The Arrarex Caravel - Page 10

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peacecup (original poster)
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#91: Post by peacecup (original poster) »

Well, back at it this thread after a little break. The shots from my Caravel hit their new peak today. Started off normal enough with an AM cappa, which was just normally good. I've got the open-boiler routine worked out well now. I get the Caravel ready, then turn on the electric range and get the coil hot for milk. When I lock in the PF I do a ~10 sec preinfusion, and then set the milk on the stove while I pull. When the shot it done the milk is hot, and a quick froth with an Ikea hand frother makes very acceptable foam. With access to a nearby stove the lack of a pressurized steamer is not much of a hardship.

The PM shots were straight, and they were really good. I'm still using Italian beans of unknown roast date, there are Molinari fair trade espresso. I pull a different Dienes off the shelf (finally unpacked them), and tried an experiment. This Dienes is the first one I bought, and I've been using it now since around 2002-3. I tightened the burrs just about as far as they would go and ground. The grind was quite fine and resulted in a slow pull with the Caravel, really an almost constant drip. The shot was very tasty with good thick crema - espresso syrup. It was so good that I had to pull another right away (and the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad.....). This time I backed off on the grind about ¼ turn, so the burrs were just comfortably meshing. I compensated by tamping a bit harder, and the second shot was even better. Superb mouthfeel, and the range of flavors coming though, with a little tangy bite at the end. And minutes later as I write this the taste is still lingering, calling me back to the Caravel....

The Caravel is really an underrated manual lever, perhaps because it is so rare, or because of the open boiler (no steam). Really I think it's the small portafilter though, that many home baristas consider a toy when they first see. I think the reaction to the 45-mm Ponte Vecchio is the same. It's a shame, really, because these micro machines are very capable of brewing, and maybe even distilling, the true essence of espresso.
LMWDP #049
Hand-ground, hand-pulled: "hands down.."

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orphanespresso
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#92: Post by orphanespresso »

I'm in complete agreement with you on your Caravel observations....espresso syrup indeed! And underrated as well. After blissing out with the double basket I dialed in the single basket, and yes, toylike is the word, but a 7 gram shot is very nice and not a coffee waster for sure. On your technique, when you take the lever to vertical and leave it for preinfusion, as it is an open boiler, do you think it is actually preinfusing or just wetting the top of the puck? I have experimented applying some downward motion to the lever buy just the weight of my hand for a bit. This may be just a meditative moment or some zen like activity but it seems to tighten up the pull a bit. It is amazing, and satisfying how the lever just gets harder and harder through the pull until that gentle release at the end, when the piston cam uncoils.

As you are from the states, you realize that we all think that the European countries are close together, so how' about taking a day trip down to Italy to stock up on Caravels to send back to the CAravel deprived? August holidays are coming, after all!
Doug

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peacecup (original poster)
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#93: Post by peacecup (original poster) »

RE: pre-infusion, I've been varying the retrieve so to speak. I usually lift the lever all the way, wait for nature (i.e.gravity) to take its course, then give 'er a good squeeze and raise the lever again. I usually follow the accepted protocol of around 10 sec. for preinfusion, and 30 sec total for the shot. But I really don't think timing is that important, and 40 sec is acceptable. I've experimented with two or three "Fellinis". As Doug surmises, I don't think gravity will preinfuse unless the grind is very coarse. One could test this by waiting 10 or more seconds to see if any drips appear from the spouts. On a pressurized lever they will after awhile (although I usually grind fine enough for this to take a long time). With the small piston on the Caravel I like to fully saturate the puck with preinfusion so that I get a good sized shot (30 ml?) with a full double basket, and hence around the kind of brew ratio I like.

I put new seals in the Caravel yesterday - the arrived from Idaho in very good time. My Caravel has a cup seal on the bottom and an O-ring on top the piston. I also replaced the little O-ring in the middle of the piston. These fail pretty regularly, so I need to find a local source and keep a stack on hand. The top O-ring from Orphan was a little too thick - I couldn't get the piston in without damaging it. But I don't think it really does much, and its pretty much intact. I can probably also source some of these locally. The new bottom cup makes a considerable difference - it produces more pressure, and is even more difficult to lift the lever. With the new seals I can really put the squeeze on these shots.

Its surprising that all levers don't use the horizontal handle design, particularly manual levers. One has soooo much more control over brew pressure with this more ergonomic position. There's a job for Orphan Espresso - high-end horizontal lever handles for all those Cremina and Pavoni users out there struggling to get their shots up to Caravel standard.

I've been enjoying the Caravel so much since I unpacked it that I've been rotating though my inventory of hand grinders and renewing my love affair with each of them as well. Today was a "new" chrome-top DeVe (photos soon on HandJive), and tomorrow will be the cherrywood Deines knee mill. But thats another thread...(although I've never quite reconciled myself to Dan moving it the Grinders forum).

I gotta send out the love to Mogo one more time for this Caravel (are you out there?). I still remember my envy when he posted that it was on its way from Italia - I'd been watching them for a while, but didn't have the nerve to bid. Little did either of us know then that it would take a boat journey back over the pond.

Anyway, the Caravel is truly an amazing piece of design work - how anyone could have dreamed up something so incredibly simple, reliable, functional, and beautiful is a testimony to those heady post-war days when espresso was king.

PC

PS - as far as sending them over from here, I'm sure any potential buyer would do as well to have them shipped from Italy themselves. They will continue to become more rare and more valuable, but they're still not cost-prohibitive at this point.
LMWDP #049
Hand-ground, hand-pulled: "hands down.."

zin1953
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#94: Post by zin1953 »

As I posted elsewhere on this site, I am now the proud owner of this little baby, the orange Arraex Caravel formerly known as Timo's . . . :wink:

I really do need to bring it home from the office (or go in on my day off -- gasp!) and play around with it, to completely dial in my grinder, but so far, I'm a happy camper . . .

Cheers,
Jason
A morning without coffee is sleep. -- Anon.

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orphanespresso
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#95: Post by orphanespresso »

The Caravel sage continues. And now you've got me feeling guilty for getting too time efficient on our nice summmer days and favoring a spring lever over the Caravel. She is being neglected and I have to see to that.

Talk about those post war engineers and designers....double edged sword, that lot....we have the double u cup piston model and the naked piston mode (o rings in the cylinder itself) and have seen pictures only of the o ring top u cup bottom arrangement. Very strange that the top race would be shallower than the bottom piston race therefore not allowing a swap for the u cup. It is logical though, to save a bit of money producing a seal which as you said, does not do much. It would be interesting to solve the mystery of the design progression on the ever changing piston seals on these machines to try to figure out what their logic was, and just why they kept tweaking the piston sealing design on these things. We'll get a bunch of those tiny but essential piston end o rings and make a peacecup special.

Yes, that handle now that you mention it is a very ergonomic design. What you refer to in part, no doubt, is the general warm and fuzzy feeling that you get when you lay your hand on the entire handle and double bar, gather your strength and thoughts and say that little mantra of hope that this will be just as good as you had hoped and then gather the energies from your arm and hand and more or less "guide" the shot into the cup. Hmmm a stirrup handle for the Cremina. That would indeed be sweet. Worth a thought. Wonder what Espresseme would think of such an idea.
Doug

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espressme
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#96: Post by espressme »

Wow, the Caravel has become the new Peppina! I suppose that style spade grip would beat a #1 wood golf club. :oops:
I don't know for myself whether it would work well for me. I have given it a lot of thought for a machine I am designing. I like a saber grip and a spade will have to be tried before I finalize.
Cheers all!
Richard / espressme
richard penney LMWDP #090,

realdoctor
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#97: Post by realdoctor »

Saw two very pretty Caravels being sold in a small-town flea market in Italy last weekend. Unfortunately, my extra baggage allowance already had been taken by a Peppina I brought back, so I let them go by.

What is a reasonable price for a used Caravel? The seller of these two was asking 100 euros for one and 120 for the other. He also had a lot of miscellaneous older steam machines, including an interesting Universal machine that makes 6 cups simultaneously.

Jim

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mogogear
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#98: Post by mogogear »

peacecup wrote:
I gotta send out the love to Mogo one more time for this Caravel (are you out there?).
Oh yeah- I am out here- glad to read there is a smile on your face Jack!! I hope you all are having a great Summer season in your new home!! I am just plunking along with my Cremina- surviving some how :wink:
greg moore

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Sambo-Peppina
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#99: Post by Sambo-Peppina »

Hey there well I got onto the right site. I have had a La Peppina for a number of years now. I dont know anything about it except that it seems to be rather rare. I know La Peppina had a short run of around 35yrs. And were bought out. I have it listed on Craigs list in Victoria BC and on Kijiji if any one wants to see the pics. I replaced seals orings and gaskets and am a firm believer in using Espresso Cleaner I think thats partly why the unit still works. I have seen some older models with Euro plugs and no sealed lids like mone Mine has a froth wand as well 2 settings and an on/OFF switch. It gets to the right temp. for espresso the light goes off when ready and when you switch to froth marking the unit continues to boil to create pressure and to allow steam to come out the wand. I know this is a rare find.

Has any one seen one befor? I have pics but they are too big to put on here.
Let me know thanks

Sam

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espressme
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#100: Post by espressme »

You may have one of the last ones built. That is really different than most. There are photos on:
Lever Espresso Machine Gallery
She's a keeper!
Richard
richard penney LMWDP #090,

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