# 'Espresso' Brew Temperature



## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Morning all

Trying to get a gauge on what others have/use for thier brew temperature.

i have tried measuring mine with a milk thermometer but I don't think this accurate enough so will be trying to purchase a thermometer some time today .

Havent had a coffee yet, but throwing this out there as genuinely intrested , would be really great if someone could actually come up with a measurement from the cup .(thermometer in freshly pulled water directly into a vessel)

Thanks in advance TCL


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

That's quite an unreliable test to use


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

jeebsy said:


> That's quite an unreliable test to use


Why


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

How warm is your vessel?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Ok I knew this wasn't going to be an issue

pre warm the cup to bring up to temp

then fill cup with water from the group

Take temp

post results


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

If you think we actually need a reference Volume of water we can apply this to the test , I am going for a coffee first and trying to work out where to purchase a thermometer from today.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

How warm is your brew water though? We're taking difference of one or two degrees in brew temp, to try and measure within that range without accurate equipment isn't really going to be possible imo. You can check you're in the ballpark but not much better.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

To be really accurate, you need a Scace - http://www.espressoparts.com/scace-2-espresso-machine-thermofilter-temperature-pressure-device - not cheap.

A cheap and cheerful alternative is to set a polystyrene cup under the brew head and pull a set amount of water - say 40grms and repeat several times measuring the temp each time with a fast reading thermoprobe. To be accurate measuring the amount of liquid each time is to cut down the polystyrene cup until what you have left hold exactly the amount you're trying to measure.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

If you want to do tsk's test you'll need a good fast read thermometer, like a thermopen


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

I still haven't had my coffee, I am aware of the scace device, I have read a bit about temperatures before, I wasn't trying to move temperatures or relay results into altering my coffee technique I was just trying to get an idea as a reference (sort of a ball park) surely if we all conducted this the results should be relatively close ?

the reason for this is I have got into my head my brew temperature has changed on the rocket , as the pressure has not changed in the steam boiler , I wanted to check things.

Now going to make my first brew of the day


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

A simple multimeter thermometer with a wire TC. Poke the ends of the wire through a single spout PF & coil it in the base of PF & fit an empty basket to hold it in place. Run a shot or two of water through to get everything to temp & then read the meter whilst running another water only shot through the basket.

Its simple but I used this device for years to measure/check water temp at brew head on the La Spaz.

You can elaborate on this for more accurate results by drilling a hole for the wire in a basket & securing the end of the wire inside the basket


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks Ron good idea ,Looking in my box of bits for a thermocouple, got one somewhere.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Thecatlinux said:


> I still haven't had my coffee, I am aware of the scace device, I have read a bit about temperatures before, I wasn't trying to move temperatures or relay results into altering my coffee technique I was just trying to get an idea as a reference (sort of a ball park) surely if we all conducted this the results should be relatively close ?


If we all used the same thermomter, in the same cup, from the same height in similar ambient temperature conditions, in the same way etc.....you are quite correct, the results should be the same. As I am sure you meant, it won't be the brew temperature, it might be 75C or 80C, which would translate back to a brew temperature of x, if a few tests were done on machines with known correct brew temperatures. It would also follow that even using similar thermometers with the same accuracy and very similar methods, I guess you could get a ballpark figure.

In fact a cup measurement was produced and used by various manufacturers in different forms as little as 3-4 years ago, then finally most bit the bullet and many purchased Scace devices. Isomac many years ago is one company that used to test their machines in a similar way to that which you describe. When I first started reviewing and especially when I was doing engineering reviews, I realised it was a huge problem....necessity is the mother of invention, so like Ron I built my own measuring device in late 2006...it's actually quite similar to the current Scace II. Mine did go faulty for a while and I only repaired it relatively recently. The other thing to be very careful of, is to not create another "junction", so care needs to be taken in securing and sealing the probe.

*It would be interesting if you tried to organise a forum wide experiment....detailed out the method and basic equipment e.g. volume of water, expanded polystyrene cup, distance from group...then people can use the thermometers they already have (assuming they are all reasonably accurate) and you could see what the results were*. *Why don't you try to do this as a next step and see how many forum members respond, the ones with known accurate temperatures will be of particular value*. The results of such a test would be interesting


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## coyote (May 23, 2014)

Hi guys ,I found few months ago the cheapest way to measure the brew temp- almost correctly as Scace device.(+/- 0.5C)

Check this link on ebay, and after that link I put link for youtube "How to" use that device. Very good idea by the guy who put that video online.

Device:

http://m.ebay.ca/itm/251402845720?_mwBanner=1

And Youtube link How to:






Please check this out,and tell me what you think about it.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I have the exact thermometer coyote linked to above, think it cost me about a tenner. I actually remove the shower screen and poke the end of the probe inside the group (on my Expobar pulsar there is a single exit spout behind the shower screen) and read the temp from there. I expect coyote's method is just as good however.


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## Chariton (May 19, 2021)

Nikko said:


> According to the Niche review the Italmill burrs did not fail the test. It was the Niche which failed because it is too weak and flimsy for these burrs. The Niche's failure to drive the Italmill burrs says nothing about the quality of the Mignon grinder.





> On 27/10/2014 at 17:08, coyote said:
> 
> Hi guys ,I found few months ago the cheapest way to measure the brew temp- almost correctly as Scace device.(+/- 0.5C)
> 
> ...


 Is there any possibility to have a 11 degree difference in a lelit plust pid ?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Chariton said:


> Is there any possibility to have a 11 degree difference in a lelit plust pid ?


 Your quoting one post about a grinder that's over 2 years old and another that's over 7 years old. What are you actually asking.


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