A Tale of Two Levers - Elektra Microcasa a Leva and Olympia Cremina - Page 4

[KarlSchneider]

Bill and Joel,

You are of course quite right. I was thinking of the RCA Vocal Series CD of Bjorling "The Pearl Fishers Duet" with Merrill and other duets with Milanov and Tebaldi which I am sure you both have. A g-sing if there ever was one.

I did hear once a glorious version with Gigli and Gobbi which I would love to find.

KS

[peacecup]

I don't have much opera experience, nor do I have two machines to compare, so I must confess to be out of my depths. But I will say the my Ponte Vecchio has been singing sweetly of late . I've also been pleased to hear that Les has both a Cremina and a Sama (an early version of the PV), and he feels that the Sama compares favorably. I'm looking forward to the possibility of adding some of his work to the Ponte Vecchio someday.

Something about the spring has struck me lately:

The spring helps me fine-tune my technique- it adds a constant to which I can compare roast, grind, tamp, etc. With the PV I can add pressure to the pull by applying downward force on the piston end of the lever. I do this if the pull appears to be slow, and it can improve the shot. But when things are really at their best the pull is "all spring". That's when I know the stars are aligned. Ask any singer/musician, and they will tell you there are times when they are lost in the music. When I've got everything right I pull the lever and the rest is music.

PC

[hperry]

Peacecup,

I have the same experience with the commercial lever. While I can accelerate or decelerate at will with Termazona, the best shots come when I let the spring do its work and I have grind, tamp, fresh coffee, distribution, etc. as the controls. The same was true with the Cremina, oddly enough. There was a "right" pressure where you felt that the "stars were aligned." However, for me, it was much harder to hit consistently.

[KarlSchneider]

Something about the spring has struck me lately:

The spring helps me fine-tune my technique- it adds a constant to which I can compare roast, grind, tamp, etc. With the PV I can add pressure to the pull by applying downward force on the piston end of the lever. I do this if the pull appears to be slow, and it can improve the shot. But when things are really at their best the pull is "all spring". That's when I know the stars are aligned. Ask any singer/musician, and they will tell you there are times when they are lost in the music. When I've got everything right I pull the lever and the rest is music.

PC

PC and Hal,

I have the same experience with my spring machine. I have to admit never to having tried or thought to push the lever on "Tebaldi." The best shots are the ones that fall in a very precise time frame which is generally 25 sec. My fine-tuning comes in adjusting grind and tamp to get as close to this time point as possible. The Diva sings when I get to this point.

I also have the same experience as Hal in that Cremina Gigli is more temperamental with the added variable of lever pressure. The best shots also come in a precise combination of time and pressure of pull. This is harder to find given my limited experience.

I am actually starting to wonder about the feel of the Cremina "pull" which seems more like a push. Since my arm sets the pressure I can go faster or slower and do so at different moments in the time window. I notice some shots start out feeling much too tight but if I ease off for a few seconds the pressure needed then eases significantly. I do not know whether to push a soft shot more rapidly or to drag it out slowly.

It also seems that on the Cremina a small change in grind setting makes far more change in flow/resistance than it does in the time frame on the Elektra.

KS

[ilVecchio]

Speaking of the great, late Renata Tebaldi: There's a CD of Tebaldi/Tucker duets on the Premiere Opera label all of which are taken from live performance, no retakes. Both sing like the vocal gods they were. It's simply magnificent sheer vocalism.

La Tebaldi had of voice of immense size, yet coupled with all of the warmth and beauty of Italy. As a teenager, I sat in the galleria at Lyric Opera, closest to heaven. Even up there in the rafters, she could make my ears ring.

I think that the great lady would be honored to have an espresso machine named for her.

[GreatDane]

My Cremina baskets came yesterday. This morning I got to play with the Cremina without having to worry about getting to work, or drinking too much coffee late in the afternoon. I played before pulling any shots. Yes I had the false pressure at the beginning! I warmed the grouphead up with a couple of good flushes. I locked and loaded a double and used some of the techniques I have learned on the SAMA except in reverse! Rather than holding the handle down, I held it up! I did three little pumps (about 3/8-1/2 inch) until I felt resistence. I then pulled the shot, nice thick crema and a full ounce of wonderful espresso! I then made a Cappo for Becky. This little machine has great steaming power for its size. I finished by pulling a double for myself. Again, I am amazed at the sweetness of the shots. Thanks Karl for pointing me to the baskets on Ebay. They work better than my standard 49mm I had in stock. I am sure I have a ways to go to get even more potential from this machine.

Les

[KarlSchneider]

I decided this week to push the soprano Diva. I roasted two batches I thought would be optimal in Tebaldi. For the morning Americani I have a Hawaii Kona Moki's Farm (SM's) roasted dark for Kona at 1 min into second. For evening espressi I have a Yemen Sana'ani roasted also 1 min into second.

The Kona SO comes out just as good as one can imagine. The clear flavor profile is a delight. The Yemen has been from the start tasting just a little over-roasted. This is particularly noticeable in the finish which is bitter.

After two less than ideal shots in Tebaldi tonight I turned on Gigli. I had one pull and it was so dramatically better! It still has that very dark taste in the center (which I like but many do not). But the difference for me was that the softness that a Cremina shot has buffered the harsh end so much that it was ot really there as bitterness.

Tomorrow morning I plan to try an Americani in Gigli.

KS

[peacecup]

I'd like to propose that we provide a few specs when we describe shots - basket size, amount of coffee, number of lever pulls, and volume of espresso. I think there is a lot of variation in dry coffee/liquid espresso ratio, and this must lead to substantial differences in flavor.

PC

[KarlSchneider]

I'd like to propose that we provide a few specs when we describe shots - basket size, amount of coffee, number of lever pulls, and volume of espresso. I think there is a lot of variation in dry coffee/liquid espresso ratio, and this must lead to substantial differences in flavor.

PC

Hi PC,

Good to chat again. My espressi are always in a single basket and with a single pull. I do measure the coffee but do not weight it. I use a volume measuring "system" which is essentially using the same volume in my Thor coffee scoop.



Tonight I did use my scale and I see that my coffee is 8-9 g.

I note that from Gigli I do get more volume than from Tebaldi. In both cases I let a full single flow into the cup. i estimate i get 30 ml from the Elektra and 40 ml from the Cremina.

Tonight I had three shots from Gigli. All were delightful with no bitter finish. Used an old Lavazza cup made by a German porzellan maker with the name Signature on the cup. Thinner walls than the Lavazza's made by Ginori and aditionally thinner than the "blue stripe" Lavazza's made by d'Ancap. (Far right cup)

With this roast I chosse progressively thinner walled cups. I will end with the see-through thin Rosenthal's I have.

KS

[joatmon]

Karl,

After playing with my Cremina this morning, I am going to hit you with a surprise with your knobs! So you can continue to pressure me and I will drive you crazy with curiosity wondering what I am up to! Your Cremina is going to be the first with this new addition! I know what all the hype is about these machines now. I had the best shot of my life this morning. One of the smoothest, creamiest, well rounded, balanced, full-flavored shots. I did a head to head with my Expobar Office Control and it couldn't match the Cremina. The Cremina went 3 for 3 once I dialed her in. I think I am beginning to understand lever world domination!

Echo to that. I went from an Expobar Pulser to an Elektra Microcasa a Leva 8 days ago and my espresso life begins a new epoch. Soft and smooth are the words that always come to mind. Whatever was in there before is now absent, so I can really taste the coffee.

World Domination - No hype, All taste.

Jack

[KarlSchneider]

Echo to that. I went from an Expobar Pulser to an Elektra Microcasa a Leva 8 days ago and my espresso life begins a new epoch. Soft and smooth are the words that always come to mind. Whatever was in there before is now absent, so I can really taste the coffee.

World Domination - No hype, All taste.

Jack

Jack,

I completely agree with you. Your comment that you can really taste the coffee applies to Microcasa shots moreso than to any other machine I have used. It produces an extraordinary clarity and elegance of taste.

KS

[KarlSchneider]

This week I have two SO's to try. An E. Sidamo FTO DP and a H. Kona Kowali Farm (both from Sweet Maria's) both roasted dark (full minute into second on a Hottop).

First tests were done on Tebaldi. The Americani Kona's and the espressi Sidamo's have been as good as I can imagine. In particular both have delightful clear flavors of their origins. Even a fine Kona espresso!

Tonight I tried espressi made on Gigli. Sad disappointment. The Sidamo's and the Kona were good but the taste of the origin was really lost. Heavy and slightly dull flavors. Probably just my technique but I see this pattern. The metaphor today is Cognac vs. Armagnac. They are made with different kinds of stills and one gets elegance from the former and weight from the latter. I keep both but drink them at completely different times (moods).

KS