I grind based on the speed and volume the shot produces. There are numbers on my grinder's (Macap) dial, but I think they're just there if for some reason you use it for more than espresso and need a way to get back into the ballpark in case you used it for press or something way different, dunno). I may just need to experiment, or others can comment, and I know this aspect isn't always intuitive, but I feel like if I drop the pressure more, I'm not getting the thickness in the espresso - as I mentioned, it's thinner coming out of the PF and blonds out sooner, although I can adjust the grind and such to fix the early blonding, I can't usually counter the thinner density of the espresso/fluid coming out.
On Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 8:01 AM, Josh Heisler <[email protected]> wrote: > > I dialed mine back to 9 and comes out at 8.2 on the shot. I realize I > don't have to grind as fine as I once did. I wonder if this is > positive? For my Vivace roast I was grinding at close to 1 on the > dial. That seemed a bit fine so maybe this is better? But you have it > higher. I guess it is something to experiment with. I've yet to really > read anyway in a way that makes sense why this is an important > variable. > > Josh > > On Feb 8, 2:41 am, Chris Bailey <[email protected]> wrote: > > I'm not sure yet. I can't say there's a noticeable improvement honestly. > I > > see about 9.5 bar when pulling a shot (with the blind PF at 10). So far, > it > > seems like the shots blond out sooner, and that I don't get as thick a > > head/build up coming out of the PF. I've been planning to dial it back > up a > > bit and compare again, but am on vacation and haven't tried that yet. > > > > > > > > On Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 9:32 AM, Josh Heisler <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Chris, > > > Now that you have dialed it down to 10 bar with the blind PF would you > > > say the shots have improved? If so how so? > > > > > Josh > > > > > On Jan 30, 1:00 pm, Chris Bailey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I don't believe I got a PF pressure gauge with my machine, but maybe > I'll > > > > check in on that. I have mine now set to 10 bar with the blind PF, > and > > > it > > > > seems to indicate about 9.5 bar when pulling shots. Having another > > > gauge, > > > > as long as it's relatively accurate, would be another data point. > Does > > > > anyone sell a complete pressure gauge solution that works for the > BII? > > > I've > > > > seen people building them, but haven't found one I can just buy. I > can > > > > build one, but, um, am not really motivated to do so if I can find > one to > > > > purchase. > > > > > > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 8:53 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I might add that when I did my investigation of the pressure gauge > > > > > mounted on my Brewtus II, I found that the portafilter pressure > gauge > > > which > > > > > was sent to me by WLL when I first bought the machine was accurate > when > > > > > compared to my expensive test gauge. It was the pressure gauge > mounted > > > on > > > > > the machine that was 2 bar too high. > > > > > > > Allen > > > > > > > *From:* Chris Bailey <[email protected]> > > > > > *Sent:* Thursday, January 29, 2009 7:33 AM > > > > > *To:* [email protected] > > > > > *Subject:* Re: Adjusting pressure > > > > > > > Ok, thanks Todd, good to know. I will dial it down a bit. Yes, > 11.5 > > > bar > > > > > when with blind, and more like 10 I think when brewing, which is > > > consistent > > > > > with what you mentioned. I'll try it out with my next shot and see > how > > > it > > > > > goes. > > > > > > > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 8:25 AM, Todd Salzman < > > > [email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > >> Hi guys, I don't think I said that the gauge does not read > correctly. > > > I > > > > >> was just trying to say that with a blind filter basket we set them > at > > > 10 > > > > >> bar. This means that when you brew with a proper grind and coffee > at > > > > >> about 2oz in 25 seconds the brew pressure should read around 8.5 > on > > > the > > > > >> gauge. This means the other 1 to 1.5 bar of pressure is being > > > diverted > > > > >> to the reservoir from the OPV, so that the gauge is actually > reading > > > the > > > > >> brew pressure accuratly. > > > > > > >> When we do our set up on the machine we actually don't use a blind > > > basket, > > > > >> we use a portafilter with a gauge and the pressures are always > very > > > close. > > > > > > >> If you are at 11.5 with a blind portafilter you are to high put > the > > > blind > > > > >> basket in and dial it back to 10 bar. This is a good starting > point. > > > > > > >> Todd > > > > > > >> Whole Latte Love > > > > > > >> This was one of my worries, was that the pressure gauge wasn't > > > accurate, > > > > >> and then as per Todd's note that what the gauge reads isn't > > > necessarily what > > > > >> the actual pressure is. That is pretty poor in my opinion - why > > > bother > > > > >> putting a gauge on there if it's going to be wrong. But, alas, > that's > > > what > > > > >> we have. This is one reason I'm nervous to monkey with it, as > it's > > > hard to > > > > >> say whether it's really wrong or not, it just surprised me that > mine > > > > >> consistently reads 11 bar (with blind PF or when pulling shots). > I'll > > > > >> verify that in a few minutes, but pretty sure. > > > > >> I'm grinding, tamping, etc. as per standards AFAIK: 30lb tamp, > > > grounds > > > > >> typically around 15g in the double basket, grind setting such that > my > > > shots > > > > >> are typically in the 25-30 second range from the time I pull the > lever > > > to > > > > >> when I've filled a cup approx 1.5oz by volume (I mostly pull shots > by > > > where > > > > >> it fills to on my cups, but have measured this and it's right > about > > > 1.5oz). > > > > >> I've read a fair bit, practiced a ton, use only fresh beans (3 to > > > maybe at > > > > >> most 9 days after roast date), grind on a nice Macap grinder, etc. > > > I've had > > > > >> a friend who's pulled a ton of shots use my machine as well. > > > > > > >> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 7:05 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >>> Also be aware that the pressure gauge on the Brewtus II can be > > > wrong. I > > > > >>> went to considerable effort and expense to more or less establish > (to > > > the > > > > >>> degree that the large pressure gauge that I bought is accurate. > It > > > was sold > > > > >>> with the statement that it has an accuracy of 1%) that the > pressure > > > gauge on > > > > >>> my machine is two bar off. I wrote about this at the time on this > > > group, so > > > > >>> you might be able to find it with a search. > > > > > > >>> Allen > > > > > > >>> *From:* Chris Bailey > > > > >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 28, 2009 4:56 PM > > > > >>> *To:* [email protected] > > > > >>> *Subject:* Re: Adjusting pressure > > > > > > >>> My screw looks like it's metal, and is located on the front of > the > > > > >>> machine, lower right corner, once you've removed the drip tray. > > > Sound > > > > >>> right? I do tamp to 30lbs. I'll use the blind PF to set the > > > pressure, > > > > >>> thanks for that info! > > > > > > >>> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 5:46 PM, BinBakinBeans < > > > > >>> [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >>>> Which version of Brewtus? > > > > >>>> The first had a teflon screw on the opv valve that became > > > problematic > > > > >>>> after adjusting the pressure. > > > > >>>> The first of the BII had teflon as well. They were later > switched to > > > > >>>> an opv with a brass adjusting screw. I replaced mine with one of > > > these > > > > >>>> after I had problems with my original teflon screw opv on my > BII. > > > > >>>> Strangely enough, Expobar has again gone back to using an opv > with > > > a > > > > >>>> teflon screw on the new BIII machines. > > > > >>>> I would say go ahead and adjust it, especially if it is a brass > > > > >>>> screw. If it is teflon, be prepared to "possibly" have some > future > > > > >>>> problems with it. Not a big deal to change it out if you do. > > > > >>>> Use the blind filter in the portafilter to get it down to about > 8.5 > > > to > > > > >>>> 9 on the guage. > > > > >>>> Check again when you actually pull a shot that it is around 8.5. > I > > > > >>>> will assume that you will have properly tamped to about 30 > pounds. > > > > > > >>>> On Jan 25, 12:27 pm, Chris Bailey <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > >>>> > I've seen a fair bit of talk on the list about adjusting > pressure. > > > > >>>> Given > > > > >>>> > the fact that there's tape over the pressure adjust screw on > my > > > > >>>> machine, and > > > > >>>> > all the warnings about don't touch it, only let the factory do > it, > > > > >>>> etc, > > > > >>>> > etc., I'm leery of messing with it. Also, my understanding is > > > that > > > > >>>> > supposedly the factory has pulled shots and checked the > pressure > > > and > > > > >>>> set it > > > > >>>> > properly. > > > > >>>> > But, I've just wondered about it. My pressure gauge typically > > > reads > > > > >>>> about > > > > >>>> > 11 bar when I'm pulling shots. I'm unclear on whether it's > > > supposed > > > > >>>> to read > > > > >>>> > the true 8.5-9 bar that an espresso should be done at, or > whether > > > the > > > > >>>> gauge > > > > >>>> > is a pressure at a different point in the system and thus the > real > > > > >>>> pressure > > > > >>>> > at the PF is lower, or not. > > > > > > >>>> > Can folks discuss this a bit? Other than taste, are there > ways > > > for me > > > > >>>> to > > > > >>>> > know whether my machine is set right or not, and/or if I'm > going > > > to > > > > >>>> adjust > > > > >>>> > it (and potentially void my warranty?) how can I know when > I've > > > set it > > > > >>>> to > > > > >>>> > the right spot? From the reading I've done I think I > understand > > > that > > > > >>>> too > > > > >>>> > much pressure can actually cause a build up and not get things > > > flowing > > > > >>>> > properly (which seems a bit backwards, but I sort of > understand). > > > > > > >>>> > Anyway, let me know what folks think. > > > > > > >>>> > -- > > > > >>>> > Chris Bailey > > > > >>>> > [email protected] > > > > > > >>> -- > > > > >>> Chris Bailey > > > > >>> [email protected] > > > > > > >> -- > > > > >> Chris Bailey > > > > >> [email protected] > > > > > > > -- > > > > > Chris Bailey > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > -- > > > > Chris Bailey > > > > [email protected] > > > > -- > > Chris Bailey > > [email protected] > > > > -- Chris Bailey [email protected] --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. 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