It's possible, I'm not sure. I do see that 220 could keep the steam setting more constant, i.e. it should be able to recover more quickly and so a lower setting might suffice (i.e. mine drops to 1.2 or 1.1 during use, maybe yours doesn't drop at all if you set to 1.2). As to brew, I just think 12.5 is a bad idea, but that is a matter of opinion I suppose. Perhaps much of the pre-ground espresso in Spain is ground very fine, and 12 bar overcomes that? Really no idea. b
On Apr 24, 2011, at 6:54 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Great post Ben! I've often wondered why the factory settings for > Brewtus seem so sacked - 12.5 brew pressure and .8 steam pressure..... > Do you think it has to do with the 220 versus 110 difference between > the European/Aussie versus North American versions of the machine? In > other words, do these settings make more sense at 220? > > Pete > > On Apr 23, 9:32 pm, Benjamin McCafferty <[email protected]> wrote: >>> My vendor explained to me that raising the pressure is largely >>> unnecessary, because all it does is speed up the process. >> >> Having a double boiler machine is also unnecessary, it just makes better >> espresso. :) Just poking a little fun, no offense intended. Speed is >> pretty important for me, when I'm entertaining and have 5 or 6 people >> waiting on coffees (and me being the last in that line...). And there IS a >> difference--good microfoam depends on being able to roll the milk after >> stretching, keeping tiny bubbles in solution. If you can't roll, your >> bubbles will be converging to the surface, getting bigger and drying out. >> Sometimes you can swirl the pitcher afterwards and get them back into >> solution, sometimes you can't. Because of your posts, though, I'm curious >> enough that I'm going to ask every cafe I visit what they have their steam >> pressure set to. >> >>> He also >>> maintains that all raising the steam pressure does is shorten the life >>> of the heating element and pressure stat. >> >> To quote a bad movie, "You wanna live forever?" Four years into my machine, >> steam set to 1.45, no failures of either part. They are not going to kill >> your wallet anyway. Living with a difficult process for years, to save a >> few bucks on a part because it lasted 12 months longer, is false economy. >> Having a well-tuned machine that does what you want it to, with minimal >> compromises, is what it's about. I don't know what you pay over there, but >> over here we pay $1,500+ for these machines, hardly a purchase made by >> someone on a super tight budget. >> >> However, I'm just type-A enough that I'll probably lower my steam to .8 just >> so I can say that I have, and see how I like the result. :) >> >> talk soon, >> bmc > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Brewtus" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/brewtus?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/brewtus?hl=en.
