Ciao,

My GF has mentioned inviting her friends over to our flat, now that it's more or less presentable. The complete fantasy would include my cranking out the cappuccini, to be served on the lanai with ooh's & ahh's. Right now I can just manage 2 cappas in a row for myself & my GF, and even then there's a lag between #1 & #2. With just a 1-head macchina, I can't imagine serving 4 straight doppios, let alone milk drinks, at more or less the same time. Someone will have to wait, &/or someone's drink will go lukewarm... Arrghh...

In the back of my mind I'm also worried about the quality compromises I'll have to make... Mamma mia, reverse temp-surfing with a stopwatch for every shot? I don't think so!

It's this kind of scenario that encourages me to get a second (temp-stable) macchina, or at least to enlist my GF as assistant barista... I've seen a division of labor at one busy kiosk: one guy grinds & pulls the shots while the other steams, pours milk, & serves. Of course they have a 2-head LM Linea.

Maybe the best solution is simply to open a bottle of wine! But surely some of you have been in the same position -- what's in your bag of tricks for serving multiple guests? (I do have 2 portafilters at least, one spouted, one naked.)

Happy Brewing,
Wayne

With a small, single boiler machine, the best way I found to serve a crowd is this (let's say 6 drinks at once):
- have a number of cups ready and preheated. About 4 to 6 ounce capacity.
- pull three doubles in a row using the stock, dual-spout portafilter. Split each double into two single cups. That makes 6 singles. As the pull concludes, pour the two singles into two of the cups. So now you have 6 cups, each with about an ounce of espresso in it.
- Now steam about as much milk at once as your machine can handle and pour the stretched milk into the 6 cups. If you can steam enough milk at once, you can cheat by adding some heated milk first and over-stretching the milk a bit that you are steaming.
- drizzle just a bit of chocolate syrup over the top of the stiff foam.

Depends on if you insist on presenting a restaurant ambiance (typically, several cappas "stacked up" to serve--stiff foam and all--on a tray to the table), or something more casually bar-like (where chances of getting a proper cappa are likelier).

It doesn't always play out the same, and your room / seating arrangement might differ, but I'll often have one or more guests keep me company by the machine, maybe carry the drinks out to other guests as they are prepared (if they are not all hanging out with me).

BTW, a real roadblock is the fact that many cappa drinkers prefer decaf and will reject coffee altogether if dc is not available. Pre-measuring and grinding per shot saves some hassle and confusion (not recommended if someone will be offended by a few pop-corning beans.) Often, those who reject a coffee at first will change their minds when they see what's served.

Of course, I sometimes miss out on the conversation, but so far I don't think anyone has noticed.

Another option is to make each person a cafe au lait, which is basically double-strength coffee from your French Press with steamed milk over it. I've had to do that for parties at our house. It's not as nice or fun but most people don't mind.

jamhat wrote:Another option is to make each person a cafe au lait, which is basically double-strength coffee from your French Press with steamed milk over it. I've had to do that for parties at our house. It's not as nice or fun but most people don't mind.

That's a great idea especially for those that want decaf!

Grazie!

The idea of meeting the challenge & being resourceful actually appeals to my nature, so I would make only real espresso -- and if some decline because I don't have decaf, that would make my job easier!

I like the idea of splitting doubles into singles... instead of a traditional cappa, what results is a sort of mini-latte. And in a demitasse, a single topped off with steamed milk could be a sort of mini-cappa. I think on these occasions one can bend the rules a bit, so long as the guests are happy. In our case the setting will be on the casual side -- so if my output is, say, 2 drinks at once, followed quickly by another pair, and more as needed, that should work.

As for steaming milk, I have a couple of 20 oz. pitchers -- but I just got a 12 oz. pitcher that I like because you can steam milk really fast in it. I suppose it's more efficient to steam a big pitcher, but I might get better quality with the smaller one. (Latte art is not out of the question.)

Ciao,
Wayne

roastaroma wrote:so I would make only real espresso -- and if some decline because I don't have decaf, that would make my job easier!

Ouch! (but wink noted). IMO, decaf is better than no coffee at all. Especially, with attention to matching the roast for a cappa (which some maintain is already a compromise).

FWIW, I've amassed 3, 10 oz and 2, 12 oz steaming pitchers. In preparation for guests, I pre-fill these with 3.5 or 4 oz milk and stick them in the freezer (not long enough to freeze, duh!) I also pre-measure unground coffee in small ramekins and stack them. Combined, this speeds up the routine and the super-chilled milk produces good results for the small, individual steamings.

roastaroma wrote:I like the idea of splitting doubles into singles... instead of a traditional cappa, what results is a sort of mini-latte.

I think the traditional cappa is with singles. There's another thread going about what is a traditional cappa and it's apparently a single. And apparently, there are few if any barista competitors that serve double cappa's at the competition. I'm glad, because that's what I've been serving as it seems to taste right to serve a single cappa in those small 5.5 ounce cups. And it is very fast for serving guest.

BTW, a double boiler machine is awesome for serving guests. Just today I made 1 double-shot 12 ounce vanilla latte and a couple cappa's in a very short time. Well under 10 minutes. Couldn't do it on my old single boiler Giotto.

Grazie again, Martin,

Those are good ideas. I take it that the pre-measured doses in the ramekins are for 1 double-shot each? Yes, I can see how that helps.

BTW, I just remembered another suggestion I read around here: removing the PF spring so one can swap pre-loaded baskets very quickly between shots. I know that ground coffee starts to go stale a minute after grinding, but in this case, it's a compromise I can live with. I spend a long time on puck construction anyway, mainly 'cause of the Rocky clump-o-matic.

I should probably get a 2nd double basket -- though I just tried out my triple basket for the first time today, and Oh, Boy!

roastaroma wrote:BTW, I just remembered another suggestion I read around here: removing the PF spring so one can swap pre-loaded baskets very quickly between shots.

I use ridgeless baskets. The spring holds well enough to allow using the knockbox but they still slip in with no "click" to disturb the puck before pulling the shot. I keep several baskets on hand: 2x14g and 2x18g (my favorites) and 2x21g

roastaroma wrote:I know that ground coffee starts to go stale a minute after grinding....

To be more accurate, ground coffee starts to dry as soon as you grind it. It doesn't wait 60 seconds


When I serve a group with the Gaggia Espresso I just make the drinks one at a time using a double basket and the 12-ounce steaming pitcher. Guests have conversation and after-dinner drinks and basically wait for me to "take their order". I serve one drink and then ask "who's next?"

One thing that could speed up your process dramatically is to get a separate steaming device. I used to have a nifty stovetop steamer and I played with a Bialetti steamtoy that was strong for steaming milk. Something like that would allow you top operate with 2 boilers so you could steam milk without cycling Sirena's boiler.