Lever Espresso Machine - tips, tricks and magical stuff

[milowebailey]

I'm such a noob when it comes to lever machines.

I just got a Gaggia Achille and man do I have a lot to learn.  It's manual both ways... I guess I was expecting to either push it up or pull it down and then a spring would do the rest.... Yikes is this hard.  I pulled 3 doubles this afternoon and all but one were sink-shots.  I know I need to dial this grinder in, but wow so many variable.

How do you know when you are pulling 9 bar?  How do you know when the grind is right or if it's really stalled?

I'd definitely need a tutorial.... I don't want to blow a seal  (Please no bad jokes about that )

Any help would be appreciated.

[Tex]

I'm such a noob when it comes to lever machines.

I just got a Gaggia Achille and man do I have a lot to learn.  It's manual both ways... I guess I was expecting to either push it up or pull it down and then a spring would do the rest.... Yikes is this hard.  I pulled 3 doubles this afternoon and all but one were sink-shots.  I know I need to dial this grinder in, but wow so many variable.

How do you know when you are pulling 9 bar?  How do you know when the grind is right or if it's really stalled?

I'd definitely need a tutorial.... I don't want to blow a seal  (Please no bad jokes about that )

Any help would be appreciated.

I never worried too much about pressure, just tried to keep it consistent. Someone once told me that it should feel like you're pushing a 40 lb box on a counter - hefty, but it's not going to bulk you up.

If you have a dynamic pressure kit for your Gaggia mods, you can get a more exact feel for 9 bar.

[juker]

OK, speaking from a personal experience with Achille:
*Disclaimer: I’m in no way an expert on a lever or espresso in general. Steps described below is what worked the best for my personal taste. Apologies if some terminology is used incorrectly I’m trying to describe the process to the best of my abilities.

1.   Warm-up 30 min.
2.   Prepare your basket (grind, dose, distribute, tamp)
3.   Flush the group head (usually 2 full strokes until no flush boiling) into a bowl or use the flushed water to preheat your cups
4.   Load the PF
5.   Lift the lever all the way up, apply steady pressure and pull about half way down (until first drop in the cup). The resistance on the lever will build up (rump up?). This is a ‘pre-infusion’ phase.
6.   Lift again all the way up and apply steady pressure. The resistance of the lever will be present at the almost upper point
Now, I believe that steps 5 and 6 describe so-called ‘Fellini move’. The best shot you’ll get when in step 6 you ask yourself for 5 sec. (or even more)  “Have I choked it???” and then suddenly it gives in and you are chasing the lever to keep steady flow of dark-brown-red heavy-syrupy liquid. That technique will produce about 2 oz. Forget about timing – just watch the flow. Timing is irrelevant here.
Adjust you grind finer until you experience the phenomena of a best shot described above.
I hope it should get you started in the right direction.
Did I miss something? Oh! Pressure! (Force applied on the lever).  Hefty but never lean on it. Use your muscle not the body mass.
If I was starting over – I would follow Tex’s advice with dynamic pressure kit.

[milowebailey]

OK, speaking from a personal experience with Achille:
*Disclaimer: I’m in no way an expert on a lever or espresso in general. Steps described below is what worked the best for my personal taste. Apologies if some terminology is used incorrectly I’m trying to describe the process to the best of my abilities.

1.   Warm-up 30 min.
2.   Prepare your basket (grind, dose, distribute, tamp)
3.   Flush the group head (usually 2 full strokes until no flush boiling) into a bowl or use the flushed water to preheat your cups
4.   Load the PF
5.   Lift the lever all the way up, apply steady pressure and pull about half way down (until first drop in the cup). The resistance on the lever will build up (rump up?). This is a ‘pre-infusion’ phase.
6.   Lift again all the way up and apply steady pressure. The resistance of the lever will be present at the almost upper point
Now, I believe that steps 5 and 6 describe so-called ‘Fellini move’. The best shot you’ll get when in step 6 you ask yourself for 5 sec. (or even more)  “Have I choked it???” and then suddenly it gives in and you are chasing the lever to keep steady flow of dark-brown-red heavy-syrupy liquid. That technique will produce about 2 oz. Forget about timing – just watch the flow. Timing is irrelevant here.
Adjust you grind finer until you experience the phenomena of a best shot described above.
I hope it should get you started in the right direction.
Did I miss something? Oh! Pressure! (Force applied on the lever).  Hefty but never lean on it. Use your muscle not the body mass.
If I was starting over – I would follow Tex’s advice with dynamic pressure kit.

Thanks, that helps. 

I do have a modified PF with a pressure gauge on it so I can judge what 9 bar feels like. 

I guess I'll take it home for a while (I'm using it up here at the cabin) and try it with my Santos grinder too.... much better grind with that.

[Tex]

I do have a modified PF with a pressure gauge on it so I can judge what 9 bar feels like. 

Don't try it with a static gauge - you need to have a valve on it that'll simulate the flow of pulling a shot.

[newroaster]

So Milob...it's been a few days now. What do you think? Is it worth the learning curve?

[Tex]

So Milob...it's been a few days now. What do you think? Is it worth the learning curve?

He's been uncharacteristically quiet of late. He must not have a computer connection in the dog house?

[mp]

So Milob...it's been a few days now. What do you think? Is it worth the learning curve?

He's been uncharacteristically quiet of late. He must not have a computer connection in the dog house?

I think he is busy trying to re-acquire his your old Sonofresco.

 

[Tex]

So Milob...it's been a few days now. What do you think? Is it worth the learning curve?

He's been uncharacteristically quiet of late. He must not have a computer connection in the dog house?

I think he is busy trying to re-acquire his your old Sonofresco.

 

Ha Ha, good one Mike!

[mp]

I must say Robert ... you are a great cat trainer.

I've never seen any trainer teach their cat to smile like that.

 

[juker]

Milo
I forgot to mention vacuum release via steam wand prior the warm-up and false pressure release after heat indicator goes off first time, but sure you know about that… Achille’s boiler protests audibly against vacuum.
So, as you can see the steam valve gets some work-out, hence the need of a better knob you are about to receive.
How’s your progress with the lever?

[newroaster]

Sounds like something you'd do with the Space Shuttle. I think you've cured me of my La Pavoni longings.

[John F]

Yikes is this hard.

It's a bit different eh?

I just pulled a pile of shots and the last one was finally looking good enough to taste. The first pull looked really good and I was excited but the second looked less good. It looked ok but the crema stopped flowing. But It didn't blonde on me so I went for it.

I was happy with it all things considered but I'm gonna agree with you on the first shots being hard to figure out what end is up on these levers.

[Sherman]

The Achille is NOT a typical lever machine, nor should you treat it as such. It's a lever-driven heat exchange espresso machine. Techniques that work for spring levers (e.g. Elektra MCaL) or direct piston levers (e.g. La Pavoni EP) will not immediately translate.

If you have experience with a HX, the cooling flush will make sense right off the bat. I think you'd be better served if you think of the Achille's lever as a replacement for a vibe pump.

I had hands on a friend's Achille for about 2 months, and couldn't come close to either my Cremina or Coffex, but that may be due to some leaks and needed maintenance. For me, the closest thing to success was going to extremes; grind fine and dose low (14g), or grind coarse and go high (17.5g). Any middling doses got washed out, regardless of temperature.

[milowebailey]

Oh, the Achille... great machine.  long learning curve.  I'm finally pulling some great shots.

MVI 0828