I waited so long to change my Trevi with its pressurized pf. After a couple of shots, its great espesso after great espresso. Yeah and the hefty pf with its Mercedes like fit is really a treat. Do remember to firmlyt apply the pf or it will le...

PBL

Leave it on turn it off, leave it on turn it off. Leave it on turn it off, leave it on turn it off. Leave it on turn it off, leave it on turn it off. I don't think it matters much for the machine, other than the cycles. I have left it on straight for 15 days once, no noticable issues except for the ...

PBL

Yeah, I agree with making the machine more user friendly, more intuitive programming, more granularity on the temp setting, easier access to the pressure adjustment. Either small or tall feet or even adjustable. Oh, and North American fittings instead of British Standard would be real nice. My fan i...

PBL

It would be nice to try Counter Culture Toscano but the site leaves the folloing map and I can't find Canada on it. Does anybody know how to get Counter Culture coffee in Canada?

PBL

Now this is a tamper. http://s1cafe.com/wforum/userpix/358_tamper_la_spa_1.jpg From La Spaziale - DYNAMOMETRIC TAMPER - with 25kg of pressure. I guess I need this if I were to get the S5, seen at my local cafe. Here is a picture. Actually would be too large for my kitchen. http://s1cafe.com/wforum/u...

PBL

Don't need a timer any more, sort of! I have two boys age 10 and 12 who get up real early to play video games. My wife finally instructed them how to turn on the machine properly. Now by the time we get downstairs on the weekend the machine is all warmed up and ready to go. Now if only they can get ...

PBL

White mice and black cats are not the only things you start seeing. Had some black cat again on the weekend. First with the regular double portafilter than with the neked portafilter, then at 95 degrees then at 92 degrees. Was going with the Black Cat head to head with the Barista from William Spart...

PBL

Bought the V1 at Cafe-Union and love the machine. Yes I have read about all the improvements in the S1 V11, but the V1 is still a mighty fine machine. Both make the same great espresso, and I did not mind not having the V2 and its new features. Plumb it in, I believe the benefits are well worth the ...

PBL

Steve interesting and informative comments on the GS3. All that I have read would indicate that it is at the fine point of current technology. It does get down to how much one wants to pay for the incremental quality, both perceived and real. The most amazing point about the machine is the temp stab...

PBL

First great move! You will love it at first pull (maybe second or third but you will love it .) Second the only thing different I would have done is gone for a plumbed S1 or S2. The convenience of plumbed in is worth the effort. Price is almost the same. Again congratulations and lets us know how it...

PBL

I usually leave the machine on all day when I am home and when I first got it I left it on for many days straight. Yes I found the inside of the cupboard to be getting quite warm. Just turing off the steam boiler is sufficient to cut down the heat in the cabinets above the machine. With the group he...

PBL

Finally got some Black Cat in Montreal. Very nice, probably the smoothest espesso I have ever had. Expensive locally, but worth it. In the same league quality and flavour-wise as the Bulldog from Toronto. Pulled double shot at 95c, about 37 seconds with slight overfill on the stock S1 double basket ...

PBL

The Versalaba at $375 plus the set up this is an expensive proposition. Practice will make one pretty good withou the automated tools. However still looks intesting. I guess it is for the barista who has everything.

PBL

I am glad my wife:bootyshake: doesn't read this thread and just enjoys the coffee. She did like the pictures of the S1 on her granite counter. I have sqautters rights on the coffee machine as long as I make her great coffee in the morning but she seems to get final say on most other matters. Yeah an...

PBL

We were a few people over the other day and the S1 was pulling shots at 45 to 60 second intervals and there were no signs slowing down. Grind, pull, 8 seconds later the boiler comes on, finish shot, dump puck, grind, reload, go again. The grinder was slower and the only real limitation. I don't see ...

PBL

Congrats on the new grinder. If you keep getting 50% crema in your shots you are going to have to move this thread to the God shot thread. :) My friend who also has a Vivaldi has his paired with the Mazzer Mini and is pleased as punch, unless he gets some coffee that he can't do sh*t with. For the t...

PBL

My guess is that it is either old or possibly higher in acid which I have found makes it more difficult to deal with. One was a medium brown bean, high in acid from Italy, prepackaged (can't rememember the name for sure) and I had a devil of a time to pull a good shot. Finally gave up and blended it...

PBL

I am positive it not will feed the pump. I needs normal city water supply pressure, generally between 30 and 45 psi. I believe the 1/4 inch line would be adequate if the pressure was there. :( When I installed mine three months ago I had a temporary set up for the first day and the small ice machine...

PBL

I guess granite is one of those fads, that just makes sense as well as being fadish (if that is a word). Seems to be the hottest choice at this time. It is tough as rock, parden the pun, looks great, is easy to clean, almost impossible too stain and well is just there to show off La Spaziale product...

PBL

Alby, congatulations on being a new Spaz owner and nice setup. Will agree with the others on the the dark granites, they are almost bullet proof. Seems you have Dakota granite. No need to hide it to protect it. Mine is sealed about once every five years or so and I really don't worry about. Also the...

PBL

Better late than never but congratulations on your new Spaz. Never weighed my grinds, just fill basket and level with my index finger before tamping. I have been reasonbably effective in getting a good to great shot. However lately when I switch back and forth between the single and double I end up ...

PBL

Bought the Spaz at Christmas and the person who sold me the Spaz convinced me on the doserless Rocky. (Yes I had researched before hand.) Faithful, convenient, wife can use it and doesn't complain, quite adjustable. Leaves a bit a of coffee grinds lying around and clumps a bit. Solved the first prob...

PBL

Nice videos. Mine sounds just like Niko's video. :D

PBL

Well maybe a tamper that is little better than the plastic kids tool that comes with the Vivaldi.

PBL

Adjust the volume, practice your grinds, adjust the temp and keep practicing. I set the water with no pressure at about 2 and a bit ounces for the double and 1 and about a half for singles. The coffee seems to take up about one ounce of the water on the double leaving me with a bit more than oneounc...

PBL

PBL

Here is a photo of the plumbing.

PBL

I would highly recommend plumb-in, if at all possible. You will love it everyday. Yes it is similar to the icemaker line but I would not use the tap-in type connector used on some icemakers. You want a quality line with normal regular house water pressure, the icemaker lines work well with lower pre...

PBL

Sorry for the delay, been gone for too long, missed my machine. Had to drink Starbucks in Maui. But getting back to the Bulldog coffee. My buddy who also has an S1 swears by this coffee. Bulldog Coffee 89 Granby Street Toronto, ON bulldogtoronto@rogers.com 416-606-BARK http://www.blogto.com/cafes/bu...

PBL

Absolutely fantastic choice. The plumbed in Vivaldi makes you forget all those non-plumbed machines. I bought mine at Christmas and relaced an older Spidem machine. No comparison for the coffee, no comparison for the performance and with the plumbed in, the only task (besides keeping the disk and sc...

PBL

The S1 is six weeks old. Everyday I run a couple of blank shots after I am finished and every two weeks take the screen and diffuser block out and scrub lightly with the supplied BBQ brush. Everything looks new after and I start all over again. No chemicals, no detergents and it only takes a few min...

PBL

Purchased an S1 in Montreal at Christmas. Amazing machine. One question and it seems to be different for each owner, how loud should it be? Mine is very quiet until the pump comes on. Then you here the pump sometimes loud, somtimes a bit louder. You really notice it in the morning. My wife says it i...

PBL

A specialty roaster in Toronto is selling a blend called Bulldog. A friend of mine picked it up and was raving about it. Very good, almost creamy, low acidity with a nice smooth chocolate undertone. Crema is perfect if not slighly excessive.

Definitely worth a try.

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