Got my rocky today...

inertia8

Today I went to The Coffee Company, in Carlisle St, Balaclava.

I left with a Rancilio Rocky (with Doser).

Ross, who served me, was very helpfull.

Now, I believe I'm going to need a tamper... for now I have the grind set to around 13 and simply place the basket under the dispenser, the pressurized handle of my Saeco VV won't fit ... the Saeco Bar 2002 handle that I purchases fits just fine.

I believe I'll be getting a pullman tamper so I can put the pressurized handle into retirement for a while.

Roughly what grind setting will be required once I'm using the non-pressurized?

Cheers

inertia8

I also saw an Exobar twin-boiler single group machine there, was about $2200-2300 odd. If only I had a money tree out in the backyard...

Mad_Barun

Inertia8, That my new baby Its the "BARRISTA MINORE" (brewtus in us) great temp control and enough steam to run a train It amazing the difference you find with your new rocky, I've upgraded from the same grinder. Hope you enjoy it, I'm just ordering the "greg Pullan" tamp as well, used one of my mate's the lines around realy help get an even tamp and its a nice weight. Best of all it looks great Sound like you be making better coffee more offen, and that the name of the game Coffeeon Mark

theo72

How do you find the Saeco vv. are you happy with it thinking of buy one does it produce a nice crema?

FreshCoffee2

Congrats on the new grinder. With regard to your question "...Roughly what grind setting will be required once I'm using the non-pressurized?..." Afraid only you can answer this when the time comes, through experimentation to find the right grind....it will be a function of your grinder, the type of beans you use, the machine, and how you as an individual like your coffee to be produced. And I am guessing (educated) you will probably be in the range of somewhere between 10 and 15 on the rocky but that is also subject to the indvidual grinder...we find that individual rocky's, set up with the same coffee blend for same "model" espresso machines, will end up on different numbers within a certain range. Hope this helps, FC.

inertia8

Thanks FC. Getting used to the Doser, can be messy if I'm not carefull though! The VV, I got it for $400 and have been very happy with it. As for the crema, I have not used it with fresh beans until now lol, been using pre-ground packets from my local deli... I'm still learning, so I don't feel qualified to comment on its abilities.

Reschsmooth

Theo The VV is a good little machine for what I think is now around $400. However, you do need to add about $50 for the non-pressurised portafilter as the 'crema-enhanced' one really is not suitable. With the non-pressurised handle, I was able to get an abundance of crema from good beans. There is sufficient steam pressure to get reasonably good micro-foam. Obviously, with a machine like this, you don't get: 1. The ability to make shot after shot in short succession. You need to effectively bleed the residual pressure in the filter basket after a shot. 2. Immediate steam - you have to let the steam pressure build up which can take about a minute. 3. Super-fast steaming - it does take a while to froth/heat the milk. That aside, the results are great for a couple of drinks at a time. My avatar (is that the name of the pic in my profile) is of a couple of piccolos made in 90 ml glasses on that machine. Cheers P (I appreciate this is the wrong thread for this discussion)