peacecup wrote:...an important factor is coffee:water ratio. My PV produces 0.5 oz. per pull. I get 15g or more into the basket, so at three pulls I have a 15g:1.5 oz. ratio, which is pretty high.

I am interested in a lever machine, and am considering the Elektra and the PV Export. Although I suspect that I will be very happy with .5oz singles, it would be nice to also be able to pull a 45-50ml double. A potentially interesting way to look at the viability of the 3 pull double would be to pull each of the three shots into separate cups, and then report the shot weight to volume ratio. I have no idea what would indicate a significant difference in ratios, but if you could also drink each of the 3 portions separately and report on taste differences, it might help to explain any difference that you might find in the ratios. Of course, if there is no change in ratio between the 3 and if they taste very similar, then the 3-pull double sounds like a great option.

I have really appreciated all your videos of Export pulls. Does the shot wieght to volume ratio experiment sound like something you might be interested in trying and reporting?

Thanks,
Mark

Hello Dogshot,

I've been meaning to get to the three cup experiment, but have yet to do so. You can also ask grong or others to try it. Try posting it under a new topic, like 'Three pulls, three cups, Ponte Vecchio" or similar. I'd be glad to see others try it as well. There must be differences between three and one-pull, 1.5 oz. ristrettos, but I don't know how they taste in the cup yet. I can say that my three pull shots are mighty tasty, but I'm open to the idea that a one pull shot could be tastier (I'm not sure how, and I'm terrible at describing flavors in coffee lingo).

I've in Seattle right now, enjoying pump espresso from a variety of vendors, and skilled baristas. I've had a lot of good espresso on this trip, but I still maintain that my three-pull PV shots have the edge for my taste. I just got word of a lever espresso shop here that I'm planning to try tonight, so I'm hoping it will surpass my expectations!

I'll try the three-cup experiment when I get to Juneau, with photos.

PC

peacecup wrote:I've been meaning to get to the three cup experiment, but have yet to do so.

FWIW, I do the two-cup experiment every day... I just put another cup under the spouts as the pour starts getting bad instead of letting it run down into the drip tray. This is just to avoid emptying out my little container underneath so much (my machine needs an outlet below the machine, but I haven't got room for that, only for another small tray), but as a result I also get to see those last centilitres. They don't look good - thin, blond crema - and they taste bad - bitter and watery. But this is a larger machine, and it is designed to give a full double espresso - and a bit more - in one pull only. The last part is not something we want to drink anyway. Perhaps this is what chopinhauer refers to? The smaller machines are obviously differently designed.
I would guess the coffee in those three cups would get progressively more bitter and less sweet. There must be other differences in taste too, but they may vary depending on what coffee you use. I would see that variation as a good thing, though - we want a full spectrum of tastes in that espresso cup, and it is the combination that we drink.

More spring lever porn

«missing video»

Is that the Astoria? I've never seen one like that. Really beautiful, and great video. I can't pull 2-oz. doubles like that with the 45-mm group!

PC

look at the Idrocompresso

http://www.keesvanderwesten.com/index2.html

I'm not sure where he sourced the groups, I don't think they are Astoria (CMA). My lever group dispenses 1.5 oz. per pull. This one looks like at least 3 oz. I love it when they pull out the triple basket!

I recognize that machine as line carried by Visions Espresso in Seattle( I am there right now- just had espresso with prof_ Stack and HPerry tonight) La Mirage------

What a beautiful machine!!! I was hypnotized watching those three streams finally come together!! Nice video grab there B13!!! not to mention a sweet Versalab grinder to stock the basket!! Very little fuss in a sure hand at the PF.

I just got a sama export and I'm new to all of this. I'm trying to figure something out. It looks like your coffee comes out when your lever is going up. Mine seems to come out when I push down. It has a nice action but I was curious why it "seems" at least, to be the opposite. Does it have to do with the pre-infusion and how you held it down for a while. Does that slow fill the chamber so that it comes out on the way up? Any thoughts?

Thanks,

mark

Hello Mark! You have a spring piston machine, the 'resting' position is with the lever up on a spring piston machine, on a manual piston machine (no spring), the 'resting' position is with the lever down. As you slowly pull the lever down, the seals on the piston cross the water port, allowing water to enter the cylinder, when you hold the lever all the way at the bottom, this is the preinfusion stage. If you have worked out your grind & tamp, you can hold the lever in the down position till a few drops appear, and then, gently release the lever and let the spring do the work.

It may be that your grind is not fine enough, or your tamp is not firm enough, and what you are seeing as the 'coffee comes out on the down stroke' is the preinfusion from the boiler pressure. With a finer grind/firmer tamp there is more resistance against the boiler pressure, and you won't see coffee coming out till you're at the bottom of the stroke.

The Sama Export expert, or at least one of them (Peacecup - who also has great videos on the use of hand grinders!) is on hiatus, as he relocates to Sweden - Peacecup - are you there yet?

Did you get the brown Sama that was recently sold on Ebay? It looked very nice!

markmosk wrote:I just got a sama export and I'm new to all of this. I'm trying to figure something out. It looks like your coffee comes out when your lever is going up. Mine seems to come out when I push down.

I think Doug has it exactly right. You need to grind much finer. What grinder and beans are you using?

I personally don't like the effect of boiler preinfusion on my Export shots. To me, the most balanced shots from the Export occur after easing the lever down gently, and waiting for 3-5 seconds from the point where I hear water entering the brew chamber. No coffee emerges from the pf until I slowly release the lever and it starts its return travel. In other words, no espresso comes out until the piston starts to exert force on the puck. At that point, the espresso emerges in an even flow, rather than as drips.

You have a great machine. I'm sure you will be puling wonderful shots in no time.

Mark