Pulling consecutive shots - your technique?

[SinkShot]

OK, how to deal with consecutive shots? Do you rinse/clean the PF and grouphead with a blank shot before each real pull? I assume this is necessary to clean out previous coffee oils and to heat up the PF again as well, yes? Does anyone have any tips on how to manage a "higher-than-normal" workflow when 8 - 12 people want an espresso? Rinsing and re-heating the PF seems to slow things down quite a bit, at least for me. Obviosuly, I am an amateur home user. Thanks for any tips.

[another_jim]

Use either two PFs or two baskets with the spring clip removed from a single PF. Grind, and clean. then load, level, and tamp the next shot while pulling the current one. Know how long it takes to for the group to recover. Use no cooling flush, just a quick cleaning one. Make sure you get the last shot in the line. If it's good, give yourself a pat on the back.

Now ask a tough question: lots of people wanting milk drinks.

[SinkShot]

Jim, you got it. Getting milk drinks for more than two people is also a hopeless task for me. I even learned to microfoam correctly (pat on back). However, it is a real challenge to maintain both the microfoam and the crema, as either one disappears after sitting too long. I am thinking the only real solution is a second dedicated machine for steaming.

[Psyd]

I use a two group machine. Is that cheating? What kind of machine are you on? Maybe I'll tradeja...

[SinkShot]

Well, I see that Versalab is making an individual steamer unit (no coffee brewing capability) for sometime later this year. If this is compact, efficient and affordable, I think this is just what I need......otherwise, it looks like the Brewtus II. I sure like the S1, but I need to be mobile.

[HB]

If this is compact, efficient and affordable, I think this is just what I need......

I have never seen the word "Versalab" and "affordable" used in the same sentence.

[randomperson]

Use either two PFs or two baskets with the spring clip removed from a single PF. Grind, and clean. then load, level, and tamp the next shot while pulling the current one. Know how long it takes to for the group to recover. Use no cooling flush, just a quick cleaning one. Make sure you get the last shot in the line. If it's good, give yourself a pat on the back.

Now ask a tough question: lots of people wanting milk drinks.

Hi Jim! -- If you are a slowish shot builder, with say 4 minutes between consecutive milk-based drinks, is a quick cleaning flush still all that's needed? Or is a cooling flush recommended with that kind of shot pace? I ask because I go back and forth myself -- sometimes I just wiggle rinse, then build the shot, then pull, without a flush -- even if 4-5 minutes have gone by -- but then of course the shot seems hot. Alternatively, when I do a flush for consecutive shots, generally 2-4 ounces -- then the shot is kinda cool! I imagine there is a happy medium somewhere --

[miKe mcKoffee]

I absolutely flush & PF wiggle group after every shot and rinse PF with off boil water (from hot water on demand unit at sink by machine) after every shot, followed by drying PF/basket of course before next build. Never want residual grounds etc. in next shot! (I know, some people who even call themselves clean freaks say never rinse just wipe out PF basket between shots 'cuz water follows water, that's what the terry bar towel kept over my right shoulder during shot production is for IMO.)

Actual speed and shot building sequence entertaining will likely depend on machine. With the Bric' doesn't matter. This past Saturday had 15 people and 9 espresso machines hosting an End of Summer Espresso Jam. My Bric' and Alchemist's Gaggia Factory Lever probably pulled the most shots since they were setup in the kitchen and the rest of the machines setup outside on covered deck. Most consecutive cappuccinos orders I had was four. My biggest problem was only having two 12oz steaming pitchers having to quickly clean them out and refill with another 3oz milk since I refuse to compromise and steam for more than one cap at once. I start steaming right after starting the pull so production time wise no biggy.

After dinner made a full dozen back to back Panama Geisha Americanos to go with dessert. Actually made more than a dozen 'cuz a couple people came back for a second one (even after a full day of all kinds of shots, Americanos, caps etc from various machines various blends and SOs) Did take about 20 minutes non-stop Bric' work but didn't actually time it. (Bric' only needs ~35sec recovery time after post shot group flush and wiggle to have flash for next flush & go to pull next shot, that's with boiler set 1bar) So limiting factor is really my PF build speed, I never need to wait on the Bric'!)

[SinkShot]

OK, you got me on this one. What is a Panama Geisha Americano?

[randomperson]

Yikes I could never build so many drinks at once -- I'd have to be hospitalized! Happily I am of the generation where everybody wants alcohol, all the time!

Yes I do know people who don't rinse their portafilters after a shot -- eeeeww! The result is blech.

[miKe mcKoffee]

OK, you got me on this one. What is a Panama Geisha Americano?

Panama Gesha is Gesha Cultivar (longberry, Ethiopia-related), also (incorrectly) spelled Geisha. Panama Gesha Americano is an Americano made with shots pulled from Panama Gesha!

[miKe mcKoffee]

Yikes I could never build so many drinks at once -- I'd have to be hospitalized! Happily I am of the generation where everybody wants alcohol, all the time!

Never say never! Shot building really becomes second nature with practice. Probably only pulled 40 or so shots during the course of the day myself. Had to also have time to finish grill with a Mango Chipolte glaze Bruce's brined and peach/cherry smoked chicken, mesquite grill a couple big loaves of EVOO/butter/garlic drenched french bread and mesquite grill my Londrol Broil marinated sirloin kabobs I built with 'shrooms & sweet onions for dinner. We did serve various wines with dinner.

[randomperson]

Now I am so hungry I could just die. I wonder how many of us espresso fanatics are also foodies/serious home chefs? I bet there is a high correlation coefficient!

In any case the analytical side of me (damn that side!) wants to know this: I know there must be a pace at which you outrun the machine, in which case successive shots will be too cool/sour, so definitely no additional flushing is required. However, assuming that few of us mortals can make shots at a pace that could outrun our machines, does that mean there is always some kind of flush involved between consecutive shots? I've broached this subject a few different times because I was always under the impression that once you were making several shots at a time -- assuming you are portafilter wiggle-rinsing immediately after each shot -- an additional flush, even a short one, probably wouldn't be necessary. In practice I know a couple of people who don't flush at all between successive shots, as long as their shots are pulled within five minutes of each other. For myself, I've gone in both directions and haven't quite decided which approach is best. I must be using a forgiving bean! (Then again, maybe not: Terroir Southern Italian Daterra.)

[k7qz]

Like many, I like to do the wiggle-rinse routine between each shot. The problem is, if I got too carried away rinsing when pulling consecutive shots, then I ended up over-cooling the grouphead.

As I'm using a bottomless PF exclusively, I keep a blind disk on the single basket handle that came with my machine as my official wiggle-rinse tool. What I used to do was to pull the lever on my machine and let the blind basket fill up with water from the grouphead as I wiggled. This took 3 or 4 seconds of water usage and tended to over-cool the group when pulling one shot after another (pretty easy to do as confirmed by my Scace).

One day I filled up the blind basket with steaming water from the hot water tap and used it for my wiggle rinse. Even if I wanted to throw the lever to run a little water through the group to do a more thorough job, it only took a second or less of water flow to accomplish the task. Problem solved, no more over-cooling with rapid fire shots!

Might be something to try if you're in the rinse between each shot camp-

[LeoZ]

i didnt realize how hard this would be until this weekend. after dinner i made 2 capps and 6 espressos. granted its not a lot, but the biggest problem, and i think its just that i need to lose this mindset, is that its impossible for everyone to enjoy their coffee at once. obviously, that isnt the intent with espresso, i had to remind myself that its an individual thing, for each to enjoy one by one. stinks when you want cake and coffee; i guess the coffee cant be espresso.

i was disappointed with the triple basket. i was hoping it would fit into a 2 spout pf so i can give my family generous shots. they come from the moka pot mentality, so like their coffee to be bountiful! that didnt work. i guess i could have made a triple into something bigger and poured it into 2 cups, but that seemed wrong. so, i basically just did doubles with a bit more course grind, so they could all have their 'full cups' of coffee, and a naked pour for me at the end. it was a bit bitter, but i think i was over my head by then :p

i started with the capps, and they came along the best, probably b/c i made and served those one at a time..

grinding slows things down too. granted its only 20 seconds per cup, but thats another 20 seconds each time. if i wasnt using different beans for everyone, i think i would have ground all at once.

having a 2nd double basket is prolly a good investment too..

[Ken Fox]

OK, how to deal with consecutive shots? Do you rinse/clean the PF and grouphead with a blank shot before each real pull? I assume this is necessary to clean out previous coffee oils and to heat up the PF again as well, yes? Does anyone have any tips on how to manage a "higher-than-normal" workflow when 8 - 12 people want an espresso? Rinsing and re-heating the PF seems to slow things down quite a bit, at least for me. Obviosuly, I am an amateur home user. Thanks for any tips.

I do my best to piss people off, so few return to my house for a second visit. As a result, I can reduce the demand for consecutive shots to a manageable level, like 2 or 3.

ken


I just don't find that I have to pull more than a couple or 4 shots in succession, ever. When people come over during the day it is usually onesies and twosies, and in the evening people seem to be much more interested in drinking wine than in drinking coffee. This may be more of a reflection of what's in my wine cellar than anything else.

[randomperson]

I do my best to piss people off, so few return to my house for a second visit. As a result, I can reduce the demand for consecutive shots to a manageable level, like 2 or 3.

ken


I just don't find that I have to pull more than a couple or 4 shots in succession, ever. When people come over during the day it is usually onesies and twosies, and in the evening people seem to be much more interested in drinking wine than in drinking coffee. This may be more of a reflection of what's in my wine cellar than anything else.

Ken, you and I were separated at birth -- or at least, we know the same people!

[popeye]

I've decided to supplement my machine with a vac pot for those dinners... Unfortunately even a 5 cup Hario Nouveau is still only 20oz, so i guess i have to make myself a cap. But i think it gives a good show and makes good coffee, and will help me reduce my time at the machine to a managable number of lattes for those who really want them.

[zin1953]

I have never seen the word "Versalab" and "affordable" used in the same sentence.

Heck, they make LM's look reasonable!

[John P]

Grind, dose, distribute, tamp,
insert portafilter, turn on brew group,
watch pretty espresso, turn off brew group,
quickly rinse and dry portafilter.

Repeat.

Repeat again.

Curse at b***ard who wants decaf. cross fingers for excellent crema...