User Tips for Getting The Most Out Of Your ECM Rocket Giotto, Isomac Millennium
or the Vibiemme Domo Bar Super. Also check out our LINKS section, for great ideas.

Getting Started
Tips for making the “perfect’ shot of espresso with your new coffee machine.

Before tuning it on in the morning always check the water level and fill as needed.

Turn the machine on about 20 minutes before you are ready to use (we have
noticed that it will heat up and the pressure will measure 1.2 in about 10 minutes
but that doesn’t give the group head and portafilter handle enough time to heat up
to the best temperature for brewing a great shot)

Always leave the Portafilter handle in the
group head (where it fits into the machine
for brewing) except when filling with coffee
or cleaning –this helps maintain the thermal
stability of the brewing head allowing the
coffee to be brewed at the correct
temperature 90 –94 degrees c.

Before brewing your first shot in the
morning open the steam wand enough to
‘blow out “ the condensation /water that
settles in the tip and verify that the
pressure showing on your gauge is real.

Secondly without coffee in the Portafilter
pull the brewing lever up and let the water
run through the group head and Portafilter
to help warm this unit (this will result in a
better first shot).

Selecting the Right Grind, Dosing
and Tamping.

The correct amount of coffee dispensed
into the portafilter handle in conjunction with
the right grind selection is very important to create the best possible professional espresso.

Now you are ready to brew your shot –most people prefer to have a richer double shot of
espresso, so use the double Portafilter handle to make your double shot with.

Step 1, grind off only as much coffee as you needs to slightly heap and over fill the portafilter basket.

Step 2,tap lightly a couple of time, the handle down and onto the counter to settle the heaped mound
further into the basket collapsing the grounds together and dispersing the air pockets.

Step 3,with your finger, brush the excess grinds flush with the rim of the basket.

Step 4,now with your tamper, apply firm downward pressure compacting and locking the
grinds down together, making sure that the to of the pack is flat and even so when the water
hits the coffee pack, it flows over and through evenly. Wipe off and clean the excess coffee
grounds from the rim of the portafilter you can check that the tamped coffee environment is
correct by turning the portafilter upside down and the pack should stay inside the handle,
not end up on the floor.

Making Espresso

Step 5, briefly lift the handle of the machine and allow a couple of second’s worth of water
to be flushed through the group head before locking the handle up and into the group head.
This will flush and wash the remains of the spent grinds from the previous shot away before
starting your new and fresh espresso extraction.

Step 6,lock the portafilter handle up and into the machine group head firmly but not over tight.
Lift and pull the lever uplifting the lever will start the water pump and the brewing process,
there should be a 3 to 5 second delay after the pump starts before you see the espresso start
to drip then flow in a suspended manner into your cup/glass.

Step 7, once you see the pour of espresso start to change from a rich dark reddish brown colour
and slowly become or change into a lighter yellow sandy colour and run faster into the cup then
the best part of the shot has already been extracted and then you should shut down the group
lever all the way back to the off position to end the process .9each time you shut the group
lever down and off, there should be release of water from underneath the group) (you should
only expect to get around 20 to 30 mils of espresso out of each shot.

Tip: What you are looking for in an ideal pour from the shout of your portafilter handle is a
rich dark reddish brown honey syrup like drippy suspended, oozy lava like,”you get the picture”,
that’s espresso.

Tip: If your shot is brewing and pouring to fast and the colour is quite pale then usually the
coffee grind is too coarse (needs to be a ground finer) or if the shot is taking too long (you
are burning the coffee) the grind is too fine 9needs to be ground coarser)

Another reason the shot could be ‘pouring to fast” is if the machine group head and or group
handle is not hot enough –that is why it is recommended letting it warm up 20+ minutes and
running the hot water through the group head before brewing but usually it means that there
is not enough coffee in the handle and or the grind selection is far to coarse, causing less
resistance for the water to pass through.

Depending on which brand and freshness of coffee you are using, the time to “brew a shot”
should take 18-25 seconds. Some darker roasts recommend 25-30 seconds (check with your roaster).

Time the shot from the time you pull the lever up until the top of the crema reaches or is
slightly above the line on the 20 to 30 mil shot glass.

Milk texturing with steam

Some people, when making a latte, steam the milk before frewing a shot. Personally
we recommend steaming the milk after you pull your shot.

If steaming the milk first, fill your small pitcher about half way with milk …once again
blowing out the water in the steam wand before putting the tip of the wand just under the
surface of the milk, close to the side of the pitcher, and turn on the steam wand.

To get the best foam –you want the milk to move in a circular motion. You should see the
surface ripple. This expands the milk making it smooth and foamy .As the milk expands and
grows in the pitcher you can move the tip of the wand down towards the bottom of the pitcher.

To check the temperature of the milk you can do several thing-some people use thermometers;
some prefer to check it with the palm of the hand (the middle or centre of your palm is
similar in sensitivity to the palette of your mouth)

To check with your hand –touch the centre of your hand to the bottom edge of the pitcher
touching and then taking it away –repeating this motion until you feel it is at the
temperature you want.

A secondary way to check is as the milk gets hotter and the steam wand is down in the
pitcher the “pitch” of the steam noise will deepen .You will notice this as you become
more familiar with the machine.

Always watch the pressure gauge when steaming milk-this process takes the most pressure and
you want to make sure that your pressure does not drop below 0.5 9you should be able to steam
your small steaming immediately-and allow pressure to rebuild. Continuing to steam may allow
milk to be drawn into the boiler damaging your espresso machine.

7 Grams Coffee http://www.7gramscoffee.com.au
7 Grams Coffee supplies coffee machines and beans to businesses in Melbourne. Their aim is to
provide working people with a more than decent cup of coffee on tap during their hard-working business day.