# First session!



## CardinalBiggles (Apr 24, 2017)

Well, I got everything in place, followed the instructions to get the Synchronika set up and ready to roll. Piece of p***! The machine virtually runs itself. I was expecting a 30min warm up, but because it heats the brewing water first it was ready in minutes. I did do a hot water flush through the PF, but it was the Olympus 75E grinder that took the time.

It had come set up ready to run, with 3 secs for a single shot (9gm) and 5 secs for a double (18gms).

It all comes out like sh** off a shovel! Jeez it's quick! And the push switch at the filter holder is very sensitive. First few tries I got continuos grind mode! Coffee everywhere!!

But doubke checking everything with the manual and weighing the output I cracked the timing side of things and off I went ready for my first espresso creation.

Weighing everything, The first shot came out of the ECM in 12 secs. And looked it. So I adjusted the grind finer by 2 units. Tamped the next shot with the Chinese calibrated tamper again, for consistency, and this time almost nothing made it through the portafilter into the cup. So I dialled it back a unit. Almost the same result. Brew pressure is 1.1/1.2 bar, which is within spec, sloppy muddy puck, so water is getting there. It was a bit better when I used the ECM tamper, and I almost got a drinkable double shot from the double basket PF 38gm in 25 seconds. LookedOk, but tasted like Duckhams 20/50 oil.... These aren't top beans, of course. They came free with the grinder to dial it in.

The ECM single PF has a basket that looks big for a single shot. 8gms of coffee only half fill it, and the sloping sides lower down make it hard to distribute and tamp. Yet Im still getting nothing coming out of the machine when using the single PF, using either tamper.

I'm going to calibrate the spring loading on the calibrated tamper in case I'm over-tamping, but otherwise any advice on where Im going wrong would be welcome.

Thanks in anticipation,


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Just relegate the single basket to the bottom of the draw and use the double: it's far more forgiving and consistent.

The pressure you mention.... that's more like the steam boiler pressure. Brew pressure should be around 9bar when the pump is on.

More important than tamping is distribution: ensure that the grinds are evenly distributed in the basket before you tamp, and level, so that when you tamp you level tamp. The calibrated tamper is a good resource as will ensure tamping becomes s constant and not a variable.

Enjoy the progress, just don't get too caffeinated at this time of the evening


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Sorry what was your dose?


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Let the group head get to temp too - 30-45 mins


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## Syenitic (Dec 1, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Sorry what was your dose?


I was trying to distill where you needed to focus...,then I saw this ^^^.

Sound words, start from first principles and fixate on one thing at a time! And don't get distracted by peripheral stuff


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## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

Also, be aware that a new grinder will need a few kg to go through in order to season the burrs. Until then, it is normal to be constantly adjusting the settings and to get varying results.

Be careful not to overfill the basket - there needs to be room between the top of the puck and the showerscreen,otherwise the water wont disperse properly and may struggle to come through the puck.

As kennyboy says, it takes 20-30 minutes to properly warm up. Although the water/steam is usually ready in about 5 minutes, it takes much longer to properly heat up all the components to achieve thermal stability.

Keep experimenting - the results will be worth it!


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## CardinalBiggles (Apr 24, 2017)

Day 3 in the Big Barista House

Following the advice I received on here (thanks again) I sorted out my issue with no coffee flow from the full PF, dumped the single basket and use the calibrated tamper only.

The problem was almost certainly tamping. I'd seen a video showing a North-South-East-West motion on the tamping action, and was doing the same thing. When I stopped doing that, reduced the spring pressure a turn or two, and just did a straight down and release on the springed tamper - it all started going nicely again.

I'm still trying to tame this beast of a grinder, so the Olympus 75E is still a work in progress. I've got acceptable results from the grind, but I'm still fiddling with it. Getting the right amount of coffee out of the creature is still a challenge. I reduced the grind time from 5 secs to 4.8 secs, and the output increased (!!!) to 20gms. So I'm grinding into a bowl and transferring to the PF by spoon, weighing everything while I get the output under firm control. That is dialled in (currently) at 6.5 on the scale.

This morning I got 36gms output in 25 seconds from a precise 17 gm load. I was using Segafredo Intermezzo beans, as this was the blend I was used to in my bean to cup machine. Segafredo has long been my favourite brand for cappuccino when I'm on the continent. It has a robust flavour, strong but not bitter, quite smooth compared to a Lavazza, and it gets through the milk in a way that Illy cannot.

What a difference between the two machines.

It was as if I had taken a symphony recording from an old music centre and played it on a very good hi-fi system. And somebody had pressed play at full volume. Ka-pow! Imagine your hair and cheeks flung back in heavy G-force from the blast of air. That was the difference in taste. To continue with the HiFi metaphor suddenly I could hear for the first time that there was a really fine top end to the music, and a deeply rounded, extended base. Wow. Just wow. And that was old beans I bought at Christmas.

Although I'm still tweaking away I thought it was time to try the milk frother for the first time. Using the thermometer I got the milk up to correct temperature while keeping the wand tip just below the surface of the milk. The milk volume in the jug quickly doubled in size with a thick foam, but still with hot milk below. So my wife and I had our first milky espresso based drink. Probably you would call it a Cappulatte, (if you were kind). These were old beans served with novice technique, but yet...... there it was.... the distinctive Segafredo Cappucino taste that took me back to a hundred pleasurable pavement cafes on the Continent. It was a smooth and full taste experience which lingered way beyond the end of the drink.... definitely making progress.

The Synchronika helped superbly, of course. This machine just impresses me further every time I use it. Being dual boiler I only need to put the steam boiler on if I will be having a milky drink. For just a quick espresso in the morning I've been leaving the steam boiler switched off. Apart from saving power heating water I wont be using, the smaller brewing boiler gets the machine ready to use in just five minutes. I do understand tge point about heating up the brew head, though, so unless in emergency need of an espresso I recognise that I should give it it's own "personal time"! I do a hot flush through the PF into the cup to warm them up a bit, bung in the cofee and hey presto! (hey 'presso?). You can be out of the door charged up with your espresso and ready to rock in no time. Using the steam boiler, you need to allow the customary half hour.

The PID control for each tank is sooooo useful. I'm using 93 brewing, 123 steaming. And temperature control is rock solid. The timer built into the thing is also really useful. It would be nice if the time display held the time data visible for a few seconds after shut-off, as there is so much happening at the same time. I'm keeping a logbook atm though to record the various data from my trials!

Oh, and if you are struggling to choose between rotary steam knobs and levers - I am a big fan of levers now. It's supremely easy, instant control, and one less thing to worry about.

This machine was definitely a good choice for me. It's quiet, cooly efficient, and everything it does it does marvellously. It heats the milk in the Motta jug very speedily.

I'm very happy with all my Motta stuff btw. The three jugs, and the knock box are are well designed for purpose, look nice and are well made without charging huge prices.

I still need to keep fine tuning the grinder, but so far, even as a novice I'm enjoying the improvement in flavours.


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## Snakehips (Jun 2, 2015)

CB, it's great to hear that you are finding your feet with your new setup and I'm sure there will be more Wow!s to come as you settle into it and the e75 burrs season a little.

However, please do yourself a favour and heed the previous comments re letting the machine heat up properly, it's not just about the machine being ready to deliver hot water.

Also, maybe use the 10 month old beans to season the Olympus burrs rather than for drinking and get using some beans that are more like 10/20 days old.

Enjoy


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## CardinalBiggles (Apr 24, 2017)

Snakehips said:


> CB, it's great to hear that you are finding your feet with your new setup and I'm sure there will be more Wow!s to come as you settle into it and the e75 burrs season a little.
> 
> However, please do yourself a favour and heed the previous comments re letting the machine heat up properly, it's not just about the machine being ready to deliver hot water.
> 
> ...


Points taken. I started a new 30 minute warm up morning routine today, and yes, I can definitely see what you mean. Better in every way.

Re les Beans, I do have some "good" stuff to go in, but the Segafredo beans allowed a direct comparison with the bean to cup machine output. And I don't mind "wasting" them while I'm still fiddling about with everything, finding my feet, if/when it all goes wrong.

Thanks for the advice


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