water pressure

[michael]

what is the recommended water pressure to use with the new programmable preinfusion on the S1

[JohnB]

Chris suggested 25psi but everyone has been experimenting with different pressures as high as 50 psi.

[michael]

when do you measure the pressure; machine on or off; right now my gauge reads 25 psi which i set as the boiler was filling, but i havent experimented much with it yet

how many seconds of pi are you using; does it vary from bean to bean

[JohnB]

To be honest I seldom turn on the p/i but you would set the line pressure with water running through the group head or when the steam boiler fills. Mines set at 30 psi right now & I've tried a variety of different p/i times. Seems to work ok with large doses but otherwise I prefer the non p/i shots.

[Niko]

I've had mine as high as 45 psi, gone back down between 30-35 now (and I say this because the damn regulator isn't exactly stable).
My favorite preinfusion setting is 6 seconds @ 35psi for my typical shots which are Ristrettos 99% of the time. I run them so tight that the machine literally chokes and blinks on occassion
...what can I say, the man can handle his juice

[JohnB]

I've had mine as high as 45 psi, gone back down between 30-35 now (and I say this because the damn regulator isn't exactly stable).
My favorite preinfusion setting is 6 seconds @ 35psi for my typical shots which are Ristrettos 99% of the time. I run them so tight that the machine literally chokes and blinks on occassion
...what can I say, the man can handle his juice

How high are you dosing with the 6 second setting? I like the p/i (5 sec/30psi) with my larger doses (17-18g) but don't care for it with smaller 13-14g doses. My favorite shots are pulled tight & run long.

[michael]

i started off with 3 seconds at 25 psi and have since moved to 4 seconds, but still at 25 psi. you think 5 or more is the ticket? what does more preinfusion do? why would you not use preinfusion with a smaller shot, say a single

[JohnB]

I'm going strictly by taste & 5 seconds gave me a better tasting 17gr double then 3 seconds or no p/i with the Daterra Reserve. It brought out a sweetness I wasn't getting otherwise. I've yet to find anything I like about p/i when pulling 13-14g doubles with either s/os or blends. With p/i they taste washed out & I get the best flavors with it turned off. I've never used the single basket so I can't comment on p/i & singles.

[Niko]

How high are you dosing with the 6 second setting? I like the p/i (5 sec/30psi) with my larger doses (17-18g) but don't care for it with smaller 13-14g doses. My favorite shots are pulled tight & run long.

My doses are 15 grams for SO Ristrettos and about 16.5 grams for Hairbender. My shots pull in about 30-40 seconds lately (not including the p/i time - the timer starts after the pump sounds on).

[JohnB]

My doses are 15 grams for SO Ristrettos and about 16.5 grams for Hairbender. My shots pull in about 30-40 seconds lately (not including the p/i time - the timer starts after the pump sounds on).

Thats the same time range of most of my shots.

[Niko]

Sounds like a fellow Ristretto-Man

[michael]

for me 15gs doesnt fill up the portafilter with the coffees i have been using from ecco caffe; im using closer to 16.5gs with them, getting good shots, around 30 - 35 seconds. when you say ristretto, does that mean generally the weight of the shot equal to the weight of the coffee i.e. s maller shot than an espresso

[JohnB]

I don't know about Niko but I neither weigh nor measure the volume of my shots. I go for a pour that starts off with big, thick, gloppy drops & usually starts to go blond between 30-40 seconds. These are typically sweeter & give the flavors I prefer over what I have gotten with the "standard" 25 sec pour. If I had to guess I would say they are closer to 1.5oz then 2oz.

[michael]

i weighed a few shots to set the water volume for the single and double buttons on the machine; they were a bit out of wack when i got the machine from chris coffee. how do you define a ristretto as compared to an espresso

[Niko]

I weigh every shot
My doubles are never past 1.5oz, in fact they're 1.25ish most of the time.
And like John, I don't stop them at any particular volume or time frame - I just cut the shot off when it starts to blonde.
My basket never fills at 15 grams, it's well below the rim - I use a weird crooked-finger technique to distribute and smooth out the grinds before tamping.
Now my tamping has gotten EXTREMELY lazy...to the point where I don't tamp anymore. I just ram it under the MACAP Autotamper (the large table top version). So it's slam, bam, thank you Spaz...

[michael]

how would you define your ristrettos as compared to your espressos, thicker, less volume? what do your ristretto shots weigh, around 15gs

[Niko]

Thicker, syrupy, sweeter, denser, bolder, robust, compact, gelatinous, viscous...
damn, I ran out of words.
They're just better


More isn't always better.

[JohnB]

I've also stopped worrying about the "30lb tamp" & just give it a quick push, much lighter then 30lbs.

[JohnB]

Thicker, syrupy, sweeter, denser, bolder, robust, compact, gelatinous, viscous...
damn, I ran out of words.
They're just better


More isn't always better.

That pretty much covers it!

[Niko]

I've also stopped worrying about the "30lb tamp" & just give it a quick push, much lighter then 30lbs.

I think the 30lb tamp is going out of style

[chas]

Yes, I think the Vivaldi does much better with a finer grind and a light tamp.

[Niko]

...and now with preinfusion it makes things a little more forgiving

[michael]

agreed; with preinfusion, my shots with the naked portafilter look as good as the youtube videos

[Niko]

Nice!

My shots look the same, they just taste different...