Hello, leverheads!

I am a frequent poster over on CG, but I thought I'd take this question straight to the hard-core lever crowd.


I just purchased a used La Peppina. I have the rebuild kit, but after doing some reading about all the things that can go wrong, I have decided to hold off for the time being. I'm in the middle of prepping for the bar exam and would like to focus my efforts more on becoming a barrister than a barista, at least for the time being.

That being said, I'd still like to pull some shots on La Peppina in the interim.

I have a digital meat thermometer stuck in the kettle. I've noticed that the temp reads significantly higher when the tip of the probe is down through one of the larger holes in the metal plate at the bottom of the kettle. I'm guessing that down in there is the best place to measure water temp, as, from what I can tell, all the water gets drawn through that area before going through the group, correct?


I am getting nice sweet, aromatic shots, but they seem a little thin and the crema is light, compared to my Audrey. There's always about 1/4 inch of water atop the puck. I've tried varying the grind and dosing anywhere from 13-15g. Also rather than taking the lever down to the bottom, I find I start getting drips by pumping the lever arm about halfway through its arc.

The previous owner told me that a very light polishing tamp is all that's necessary with this machine. I have a flat rosewood tamper that fits perfectly, but both he and I have been using the plastic tamper that came with the machine, because it is convex and gives a nice side seal with the exertion of minimal pressure.

My grinder is stepped, with a trespade burrset.


Any thoughts on getting the most out of Miss Peppina, before the rebuild?

Thanks,

~tMb

FWIW- I am NOT a La Peppina pro- but be careful of sticking a metal thermometer dow and touching the heating element under the plate at the bottom of the kettle....

We don't like to lose members , the lawsuit would be horrible

And the rest of us would hesitate a "little" about a killer machine running around the market....

The_Mighty_Bean wrote: ... I start getting drips by pumping the lever arm about halfway through its arc.

If I understand you correctly, when you simply press the lever halfway down (i.e. not up and down in a pumping motion?) you start seeing drips in the cup before the lever rises? If so, make the grind finer.

For the residual water on top of the puck, though it is not a real problem, you could try lowering the dose to around 11-12g.

Regards
Timo

P.S. Ditto on the shock hazard warning. If you don't already have one, install a GFCI outlet ASAP. Until that update to your electrical is complete, boil the water in a teakettle (to full boil) and transfer it to La Peppina. Use a copious warming flush to bring Peppina up to temperature in that scenario.

timo888 wrote:If I understand you correctly, when you simply press the lever halfway down (i.e. not up and down in a pumping motion?) you start seeing drips in the cup before the lever rises? If so, make the grind finer.

For the residual water on top of the puck, though it is not a real problem, you could try lowering the dose to around 11-12g.

Thanks, both of you. I'll replace the outlet, and I'm being very careful with the thermometer probe placement. But don't you know, all I was thinking about was that if the probe touched the element I'd get a data error. I suppose investigator electrocution is the ultimate data error.

Regarding the lever, it does require a pumping motion. If I tighten the grind any more, it will choke. But-- when I take the lever down all the way once or twice, then the beginning of the extraction is too thin and dark brown.

If instead, I only take it halfway to 3/4 of the way and pump it, then I get visible crema when the extraction begins.

Does that make any sense?

The pucks are always a sort of formless mess. I read on another thread here that messy pucks could indicate a small washer issue. I'll also try a lower dose, but I don't think 11-12 g will reach the top of the basket, which makes levelling just about impossible.

~tMb

Don't get too hung up on the leveling. Try 11 or 12 grams.

I always stuck a thermometer right down into the hole. I think I read that on the "Peppina Redux" thread.

Enjoy her!

Congrats on your Peppina, and good luck to you on the Bar exam!

We generally use only a very light tamp with ours, and there's always a bit of water on the top of the puck when done, but it's not a problem for us.

When you get to rebuilding her, we have a step by step photo/text 'how to' Tech page that might help you out!

The_Mighty_Bean wrote:Thanks, both of you. I'll replace the outlet, and I'm being very careful with the thermometer probe placement. But don't you know, all I was thinking about was that if the probe touched the element I'd get a data error. I suppose investigator electrocution is the ultimate data error.

Regarding the lever, it does require a pumping motion. If I tighten the grind any more, it will choke. But-- when I take the lever down all the way once or twice, then the beginning of the extraction is too thin and dark brown.

If instead, I only take it halfway to 3/4 of the way and pump it, then I get visible crema when the extraction begins.

Does that make any sense?

The pucks are always a sort of formless mess. I read on another thread here that messy pucks could indicate a small washer issue. I'll also try a lower dose, but I don't think 11-12 g will reach the top of the basket, which makes levelling just about impossible.

~tMb

A couple of things.

First with respect to dose and leveling. The leveling of the puck surface is not necessarily in relation to the rim of the basket, but in relation to the surface of the planet. Dose 11-12g, tamp lightly, just enough so that you have 6mm/¼-inch of room at the top of the basket, and don't worry about soggy pucks.

Second, with respect to the pumping action (not sure I follow the phrase in boldface above). You can bring the lever all the way down, give it a couple of small, shallow pumps... until you see a drop in the cup... and then let it rise of its own accord. If your gaskets are not quite up to snuff, find whatever series of partial-pumps pushes water out to the puck, enough to create a few drips...and then push the lever all the way down... count to 5 to give the coffee time to swell... and then let the lever rise under its own power.

If you get a watery extraction with this dose and this lever action and this preinfusion, and if your coffee is roasted within the past week and is fresh (kept in a sealed container), you will need to make the grind slightly finer.

If your next finer grind is too fine, so that it chokes the machine at 11-12g, you will have to find workarounds for a grinder incapable of making the necessary micro-adjustments. Such workarounds include grinding coarser, tamping more heavily, and increasing the dose.

Regards
Timo

Hi Rich! Imagine seeing you in a place like this. It's so far from the warm and comfy land of CoffeeGeek, yet strangely similar. I think I like it here. Thanks for the advice and the lovely machine, it is taking all my self-control to hold off on the rebuild, but I am so afraid of stripping a screw or not being able to get the kettle back in easily and finding myself in for a 5 hour project. I can't afford that now, I must wait.


Doug & Barb, thanks for the warm welcome. It's actually one of your rebuild kits that I have, courtesy of Rich, and he has forwarded me your very clear instructions and photographs.


Timo, thanks for all the detail. I expect to have some great shots tomorrow morning.


~tmb

You're most welcome, and don't hesitate to drop us an email if you have any trouble.

LOL - I'm a bar exam avoider - finished my JD, and dumped the law in favor of the life of a merchant!

johhnyguitar wrote:When you get to rebuilding her, we have a step by step photo/text 'how to' Tech page that might help you out!

I respectfully disagree with the way you have the two metal spacers configured. One of them should be placed, IMO, directly behind the dispersion screen. This prevents dimpling and misalignment of the screen from less than perfectly equal tightening of the three screws. Moreover, stacking the two separators together creates issues with the seal between bell and group head.

Regards
Timo