Too bad... I just got two bags of each and was looking for some guidelines/suggestions from other folks here...
Started with Dolce and it does not look like it likes a 1:2 ration... 18 grams in / and blonding at 32 grams out... will have to cut it at around 28-30 grams output.
I had to set the grind coarser and raise pre-infusion to 5 bar...
I am soooo getting the hang of using this machine.... love it!!
Pre-infusion set at 3.5. Grind was a bit coarser to keep that pre-infusion setting of 3.5 bar that I was using for the Vivace Vita. Before I was grinding finer and using 5 bar for pre-infusion for the Vivace Dolce. I like the combination of lower pre-infusion and coarser grind over the previous shot... The App is great in making all these pre-infusion changes a breeze...
Coffee beans: Vivace Dolce - 18 grams in / 32 grams out KafaTek Monolith Conical grinder and tamper (earlier versions of both) notNeutral Lino espresso cup in black Distribution and WDT tool from Creativewerks (la_creativewerks in Instagram). Call me silly but I have the Londinium WDT tool stored away as I want that one to remain pristine for as long as I can... well, that and the fact that all the tools now match the grinder cap and tamper... : )
1. when you mount the portafilter on the group be ready to pull the lever immediately - the heat from the group hits the coffee instantly once you mount the portafilter and this degrades the coffee - i know this from running thermocouples in the coffee puck
2. release the lever when the first drip falls in the cup. the time that this takes to occur is a key metric in you deciding if you are in the ball park for the coffee you are using. for a dark traditional roast i would target a first drip of 2-3 seconds after pulling the lever down, for a medium roast 7-10 seconds, and for a light roast 14 seconds and above - possibly more than 20 seconds for some ultra light nordic roasts. adjust your dose/grind combo to get the time for the first drip in the appropriate range for the coffee you are using. i find this to be quite a helpful metric
Gave another try following the recommendations. Had to grind coarser to get to the 2-4 seconds for the first drip.
Pre-infusion at 3 bar
I did not like it. I mean, it tasted good, lots of flavor but light in body. Maybe my taste buds are ruined from the years drinking burnt espresso... but this was way too light for my preference.
I was making it before at a much finer grind with first drip at around 10-11 seconds. To me, that tasted better. Stronger, more body.... again, maybe all related to my untrained taste buds...
I am now following the suggestion of inserting portafilter and pulling the shot immediately.
I order other coffees to try, so I will follow recommendations on the drip time as I dial those in. Thanks again.
i am currently running the Dolce at a pre-infusion pressure of 1.3 bar
the Vita is a solid dark roast in my view and i would need to add the restrictor to get the best out of it
as you can see, i am already down at 1.3 bar with the Dolce
so i think that is a useful reference for other North American londinium users; if you are running a roast like Espresso Vivace Dolce or Vita then you want to be using the restrictor in the thermosiphon on our machines to get the brew temperature down low enough
let me know before you place your next parts order and i will give you a store credit; thank you for going to the effort of sending the beans
Comments
Started with Dolce and it does not look like it likes a 1:2 ration... 18 grams in / and blonding at 32 grams out... will have to cut it at around 28-30 grams output.
I had to set the grind coarser and raise pre-infusion to 5 bar...
Wife like it, so not a loss...
I might still need to grind just a tad coarser...
Attached files
18 grams in / 32 grams out
Pre-infusion set at 3.5 bar
I am really enjoying this LR... you will see me posting a lot of videos of shots pull with it.
But please, if you see anything that I need to improve, call it out. I want to get the most out of it.
Pre-infusion set at 3.5. Grind was a bit coarser to keep that pre-infusion setting of 3.5 bar that I was using for the Vivace Vita. Before I was grinding finer and using 5 bar for pre-infusion for the Vivace Dolce. I like the combination of lower pre-infusion and coarser grind over the previous shot... The App is great in making all these pre-infusion changes a breeze...
Coffee beans: Vivace Dolce - 18 grams in / 32 grams out
KafaTek Monolith Conical grinder and tamper (earlier versions of both)
notNeutral Lino espresso cup in black
Distribution and WDT tool from Creativewerks (la_creativewerks in Instagram). Call me silly but I have the Londinium WDT tool stored away as I want that one to remain pristine for as long as I can... well, that and the fact that all the tools now match the grinder cap and tamper... : )
thanks for posting
if you want suggestions i have two
1. when you mount the portafilter on the group be ready to pull the lever immediately - the heat from the group hits the coffee instantly once you mount the portafilter and this degrades the coffee - i know this from running thermocouples in the coffee puck
2. release the lever when the first drip falls in the cup. the time that this takes to occur is a key metric in you deciding if you are in the ball park for the coffee you are using. for a dark traditional roast i would target a first drip of 2-3 seconds after pulling the lever down, for a medium roast 7-10 seconds, and for a light roast 14 seconds and above - possibly more than 20 seconds for some ultra light nordic roasts. adjust your dose/grind combo to get the time for the first drip in the appropriate range for the coffee you are using. i find this to be quite a helpful metric
kind regards
reiss
Thank you. Will follow the recommendations.
Thank you. Will follow the recommendations.
Thank you. Will follow the recommendations.
Thank you. Will follow the recommendations.
Pre-infusion at 3 bar
I did not like it. I mean, it tasted good, lots of flavor but light in body. Maybe my taste buds are ruined from the years drinking burnt espresso... but this was way too light for my preference.
I was making it before at a much finer grind with first drip at around 10-11 seconds. To me, that tasted better. Stronger, more body.... again, maybe all related to my untrained taste buds...
I am now following the suggestion of inserting portafilter and pulling the shot immediately.
I order other coffees to try, so I will follow recommendations on the drip time as I dial those in. Thanks again.
hi adrian
just in case you are wondering why you haven't heard from me on this, the coffee has not arrived yet
general mailing services are not proving to be very reliable since covid19 hit
i will of course let you know when it arrives
kind regards
reiss.
guess what?! they arrived just now!
thank you very much
im on the case
reiss,
i am currently running the Dolce at a pre-infusion pressure of 1.3 bar
the Vita is a solid dark roast in my view and i would need to add the restrictor to get the best out of it
as you can see, i am already down at 1.3 bar with the Dolce
so i think that is a useful reference for other North American londinium users; if you are running a roast like Espresso Vivace Dolce or Vita then you want to be using the restrictor in the thermosiphon on our machines to get the brew temperature down low enough
let me know before you place your next parts order and i will give you a store credit; thank you for going to the effort of sending the beans
kind regards
reiss.