Posted Sun Mar 18, 2012, 8:10pm Subject: Eva Solo troubleshooting
]Hi,
This is my first post but I've been reading and researching this site for a while. Since last Christmas, I've been playing around with my new Eva Solo that my dear wife bought me. I've managed to get pretty good cups but feel that the coffee I get is a bit watery. I get nice flavours, the coffee doesn't seem to have sour notes (just a nice acidity touch sometimes) but I think the flavours could be more intense. I actually feel like I get the "taste" of hot water in there if that makes any sense. Since I don't have 600$ to throw on a VST refractometer, I cannot be certain of the level of extraction I get. Here's what I've been doing:
I use freshly roasted coffee (right now, I'm using Las Delicias beans from Ritual), grind relatively coarse, use 20g. of coffee for 340g. of water. I preheat the Eva Solo, empty it, pour the coffee in, start timer at 4 min., pour just boiling water on the coffee, stir for about 15 sec. and put the filter on. I've also tried a 5 min. soaking time with no big difference. If I grind finer, it gets bitter and the flavours are less clear.
I've included a pic of the grind size I use next to a dime if that can help.
So, does anyone have an idea on how to solve this? How do you guys use your Eva Solo? Could it be too much inconcistencies in the grind? (No, I'm not just trying to justify ordering the Lido grinder.) Ratios?
jake8 Senior Member Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 158 Location: Baltimore Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale S1 Grinder: La Cimbali Max, KYM from... Drip: Aeropress Roaster: Corretto
Posted Sun Mar 18, 2012, 8:53pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
I don't use an Cafe Solo but recently had the same issue with my french press. My suggestion would be to grind finer but wait till the water is about 200 degrees before pouring it in. This should be about a minute or so after you take it off boil depending on how much water you are boiling and the heat retention of the vessel. This brought out more flavors without the bitterness for me. For me just off boil water was scorching the grounds and bringing out a bitter taste.
AND Yes the new LIDO does help things out, though both of your hand grinders are known for doing well on coarse grinds
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 8:51am Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
Hi there. I'd try using a little less water (or more coffee). To brew 20 g. in my 0.6 L Eva, I usually add more like 300 g. of water. +1 on the LIDO, btw, but with a Peugeot hand mill you should be doing pretty well already.
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 8:06pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
Thanks! I'll try the finer grind lower temp tomorrow morning. I'm just concerned that once the water flows and hits the coffee, it'll be considerably colder but we'll see.
Concerning the coffee/water ratio, it was my understanding that you could get optimal coffee with 60g. of coffee for 1 liter of water, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to put just a little more.
On the Peugeot, it grinds fast and easily but I don't find the grind that consistent. But to be honest, I've never seen what a consistent coarse grind should look like.
Jbviau, have you tried the Lido with the Eva Solo yet? If so, how is it compared to your other grinder(s)? If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting a pic of the grind you get from it for the Eva? What steep time do you use?
Posted Wed Mar 21, 2012, 6:44pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
I tried two notches finer on the Peugeot and it improved my cup yesterday but the watery taste was still ther this morning and not as much flavour. I'm starting to wonder about my scale now. If it's off 1 or 2 grams when I weigh the coffee, I guess it could screw up the result. I'll have to try with new batteries.
Posted Wed Mar 21, 2012, 7:49pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
SimonPatrice Said:
Jbviau, have you tried the Lido with the Eva Solo yet? If so, how is it compared to your other grinder(s)? If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting a pic of the grind you get from it for the Eva? What steep time do you use?
Posted Thu Mar 22, 2012, 11:53am Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
Thank you!
I might try upping the dose a little tomorrow morning and see how it goes but I suspect more grind consistency wouldn't hurt neither. About the water, I'm still hoping I can get a good cup of coffee using just regular tap water.
Posted Sat Mar 24, 2012, 8:31pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
Ok. I've had success two days in a row, brewing with a slightly higher dose but also brewing more coffee at a time. 24g. coffee / 400g. water. Two different coffees. We'll see how things go tomorrow when I try the same dose but go back to more or less a 12 oz. cup.
Posted Sat Mar 24, 2012, 11:14pm Subject: Re: Eva Solo troubleshooting
Simon,
I've been using my CafeSolo for a few years now. I've seen the results vary according to small changes in technique. And I've heard others state that when they only use half the capacity their brews don't taste as good as when they use the full capacity of the carafe (although I really can't say why).
One thing that occured to me is that you may not be getting good saturation of your grounds. Instead of starting the timer before pouring and then stirring for 15 seconds, try this:
Count to 40 secs. after the boiling sounds subside to let the water cool enough.
Pour in approx. 100 - 200 g. water against the side of the glass--never directly on the grounds, then stir briefly to make sure the grounds are all moist, THEN start the timer.
Wait 30 seconds (not 15), then pour in the remaining water and stir briefly again to make sure the grounds submerge.
I found that I spent a lot more time pouring and stirring than I realized. Starting the timer after the first pour and waiting a bit longer for the outgassing gave me a better result. Because the carafe narrows, you'd be surprised at how the bouyancy of the foam can lift the beans out of the water and prevent saturation more so than a brewer with more top surface area.
As for amount of coffee and water, I use less than the recommended amount of water in order to prevent the foam from clogging up near the neck of the carafe. For the 1 liter carafe, I use 900 ml. water and 60 - 64 g. coffee.
Also switch to a good tasting bottled water to see if that makes a difference (I use Fiji water--it's perfect for brewing).
One last thing: I always decant into a thermal sealed carafe and then shake the carafe to get oxygen into the brew. And I pour out every last drop (unlike the instructions, I don't find the last few bits to be bitter at all).
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