Brewboy19 Senior Member Joined: 13 May 2012 Posts: 13 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Krups Grinder: Black and decker lol Drip: Krups Roaster: Behmoar
Posted Tue Jun 5, 2012, 3:57pm Subject: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
Hi, I just got a delonghi ec155 as a gift. I followed some threads on here and modded it so it has a non pressurized portafilter.
I am getting no creama using Starbucks espresso per ground coffee. Stopped on the way home and bought a little whole bean coffee from the store and ground it in their machine at the lowest espresso setting, the only one setting lower was Turkish.
Got home tried that nothing. I tried tamping harder but to no avail. It seems like its still too course of a grind. When I try to twist off it disturbs the coffee bed and I can't form a smooth puck.
Never seen espresso grind in person so I don't have any idea how fine it should look.
It is pulling a shot at 25 seconds on the dot, but the last 5 seconds or so the shot turns almost clear brown watery in appearance.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 559 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012, 12:54pm Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
On the Bar32 (same internals), for one thing the grinders Starbucks use pretty much suck, can't even compare to a cheap hand grinder like a Hario, even their "turkish" grind is barely espresso acceptable and their grinds aren't consistent either (doubt they rarely clean the machines). But with that said I've used Starbucks beans before with my Hario slim and Preciso I had, and got crema pressurized and non-pressurized.
Get a cheap hand grinder, I love the Hario Cermic Slim and tamper (51mm is what I used but some said 52mm will work). And you'll see much better coffee even with Starbucks. I generally don't care for them but the Verona blend is decent, and sometimes their special editions are pretty good like Tribute. They should keep Tribute around hopefully as it's pry the 1st Starbucks blend that's actually pretty damn good and not that typical smoked/burnt taste most of their beans have.
randytsuch Senior Member Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 578 Location: LA, Ca Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Expobar Office with... Grinder: Baratza Vario Roaster: Customized Alpenrost,...
Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012, 3:56pm Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
You need fresh coffee.
This means a couple of things.
Beans must be freshly roasted. If they are over 2 weeks old, then they are stale, and it is hard to get crema from stale beans. You should actually get crema if they are a little older, but with beans older than 2 weeks it is hard to pull a good shot. You should buy beans roasters that put "roasted on" dates on their beans. If the beans have an expiration date, they are probably stale.
Beans should be freshly ground. You should grind just before you use them. Means you need an espresso capable grinder, and as the previous poster said, a hand grinder is the cheapest way to get there.
BTW, your Delonghi might not be a great machine, but without freshly roasted, just ground beans, you can't do good espresso no matter what machine you use.
Posted Mon Aug 6, 2012, 1:15pm Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
I agree with both. Forget grocery or starbucks beans. The fresher the better. As well as grinds. To produce goos espresso you need very fine and consistant grind. I also have a modded EC 155 and I use a Macap MX commercial grinder. I have it dialed in at 0.6 out of 10 so almost nothing. I have used a hand turkish mill and barely got anything unpressurized. My advise is invest in a home espresso grinder or used commercial if you can find one.
BTW. 2 must mods for the EC 155 are the Bar-12 filters for naked portafilters if you remove the bottom plastic and the Rancillo V1/2 steam wand. :) PM for details if you like.
FrankyD Senior Member Joined: 27 Jul 2012 Posts: 58 Location: Davis, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Starbucks Barista Grinder: Baratza Preciso/Kyocera... Drip: Bodum French Press Roaster: WB Poppery I
Posted Tue Aug 7, 2012, 2:19pm Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
Commercial store grinders (starbucks or grocery) are never fine enough. Turkish is closer to what you want, but it's still not good at all for anything other than a pressurized portafilter.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,761 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Thu Aug 9, 2012, 5:50am Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
Just to pile on lol! No fresh coffee beans, = no good espresso No espresso able grinder = no good espresso Not grinding just before brewing = no good espresso.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Posted Sat Sep 8, 2012, 6:39am Subject: Re: Delonghi e155 modded no crema??
I would stick to pressurized until you get your hands on an espresso grind capable grinder. for under $300 the Rancillio Rocky and Nuova Simonelli Grinta are good I have read. I use a large commercial Macap with my EC155.
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