I've started trying to pull a single shot with my commercial lever machine (a Conti Prestina). A normal pull of the lever gives me about 2.25 oz. of espresso, i.e. two shots. I release the lever a second or two after the espresso begins to appear. So far what seems to work best for me is to pull the lever all the way down, then release quickly (but not too quickly!) before the chamber under the piston has time to completely fill up. I haven't mastered this yet, and am looking for suggestions on how to improve this technique, or perhaps learn a new one altogether. For those of you with a commercial lever, what tactics do you use to get a decent single shot? Also, do you use a single shot basket?

I would use a single shot basket, let it fully infuse and stop the shot once it starts to blond. If you don't allow the coffee cake to fully soak you're inviting channeling and are wasting coffee that never brews.

On my Strega I use an old 15g basket in a naked portafilter. When the drips appear on the bottom I release the lever, and it has a full group at that point - roughly a double shot.

When my espresso in the cup hits 22g I usually stop the shot by pulling the cup. Let the lever finish on it's own, as I don't need the rest. I know it's roughly 22g without weighing, because I've weighed enough of the shots to know where the lever is in the return. I also pull watching the colors, but if I'm busy with something else I just watch the lever position.

negrocorto wrote:I've started trying to pull a single shot with my commercial lever machine (a Conti Prestina). A normal pull of the lever gives me about 2.25 oz. of espresso, i.e. two shots. I release the lever a second or two after the espresso begins to appear. .... Also, do you use a single shot basket?

Use a single basket as Gary says, so the shot blonds properly. Also count how long it took for the espresso to appear in your double shot. Try counting to half that time, and then releasing, even if there is no espresso.

You'll have to play with it a little: pulling the cup early will give you a higher pressure shot (i.e. the shot comes from the most compressed part of the spring's action. Releasing the lever early will give you a lower pressure shot (i,e, the lever will start up higher and run with a less compressed spring). A bit of both will put you in the middle in terms of pressure.

drgary wrote:I would use a single shot basket, let it fully infuse and stop the shot once it starts to blond. If you don't allow the coffee cake to fully soak you're inviting channeling and are wasting coffee that never brews.

+1

I follow the same routine.

The ims single basket may be of interest , I haven't used one but have read good reports from it below .
Looks like it allows a normal tamper to be used for one
http://londiniumespresso.com/blog/ims-t ... ter-basket

My "double" that loads to around 15g looks just like that IMS basket, just a little deeper on the straight walled part. Mine is probably 30 years older, but I really like it. Came out of a 1980's commercial machine I picked up some time ago.

Tamps well, knocks out well, rinses absolutely clean. I haven't tried lighter doses with it, but perhaps I will now.

Mrboots2u wrote:The ims single basket may be of interest , I haven't used one but have read good reports from it below .
Looks like it allows a normal tamper to be used for one
http://londiniumespresso.com/blog/ims-t ... ter-basket

I have several IMS baskets and the ones shaped like a dish that they call "The Single" one cup are very specific to the machine. I have had trouble getting the LaMarzocco basket that they list as a 25.5h, which would be a good depth. I was instead sent a 23.5h which will hold 8.5g max without hitting the shower screen when loaded into the Group. I also tried the 21h and it did not work with larger than 7.5g doses without encountering the shower screen.



The B70 1T series of baskets are more traditional in shape and to me are no advantage over a LaMarzocco or any other single basket. The B70 2T baskets are pretty nice and dump the puck nicely as does "The Single".