This forum is now read-only
To login to the new support channel and community forums, go to the Support Portal
The Londinium Distribution Tool
Reis - I just finished watching all of your videos posted on the blog....and if it weren't for the fact that its bedtime, I'm amped to make some espresso now!!
a couple of questions as I was watching...
The second video where you used the tool - you mention that you don't pull the lever up until the first drop of espresso...i was timing this on the video and that looks like a 20s PI approximately? Is there any concern for the group/water getting too cold with this long of a PI?
For those of us who have been using a WDT tool and funnel - how much more effective is the the Londinium tool?
either way, i'm buying one as soon as you have them available!
a couple of questions as I was watching...
The second video where you used the tool - you mention that you don't pull the lever up until the first drop of espresso...i was timing this on the video and that looks like a 20s PI approximately? Is there any concern for the group/water getting too cold with this long of a PI?
For those of us who have been using a WDT tool and funnel - how much more effective is the the Londinium tool?
either way, i'm buying one as soon as you have them available!
Comments
thanks for posting. in terms of how effective the LONDINIUM funnel is relative to others i think all that matters is that it makes a snug fit into the top of the basket so it doesnt fall off when you are using the distribution tool
if you already have a funnel I'm not advocating that you rush out and buy ours
as for the effectiveness of the distribution tool relative to others i think that if we didn't feel we could bring something better to the table we wouldn't have bothered. the most impressive aspect is the consistency of the improvement - all of those vides clips were first takes - that is to say i captured the difference exactly is i wanted and needed to on the very first take - this underlines the consistency of the difference
if you were concerned or too impatient for the extended pre-infusion time that it produces you could turn up the pre-infusion by 1/8th to 1/4 turn to compensate, but i think most baristas would tell you that an increase in the time before the first drip with all other variables held constant is simply an indicator of far better distribution
the coffee taste significantly better; chalk & cheese, night & day - pick your superlative
some of you will already have developed your own tools and techniques and be sitting there saying, hey what took you so long to catch up, which is understandable
the potential of the LONDINIUM distribution tool that i really want to investigate is can if lift the performance of what i would call minimal acceptable grinders, like say the Mazzer Mini electronic, up a level to the point where a vastly improved extraction results. it is the LONDINIUM owners that are using these entry level grinders that i am most looking forward to hearing from when we release the LONDINIUM distribution tool
kind regards
reiss.
RE Long PI - I am definitely not impatient and only concerned about it because you had mentioned in a previous post that after 15s, you feel like the coffee is just 'stewing' at that point. Is that no longer an issue with the mechanics of the LR (as opposed to the previous gen L1)?
hi david
i hope to have both the funnel & distribution tool in stock in the first week of may
pricing to be determined; i originally intended to sell them as a bundle but i understand a lot of people already have a dosing funnel so i think we will now offer separately
best
reiss.
yes, its true i did say that about the L1(2012-2016), but i think it is slightly different as in that scenario pre-infusion is occurring at a pressure so low that the coffee puck is able to hold back the water almost indefinitely
if i was optimising the shot in the video of the distribution tool i would tighten the grind slightly to get a slower pour - if you time the pour i think from memory it is probably a bit quick, and i would tweak the pre-infusion up ever so slightly to ensure it didn't take too long for the first drip to appear
in any case your tongue will tell you - if you tighten down the grind too far the coffee will tend to drip rather than stream and you will notice a distinct 'wooden' taste in the cup, the result of over-extracting the coffee
anyway, we now have a lot of very fine holes to drill in stainless steel and lots of drill bits to break in the process, but as soon as we are complete we will add them to the webstore
best
reiss.
this morning I was playing around with waiting until first drops before releasing the lever. definitely noticed a difference in taste...less of the pungent acidity and more 'coffee' flavor if that makes sense? didn't get the flow right, will keep tweaking throughout the week.
Simply.
Thanks for your design smarts and dedication Mr. Gunson.
Cheers,
Oliver
Haliburton, Canada
www.jbeans.ca
The Londinium distribution tool and funnel = gods gift to the espresso world!!! Bloody awesome!
It's so easy to use, looks great and best of all shot improvement is very noticeable. Much more even extraction etc...
Greatly appreciated and I'm looking foward to trying the beans!
Rick
While I regularly get good shots, I'm a bit hit and miss - I'm lazy about weighing.
I've just banged out a bunch of absolutely perfect shots in a row, so easily. I can't believe the difference tis makes.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am still using a pre 2014 L1 machine however, this distribution tool has changed the routine and produced really good shots. Using an 18gm VST and an E10 grinder with between 15-20 sec pre-infusion to extract 25gm in 25 sec.
Can I recommend that this tool be a part of every Londinium machine. It appears to create the correct vertical distribution of grinds for lever extraction as finer particles sink closer to the bottom of the basket during stirring. Just a theory I have as to why it works!
Thanks Reiss
Trevor
I didn't doubt that the new tool would work well compared with no WDT at all, but I did doubt that it would make a meaningful improvement for those already doing WDT with a thin metal rod. But results in the cup don't lie. Even before tasting the shot, one can immediately see the increase in evenness of the extraction as it emerges from the shower screen.
Very impressed with this product.
happy to share more info if anybody is interested!
Matt
Jan van der Weel who will help in the testing is busy today getting his house ready for a renovation (a roof beam needs to be installed) so even though he has just received his Londinium L-R machine he does not even have time to unpack that.
I am also posting about it on my blog and today I listed the tech details of the 4 grinders that we will be testing with / without the Londinium distribution tool.
I have a good friend with a Monolith Flat. Sometime in the near future I will bring the LDT and my K30 to his home so we can see if the degree of improvement differs between the two grinders. I'm especially interested in the results because the next production run of Monolith Flats includes one for me!
Frans, looking forward!!
My view is that it is a well made tool that feels good to use and that has a positive effect on my espresso making.
In an effort to try and make an objective comparison between using the LDT, a mini whisk and a cocktail stick, I conducted a simple experiment.
If anyone is interested in seeing the results then check out this post on CFUK