A coarse grinding of the beans means that the coffee will be sour. Excessively fine beans. the drink will have a bitterness. The reason is not only in the ground product, but also in the extraction. Adjusting your standard. the size of the blend, which is washed with water from the powder. You can taste it and see for yourself. Grind different types of coffee 5 times with 1 grinder, the beverage will give a different taste.
Grind coffee beans too finely. granules will adhere more tightly to each other. It is hard for the water to pass through granules and coffee tastes bitter. Large fractions of coffee after grinding will not be washed with a portion of tuned water, which means that the drink will begin to sour.
Understanding Espresso. Grind Size (Episode #4)
All about adjusting coffee grind in a coffee machine
The quality and taste of a coffee drink made at home depends not only on the coffee machine, but also on the texture of the ground coffee. The most delicious coffee is considered to be prepared from self-milled coffee beans. This is not surprising, because the composition of the powder is one hundred percent natural and best suited to the coffee machine. Adjusting the grind helps control the intensity of the beverage. Using the grind settings depends on which machine you are using.
How to adjust your coffee machine: adjusting grind, strength, tips
The most important thing is good beans. Properly roasted, not dried out, not an old crop. And they can be used as intended without much effort. Recently it has become popular (and practical) to buy all kinds of smart things in your household. From vacuum cleaner to climate control.
In this article we will not advertise brands of certain companies, but will try to understand the principle of action and get the best results. Of course, there are different tastes and colors, but there are certain rules. Personally, your humble servant has a DeLonghi in the household and feels great.
The construction of the century is going on near my house. They build mansions for the rich. There are big power surges on a regular basis. The other day the machine suddenly stopped working at the most interesting place. After watching a few video tips I realized that it is better not to dig around on your own.
In a panic I rushed to the warranty center. It turned out that there was air in some pump. Fixed it in 5 minutes. That’s because they’re not too hard to repair. They all work pretty much the same way.
Some practical tips from the author of this article
Before we start making coffee drinks, our machine needs to be set up. Always read the instructions carefully.
What affects the taste? Grind, temperature, dosage. Of course, the quality of the final product also depends on the variety and roasting of beans, but these settings help to prepare the machine for a rich and fragrant espresso.
- There is a misconception that the higher the temperature, the richer and faster the coffee. But this is not exactly true. Temperature of modern machines is measured by a scale (minimum, medium, high). The bottom line is about 80 degrees, the top line about 98.
- The choice of temperature depends on the kind of coffee you are using. Most often it is “Arabica”, with it it is better to use a lower temperature.
- Next, the roasting. The darker the beans. the lower the temperature should be used, respectively, the lighter. the higher.
- No one is going to argue about whether Arabica or Robusta is better. Experiment and find the best combination for your tastes.
“Grind” is how finely you grind the coffee. Paying attention to the grind is very important, as it affects the taste and richness of your coffee drink. Extraction is the amount of substance that is washed out of the powder.
If the beans are too finely ground, they will be too tightly pressed together, making it harder for the pump to squeeze through the water. It will flow slowly or intermittently, which should not be the case.
It makes the coffee bitter and overcooked. If you grind it too coarsely, water will run through the beans too quickly, making your drink watery and undercooked.
How to determine the degree of grinding?
If the coffee flows too fast, then the grinding is too coarse, if it is too slow, then the coffee is too fine. You can adjust the grind by taking a stopwatch and brewing an “americano. It takes 30-35 seconds to make an “Americano” at this setting.
If it is faster. reduce grinding, if it is slower. increase grinding. Always adjust it when the grinder is on.
Factors affecting the taste
Grinding settings. the right grinding setup is the initial guarantee for the quality of the product.
Water quality. affects the taste of your coffee beverage. Dirty water can ruin the taste of the product.
Water temperature affects the degree of readiness of the beverage. Too high temperature burns the beans, making them bitter, and not high enough temperature can not boil out of the powder everything you need for good coffee.
Coffee grease. it is released by the coffee powder during brewing and can interfere with the machine and alter the taste of the beverage from time to time. Clean device regularly!
All household items need proper care and regular cleaning. Our especial t. к. Not only does scaling impair the taste of a prepared drink, but its penetration into the body can also cause serious harm to health.
- Descaling. Decalcifying the coffee machine on a regular basis. The frequency and degree of soiling depends on the water used: the harder the water is, the more often the filter and tubes will become clogged. A machine that has not been decalcified will not function properly, and therefore will not make good coffee. In the worst case, it will be impossible to make coffee at all because the boiler is broken or the pump mechanism fails. Never use citric acid, it may corrode the connecting rubber gaskets.
- Cleaning the coffee grounds is a must after every use. After 100-300 servings the filter tends to get clogged by coffee oils, which creates an unpleasant aftertaste, negatively affecting the quality of the beverage and the functioning of the entire system. According to the technology, jets of pressurized hot water pass through the tamped down coffee tablets. It is ideal if the liquid is delivered in the right quantity at the right time. If the filter gets clogged, the process can be disrupted.
A very interesting video with very useful tips on our topic:
Quick instructions and tips for the first startup after cleaning
- Unpack and set on a hard surface.
- Be sure to read the instructions.
- Wipe and clean thoroughly before turning on. I personally use a paint brush.
- Turn the machine on. The first 15 minutes the machine can be noisy.
- Pour the filtered water into a special tank. In our town he sells produced from a deep well. After reading its specifications, I understand that it is tough and set the necessary conditions.
- Pour out the first liquid and pour in a new portion.
- Then make a single serving for one person. For a typical espresso, take 8 grams of beans. Consequently, for someone who prefers it stronger, we add a double.
Try to find your exact ratio.
And after all this you can only enjoy the divine aroma and taste.
Working with a Delonghi coffee grinder
Working with a Delongey grinder. You start by placing it in a convenient place and plugging it in.
The volume of water and coffee directly affects the taste of the finished drink. It is very important to keep the right balance and proportion. Up to one gram.
For example, for an espresso, you need between 30 and 60 ml of water, and for a double espresso, from 60 to 120 ml. You should not need more than 6 grams of coffee extract for one beverage., for a double 12g.
The bypass system allows for any amount of water to be dispensed and the remainder to be poured back into the vessel.
Auxiliary settings
All auxiliary options are in the main menu of the task bar. They concern the calibration of the device and are set by increasing or decreasing it with the buttons (/-).
An important addition is the pressure with which the pressed coffee extract is compressed. Different compression times affect extraction and taste.
Dosage sequence
In Delonghi coffee machines, the milk sequence is adjustable.
The sequence is set by the buttons on the panel C, M and S, which stand for coffee, milk and milk foam.
For a 250 ml latte. Requires 370 ml of milk (pasteurised), 7-9 g of coffee and 25-30 ml of water. M, C, S sequence.
Delonghi dosage adjustment
The dosage is the basis for making high quality and delicious coffee.
- Calibration before placing the coffee. The device is calibrated to the specific diameter of coffee pellets. If the calibration is not correct the pellets may spill out in the cup;
- The amount of water in Delonghi coffee machines varies from 5 ml to 500 ml with a calibration of 5 ml.;
- the amount of froth from the milk (for a certain type of beverage, such as glissé, latte, etc.).п.);
- Cold milk. Whether and how much is needed.
Settings for blending beans from coffee grinders
There are two grinders in the Delongey coffee machine brand. You need to select the bean blending option in the menu and select:
Pre-wetting settings
A brief moistening of the coffee extract with water before brewing affects the quality of the dry extract’s full nutritional value in the beverage.
To prepare, you need to go to the advanced options menu and select pre-wetting.
Adjusting the Delonghi’s serving amount
This option is also included in the list of settings for preparation and depends on the amount of ingredients for the beverage. For Delonghi, you can calculate the number of servings from 5 ml to 500 ml possible production volume. One serving of espresso will require 30 to 60 ml.
Milk pump run time settings
The milk pump is needed to pump milk or milk-based fluid under pressure into the beverage. Operating time is chosen in the menu from 3 to 100 seconds. You need 90 seconds for a latte, for example.
Adjusting milk quantity and temperature
Milk temperature is divided into the following ranges:
- cold;
- warm 35-40 degrees;
- moderate. 60-63 degrees;
- hot. 65-70 degrees.
When adjusting the temperature, the amount is automatically adjusted.
Adjusting the air in the cappuccinator
Air is required for the formation of milk foam. But not air from the atmosphere is used, but steam from boiling water. There is a valve under the panel cover of the coffee machine for adjusting the milk quantity and pressure. Each division of the valve opens (closes) the diffuser.
Adjusting the proportions of foam, coffee, milk
For lattes and cappuccinos, the correct proportions are already programmed into the machine. But it is possible to make adjustments yourself. In the menu the height of the foam is set. For latte. 8-12 mm, for cappuccino. 5-7 mm.
Grinding grades
There are five main grades of coffee bean grind. These differ from one another in the size of the resulting ground pulp. It is impossible to say for sure that one is better than the other, as it all depends on application and personal preferences of a coffee grinder. For example, a ground coffee for the coffee machine should be of medium consistency, that is, when ground coffee beans are rubbed between the fingers one should feel the texture, but the appearance of the powder is close to flour, while the French press assumes a coarse grinding with visible particles.
Extra coarse grinding is only possible by grinding the coffee beans yourself, as it is almost impossible to find in ready prepared form. This grind can produce particles up to 2 to 3 millimeters in size and looks like loaf crumbs. This option is used when brewing coffee cold, as well as using a kettle or pot (the so-called cowboy coffee). 2. Coarse (coarse) grinding implies coarse particles of grains, reaching the size of one millimeter. Its external appearance resembles sea salt granules, which are easily captured by the filter. This method is ideal for brewing coffee in a French press or a drip coffee maker.
Medium grinding is ideal for use in coffee machines, including carob machines. The particle size of the ground coffee beans in this case is similar to river sand or sugar. If coarser powders or very fine powder are used for preparing drinks in the coffee machine, the filter holes may get clogged.
Fine grinding is used for making coffee in a pressure cooker or in a geyser coffee maker. Looks like coarsely ground powdered sugar. The fine expresso is suitable for special coffee makers. There is usually a grinder already integrated into these machines which is adjusted to a suitable setting.
Extra fine grinding gives the appearance of ground cinnamon. Ideal for making Turkish coffee. A beverage with this extraction seems to be thicker when brewed, which reveals the taste of the beans in a new way.
How much coffee to put in and the dosage of liquid
These figures, although indirectly, affect the extraction process of coffee beans. Before use, read the manufacturer’s recommendations, which are listed in the documentation.
The pill after tamping the coffee
If we talk about volumes, it should be understood that for a regular espresso you need a volume of 30-60 ml. For a double serving, this figure will be 60-120 ml. 7 grams per serving. For a double, 12 grams.
In modern coffee machines the portion of liquid is adjusted independently.
Adjusting the coffee machine: how to adjust the grind and other functions
Buying a coffee maker does not mean that you will be able to immediately prepare a flavorful drink of high quality. You need to adjust the coffee machine, which determines what kind of drink you get. Aromatic coffee also depends on the degree of grinding.
Let’s find out the nuances of the grinder settings and how to regulate it. Before revealing professional secrets, let’s define what you need to adjust the grinding of beans.
How to set up a manual mill grinder
Coffee grinders are divided into two big groups: manual and electric.
Electric grinders work with an electric motor, grind the beans with sharp blades.
Manual grinders have an integrated millstone mechanism. Jug is made of ceramic or metal. The grinding process is done manually. The grinders are set in motion by a handle, usually fixed to the top of the grinder.
Manual grinders are simpler than the electric ones, because they lack a motor. But millstones grind coffee more evenly and don’t heat up the coffee, so they have a higher value. You can easily change the grind level in a grinder by changing the distance between the grindstones. The disadvantage of this device is the grinding speed. An electric grinder grinds beans many times faster than a manual grinder.
Here’s how to change the consistency of grind in a manual grinder with conical grindstones.
To change the grinding degree of coffee beans the position of the top millstone is changed, another name for it is “runner. The bottom bean can not be rotated!
Displacement of the roller upwards makes the space between the grindstones larger and increases the size of the ground bean.
The slider is moved downwards to reduce the space between the grindstones and make a finer grind. It is important not to make the distance too small: this will quickly wear out the millstones and may cause them to jam.
Algorithm for moving the slider upwards:
- Remove the handle by unscrewing the nut with which it is attached.
- Remove the bead.
- Unscrew or tighten the adjusting nut depending on whether you want a coarser or finer grind.
- Return the washer and other elements to their original position.
How to adjust the grind in an automatic espresso machine?
There are many manufacturers that make espresso machines. In forums, you can often read opinions of professionals who write that home coffee machines are not capable of making espresso, because they are a consumer product and are designed to make espresso-like drinks. As a rule, it is written by those who actively promote and sell professional coffee machines and professional grinders. Espresso machines are great at making espresso, but not everyone is, and not always. In order for the coffee machine to cope with this task, it is necessary to adjust the coffee machine: adjust the degree of grind, the amount of water and coffee per serving. Particularly important is the degree of grind. Different grind is good for each kind and sort of coffee, depending on roast type. Not all household coffee machines allow for these settings to be adjusted properly. So what they say on forums is true in part, but only in part. Espresso coffee is a very specific drink. It is made at a certain pressure and temperature, which have to be within rather strict limits: pressure
90-98. The temperature can be changed depending on what kind, variety or blend of coffee you brew, adjusted usually by the taste, consistency and type of beverage. Espresso should be dense, with a steady crema (cream), pleasant to the taste. Taste. the hardest part, t.к. People have different tastes. Espresso. is a serving size
25 seconds. It’s a bitter beverage, so many people who are unused to it might say, “Ew, that’s disgusting! However, it’s a traditional Italian beverage, which has its own charms, and it seems disgusting when you’re not used to it. Now, I will say based on personal experience, that coffee machines Gaggia, Bosch, Jura, Nivona, Saeco, Siemens, Spidem can make a quality setting for certain varieties and blends of coffee beans real Italian espresso and cappuccino. And then I will express my opinion about what kind of coffee machine is better to buy, based on operational reliability and ease of maintenance, working time and the quality of drinks. I recommend to pay your attention to Saeco, Spidem and Gaggia. These are Italian producers. Saeco proper. were the first to automate espresso coffee making, so they built a professional espresso machine, and then an automatic espresso machine for home use. Actually, the domestic coffee machine is not much different from the professional one. The differences are mainly in size, and that professional coffee machines can prepare a large number of servings over a long period of time (500-600 servings per day), while household coffee machines are designed to cook 10-20 servings per day. And some home espresso machines are actually built for 2-3 servings a day. Accordingly, the price of a professional coffee machine is several times higher.
The best setting is for coffee machines that have a wide adjustment of coffee grinding, adjustment of the amount of water per serving, adjustment of the amount of coffee per serving and the temperature of water heating in the boiler or thermoblock. Coffee grind should be fine enough, but without clogging the strainer. In 25 seconds a cup should get about 25 ml. the beverage. There should be a dense crema on top of the drink. When the coffee is poured, the stream looks like a mouse tail, just as thin. The dispenser, which splits the stream into two parts to make two cups, may interfere with a thin stream, you can try to remove it, t.к. is the coffee will drip, not flow. And yet the main parameter. taste. The best thing about this coffee machine is that it allows you to easily and quickly set the coffee preparation for whatever you like, even if it’s not espresso coffee. And here it is worth mentioning that most users of household coffee machines drink classic espresso rather rarely, and prepare other drinks based on espresso. They usually have more water, milk, etc. And classic drinks are prepared for guests, trying to stick to etiquette. Here you can see how the most simple and inexpensive coffee machine (Spidem Trevi) makes a real classic espresso.
This video demonstrates that the coffee machine is set up exactly to make a classic espresso, that the spill rate is 25 ml. in 25 seconds. You get the best real espresso ever.
