My new Elektra Microcasa a Leva

[KarlSchneider]

Has landed ...

First start up.

A closer look.


Thanks to having read many posts here and on CG I can report that after throwing away a first shot done for cleaning purposes (and learning) I pulled two shots that while far from perfect were good enough that if i were served such in local restaurants I would be pleased (and surprised). I now know why we all use the phrase "pull a shot" although mostly in a metaphorical sense only. I also have my first glimpse into the often reported different mouth feel of espresso from a lever machine.

Also arriving yesterday was my new Thor Tamper. It is simply gorgeous. Far more beautiful than the pic on Les' web site leads one to see. My pic below does no better. We need a JonR10 photographing tampers.


I will continue my report on the new machine in the days ahead.

Thanks to Steve and Dan for "talking" me into one.

[HB]

Sweet! Makes me wish that I'd gotten the chrome one. Love the look of the brass/chrome, but oh does it scratch easily... I'll be taking Elektra to the beach for some extended quality time with the family soon. One thing you'll learn right away -- there's no diddling around once she's plugged in!

Here's a couple lesser-known cleaning hints to get you started.

1. Rinsing the grouphead is easy with a sink sprayer. Put a shallow plastic tray underneath the group, then short spurts with the sprayhead right against the groove rinses most of the trapped grounds out.
2. The dispersion screen will pop out with encouragement. I use the end of spoon and leverage from the portafilter channel to gently pry at it. It's held in place with an O-ring.

Steve has pictures and other suggestions in Elektra/Pavoni side by side.

[KarlSchneider]

Hi Dan,

I have to admit that I chose the all chrome precisely because you mentioned the problem of scratching. I would have gone with the Chrome + brass on appearance alone.

I have to say I really love this machine. I have three more sessions with it "under my belt" and I am certainly learning. I am also making small mistakes like over tamping etc. But with each mistake I learn a lot. It is similar to tasting freshly roasted coffee before it hits its peak. Tasting the maturing profile helps me learn.

I found that the machine just slides under the kitchen counter and the cabinet doors just clear the lever handle. Will post pics soon. Anyone know if the blue Murano glass globes are shorter than the eagle? My eagle barely clears the cabinets. I am thinking of trying to find one of the blue glass globes.

One thing I do miss from the Giotto is the cup warmer. In winter I also used it as a plate warmer (with rail removed).

One thing I do not miss from the Giotto is the noise. Les of Thor Tamper's mentioned this to me. It registered immediately. If you have given up your desktop tower CPU and like me switched to a laptop to get rid of the desktop noise then you will understand. I will hardly miss the vibe pump!

I also do not miss temp surfing. I know this machine can overheat but in my ritual so far this has been no problem. From my Giotto I did indeed learn the taste of espresso from too hot water.

[HB]

Anyone know if the blue Muriano glass globes are shorter than the eagle? My eagle barely clears the cabinets. I am thinking of trying to find one of the blue glass globes.

Mark's review shows them side-by-side (link). The glass globe appears to be about half the height of the eagle. You can order them from 1st-line. It may irritate purists, but when I'm using the Microcasa in the kitchen for a few days, I either unscrew the eagle from the top, or leave the top off. When I'm done, I store it in our living room (yes, it's that good looking).

[KarlSchneider]

Dan,

I am likewise not a purist. If I had the skill I might even try to fashion a cup holder with rail to replace the eagle. But then the short time frame would not likely do much. A half hour on the Giotto gets cups or plates nice and warm.

[srobinson]

Now that is a thing of beauty. Now two questions...what are all those Illy cans I see? And why do you need a cup warmer spoiling those perfect lines? With regards to cup warming....water in espresso cup..place in microwave..45 secs dump water and dry.

Many congratulation on the new machine.

[KarlSchneider]

Now that is a thing of beauty.

Now two questions...what are all those Illy cans I see?

And why do you need a cup warmer spoiling those perfect lines? With regards to cup warming....water in espresso cup..place in microwave..45 secs dump water and dry.

Many congratulation on the new machine.

Yes it is indeed a thing of beauty!

Not to worry about the cans. They are used only for storage of beans I have roasted. I have been roasting all my own for the past three years.

I was only thinking out loud about the cup warmer.

Thank you for persuading me to make the leap. I couldn't be happier.

[srobinson]

Well congratulations on the purchase..really looks good. Let me know how your home-roasting goes with the lever since that should really make for hours of experimenting on both sides of the equation.

Also thanks for sporting your LMWDP number and supporting the brotherhood..one convert at a time.

[KarlSchneider]

Let me know how your home-roasting goes with the lever since that should really make for hours of experimenting on both sides of the equation.

Steve,

One of the major excitements about this machine is precisely the opportunity now to work my way through the subtleties of roasted coffees and how to pull them in the Elektra. I have only one clear sense so far. Everything tastes significantly different in the lever machine. For example, just this morning I decided to try an Americano (w/ Aged Sumatra Lintong roasted this past Sat barely into 2nd crack). I had tried Americanos in the Giotto and never liked them as well as the Cafe Cremas I made in it. I have tried Cafe Cremas in the Elektra the past two days and have not liked the result. So I tried an Americano. What seemed always overly thin in the Giotto is in the Elektra close to the concentrated clarity I used to get in the Giotto' Cafe Crema. A Cafe Crema in the E seems too "muddy" as my wife says. So it seems the morning experiments will for a while be Americanos.

Here is a promised pic of the E under the kitchen counter. Even the lever clears the bottom of the cabinet door by just enough to open,

[KarlSchneider]

Hi all. I think I should start the update on my Elektra with some new pictures. I have replaced the eagle on top with a Blue Murano Glass Ball. I have also replaced the handles with Desert Ironwood handles from Les at Thor Tampers.



I have had Niccolo Amati now for 5 months. One of the important things in that time has been its appearance. I had a Giotto sitting on the counter for two years prior to getting the Elektra. I have to say that for me the Elektra has an elegance I do not think can be matched. The aesthetics of these machines does matter to some of us more than others. It is not always easy to judge the feel a machine will give from a picture. I have to say the looks of this machine have turned out to be more important than I expected. I chose it based on anticipated quality of the espresso. Its aesthetics have been an added pleasure.

Let me also share some other pictures of Les's great work. The scoop is Desert Ironwood and the tamper is Ambonya Burl.

My favorite tamper is the taller Myrtlewood one.

[cannonfodder]

Why do you keep the Mazzer turned around backwards?

[KarlSchneider]

Why do you keep the Mazzer turned around backwards?

Hi Dave,

Basically for appearance. The images you see above are all with the Mazzer in "storage" mode not user mode. When not in use the unplugged Mazzer has the power cord wrapped around the pf fork and the tips of the pf fork are flush against the wall to hold the cord in place and out of sight.

[srobinson]

Those handles look outstanding. Looks like they are out of the same block as mine. Glad to see you have everything come together for the holidays. Very classy machine now with a unique look...love it.

[KarlSchneider]

As I am wondering how to start my posts on my new experiences learning an Elektra lever machine two accidents give me direction. The first was picking up David Schomer's book again. I got as far as the bottom of the first page of the Introduction and I read that in Italian espresso means two things - (1) fast and (2) something prepared especially for you. Thus cafe espresso is "coffee prepared quickly and especially for you." The second accident was to find malachi's post on "Understanding Espresso" in which he recommends as a first step, reading the books by Illy and Schomer - not in order to learn technique bur rather to, "understand the science, the factors and the theories and realities that lie behind those techniques." But I find myself "reading" Schomer in a different way. He invites me to ask more questions about this word espresso.

The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that the Italian word literally means "pressed-out coffee." We have all seen the word mis-spelled as "espresso" yet as is often the case such an error also reveals some truth as well. This word express has a fine richness of meaning. The concept of pressure certainly helps to understand the speed that Schomer attributes to the word. Pressure helps an express package arrive quickly. Express also means to "form by pressure" or to "set forth by pressure." The OED tells us further that express can mean to "form an image by pressure" or to "represent in painting or sculpture." So this pressure we have become involved with can move things already having form as well as giving form itself to things. Reading further the word express means to "depict truly" or to "explicitly record or state." The phrase "Express yourself" means to put one's thoughts into words.

Woven together espresso seems to suggest pressure that gives a clear shape to something. This matches my fundamental experience. I prefer espresso to any other form of coffee precisely because the method produces clarity of flavor better than any other brewing method. Pressure (and quickness of extraction) gives the clearest shape to the taste of each coffee. With my Elektra I seem to be able to separate individual tastes better than ever before. I make these espressi precisely for myself because I am intrigued by all the subtle flavor differences. These may not be exactly the realities malachi was thinking about but they are decisive for me.

KS

[cannonfodder]

Spoken like a true philosophy scholar.

[Walter]

I really like that post and I wonder whether we have more philologists and philosophers around who would like to add their sixpence (or whatever)...

Edit: Here's - maybe - some additional food for thought:

espresso [e-spres-so] -> esprimere, part. pass.
esprimere [e-spri-me-re] 2a coniug. irr. (ind. pres. esprimo; per la coniug. -> comprimere) TR. 1. dichiarare, rendere manifesto, parlando o scrivendo, il proprio pensiero: esprimere un' opinione, un desiderio 2. far intendere, lasciar trasparire con mezzi diversi dal linguaggio: i suoi occhi esprimevano una profonda tristezza <> S. (I.) esternare, manifestare, significare * esprimersi RIFL. comunicare il proprio pensiero: cerchera di esprimermi con maggior chiarezza; esprimersi a parole, a gesti || estens. parlare: si esprime con disinvoltura; si esprime perfettamente in due lingue; e questo il modo di esprimersi? * PART. PASS. espresso a) come AGG. 1. non implicito, chiaramente dichiarato o esposto: agisco coso per espressa volonta dei miei superiori; queste sono le sue espresse intenzioni 2. non com. rapido, veloce || estens. che si prepara al momento, su richiesta del cliente: piatto espresso; caffe espresso (o, con valore di s.m., semplicemente: espresso; p.e. bere un espresso); b) come SM. lettera o pacco con speciale affrancatura, che viene spedito e recapitato pia rapidamente della posta ordinaria.

From: DeAgostini Dizionario della lingua italiana

And here some (poor) attempts at translation of some parts i consider interesting:


rendere manifesto, parlando o scrivendo, il proprio pensiero 'to render manifest, talking or writing, the very thought'

lasciar trasparire con mezzi diversi dal linguaggio 'to let transpire by means different from language'

comunicare il proprio pensiero 'communicate the very thought'

and for espresso (in accordance with Schomer):

che si prepara al momento, su richiesta del cliente 'what is prepared momentarily, at the client's request'

[GreatDane]

Those handles look outstanding. Looks like they are out of the same block as mine. Glad to see you have everything come together for the holidays. Very classy machine now with a unique look...love it.

Steve,
A very astute observation! That large piece of Desert Ironwood has yielded some of the best handle material! It has a lot of nice straight color that is fairly rare in DI. I am making 4 more handles and there is a picture of another handle from that piece of wood on the front of my webpage. There is enough left to make a few more handles.

Les

[KarlSchneider]

I really like that post and I wonder whether we have more philologists and philosophers around who would like to add their sixpence (or whatever)...

Edit: Here's - maybe - some additional food for thought:

Walter,

Thanks from those of us who find such meditations of great interest. I am intrigued by the phrase, "il proprio pensiero" and especially the word "proprio." Jean-Paul Sartre presented in "Being and Nothingness" (Le Etre et Le Neant) a famous analysis of what he called "mauvaise Foi" or "Bad Faith" (sometimes translated as self-deception) which he defined as "dupe de ses propre illusions" or "deceived by one's own illusions." Thus I would change your translations to "render manifest, in speech or writing, one's own thoughts" and "communicate one's own thoughts." This is our task. We need to express / render in words what it is that we taste. This is not a simple task. The being of taste has the peculiar quality of hiding itself and thus making it difficult for us to say what is is we taste. Because of this difficulty we find it easy to talk about numbers and to forget to talk about what we taste.

KS

[Walter]

Karl,

giving this some further thought, I agree with you, that 'very' probably wasn't the best way to translate proprio. But since neither Italian nor English is my first language, I often find myself struggling with both. In this case, however, I had given the meaning of il proprio pensiero some consideration. proprio - from Latin proprius (from pro privo) - not only indicates a sense of 'property', it also means something like 'particularly', 'precisely', 'verily'. proprio cosi, for example, means 'just so' or 'exactly so' or 'especially so'.

I have taken to be the sense of property ('one's own thought') implicitly present, hence I didn't explicitly put it into the translation, but I should have taken something like 'proper' to express - or emphasize - the particularity. Thus maybe we should translate

comunicare il proprio pensiero 'communicate (one's own) proper thought'

Now, I am aware that this must appear as nitpicking, but I find this sense of particularity especially interesting, since I consider an espresso - very much like a specially prepared meal - as something very particular, very unique, with a special sense of dedication to the one(s) it is prepared for.

But of course I am not sure that this makes sense for anyone else...

Walter

[KarlSchneider]

If we keep this up we shall have to ask Dan to move these to a new topic on "Espresso and Philology."

Karl,

giving this some further thought, I agree with you, that 'very' probably wasn't the best way to translate proprio. But since neither Italian nor English is my first language, I often find myself struggling with both.

Walter,

I would be pleased if i struggled as little as you with any second language.

Thus maybe we should translate

comunicare il proprio pensiero 'communicate (one's own) proper thought'

Now, I am aware that this must appear as nitpicking, but I find this sense of particularity especially interesting, since I consider an espresso - very much like a specially prepared meal - as something very particular, very unique, with a special sense of dedication to the one(s) it is prepared for.

But of course I am not sure that this makes sense for anyone else...

Walter

No, this does in the slightest appear as nitpicking. I completely agree with you that espresso can and in its highest manifestation is like a specially prepared meal ... with dedication to the one[s] it is prepared for. After your previous post I had the following sentence running through my mind,

"It is appropriate to prepare a proper espresso for someone. A proper espresso is one made specially for someone. It expresses with the greatest clarity of taste a true sense of the coffee used and a knowledge of that essence on the part of the one making it and the maker's awareness of the pleasure it can give to the recipient who appreciates its qualities as well.

Maybe lever machines encourage this Gesamtkunstwerk approach to espresso. Since getting mine I find I am even more fussy about matching the cup I choose with a particular SO (and at its changing stages) as I choose a different shape Riedel glass for different wines.

KS