Rancilio Epoca S1 Help! Metallic Taste

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
devilspitcafe
Posts: 9
Joined: 9 years ago

#1: Post by devilspitcafe »

Hi,
I recently purchased a used Rancilio Epoca S1 (single group, plumbed). I have two questions:
First, I don't think the previous owner regularly descaled his machine. The espresso is giving off a strange bitter/sour (maybe metallic?) taste, even with fresh beans, and 20-25 second extractions. I'm hoping the problem is simply scale build up.

How can I safely descale the boiler on a plumbed machine? And how much solution is needed for its 4L boiler?
-I purchased Durgol decalcifier, mixed it with some water in a bucket, and stuck the supply hose in, letting the machine suck it up, and let it sit for about an hour (which improved the taste slightly). I don't think I got everything out, but the solution came out of the machine slightly murky so it helped.

Second Question:
The used machine looks like somebody jerry-rigged a part on the inside steam-wand valve. Please take a look at this image and tell me if this is supposed to be there, and if i should purchase the original piece (which I can't seem to find online.)



Thank you!
James Reina

LukeFlynn
Posts: 1293
Joined: 10 years ago

#2: Post by LukeFlynn »

Do you have a grinder? Sounds like under extraction or a dirty portafilter to me

devilspitcafe (original poster)
Posts: 9
Joined: 9 years ago

#3: Post by devilspitcafe (original poster) »

yup picked up a used mazzer major. works great. soaked the portafilter in cafiza over night to clean it, and have experimented with a range of grind coarseness.
Is it possible for scale buildup to affect the taste? The same beans taste great out of my other machines

gor
Posts: 268
Joined: 12 years ago

#4: Post by gor »

Hi
What is the boiler pressure set at? If it is set very high, then the machine will be running hot and that could explain the bitter taste.
The only benefit of a higher boiler pressure setting, is terrific steaming ability from a smallish boiler.

devilspitcafe (original poster)
Posts: 9
Joined: 9 years ago

#5: Post by devilspitcafe (original poster) »

the gauge reads between 10-12
I've heard varying answers for where it should be, seems to depend on the machine?
Shall I try adjusting it, if so how?

LukeFlynn
Posts: 1293
Joined: 10 years ago

#6: Post by LukeFlynn »

Probably the wrong gauge if it's that high.. That's for brew water unless you mean 1.0 to 1.2.

devilspitcafe (original poster)
Posts: 9
Joined: 9 years ago

#7: Post by devilspitcafe (original poster) replying to LukeFlynn »

you're right that must be the brew water. its a single dial with two rings, the outer reads around .7-.8
The attached image is NOT my pressure gauge, just a screenshot from youtube. Mine reads much lower than that


gor
Posts: 268
Joined: 12 years ago

#8: Post by gor »

Ok
0.7 - 0.8 is a bit low, which would explain the sour taste. The machine is running a bit on the cool side.
The bitter could be from channeling. This happens a lot when the shower screen gets all gunked up and crusty. The crust forces the water through a couple of pin holes resulting in the coffee pour to blonde early and will taste bitter.

devilspitcafe (original poster)
Posts: 9
Joined: 9 years ago

#9: Post by devilspitcafe (original poster) »

gor wrote:Ok
0.7 - 0.8 is a bit low, which would explain the sour taste. The machine is running a bit on the cool side.
The bitter could be from channeling. This happens a lot when the shower screen gets all gunked up and crusty. The crust forces the water through a couple of pin holes resulting in the coffee pour to blonde early and will taste bitter.
Thank you! Can anybody guide me in the right direction to raise the pressure on the Epoca? How much higher should it be? (perhaps the pressure is lower due to this foreign release valve on my steam wand? - see above photo)
I'm sure the shower screen isn't gunked up, as I soaked that in cafiza over night as well.