I did preventive maintenance on my 15-year-old espresso machine today. I took it completely apart for thorough cleaning. It’s built like a tank, so well put together. After cleaning all it’s guts, tightening everything, I replaced the group head gasket and backflushed it. Good as new! In fact, the boiler and pump still look brand new. These are the most important components this beast. His name is Carl btw.
Judging by the quality of the shot I pulled in the video below, everything is working great.
Many thanks to Ant Cashmore from Leicester UK for this video. He presented tear-down that showed me everything I needed to do. Well done Ant!
I took apart my 15-year-old espresso machine today. Not because it wasn’t working (it’s working fine) but to be proactive about any future issues. There appears to be none. It’s no wonder they call this bit of gear, the tank. It is so well built. The boiler and pump, electrical and all connections still look pristine.
Another functional 3d print to ensure my expresso shots are the best they can be. This, a tamping station for my Rancilio Silvia.
My days of hand grinding beans and hand pulling espresso shots are over for the time being. Too much work! So, out of years of storage, a deep clean and tune up and this fantastic Italian prosumer gear is back in operation. Why did I ever doubt you? The testing was delicious but I’m highly caffeinated atm. So, I’m driving my wife insane, as usual, but with more intensity.
An accidental find in Paris. Pick your own green beans and roast them while you wait. If I only had more room. Damn these downtown condos!
Great roast this morning. Perfect consistency and flavour profile. A nice full city from Indian Robusta Parchment Kaapi Royale beans. How good was your coffee today?
Check out this snazzy Mickey Mouse espresso cup I go this Christmas. Is someone telling me my coffee prep is Mickey Mouse.
Coffee is art! And art takes work. I’ve been on a long journey to perfect the coffee experience. Yes, I am a coffee snob
My coffee snobbery started 18 years ago, when, in an effort to lose weight, I stopped adding sugar and milk to my coffee. Then it hit me fast. Why does this black coffee taste like shit? Why does all the coffee in Italy, France and Spain tastes so good. It’s THE BEANS! Oh, and the skill of preparation (more on that later. At around that time, a friend at work brought me some beans that she had roasted at home, fresh from green coffee beans. Huh? I had a shitty chop grinder at home, so at least I was moving towards enlightenment. That cup of coffee was a mule kick, surely it can’t taste this good, impossible. I immediately bought a lot of expensive coffee gear, semi pro Italian espresso machine and grinder and such. And even the lazy, ultra-expensive (per cup) Nespresso faux coffee maker. Most importantly, I bought a coffee roaster.
As you will see in this video, I’ve now moved to manual grinding, precise weight measurement, and hand pulling espresso. The results have been outstanding, and the taste is incredible. This one very good spro!
“I, Smite Da Spro, using these holy alchemical devices, will SQUEEZE before your blaspheming eyes, an essence fit only for the Blessed.”
“And YOU can’t have any.”
Kitchen mishap this eve. I got too creative with a watermelon. Thought I had no Band-Aids but remembered that I had these. They saved the day while remaining on brand. Quoth the Raven “No more sores”. The coffee cup was a bonus.
