Bezzera Strega Lever machine 2 Year Review

Kevohere

Thanks Nic, Already spoken to them today after checking their website. Can order one up from Bezzera on 10% deposit, set it up in the shop and run me through the operation. Yep, I would expect and appreciate you to come a knock knock knockin' Nic :exclaim: 😃 This attempt to hopefully cure my upgraditis, will of course be dependent on the negotiations transferring ownership of my beloved Minore III being finalised. :thumb:

Kevohere

Okay, Minore III gone and the BS (Strega) on its way :exclaim: Big Kev's excited! (Again) I have the feeling that the upgrade-itis re-occurrences are about to be cured well and good. (The wallet is (pardon the pun) banking on this 😉) Maybe you just need to get inoculated with the right MV (machine vaccine) for this to work. :rofl: Now I just have to get through the next few days without waking up to not seeing the gleaming EMIII on the bench. In the meantime; choices: Stove top? Aero Press? Plunger? Vacuum? South Indian style? :coffee: It IS a hard life eh? :🙂

Koffee_Kosmo

Congratulations Kev Welcome to the Lever Club don't forget to write/post about your experiences You will be delightfully pleased when it comes because its just as shiny if not shiner than the Minor III Ohh and the coffee is great as well KK

Kevohere

The "Witch" has landed :exclaim: :coffee2: Only enough time to pull one double shot for two standard FWs late this afternoon. Gotta say, for a first go it was very drinkable but I can see the need to tweak the grind a bit coarser as it was perhaps a little over extracted. Going out now for a few hours so, tomorrow brings some 'play time' as I familiarize myself with this beauty. :coffee: Yes, I believe it is (a bit) shinier than the Minore KK. ;D

Koffee_Kosmo

Kevohere wrote:

The "Witch" has landed :exclaim: :coffee2: Only enough time to pull one double shot for two standard FWs late this afternoon. Gotta say, for a first go it was very drinkable but I can see the need to tweak the grind a bit coarser as it was perhaps a little over extracted. Going out now for a few hours so, tomorrow brings some 'play time' as I familiarize myself with this beauty. :coffee: Yes, I believe it is (a bit) shinier than the Minore KK. ;D

You won't be disappointed Kev A heads up to ease the transition to the Strega lever Tamp 8mm deep for best results - no mater what basket you use Grind a little finer than you are used to on the E61 Experiment with the pre infusion times to suit your pallet but I allow about 6 seconds Now we are not pushing you to post some photos but it would be nice KK

IMAWriter

To add to KK, ALWAYS be sure there is coffee loaded in the PF! Helps to stand clear of the lever as it rises....just in case! :laugh: Kev, enjoy your new machine. In regards to your former beloved machine, I tell myself daily it's OK to have feeling the feeling that you have somehow betrayed an inanimate object, in this case your former lovely machine. When I sold my Anita years ago for an Olympia Cremina, I had a touch of guilt, at least till my first truly glorious lever shot. As wonderful as the Anita treated me, once settling on the clouds of lever-lever land, I was forever "Hooked." (way bad pun, but you folks can handle it!) Cheers.

Kevohere

Koffee Kosmo wrote:

You won't be disappointed Kev A heads up to ease the transition to the Strega lever Tamp 8mm deep for best results - no mater what basket you use Grind a little finer than you are used to on the E61 Experiment with the pre infusion times to suit your pallet but I allow about 6 seconds Now we are not pushing you to post some photos but it would be nice KK

I am finding the tamping depth and grind are much the same as the Minore III was. I am still "experimenting" of course, but it seems when I go finer than I did on the Minore, the initial pour is good but then quickly goes very thin and pale looking (blonding?) and taking too long. :tearhair: For "tuning in" purposes, I am using a bag of beans supplied by the seller and noticed there is no date whatsoever on the bag. :🙂 On the pre-infusion time KK. Do you include that "time" in the 25 - 30 sec extraction window? Photos WILL happen soon BTW. Thanks for the input and support with this beautiful witch. I am pleased with the results 2 days in, knowing that it is going to get better. :coffee2: Another question; I noticed the Strega didn't come with a blind basket. Did some reading on HB and it seems you don't back flush levers. No where for the water to go it seems. Any tips on cleaning the group head and can you descale these machines as with other single boilers? That's enough for now, thanks again for steering me in the Strega's direction. Kev.

Kevohere

Kevohere wrote:

I am finding the tamping depth and grind are much the same as the Minore III was. I am still "experimenting" of course, but it seems when I go finer than I did on the Minore, the initial pour is good but then quickly goes very thin and pale looking (blonding?) and taking too long. :tearhair: For "tuning in" purposes, I am using a bag of beans supplied by the seller and noticed there is no date whatsoever on the bag. :🙂 On the pre-infusion time KK. Do you include that "time" in the 25 - 30 sec extraction window? Photos WILL happen soon BTW. Thanks for the input and support with this beautiful witch. I am pleased with the results 2 days in, knowing that it is going to get better. :coffee2: Another question; I noticed the Strega didn't come with a blind basket. Did some reading on HB and it seems you don't back flush levers. No where for the water to go it seems. Any tips on cleaning the group head and can you descale these machines as with other single boilers? That's enough for now, thanks again for steering me in the Strega's direction. Kev.

IMAWriter wrote:

To add to KK, ALWAYS be sure there is coffee loaded in the PF! Helps to stand clear of the lever as it rises....just in case! :laugh: As wonderful as the Anita treated me, once settling on the clouds of lever-lever land, I was forever "Hooked." (way bad pun, but you folks can handle it!) Cheers.

Hi Rob. Thanks for your counseling with my recent loss. 😃 In fact, having the Strega on the bench only 30 odd hours, has me already rejuvenated and on a high! :coffee: :rofl: Yes, I am very aware of the lever's potential jaw-busting action, but I do like to flush before and after (PF out/empty Pf in). Is there any other way of cleaning/cooling the group head on levers? Will appreciate any assistance offered as I learn my way along the lever road. 🙂 Cheers, Kev

Koffee_Kosmo

Hi Kev The pre infusion - is the time the pump is active before I lift the lever When the pump stirs and the spring takes over that's when the shot time begins Lever machines do not need back flushing - hence the reason of no blind filter To clean the lower head area e.g. Screen and seal, they come out together Just use a spoon as a lever and pry the screen down from a tiny lip on the lower portion of the screen It brings the seal down with it Next time I do It I will take photos KK

IMAWriter

Kev, as it is an HX machine, a cooling flush, if you've been away from the machine more than maybe 10 minutes is not a bad idea, just as you did with your previous machine. No biggie to just do a flush when your finished, and use either a cu-tip or soft group brush to clean around the gasket and such. KK please correct me if I wrong here, as I've only seen videos and such of the Strega. (Those of Jim Schulman)

Koffee_Kosmo

IMAWriter wrote:

Kev, as it is an HX machine, a cooling flush, if you've been away from the machine more than maybe 10 minutes is not a bad idea, just as you did with your previous machine. No biggie to just do a flush when your finished, and use either a cu-tip or soft group brush to clean around the gasket and such. KK please correct me if I wrong here, as I've only seen videos and such of the Strega. (Those of Jim Schulman)

The Strega videos on the Koffee Kosmo YouTube channel were probably the first ones in the world that was of the machine dong a pour Here is one I did with the naked PF that was only hours after the second PF was converted on a lathe http://youtu.be/RzZBM1C4daQ KK

shape_shifter

Yah Kev has his strega already, that was quick ;D Love the guilt ridden angst about old machines, you know they don't have feelings right :rofl: In saying that though I'm not selling the BDB because of the handles, I love my handles but I know they can't go on the strega. When's the party Kev, I have some Hon COE here ready to try 😃

Kevohere

Nice looking pour KK. I will need to look around for a local friendly machine shop to have my second PF converted. Hmmm, the old use a spoon as a lever trick eh? ^-^ Had to do that with the Minore and it wasn't too easy! How often would you suggest removing it and is it best done cold or as it was with the Minore, while there is some heat in there?

Koffee_Kosmo

Kevohere wrote:

Nice looking pour KK. I will need to look around for a local friendly machine shop to have my second PF converted. Hmmm, the old use a spoon as a lever trick eh? ^-^ Had to do that with the Minore and it wasn't too easy! How often would you suggest removing it and is it best done cold or as it was with the Minore, while there is some heat in there?

Yep those pours are a daily occurrence on the Strega Kev Yes same technique as some E61s to remove the seal & screen combo As for cleaning ? Depends how anal you are, however once a week or every 1 kg of beans is perfectly acceptable KK

Kevohere

shape_shifter wrote:

Yah Kev has his strega already, that was quick ;D Love the guilt ridden angst about old machines, you know they don't have feelings right :rofl: In saying that though I'm not selling the BDB because of the handles, I love my handles but I know they can't go on the strega. When's the party Kev, I have some Hon COE here ready to try 😃

When I move..... I moooove! :rofl: Interesting comment about the "guilt" bit though. It seems I am still referring or comparing, to the Minore in my posts quite a bit. Yeah, some may think "what were you thinking to let go of a machine like that?" There are no regrets (now) and as I see it, another coffee lover is now reaping the Minore's benefits! Party? Party? 'Witch' party? :rofl: Every day there is a Strega party here! Give me a buzz and we'll :coffee2: some of that COE. ;D

IMAWriter

Kev, my "guilt" comment was meant mostly tongue in cheek. Still, there's a reason many refer to their automobiles as "she." Yes, knowing your former faithful machine is being appreciated by another is a good thing. PEOPLE put that machine together. Call me an old softie (and someone will, no punches pulled around here :laugh🙂

Kevohere

Getting to "know" the Strega! Just finished reviewing this morning, my experiences on the Strega with SS yesterday. Played with the dosage size/weight to basket size and actually weighing the dose! :angel: Using the larger of the 2 baskets supplied (I assume it to be the "double"), loaded 19g in my "normal" range of grind on the MM, with a firm tamp and produced the sweetest Nepal Plantec Estate shot tasted yet. The pleasing thing is though, I still feel and know, it will produce better as the pour was just a tad quick for my liking. What I am happy about (post SS's visit), is that the odd thin watery pour occurrences of the past seem to be solved. ^-^ And, after another read of the review on HB, discovered that VST and Strega are not compatible according to Jim. Can't upload a pic of the pour just yet, but here is one of The Witch at her "station". I turfed out the useless microwave, removed the shelf, reset the top cupboards back, tiled the back wall and mirrored the sides and top. (That's why I have been a bit slack in posting a pic since its arrival KK :🙂)

IMAWriter

Kevohere wrote:

Can't upload a pic of the pour just yet, but here is one of The Witch at her "station". I turfed out the useless microwave, removed the shelf, reset the top cupboards back, tiled the back wall and mirrored the sides and top. (That's why I have been a bit slack in posting a pic since its arrival KK :🙂)

Very nice! Congrats.

Koffee_Kosmo

That's wolf whistle material Kev :thumb: Glad your impressions almost mirror mine Keep those tiger stripe god shots coming :angel: KK

Lizzi

Great looking set-up! Love the mirror-idea 😉 😉 L