EM6910 Single or Double Floor Baskts

Deejayz

Hi, I just got EM6910 and had some problems with no pressure and leaks.  I took it back and the replacemant is heaps better but the guy in the shop said to use double floor basket as that is what Paul Bassett uses. :o  Now the manual recommends the SF basket and although I can now get crema with this one, it is not consistent.

I have no problems with the DF basket and cannot notice any appreciable taste difference.  Maybe I don't have a pallette yet ;D

Any thoughts guys and guyesses?

I switched to a Cafe Series grinder too and that is a huge improvement on the old Bar Aroma I was using.  Thanks.

Lovey

G'day Deejayz, As you worked out, I very much doubt that PB uses a double floored/pressurised/crema enhancing portafilter. The above mentioned devices are used with a lot of smaller (appliance branded) machines to enable the 'average joe' to produce a 'cup of joe' with lots of crema on top, using stale coffee. Once you start using fresh coffee, which is ground immediately before use, the grind/dose/distribution/tamp/brew temp variables all come into play to vary the final product. What sort of coffee are you using, and how old is it when you're using it? Don't worry about your tastes buds yet, they'll develop in time.

Deejayz

Hi Lovey, That sonds weird if you say it loud :o Thanks for the response.  I am using Robert Harris Guinea Gold and the pack has been open about a week and almost gone.  I have got a can of Izzo Silver.  Don't know if it is any good but I liked the look of the shop I bought it from and the guy was an ex lawyer.....I mean barrista  :D If I really fill the PF and tamp lightly a few times before the final heavy tamp, I get a thick black stream of coffee with the guage showing at about 9 o clock and if I am lucky, I get some crema.  Any suggestions would be appreciated thanks. Tell you what I have discovered, if you set the steam temp to +10 and the wetness to -.1, there is a marked improvement in the foam and micro foam is mine every time now Showing off here The jug needs to be level and in front of the machine rather than to the side and the swirly motion is easy to get with the wand just off centre and about a 50 deg angle.

mattyj

Good crema comes from fresh beans. And fresh doesn't mean 'I opened the tin yesterday' ... think of coffee as like bread - if I bake a loaf of bread today, put it in a plastic bag (even if I nitrogen flush it, suck all the air out of it, treat it with whatever chemicals) and then open that bag in a few months time, the loaf of bread will not be fresh. Coffee is the same - it doesn't matter when the bag/tin/whatever was opened, it's all about when it was roasted. Depending on the coffee, most beans are at their best anytime between a few days to a week or two after roasting. After that, you'll struggle to get crema, but even worse, you'll struggle to brew a shot that is actually enjoyable to drink.

Deejayz

Hi Mattyj, Thanks for that.

mattyj

No worries! You're right - there is a big art to brewing coffee (and a whole lot of science too). Don't fear - you'll get there! The cool thing about fresh coffee is that one day, you'll make a coffee that will blow you away. The best you've ever made. You'll strive to replicate it, but not quite get there for a while. Then the plantes will align, and you'll make an even better coffee ... this keeps happening, then one day you realise that what you once were blown away by is the quality of every coffee you make, and your standards keep rising. Coffee is fun! As for fresh NZ beans, there are definately places in NZ to get fresh beans. I'm not sure where, because I've never been across the ditch. Maybe NZRoaster might be able to help out? He's based near Noosa in QLD, but I'm guessing he comes from NZ, and can probably give you some tips.

mattyj

update: Allpress Espresso is based somewhere in NZ, they're decent. I've heard good things about the Robert Harris cafe at Rotorua Airport. Apparently they pump out great baristas for the NZ barista comps. There's some more stuff on NZ coffee here: http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/worldregional/australasia/258902 and more on NZ airport coffee here: (apparently cafes in kiwi airports are pretty good!) http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/worldregional/australasia/304759

nzroaster

Most of the big guys in Nz will refer you to the nearest cafe they supply. That means you don't always get fresh stuff, but you might. Here are a few suggestions www.zekes.co.nz - Support award winning small boutique roasters, they will be able to ship you fresh coffee directly. Brent is a good guy and passionate. www.gravity.co.nz - My old workplace, my favorite NZ commercial coffee. Their website has a list of the cafes they supply which should have some retail beans. www.toasted.co.nz - I've been hearing heaps of good stuff about them and I think they won overall winner at the NZ coffee awards this year. www.atomiccoffee.co.nz - Atomic is getting very big too, but good stuff. I find the coffee good and I know a few people there. Emma is heavily involved in the AASCA barista movement. That should give you some choices, sorry I couldn't find any local roasters who you could visit and try out.

Deejayz

Hi Guys, thanks for the responses. Brilliant :D. Rotorua Airport don't sell beans, I went there and asked and they recommended the RH shop in Rotorua. Harvey Norman sell Gravity beans but I did not know if they were any good and was a bit put off by a department store selling furniture, also selling coffee beans.  I guess it makes sense if you sell the machines to sell the beans  ::) and the salesman in the Rotorua shop seemed to know what he was alking about with regards to making coffee. I got in touch with Paul Basset and he sells coffee from Oz roasted Monday and shipped same day. So order it Sunday and shipping on Monday.  He also recommended the double floor basket as giving a more consistent cup profile. I will take some time to check out the recommended websites, I have copied them and will use them but in the meantime, I will keep practicing and now that I can get the good microfoam, I can have a go at the latte art again.

mattyj

good to hear! experimentation is the key, keep experimenting and enjoying!

Deejayz

Woops, made a blue  :-[ Harvey Norman sell coffee in Black bags and the Gravity Coffee my wife got me is in purple bags.  Oh well, at least I have another supply to experiment with and enjoy.