# New DTP arrived yesterday!



## Edilemma (Mar 18, 2018)

Just managed to get my first decent flat white out of my brand new DTP. It arrived yesterday afternoon so I experimented a bit last last night - choking the machine at first with a way too fine grind (from my Hario hand grinder, who'd have thought it!). Haven't used unpressurised basket since my barista course in Sydney five years ago, so knew it would take some trial and error.

Have tried the single basket and the double, and definitely more successful with the double.

Weighed 16g in and got about 38g out in 30 seconds. So could do with some adjusting, will try 18g tomorrow. The crema wasn't fabulous, but it tasted ok. (I'm using Pact beans)

The milk wand is definitely trickier than my Delonghi but my second attempt was distinctly better than my first!

Ordered a Smart Grinder Pro from Lakeland yesterday (price-matched to £169) so looking forward to not having to work out my biceps for every cup!

Any tips anyone wants to share are very welcome!


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## Banjoman (Apr 18, 2017)

Hi and congratulations on your excellent purchase. There are several happy DTP users here. I got acceptable results for a few months until I discovered the missing step which really improved the flavour extraction. After the machine has heated up and the left hand white light is illuminated to tell you you're all ready to brew, I then pass a good cupful of hot water through the portafilter to heat everything up sufficiently. Then quickly dry the portafilter before loading it up with your ground coffee and off you go. I have found this improves flavour, either because the water is a little hotter or the brew temperature is just a bit more stable, not sure which.


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## Banjoman (Apr 18, 2017)

Also, I find it's much easier to get good full flavour extraction results from darker roasts, e.g. Coffee Compass Hill & Valley, than it is with lighter roasts. (It is technically easier to extract flavour from dark roasts because they have been roasted for longer.)


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## Dumnorix (Dec 29, 2017)

As the previous owner of a BE (now DB) I would totally agree with Banjoman- I also used to leave the portafilter holder locked into the machine for a good 15 minutes after the machine told me it was ready, as this got everything hot and I think improved the temperature stability. I think you'll pretty much know everything else if you've done a Barista course! Good luck with the machine!


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Enjoy.


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## Edilemma (Mar 18, 2018)

Thanks for the tips @Banjoman and @Dumnorix - I've been running some hot water through the portafilter but only briefly, so I'll try leaving it all to heat up for a bit longer. I note the tip re beans too - although I just checked and they are a dark roast. I think a bit more tinkering and I'll be getting perfect coffee very soon!


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

Congratulations on your new setup.

You'll soon be getting great coffee (hopefully without too much bicep use).


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## IZ2018 (Jan 16, 2018)

Welcome to the club.


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Congrats on your new DTP. Brilliant machines for the money and have the options to tinker if feeling brave (obviously will scupper any warranty you have lol)

I'd definitely recommend getting a portafilter hopper and miniwhisk for it. This simple step will vastly improve your extractions, that's if you don't do this already of course.

Enjoy


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## Edilemma (Mar 18, 2018)

joey24dirt said:


> I'd definitely recommend getting a portafilter hopper and miniwhisk for it. This simple step will vastly improve your extractions, that's if you don't do this already of course.


Thanks for the tips - I don't have either of those. Is a portafilter hopper something to help funnel the grounds into the portafilter? That would be handy. How does a miniwhisk help?

Thanks


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Yup it just gives you extra height to catch the coffee...










The miniwhisk is used to stir the coffee grounds in your pf before extraction. Knocking out all the clumps is essential to avoid channeling.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

Edilemma said:


> Thanks for the tips @Banjoman and @Dumnorix - I've been running some hot water through the portafilter but only briefly, so I'll try leaving it all to heat up for a bit longer. I note the tip re beans too - although I just checked and they are a dark roast. I think a bit more tinkering and I'll be getting perfect coffee very soon!


Actually the manual mentions always flushing the empty portafiler plus basket before pulling a shot. It will heat the portafilter up a bit and the basket also also makes sure that the shower screen and pipe work is also hot. I've been using a BE like that for a long time and found waiting any longer than when the machine reckoned it was ready for use was pointless portafilter in or out.







Life's never simple though. I often pull 3 shots on the trot and one day decided to taste each one. I always pulled mine last. At that point the portafilter was much hotter so strength of the shot increased on each of the 3 shots. I always flush through an empty pressurised basket to get round that. Doesn't use much water and can get the portafilter as it should be - too hot to touch. I then remove it and fit the basket I intend to use. Time taken in real terms is no different to flushing the basket I intend to use and drying it before adding the grounds.

I'm using a DB now and do the same thing. That way the total heat up time is not much more than the 3 min for the boilers to heat up. It would take a lot longer to get the same heat into the portafilter. That could be never actually, it can extend heat up times by 10 min on conventional machines. The DB lacks the teflon insert so is much better at taking heat out of the fluid flow.

The Sage SGP grinder can be paused which should help keep all of the grinds in place so no need for a hopper. Part fill the basket, pause and tap the grounds down or thumb them a bit etc. The grinder on a BE is built in and no pause and it can produce huge heaps of grounds - best option is to set the timer for 1/2 a dose. The Sage DCP grinder may have the same "problem".

The mini wisk may be to remove clumps. Neither of my Sage grinders or my Mazzer mini produce problem ones with any bean I have used. The Sage has also had no problems grinding lighter roasts.

When you try to set up your SGP you will find that you need to grind a certain amount of beans before the timed output settles down. There is a certain amount of grinds retention that needs to build up and compact. You'll also probably find that the the output shifts a bit when the grind setting is changed. Don't worry about this aspect. I'm mentioning it because I wondered what the hell was going on when I started. As it turned out by the time I had my shots sorted out the grinder had also settled down.

John

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## Quenteagle (Mar 14, 2018)

joey24dirt said:


> Yup it just gives you extra height to catch the coffee...
> 
> The miniwhisk is used to stir the coffee grounds in your pf before extraction. Knocking out all the clumps is essential to avoid channeling.


Hi Joey,

Where can I buy this? Same question for the IMS shower screen actually. Sage is not referenced on their website, I have no idea what reference I am supposed to get.

thanks


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Quenteagle said:


> Hi Joey,
> 
> Where can I buy this? Same question for the IMS shower screen actually. Sage is not referenced on their website, I have no idea what reference I am supposed to get.
> 
> thanks


I made this one and the IMS parts are from theespressoshop website. I'm a bit busy at the moment but can go into detail later on this evening


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## chip_kara (Sep 25, 2017)

Miniwhisk is a great thing and really easy to modify/use. Give this thread a read

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?39325-Londinium-Distribution-Tool-'Silver-Bullet'


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## adam85 (Feb 16, 2018)

Edilemma said:
 

> Just managed to get my first decent flat white out of my brand new DTP. It arrived yesterday afternoon so I experimented a bit last last night - choking the machine at first with a way too fine grind (from my Hario hand grinder, who'd have thought it!).


Hey Edilemma. Just wondering if you could advise me what setting you had your Hario hand grinder on? I've been bought one of these, and turned the fine/course clicker to many different positions -- but haven't yet got it working perfect. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.


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