Making a Cappuccino with My Rancilio Silvia

[gpmahon]

way too much hassle for a cup of coffee

[grubby169]

try free pouring the cap instead.

[rtiuk]

what type of milk I should use? whole, skimmed, semi-skimmed

[technoalah]

You should invest in a better grinder.

[makkakman]

TOTALLY WRONG 1) your shot has no crema (old beans) 2)your tamping is wrong 3)BAD GRINDER, CHEAP (buy a MAZZER MINI ELECTRONIC b for 999$) 4) rancilio silvia dont have lot of steam power and NOT a cool steam wand (like rocket giotto at 1900$ that i bought)

finaly, i saw other videos with rancilio silvia AND THE EXTRACTION and crema WAS LOT LOT better... thats terrible how you do it but keep up baby

[TheZabaglioni]

AliCat

You are the best - I watched every video in order to make Froth from my Rancilio - you gave the BEST advice and YOUR tips were the ones that worked. AND I watched a lot of COFFEE videos

THANK YOU !!!!!

[Diffrentjamsith]

I'm sorry to tell you that the crema is alittle to under extracted, this can be due to heat loss, to little coffee and so on

[stuffedtater]

you shouldn't time the shot... it should TAKE you 20 seconds to get to the right amount of liquid. that is, if all variables are in place--right tamp, grind etc...

[klarinetta]

Like with any single boiler machine it is best to froth the milk then temperature surf(let's the boiler refill again) and pull out the shot. This way you won't burn your boiler which is very expensive repair.

[klarinetta]

@klarinetta Sorry forgot that Francis Francis machine does refill the boiler for you so my mistake but most single boiler machines like the Rancillio Silvia and Ascaso Dream do not do that for you.

[chasemonster]

Great video!

[adamaliabarnes]

It was all going so well! Unitl the milk pour!

[chrwusg]

Thanks for the video. I will try your freezer technique for the milk - the foam looks great.

[gevahalperin]

the worst ever- sorry durling but iyou did all wrong-

you didnt whait the light to torn off befor the extraction you didnt make a coling flash

and you did whait the light get off befor the froathing- which make the steem fors weak (sorry abot my weak english....)

[DankFaktory]

totally blowing it.could have pulled the same shot from a 70 dollar Delonghi. Learn to tamp-actually, re-learn everything associated with making espresso. If your Silvia had legs, shed split and sneak into my place.

[sosodefjis00]

where is chocolate powder....

that is latte in a cup...

[smurfigable]

@sosodefjis00 what chocolate powder? Have you ever been to Italy and had a real capuccino? The places I've tried at in Verona and Naples didn't use any choccolate powder at all.

[TheLeftHand77]

Am I the only one that notice that the machine wasn't even turned on until the basket was already manicured and tamped?

[RazzleDazzle420]

Thanks, nice video. Very informative for a newb like myself,

[jazzbobrown]

Nice video; but as mentioned; cold milk, yes, but steam it first and let it sit. Also leave the portafilter in the machine: it should be hot as the metal where you attach it (flow hot water through it too). A little more coffee in the filter will give you a richer shot and more golden crèma. For classic cappuccino, use spoon, for rosetta-cappuccino, pour. Good luck :)

[diegorozada]

nada q ver... ese capuccino no tiene crema, canela y menos chocolate... de que capuccino hablamos? eso es un latte

[jazzbobrown]

noo; the difference between cappuccino and caffè latte is not the cinnamon-cocoa sprinkling -it is the amount of milk added to the espresso. Cappuccino is small, caffèlatte is almost double the size. But, yes, her espresso waited too long: the crèma vanishes.

[MrAirshot]

what does he taste

[benjorgensen1]

slightly over fill the portafilter and distribute evenly with a radial sweep of the finger. polish after tamp. the idea is to get the water to flow at the same rate in every area, hence you need the same pack all around. ; )

[jamiebrereton21]

i agree with indigo777777, always steam/froth ur milk first then do ur shots. the the milk has a chance to settle and ul find its is smooth and silky.. also try to free pour the milk onto the cappuccino without using a spatula, if u tilt the cup and meet the coffee with the milk, ul hopefully end up with the 1/3 coffee, 1/3 milk, 1/3 froth, keep pouring x

[86maxima]

wow u sucked!

[indigo7777777]

hi ali cat... glad to see you enjoy making your own lattes and cappucinos! especially for company =)

one suggestion i would make... is that you steam the milk before pulling your espresso shot(s)! the espresso shots have a short 'shelf life' after being pulled... and when they sit, the taste becomes bitter and the coffee colder.

if you steam your milk for the cap first, then let it sit... you will also notice that the foam will firm up a bit, which i find nice.

try it out!

indigo

[yayitze]

wow... a perfect way of how not to use a Siliva, some tips. look for:

surfing temperature would help.

read the manual

and... use less gadgets, spoon, your hand on the pitch, and your mind counting is better than a thermometer and a stop watch.

[phillipmccrevis]

Thanks for the lesson on how not to use the Silvia. I'm so glad there are people like you to teach the masses and entertain the few who are looking for videos of fail.

[BENBASIL]

i dont want to be mean, i hate people who are mean, but you should definitely look up a few techniques on using the silvia, you will get a MUCH nicer shot out of it :D

[bonerigger34]

A complete waste of Black Cat. Pity.

A complete waste of Miss Silvia. Double Pitty.

[sweat126]

and another complete idiot bonerigger34, just shuddup, will ya (triple pitty altogether)

[bulenterdem1977]

you have nice equipment but too bad your knock box has a "starbucks coffee" logo :D

i have that vacuvin coffee saver too.

your measuring spoon is so elegant, i use a plastic one.

and it seems that your shot flows a little slowly???

[kenw30]

your machine was not ready to pull the shot , as evident by the iluminating light, u should waited till it heated up to operating temp (light goes off).

[statesmanls1]

You may be right but not necessarily so. I don't have a silvia so can't really comment apart from what I have read. If you manage to pull a shot when the thermostat is about ready to kick in you will get the most stable temp possible. If you let the thermostat kick in (light goes out) it will only kick in when the temp drops to a certain temp below optimum. Therefore you will have temp at plus or minus 1 or 2 degrees. Far from ideal

[yayitze]

On the Silvia you have to wait until the light goes off, then pur some water on your cup (this also warms the cup) till the light goes on, then when is off again you start to fill your filter... now you have temperature. then turn on the vapor button, and start looking for your pitch, put milk, clean the mess, open the valve, wait for dry steam, then close, then frost the milk, then when you can not holdit about 60C close the steam valve and youre done.

[FAFEpictures]

Just got a Silvia and am having problems getting a good crema. Don't have my grinder yet. But, no matter how hard I pack the portafilter, the shot comes out extremely fast. Until I get my grinder, what grind setting would you recommend I get my coffee at? Also, are you saying to pull the shot before frothing the milk?

[yayitze]

the grinder is a most have, because you have to have your own grind,,, also the coffe should be fresh, so no pre-grinded coffe will make crema ever. It is not a matter of how hard, if your grind is to coarse the watter will just past away and make a thin coffe without taste (or metal taste) burnt and week. the setting depends on the grinder mine is set at .5

[yayitze]

the grinder is a most have, because you have to have your own grind,,, also the coffe should be fresh, so no pre-grinded coffe will make crema ever. It is not a matter of how hard, if your grind is to coarse the watter will just past away and make a thin coffe without taste (or metal taste) burnt and week. the setting depends on the grinder mine is set at .5

And yes you have to pull the shot before because of temperature, steam first and youll burn the coffe later

[SandraIndia]

I can't wait to get my Rancilio Silvia. I'm saving for one now. Thanks for the demonstration!

[beckbeckdanno]

This machine has made my Saturday mornings the way I've always wanted my Saturday mornings. I love my Silvia.

Love Black Cat too.

[2ofseven]

Thinking of getting this machine someday... Thanks for the nice video.

[SBPStudio]

Great vid. Nice machine too, my friend has one. I just got a Saeco Via Venezia at Costco for $150, it has a pressusized PF, so no tamping needed. Makes a cup as good as the Rancilio and he agrees. Build quality is not on par though.

[KurtangleTN]

Not 100% true. The pressurized PF hurts taste and the (Real) crema. I'd go ahead and buy a new one, it only cost about $50 for a bottomless or non pressurized, and it will in the long run make shots more consistent, better tasting.

[KurtangleTN]

That post was to SBPstudio... one more thing.. you still need to tamp if you want a 25-30 second shot, if not water will just jet by it, leaving watery espresso.

[stuffedtater]

@SBPStudio no, i'm sorry. that machine is not as good as a silvia..

[benmetz57]

Is it true that this machine is increadible but hard to use ? ... the grinder is obligatory if we want a perfect taste ? the difference is huge ?

(thanks for the video)

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Initially difficult to use. The secret: using correct ground consistency or taste difference is huge.

Too coarse, no tamping variation will pull through correctly, it'll gush out. Too fine, pump can't push water at a good rate, shot is bitter.

DON'T BUY PRE-GROUND off the shelf ...often it isn't fine enough, you'll have weak espresso.

Findng proper ground consistency, fine tune tamping next. Shots then pull effortlessly.

Adjusting variables is frustrating..easier with a good grinder.

[yayitze]

the grinder is one of the most important things, if you have one with metal plates it tastes mettalic, ceramic ones are the best. also if you ask for some one to grind your coffe for you, you will loose freshnes on the grain, taste, aroma. and never get the right grind texture

[seb92muffinman]

do you wanna get some in the cup ? lols

[nocavityz]

Ahhhh!

You are so pretty

[BitchinnShoes07]

That's the same machine that's used at my local hole-in-the-wall coffee shop.

DEATH TO STARBUCKS!!!

INDEPENDEN COFFEE SHOPS UBER ALLES!!!

[dennisonearth]

haha, nice head cam!

[mywytefeet]

I like the video. However, I did notice that you pulled the shot before the temp cycle light went off. That means the boiler was still heating up. Wouldn't the shot be over or under temp then? I have read that for the best shots, it's also better to wait 15-20 minutes for the silvia to heat up because there are copper parts inside that take longer to warm up. Anyways, I don't own the machine, and I'm not knocking the way you make your coffee--still love the vid, it's just something I noticd

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Heya, thanks for the comment...you are right to pull the shot 20min after brass parts heat up...I'd just got a new headcam, it was 3am I really wanted to go to bed (even with a caffeine fix ;))..but wanted to make a video...(my tired brain forgot to turn the silvia on while I videoed...and I didn't want to wait :)..You can also cheat though...run water thru grouphead after 10min to warm up faster.

[mortenVestenaa]

And the portafilter should be warm too. Always place it in the grouphead for a better brew!

[gent30x]

Thanks- I am a cappu fan myself and make my own too. I am doing some experiment with different coffee - grinding levels etc. etc. I never used a clock to time it. But maybe I should try that.

And for all in doubt. A cappucino the italian way is 1/3 coffee 1/3 milk and 1/3 foam.

The last one percent is coming from your heart.

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Aww :) the last 1% is coming from your heart, thanks for sharing that!

[emparfe]

hey you forgot to clean the temperature staff because you've dropped... I saw it.. i saw it :)

i liked you clean everything but not termometre.

[jroccaro01]

I really enjoyed this video because of your friendly manner and no-nonsense approach to making the video and the coffee. Isn't it hilarious how obsessive people can be about barista technique? Maybe the coffee does it to them? hahaha I just got a Silvia and on overload learning it. It's really nice to bump into a helpful neighbor who says - oh you just got a Silvia? Let me show you how I use mine! Please make more videos!

[trio628]

you have no clue what you are talking about. You made a latte, not a cappuccino, a cappuccino is just espresso layered with frothed milk, no steamed milk is added. Yeah, and you need a lot more tamping pressure, when you "half-formed puck" got stuck in the brewhead, thats a definate sign that you aren't tamping enough.

[pyramidos]

FWI:Cappuccino is an Italian coffee-based drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and milk foam. A cappuccino differs from a caffé latte in that it is prepared with much less steamed or textured milk than the caffé latte with the total of espresso and milk/foam making up between approximately 150 ml and 180 ml (5 and 6 ounces).

What YOU are talking about is a Macchiato: espresso with a small amount of hot, foamed milk.

[gent30x]

A cappucino - The orignal italian way-

Is 1/3 coffee 1/3 milk 1/3 milk foam.

Greetings from Europe -

[FlukeSDS]

I so want that Silvia lol Nice video btw =)

[Quintus133]

Das einzig interessante ist wie sie wohl die Kamera an sich befestigt hat um mit beiden Händen arbeiten zu können.

Das Cappuccino-"Ergebnis" ist allerdings erbärmlich!

[ruthcarrcomeover]

This is a great vid! I'm drying to get this machine!!

[luongdung]

can i ask u guys a stupid question. so is that cappuccino hot or not?

[ThisandThatAliCat]

The cappucino was hot...as soon as I froth the milk (heated through dry steam) I pour it into the espresso shot and drink it right away.

[dustindufault]

luongdung: lol

[scrumpymanjack]

The perfect drink for you but I doubt many people could say the same. As one commentator pointed out, you only remembered to turn on the machine as you were putting on the portafilter (not a good idea to leave it so late), there's no temperature surfing, the crema looks too blonde and the shot looks pretty thin. Plenty of room for improvement here.

[Tintoking]

Thanks for the nice video. Suggest you level grounds prior to tamping, & more attention to the appearance of shot as it progresses, it could go longer. When frothing the milk, there's no need to wait for the light to go off, and you may get better results by simply waiting about 25-30 seconds after hitting the steam switch & allow the boiler light to stay on. Start with wand at bottom of the pitcher, pull up until volume is doubled, then drop wand in and spin the milk to about 150F.

[Unzarjer]

ok thanks for this, it's great

5 stars for you

[packpassenger]

no one is perfect we are all learning, just need to practise more, machine and grinder have good reviews, if you were pulling 300 shots a day you will be great in no time. Please upload new vid again I want to see how much improvement you have made over time. Most comments above are constructive so just practise more.

[snoopyflick]

You should get a better grinder, a grinder like that isn't going to create greate espresso. You have an espresso machine that today cost 595, yet your grinder is 150, that is really poor. You will get extremely better espresso if you go and by a grinder at around the 300 dollar range, preferably a stepless for espresso. They'll last longer, and make much better espreso

[newbcxjl]

O....that wasn't very good especially I can see you just rememeber to switch on the espresso machine just before brew.....God..

[eveningniteshade]

that coffee looks too liquid. i think you need to tamp that coffee more. or grind the coffee finer.

[craver27]

bale bale tay coffee machine mo ah, pigaray pinansaliw mo ah bii? untan pa so mangaway cappuccino?? nansaol ka met, sinapit mo labat may bura.. eEew... susmio!

gabay moy 5star? gabay moy tangkol tan ampik?

ambabangil.... =P

[Napulitano88]

Blah

[roisterboy]

Great job! Just one suggestion though; try warming the portafilter and your cups before you pull your shots. Also, your crema looks very blonde. You might want to try grinding finer or tamping a little harder (thirty pounds of pressure).

[sharpanator]

hi,

your espresso ooks very thin, the other vids on youtube showing a very thick espresso, more like honey. Maybe you need grind the beans finer. i plan to buy the kitchenaid espresso machine, you get the most for your money. the latte art cappuccino only use espresso and steamed milk, i cant see any milk foam on it.

[12barbluesrules]

I like your video,but black cat sucks i would never recommend it.But on the other hand The Sylvia is a top notch machine.

Theres nothing like a good Lavazza or Illy

real italian espresso.

[roisterboy]

are you kidding me? black cat is a great espresso! lavazza is okay if you like stale coffee.

[12barbluesrules]

Questo dipende if you have it in italy,

E' un peccato you never had a real Espresso.

Black Cat............ Io non penso.

Arrivederci.

[Malakaiea]

i have a question how much is the suplys to get that machinery and ive seen the other vids of making thoses but there milk always made pictures is it because u chill urs more that u cannot do this?

pleese write me back :P.

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Thanks for the questions. On Ebay you can find these items (incl. S&H) at around these prices:

1) Rancilio Silvia: US$450-$500

2) Solis Maestro Plus Burr Grinder: US$115-130

3) You can do Latte Art after chilling the milk in the freezer....but I prefer a "dry" cappuccino..more foam/less milk, so I deliberately scoop more of the top foam to fill the cup so I can't do the art. A "wetter" cappucino with art on top doesn't really need the milk chilled to get the fine thick foam.

Hope this helps.

[toy147]

Awesome!You have to teach me how to make a Cappuccino :)!

[superdrunkmonkey]

awesome video!  I'm gonna try the milk freezing technique now

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Thanks so much! Make sure the milk is just very chilled and not frozen...sometimes I get sidetracked and it is in longer than I meant and then it freezes...

[bldg4rm802]

hi thisandthatalicat, i thought i was the only one putting my milk in the freezer before steaming. now i know i am not alone. and 5 minutes in the freezer sure makes a better foam for cappucinos...

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Yes, I totally agree with you there about the foam being so much better. If the milk isn't cold enough it gets frothed to the 150-170 degree range too quickly, I just don't get that perfect fine foam.

[gpaulp]

Wait for the heater light to go off (i.e., 100C is reached on top of the boiler), lock-in portafilter, then open the steam wand to remove excess steam (no need to push the steam switch) for about 4 secs close the steam wand, then push the brew button. Taste cup. Tell me what you think.

[gpaulp]

Have you tried tasting just espresso (no milk)? You will be surprised if you haven't. And try it without sugar. Fresh beans + clean water + warmed-up machine = coffee nirvana. If you've got one of the newer Silvia's with the 100C brew thermostat, then try this .

[gpaulp]

Second, you need to heat up the machine at least 30 minutes before using to get up to a stable temp. Or you can do the technique from this site - coffeekidDOTcom/archived/ranci­lio/cheatsilvia.

[gpaulp]

A couple of comments. First, you need to clean your water reservoir at least twice a week if you don't use any filtered water. It looks like a bit of sludge is already there in the bottom.

[jmhere07]

thanks thats a great help :) i have favoureted your vid its realy cool :)

[jmhere07]

wow nice vid i am so intersted in coffee i ejoyed your vid it has good tips not to be rude or anything but how much was your coffee grinder im looking for one like that thank cool vid 5 stars

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Hi, thanks so much! I bought the coffee grinder a year and a half ago...it is awesome....grinds the beans perfect! It was about CDN$210

[woddes]

Great video! I can't wait to get a Rancilio Silvia... hopefully not too much longer!!! Keep up the good work!! p.s. I love that knockbox... I was bidding for that one on ebay a while ago, but got outbid... ;-)

[woddes]

Cool video. I am DYING to get a Rancilio Silvia... Hopefully not too far away! Keep up the good work!! :-)

[andreamly]

Hey! How did you get the video recorded and use 2 hands?? I want to see the contraption you taped to your head..

PS I am also a night owl but so is my baby :(

[ThisandThatAliCat]

:) I used a headcam system... I have an Archos 404 and the Headcam accessory that comes with it. Just strapped the headband onto my head and away we go!!!

[gblan]

Nice video but I think you should make another one. Set it all up ahead of time. Get the Silvia preheated, and extract maybe a couple seconds longer. Maybe take a look at Mark Prince's freshly made Youtube video on temperature surfing the Silvia too. All in all I think if you tried to make a quality production going into a little more detail about what you're doing and why you'd have a winner and the perfect vid for beginners to watch.

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Thanks for the detailed critique! I definitely think I will work on making a better video explaining the whole process. I just saw Mark Prince's as you suggested...yes he has a great video explanation!

[SilentNoiseXX]

Hey I liked your video I've always wondered how to make a cappucino. My dad just recently taught me how to make esspreso so the most fancy i have gone with that is just a shot of caramel in an esspreso ^_^

[baconmeister]

Good effort Alicat. Just a few comment, 1st I think your espresso pour was too quick as the crema colour was very light, or it could be due to the machine not warmed up properly. 2ndly, you should try to pour the milk into the cup without the spoon (the italian way) so the froth gets the coffee flavour as well. other than that keep up the good work.

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Thanks for the positive criticism!! I think the machine didn't warm up properly...it was an impromptu recording and in the middle of it I realized I had not even switched on my machine <gasp>...it was in the wee hours of the early morn and so because I was anxious, I didn't wait for it to warm up enough when I stopped recording to let it warm up a bit. :)

[microsoftboi]

i really liked this video

[ThisandThatAliCat]

Thanks for your compliment, I so appreciate it!!

[microsoftboi]

and another honest compliment i cant wait till you make a latay i think thats how u spell it i never knew how ya makde Cappucinos lol well now i know thx!!

[ThisandThatAliCat]

I put way too much milk in that cap...normally I only have 1/2 a cup!!