EvanOz85 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jul 2011 Posts: 258 Location: Lafayette, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II Grinder: Baratza Preciso, Hario... Vac Pot: Bodum Santos, Yama 5-cup Drip: Chemex, Kone 3, Kalita Wave,... Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Sun Jan 6, 2013, 9:15pm Subject: Channeling on Mini Vivaldi S1?
]Hey guys. I posted this on s1cafe.com..but no one seems to be interested in replying so I am re-posting it here.
I received my Mini Vivaldi a few weeks ago, and pretty much everything is going smoothly. However I'm concerned about some "holes" in my pucks that occur each time I pull a shot. I know that "puckology" is generally neglected but it's still bothering me.
I dose 16 grams into my bottomless PF. Grinder is a Baratza Preciso. 30lb tamp using an Espro calibrated tamper, and Cafelat tamping stand. After grinding into the PF, I use a toothpick to stir the grounds and break up any clumps. I then give the PF a whack or two on the rubber tamping stand to settle the grounds before tamping.
Shots run 34-37 seconds (including the 6 second pre-infusion) on average for 32g of espresso by weight.
I don't notice any obvious signs of channeling from my bottomless PF, but I don't think my eye is very trained for that anyways.
Any idea what could be causing these holes? They are usually around the bolt imprint.
My guess is because a)Nobody knows or b)nobody cares. As you already indicate, many don't get to fussed with puckology. I'm in that camp. I'm guessing you could get rid of it by increasing your dose to squish it out against the top of the shower screen. But the issue is, if you like the way the shot tastes, why would you increase the dose and mess it all up. And if you don't like the way the shot tastes, then maybe you should try increasing the dose just to see if it improves the taste, not to remove the small holes in the puck. So I know, not the answer you were looking for, but maybe others would agree that it shouldn't be very high up the list on things to concern you at the moment.
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,605 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Mon Jan 7, 2013, 5:11am Subject: Re: Channeling on Mini Vivaldi S1?
If your bottomless portafilter doesn't reveal any extraction problems, i.e. there's no sputtering or the like but an even tiger striped flow, and your shots taste good to you, then there'll be no serious problem no matter how your puck looks.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
Jmanespresso Senior Member Joined: 18 Jan 2009 Posts: 2,108 Location: Westchester NY Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Alex Duetto II Grinder: Compak K10 - Vario Vac Pot: Yama-SY5/SY8/TCA5 Drip: V60, Beehouse, CCD Roaster: Hottop B
Posted Mon Jan 7, 2013, 3:52pm Subject: Re: Channeling on Mini Vivaldi S1?
From what I remember from my time with the S1VII(The plumbed in version), thats normal. At least for that machine.
Let me just say, if you're expecting pucks that look like hockey pucks and can be picked up and handled, you will almost never get that with the Vivaldi. I explored a lot of the extraction space when I had my Vivaldi, dosing as much as 18grams in the double basket which a lot of the Vivaldi owners say is not the best way to get a good shot, using triple baskets, dosing very low.. I mean literally, I experimented a lot with the Vivaldi. Learned a lot about what I liked in my coffee and what I didnt.
But the only constant through the entire time I owned that machine? No pucks. My knockbox was generally just a box of coffee clumps.
You'll drive yourself nuts, trust me. Check out Youtube to see what bottomless shots look like Here is a good one, and then look for similar shots on your machine. Keep in mind, your pre-infusion is meant to emulate an E-61 brewhead, so you should see beading once the pump ramps up the full pressure. Here is one using a Mini-Vivaldi. Not bad either.. Slight donut extraction, but otherwise its a solid shot. You'll notice its on the ristretto side, slower flow, longer shot pull.. I found the Vivaldi liked shots like that. YMMV. (Niether video is of me, btw)
Follow Your Bliss
Coffee makes your constantly overcome your prejudices and re-evaluate your own "received wisdoms" when it comes to judging cup flavors. -Tom Owen, SweetMarias
EvanOz85 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jul 2011 Posts: 258 Location: Lafayette, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II Grinder: Baratza Preciso, Hario... Vac Pot: Bodum Santos, Yama 5-cup Drip: Chemex, Kone 3, Kalita Wave,... Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Mon Jan 7, 2013, 5:12pm Subject: Re: Channeling on Mini Vivaldi S1?
Thanks for all the tips guys. All of my shots have been delicious..even when dialing in a new bean. Stream is usually dead center with no early blonding. So I guess I'll stop worrying about the holes.
This is my first machine and first time pulling shots, so I was expecting a lot of bad shots and problems before making good espresso. Either the machine is just that great, or I'm just that lucky/talented. :p
zedex Senior Member Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 126 Location: B.C Canada Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Spaz v2 Grinder: vario
Posted Mon Jan 7, 2013, 6:42pm Subject: Re: Channeling on Mini Vivaldi S1?
From what I remember from my time with the S1VII(The plumbed in version), thats normal. At least for that machine.
Let me just say, if you're expecting pucks that look like hockey pucks and can be picked up and handled, you will almost never get that with the Vivaldi.
Thats odd. All i ever get with my v2 is perfect pucks. When my beans get old i start getting wet pucks but that is rare. Now if you wanna talk silvia, that thing only gives you wet pucks.
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