# Grinder etc



## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

I've been using my new Sylvia for about a month or so and get good results although I lack consistency as I occasionally get bad shots and waste both coffee and milk. I note from this web page that the temperature surfing is slightly more complicated than I was led to believe from other videos:

http://www.mythos-rini.com/blog/archives/5941

It seems that you should induce the light to come on and wait for 30secs, but then run another 5 secs of brew before attaching the portafilter and drawing the shot. The instructions for preparing steam are complex and would mean that your shot will have cooled and lost its creme before you can complete the cappuccino. I follow Rancilio's instructions for steam, i.e Turn steam valve, purge and wait for the light to go out. Seems to work for me. Plenty of steam.

I have a 58mm tamper which means that I can only apply a limited pressure before it hits the buffers. I have tried a basket without the ridge but same problem. Maybe I need a 57mm type. Also I don't have a jug suitable for one double-shot espresso.

Lastly I have been using a KitchenAid grinder and even with my limited experience can see the dark spots of coffee dust on the shot. It is on eBay at the moment and fear all that I can afford is the Iberital MC2 grinder with a possible future upgrade when funds permit.

However, my biggest problems lie when I try to make two cappuccino drinks at once!

Lastly, I have been removing the brew head and cleaning it manually instead of purging. This is easy to do, but are there other components inside the machine which benefit from back-flushing?

Any advice on these points would be appreciated.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Read the link to temp surfing - fell asleep. Go for something much simpler. Run brew button to force the element to come on (light on). Wait until it goes out and begin your extraction 30secs after this.

When you say your tamp is 'hitting the buffers' guess you are referring to the tapering further down the basket? Definitely don't want a 57mm tamp. What dose weight are you using - it your getting down to the tapering area of the basket - suggests you don't have enough coffee in the basket.

Making two caps isn't too difficult. Pull the shots back to back and then move to steaming. The hot milk will take care of any cooling.

Best way of cleaning - Get a brew head stiff brush - run the pump and clean round the gasket. Backflushing will clean a bit more into the brewhead behind the shower screen but it's not a bad idea to remove the shower screen every month or two and give the shower block a scrub with your brew head brush.

Your Silvia will welcome a better grinder as you acknowledge. MC2 is that great. If you can - try and source something like a second hand Mignon - will make a noticeable difference to your shots.


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## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

Thanks for that. I measure 14g into the basket and the pressure isn't that great before you hit the buffers. The new basket is the same, although there isn't an obvious taper. As I don't have a grinder at present, I got the barista at steam Punk in North Berwick to grind me some suitable for espresso. I used this in my normal way, 14g with the 58mm tamper as far as it would go, and the coffee flowed through to about 4 oz in 10 secs. I tried again using a smaller diameter tamper (the plastic one I got with the Rancilio) and was able exert more pressure on the coffee. It was perfect. Tells me a lot about grinders as the quality was the best I've had. but I'm still confused. What's the problem with the MC2?


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

When you say oz, do you mean fluid ounce or weight ounce?

Either way, 4 of them is over 100g

Ten seconds is not good, in fact i would have to ask, have you drunk any, what was it like?

Or am i reading it wrong?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Silvia is pretty fussy about quality of grind. If you are getting 4oz out - that's around 120grm which is way over espresso extraction - 10 secs to way too short too. The grind is way to coarse for your Silvia - needs to be tightened up. Suggest you try upping the dose to 16grms too. If necessary, go up to 18grms. Your espresso should extract in 25-30secs from moment you hit the brew switch. Extraction ratio - amount of espresso you get in your cup should be in the region of 1.5-2.0 times dose weight. Don't try and measure by volume as the crema will give you misleading results. For a dose of 18grms, you should be aiming for an espresso weighing 27-36grms.

MC2 does a job but it won't get the best out of your Silvia. You may be surprised, but the grinder is as important as the espresso machine - possibly more so. If the grind quality is poor (inconsistent and too many fines), your espressos will suffer no matter how good the espresso machine is.


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## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

Sorry. Fluid oz. It was possible to fill the whole 6 fl oz cappuccino cup in about 25secs. No I didn't drink it. Once I used the plastic tamper I got a 2 fl oz shot in 25 secs. Perfect. Same coffee grind.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

If you dont tamper the coffee then the water will run though it really fast, and not really extract anything good.

2 floz is still 50g, as systemic says forget oz and just go with g, are you using a set of scales under your cup when poring the shot?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

kedo said:


> but I'm still confused. What's the problem with the MC2?


I don't have a lot of time at the moment, but read this.

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/pdf/compact-grinder-1-closerlook.pdf

you will see what is effectively the same grinder as yours, mentioned in the review


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

kedo said:


> Sorry. Fluid oz. It was possible to fill the whole 6 fl oz cappuccino cup in about 25secs. No I didn't drink it. Once I used the plastic tamper I got a 2 fl oz shot in 25 secs. Perfect. Same coffee grind.


Ditch the plastic tamper and get a proper one. Plenty to choose from - you're looking for a 58mm one. Motta are inexpensive - see Cream Supplies. Alternatively, have a look on the Made by Knock website.


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## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

I already have a good expensive metal 58mm tamper, but it won't pass the taper on the rancilio basket so I can tamp beyond this point, With this basket, I think I need a 57mm tamper.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

You should be able to tamp with a 58mm tamper. When I had a Silvia, I could. Suggest you up the dose to 16grms and see what difference this makes - should bring the puck surface up above the taper allowing use of a 58mm tamper.


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## cappuccino crackers (Mar 12, 2014)

i have the 58mm motta and works great with my silvia v3 basket.16g of coffee if remember correct is amount i use for doubles for 26 sec


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## cappuccino crackers (Mar 12, 2014)

usually if i dont put enough coffee in double basket then my tamper hits the edges too hope this helps


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## GarethX (Mar 9, 2014)

My 58mm Motta tamper worked fine in the Silvia basket, I'm sure I used to dose about 17/18g and never had any problems. As suggested by others try dosing a bit more coffee into the basket should fix the problem and save you from buying another tamper.


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi Kedo,

What's your budget for a grinder?

Andy


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