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Lever Techniques

LwowiakLwowiak
edited January 1970 in How to improve your coffee
Having recently joined the Lever club, I am interested in expanding my horizon and the various different techniques available.
After reading this:
http://www.home-barista.com/levers/bosco-now-available-at-orphan-espresso-t22043-10.html

and in particular this snippet:

You can pull singles, doubles and triples...add pressure ramps and holds, double lever pulls for volume increase, pull classic thick short shots or layered "Elektra Mcal" style shots. You can increase the group temp by flushing for hotter pulls of course on a bean change....but using the Bosco is no different than any other machine since more parameters track back to grind and dose than the actual machine in use.

It would be nice if we can discuss and embellish on some of the things Doug from OE has mentioned here. Also any links would be appreciated. The grind and dose is no issue as it has to be mastered for any machine, but for instance, I am interested in pointers on achieving the classic thick short shots. Having been introduced to this style of ristretto by Ian of Bar 9 (psaigh), I am keen to replicate the thick gloopy pours he served me.
Hopefully existing lever owners and newcomers will be able to use this thread as a source of information and guidance.
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Comments

  • Brett HBrett H
    I love this vid of the La Pav in action.  The day I saw this I placed a bid for one on EBay. Always wondered what would be gracing my bench now if I had of won.  Are the small pumps he does at the start preinfusion? [flash=200,200]
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  • Koffee_KosmoKoffee_Kosmo
    I always get syrup like pours on the Strega But don't take my word for it just ask member derrilex and some members that went to the open day testing KK
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  • galumaygalumay
    Yep, same on the Izzo, i suspect its just the nature of big Levers.
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  • derrilexderrilex
    Which vid Brett ?
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  • Brett HBrett H
    on 1339918180:
    Which vid Brett ?
    Hi mate, can you not see the one in my post?  There should be an embedded You Tube file: Give that a shot.
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  • derrilexderrilex
    Got it. Nice
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  • LwowiakLwowiak
    I have seen videos of your pours, that you guys have posted. The ristretto served at Bar 9 was so thick you could eat it with a fork.  They use a triple basket on an old Rancilio lever that is not plumbed in. The pours from the naked portafilter they use, resemble thick molasses as it slowly drops into the cup. There is more technique than just allowing "x" seconds of preinfusion, and then releasing the lever.
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  • Koffee_KosmoKoffee_Kosmo
    on 1339935966:
    I have seen videos of your pours, that you guys have posted. The ristretto served at Bar 9 was so thick you could eat it with a fork.  They use a triple basket on an old Rancilio lever that is not plumbed in. The pours from the naked portafilter they use, resemble thick molasses as it slowly drops into the cup. There is more technique than just allowing "x" seconds of preinfusion, and then releasing the lever.
    I have a triple basket but alas a smidgin smaller than my tamper I would very much like to do a video of a naked triple basket pour but it will have to wait KK 
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  • beanflyingbeanflying
    With the Izzo I have done some playing with longer shots out around 40 and even to 50 seconds. Losing some of the high notes of the beans was the result but plenty of mouthfeel and body. Generally I stick to 25-28 seconds (8-10 sec PI on top) and let the springs do there thing. Only takes single (never use them) or double baskets and due to the 55mm I have never seen a triple. Fioranzato (58mm) has seen some more playing, naked PF, Synesso double and triples, VST 18 & 22's. Generally a little brighter in the cup than the Izzo but it takes a more careful technique to call it 'better'. My preference was the Synesso triple with a double shot volume through it but the VST 22g has now replaced it in spite of being a little more finicky to use. I have tried retarding or pushing the pulls on shots but I am not sure there is much of a gain to be had due to keeping the consistency between shots so I have tended to leave it alone in most cases. Shot times of 25-30'ish seconds still result in the best balance generally. Pavoni is a whole other can of worms same thing avoid the single basket like the plague. Most of the tricky stuff with the Pavoni is getting a correct grind/dose and tamp for a consistent rich pour. Even though the baskets are deep it takes a very fine grind compared to others to get a good pour going. I pulled out the Kyocara (last used on the Pav) and put some of 3rdcracks beans in it rather than waste the little I had with the K10, resulting shot on the Fioranzato was 50 seconds Plus to give yo an idea on fineness. The video Brett has linked otherwise is similar to what I do on my more modern one. The mini pumps at the top help fill the piston properly apart from that there is no real PI pressure on the puck other than boiler pressure.
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  • borat123borat123
    I was using a synesso triple on the cimbali 2 group (non lever) before I sold it.  Very easy to dial in and get nice thick syrupy pours from. Overdosing worked well and didn't present any problem. In the last week I finally got busy with the Urania, using a VST 15.  With a new machine, new basket and new beans I had introduced too many variables, but within a day or so ive got it now producing shots better than anything I was able to produce on the old hx machine. The VST is a bit unforgiving, but I bought a 0.1gm scale and dose bang on 15gms. The large amount of head space in the basket was a bit disturbing at first, but the puck afterwards has no channelling, just sometimes a bit of fracturing when left to dry.  The pours look great, and more importantly taste great too. I'll put a video up on the Urania project thread soon. The Kony E i bought back from NZ should be called a clumping machine rather than a grinder ;).  The clumps I think are not 'real' clumps, and don't seem to affect the shot or taste. Hopefully it will settle down once the burrs settle in. Clumping seems to be more when the humidity is high.
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  • borat123borat123
    Forgot to say the combination of VST & Urania seem to like a very tight grind, but with only a small window of grind + dose that gets good results. Short vs long pre-infusion doesn't seem to have a big impact either. I'm still experimenting with lever pull techniques but apart from the pre-infusion delay with the lever fully down, once semi raised I just let the spring work it's magic as the results so far have been excellent.
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  • Brett HBrett H
    Okay, Lever virgin using a Pav Pro acquired this afternoon.  I used the technique in the video I posted above and low and behold... Success.  I'm thrilled and as a one cup one shot wonder the Pav seems to work.  It'll never replace my Double Boiler but what fun!
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  • Koffee_KosmoKoffee_Kosmo
    on 1340349897:
    Okay, Lever virgin using a Pav Pro acquired this afternoon.  I used the technique in the video I posted above and low and behold... Success.  I'm thrilled and as a one cup one shot wonder the Pav seems to work.  It'll never replace my Double Boiler but what fun!
    So congrats is the order of the day on the new machine and success on the first use  :thumb: KK 
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  • Koffee_KosmoKoffee_Kosmo
    Just found this gem of a lever video by member Gulmay
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