Slow Coffee - common telephone query

28/08/2007 by andrew.

Slow coffee is one of the most common telephone questions we have. A few simple tips for getting to the bottom of this problem.

Look at the dial on the front of the coffee machine - on some models you may have two, but the one you are looking for is the dial that reads 1 to 8, this will record your water pressure at rest [ should be min 1bar to max 6bar ].

When you make coffee that reading should be 8 - 8.5 bar. If the pressure is less then this the pump needs altering [ there is an adjusting screw to +] If you can’t adjust or the needle reading flickers when the espresso machine is used its likely your pump needs replacing.

If the pump is reading a correct pressure then it is the grind on your coffee bean grinder -check by looking at the grounds in the coffee handle - if they are sloppy and not a dry cake then the grinder will be the culprit.

Adjust your coffee grinder coarser by rotating the dial beneath the hopper by a few clicks [ follow the G - means grosser ie coarser ]-and you will have probably solved your problem.

PS do not get hung up by the american obsession of 22 seconds for a coffee - some blends need less, some a little more -that is the skill of being a barrista. 

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