Newsletter Archives
05.23.05 | Equipment Maintenance/Caffe Ambiance Available NOW
Cleaning, maintenance, and safe operation of all your equipment is vital for the productive and efficient functioning of your specialty coffee operation.
Like any good tools, your coffee brewing equipment, grinders, storage containers, serving vessels, and ceramic cups will require periodic maintenance to continue to perform at, and maintain, optimum levels of flavor.
Roasted coffees contain oils that are extracted from the coffee grounds during brewing, and will create residual build-ups on everything they come in contact with.
If these residues are not removed, they will create bitter overtones that will detract from the true characteristic of the coffee.
Periodic cleaning of all your equipment is essential.
To maximize the flavor of your coffee beverages, develop a daily, weekly, and periodic maintenance check list. Your customers will appreciate your efforts.
Espresso Equipment and Accessories
On a daily basis, back-flush your machine at the end of each day of use.This is done, as follows:
- Replace the perforated filter basket in the portafilter, with the basket that has no holes. [Most machine manufacturers will provide a solid basket with your machine.]
- We advise adding the manufacturer's recommended amount of an espresso machine detergent into the basket.
- Place the portafilter back into the machine, and activate the brew cycle, allowing the machine to run for about 10 seconds.
- Remove the portafilter and dispose of the soapy water that has collected in the basket.
- Without adding additional detergent, repeat the backflushing process multiple times until the water appears clear. A few additional back-flushes will then be necessary to ensure that all the detergent residues have been rinsed away.
In addition:
- Inspect the water daily for off tastes or odors.
- Check the water pressure gauge to make sure your machine's water pump is delivering 120 to 130 psi.
- Check the water temperature at the group head to assure that your machine is producing a temperature between 192 and 198 degrees F.
The portafilter is another part of the machine in which cleanliness is critical.
Because the extracted coffee pours through this part of the machine, residues can be built up rather quickly, creating a bitter flavor in your extracted shot. We recommend:
- Daily cleaning of your portafilters with a small amount of espresso machine detergent and a soft scouring pad and small brush.
- Avoid any metal or highly abrasive pads as these may wear away the plating and expose the soft brass under-metal.
It is important to remove the drain grate each day to remove the build up of coffee sediments in the drip pan underneath.
Steam wand
Your steam wand should be wiped clean after each drink is prepared, then thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day. Open the steam valve and let it vent-off steam for several seconds to remove any milk residues that may have collected inside the wand.
Your steaming wand tip should also be removed and cleaned thoroughly on a weekly basis. Soak the wand tip in hot water and wipe clean with a dry towel.
A Q-tip can be useful in cleaning the inside of the tip, and a needle or straight pin can be used to make sure that the steam holes in the tip are open and free of residues.
Periodic machine maintenance
You should at least institute a bi-weekly cleaning of the group head screen and shower head. The screen and showerhead are located up in the group head, and will be held in place by a center screw. The screen and shower head should be soaked in water overnight with a small amount of machine detergent, then scrubbed with a soft brush. Rinse well before replacing.
The rubber gasket located in the group head will also need to be brushed clean. This gasket may become worn over a period of time, and will need to be replaced.
A good indication that this gasket needs replacement is when the portafilter returns beyond its normal position, or additional water leaks out around the group head during the brewing process, even though the portafilter is properly installed and snug. Helpful Hint: During slow times and at night, put your portafilters loosely back in the machine. This will insure longer gasket life.
Beyond weekly maintenance, your espresso machine will probably require a quarterly or semi-annual tune-up by a qualified service technician. He can replace the gaskets in your group heads, calibrate your machine's brewing temperature and pump pressure, replace in-line water filters, and conduct a general check of all the other components in your machine.
If you are in an area where the water contains a high mineral content, you may want to ask about having your machine's boiler de-limed.
Your machine's gasket, which is contained in the valve that controls the flow of steam to the wand, will also become worn over time. If your machine's wand drips water, or leaks steam, your technician will need to install a new one.
Grinder maintenance
Daily maintenance of the grinder merely requires a thorough external cleaning with a damp towel. It is important to dispose of any unused ground coffee that is left in the doser. This coffee will be unacceptable for your next day's use. On a weekly basis you should:
- Remove all the coffee from your grinder, and brush clean any grounds remaining in the doser and the grinding chamber.
- Be sure to brush the burrs clean.
- Wipe the dosing and grinding chambers with a clean damp towel and then dry thoroughly.
- Remove the whole bean hopper and wash in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean towel. Built up oils may become rancid if not periodically cleaned.
- On a monthly basis we suggest that you remove the burrs from your grinder and scrub them with a brush in hot soapy water. Once again, rinse clean and dry thoroughly before reassembling.
Grinder burrs will become dull after extended use. Even though your naked eye may not be able to discern any difference in the ground coffee, the granules of ground coffee will not be consistent in size and shape. This will have a very negative effect upon the flavor of the finished shot of espresso. Depending on your business volume, you will want to replace your burrs once or twice a year.
General maintenance and sanitation
All utensils, thermometers, and steaming pitchers should be cleaned with hot soapy water, and rinsed thoroughly, on a daily basis or more often if necessary.
CAFFEE AMBIANCE | Available NOW!
Caffe Ambiance is a DVD that will mesmerize and educate coffeehouse patrons with scenes of fancy pours, coffee picking, harvesting and processing from around the world.
Bellissimo developed "Caffe Ambiance" for coffee business owners to play in their caf�s or on their showroom floors. The DVD is an expertly photographed series of coffee landscapes, joined together by fast-paced editing and accompanied by a hip sound track of original ambient music, specifically composed for each unique segment. For quieter times, the images speak for themselves with the volume turned off. In addition to coffee-related imagery from North, Central and South America, Europe and Africa, "Caffe Ambiance" is sprinkled with beautiful fancy milk art pours that will convince customers that a cappuccino is truly art in a cup.
"I've been wanting to make this DVD for years," said Bellissimo President Bruce Milletto, who composed the sound track and photographed many of the images included in the DVD. ""Caffe Ambiance" shows customers where coffee comes from and allows them to truly appreciate the heart-felt effort that goes into their morning cup."
The 60-minute DVD is formatted to repeat over and over, allowing you to play "Caffe Ambiance" all day long without tending to the DVD player.
"Caffe Ambiance" retails for $79.95, but is on sale for $69.95. Wholesale discounts are available.
