Rancilio Silvia Shot Walkthrough

[TheBauermv]

Thanks for your detailed instruction video. I will definitely be trying your technique for frothing milk. Have a question regarding the coffee. I haven't had the Silvia for very long and can't seem to get a good tasting shot. It's always very bitter. It seems to pour at the right speed and the grind seems about right. I can only think about the timing for brewing and/or the coffee. Any recommendations?

[CoffeeGeek]

@TheBauermv water temperatures can play a big role with how bitter a shot of espresso can be - hotter water temps = more bitter extractions. That's one possible cause.

[f1lupo]

excellent video..thanks! love my Silvia :-)

[century1981]

Do you let the machine heat up for any specific time? or just until the boiler cycles?

[MrPipes2U]

This is a really great instruction, since it teaches so much - the catchbasin, the easy temp surf (which I haven't quite got in practice yet) and the respectful cleaning. I do the portafilter wiggle every day, per here, and always catch some wayward grounds. Very nicely done.

[818katia]

hi, can somebody help me, my Rancilio Silvia doesn't make good espresso, it comes out like simple coffee from machine or instant coffee! I've seen all the videos about it and tried all the technics but can't find what's wrong, it looks perfect on the outside! Thanks in advance.

[Back2Brent]

Hey CG,

Just got my Sylvia back out and started using again...i have noticed that when running water through the group head, i will often get a shot of water streaming out of to the left, so much so it shoots beyond the drip pan. Any thoughts?

[CoffeeGeek]

@Back2Brent yes - clean the grouphead. Unscrew the dispersion screen, soak it in lots of purocaff, scrub, etc. Clean everything. You've got a clogged dispersion screen.

[isubtile]

Thank you very much. Great video !!!

[emmaregina1]

Thank you for walking my husband and I through pulling our first shot!

[technoalah]

Great Video! Thanks. You know exactly what you're doing!!!

[technoalah]

Thanks for the tips. Very helpful. Excellant espresso shot.

[natecap]

Hey CoffeeGeek, I love my Silva V3.. but no matter how hot I get the machine I cant get that water to flash steam? I get great, consistent shots of espresso.. but cant for the life of me get that sound at temperature surfing? The atmospheric temperature must have something to do with it?

[CoffeeGeek]

@natecap not sure how to troubleshoot this problem. I suggest visiting CoffeeGeek's espresso machine forum and posting the question there.

[JimmyDistheMan]

What settings do you use on your grinder? Also what is the button between the brew and steam do?

[makosandmegs]

i just bought one of these for about 900 its the latest model and the build is much better. i recieved a few cups and sourcers an awesome tamp brush blind four baskets and a key ring powder all from coffee -a- roma a great machine and coffee aroma is a great store i bought it online :) great machine at a great price i could of goine a double boiler at 1400 minimum but instead i got this for less :)

[farinelli34]

very good intruction.THX

[EspressoNinjaLtd]

Hi Coffee Geek,

We enjoy your website and use it to find out what we might be dealing with when asked to fix a rare home machine.

Thanks for having a great resource.

[protpig]

thanks alot for this nice video. Just a question though: people have advised my to press my coffee with a 15 kg push in the portafilter with my tamper, but I think its kind of hard to get the 60 ml in aprrox 25 secs!? Any tips for a newbie on the Silvia?

[olishant]

Can the Silvia easily be plumbed in?

[CoffeeGeek]

@olishant not really. You'd have to install a ball load check system (ie, like your toilet has in its back basin) for the reservoir; direct connecting wouldn't work cuz the machine isn't engineered to be fed constant 3bar line pressure.

[marek0086]

@olishant~ plumbed into what?!.... the mains water supply?!

Why would u wreck your coffee with filthy, toxic tap water?!

[panadevulpe]

After trying 3 other machines I was going to buy this one , but too many reviews talk about a high temperature burning the shot . After watching this vid , it's obvious there needs to be some playing around with the boiler to get it right . After lots of research I think gaggia classic has a better temp control , so I'll go for that . I can always return it and try smtg else if I have to

[lama8888]

Hey Just wanted to say I got my Silvia this past Friday and because of this my coffee drinks are already better (in my opin. anyway) than the ones I was getting from the big name coffee houses. Thanks again for the video!!!

[lama8888]

Wow thanks for doing this - I just ordered the Silvia and I plan to watch this several times so that when I get mine Ill have an idea of what Im doing :)

[nicholsk85]

This is the best video I've ever encountered on YouTube. You're the man!

[Jasonsk908]

I must have watched this video like 30 times or more, several times before I actually took the plunge and bought my own Silvia. Thank you soooo much for this wonderfully instructive vid! I really appreciate how you guide the viewer through all the steps. Like many others, I wish there was a higher res version of this. :P

[luongdung]

You should make a walkthrough of the Silvia v3 with higher video quality now!

[paulfitzpa]

Thanks for the walkthrough. I just got my silvia and this has helped a lot!

[RazzleDazzle420]

nice vid thx

[psykodragz]

hey, what is a stepless and step grinders?

[lorre007]

@psykodragz same diffrence between analog and digital

[realgalgo]

grinder is anfim best

[mrchuckles67]

I think he said it is an An-Fam grinder.

[saiano1]

Great video. I currently have a Z8 but am having some difficulty trying to find replacement parts for it. I think a silvia will be an acceptable alternative for the time being (now that I know how to use one). Thank you for the video.

[oungo]

I didn't understand what's the brand of the grinder??????!!!

Pls!!

[7merro]

its also from Rancilio , its name is rocky grinder

[RJPaulB]

Anfim Best grinder, if i heard right.

[sexyshie]

He said Anfim. When he noted it being the same price as a Rancilio that is no longer true. The Anfim's are up in the higher price range. Good luck if you want to spend more.

[CoffeeGeek]

The Anfim Best is $395 from Visions Espresso; Rocky is around $360 so it's not that much more. It's a much better overall grinder and the $35 price difference is much of a stretch.

[sexyshie]

You are definitely right. Apparently, I just knew of Visions Espresso in my backyard like just two weeks ago. I've had my Rocky for about going on four weeks now. If I only knew earlier, I would have got the Anfim you described.

I did a recent MOD and posted it at your CG website under espressoaddict.

Thanks for sharing!

[realgalgo]

@oungo - anfim best

[ybrush]

Brand: Amfim

model: Best

[NekoIan66]

Major tip: use freshly roasted coffee (within a week). Stale coffee is very difficult to make crema with.

[carrasification]

Dude get a PID! You have no idea what temperature the machine is at with this method. Range could be +/- 10 degrees celsius doing it "blind".

[CoffeeGeek]

Range is about +/- 4F off my optimal because I've extensively Scaced this machine and found out what the temperature curve is. But not everyone has access to a Scace device.

[carrasification]

Sorry, you obviously know what you're doing.

But life is easier with a PID!

[CLOUDTHOUGHT]

Help Me Bruce!!!! I cant, for the life of me get mine to come out with crema!

[CoffeeGeek]

It's probably a) your grinder (or lack of one), or b) the age and quality of your coffee, if you do have a quality grinder.

[pinkywillis]

Got mine today & really happy with it! Your video is very helpful. Thanks

[mylifetherealthings]

Really good video thanks.

[JosephCercy]

I just got my Silvia today. It is the 2009 model. Have made 2 double espressi and am thrilled with it. I still have to practice, but the flavor is really superior to anything I've used in the past.

[anandabananda]

This was so fun. I can't wait for mine to arrive in the mail. Ohh, the delicious espresso I'm going to enjoy! And now, with the wisdom and help from your video, I should jump straight to the top of the growth curve. Thanks!

[epicbard]

Mark, did you adjust the OPV valve on your Silvia to get the 25 sec pull? I was having a hard time getting it to do that before lowering the pressure.

[doesitworkdotnet]

Great video Mark. Have had a Miss Silvia for about 10 months but seeing this was a great reminder on the temperature surf concept. :)

[BUGrad82]

bruuuuuccceeeeeeee

[smiles78]

great video! I just bought one and was looking for a video like this to walk me through.. thank you!

[antonino86palmi]

io sn un'amico della famiglia rancilio....

[quinnsans]

ah too bad I'm broke. ironically because I spend all my money on espresso from cafés. I could use a Rancilio Silvia & a good grinder.

[Kristinascotwin]

Excellent video. Got a Miss Silvia today and thought I've do some video background before starting up my own. Can't wait for my first espresso!

[vasiasm]

Does anyone know where to buy in europe or greece?

[maxxsee]

i epsressomania (dot) se sells it and you need to find the button for english since the language is swedish default

[jfm010]

Great walkthrough! (from another Silvia newbie).

[beckbeckdanno]

This video helped me so much when I first bought my Silvia! Thank you so much! Check out my channel and view my latest Bialetti Moka Pot video called "Preparing A Bloody Espresso". It's quite bizarre really, but lots of fun too!

[yiilih]

Thank you so much. You're movie is so informative. I would like to try immediately! Thanks!

[basyachana]

This is a great video. I'd like to spend a few hours with this guy, I'd learn a lot! I am getting ready to buy a Ranchillio Silvia

[AndrewGerasimov]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[barondandy1]

Great video, excellent very informative. Thanks

[wilmtndew]

good info. one thing though, when your portafilter handle reaches the red dot on the brewhead, it indicates that you need to change your brewhead gasket.

[henar430]

Perfect!! congratulations!!

One question,

which is the perfect temperature to make a good shot?

[roger88ge]

perfect !!!!!!!!!!!! made in italy is the best

[CapnJax21]

I've had a Silvia/Rocky combo for over 4 years now. One thing I've noticed, you put alot of coffee in the PF. Not sure if the grinder is different, but all Rocky needs is 2 pulls for a double shot. I've read that if you can see the indentation of the screen and screw in the coffee, too much has been pulled into the PF. This true?

[siddacious]

Is temp surfing needed for all espressos, or just certain ones?

[CoffeeGeek]

temperature surfing will benefit all espresso blends. Basically trust your palate - pull a shot at the top end of the deadband (when the boiler light goes off), middle, and lower end, and see what tastes best to you.

[on9beely]

i want to open my own coffee shop...

[NeilPiersRobinson]

jeez.. I like coffee but.. I never knew it was this deep.. interesting :) Thanks for the vid!

[Bananas1973]

Perfect, thanks heaps. This should come on DVD with every Rancilio !!

[mywytefeet]

You make temp surfing seem so simple. So, all I need to do is turn on the machine, after the boiler light turns off, get it to turn on, make my grind/tamp etc., once the light turns off again, let some steam out and pull the shot? Hmmm...what's the cheapest machine that doesn't require temp surfing (that you would recommend)?

[Brahmanfire]

Nice vid man. I'm an old pro, i was just surfin espresso vids and I can't believe how many people are posting who have no idea what they are doing but think they do. You're an official coffeegeek and I love you for it. I've been considering the Silvia for home use. Do you foresee any issues with going naked on the PF for this machine. I've never used a consumer grade espresso machine that's why I ask. I'm a naked lover so if I can that's the route I'll go.

[mywytefeet]

Yes how about blue bottle retrofit?! I'm a fan of blue bottle coffee.

[JmwTilton]

Great Video - I'm a newby - You were using Black Cat - Would you change anything in your temp surf techinque for Stumptown Hairbender blend or say BlueBottle Retrofit?

[utgspillo]

Hi and thanks for the Video. I've been doing a bit of research and leaning towards this machine for home use (i think i'll give the Nespresso machines a miss). Would the Rocky dozerless still do a good job?

Would you recommend this over similarly prices more automatic machines? I'm after something semi-commercial which will last 10 years.

A lot of people recommend that PID modification..

[CoffeeGeek]

I like the Anfim home grinders even more than the Rocky (the Best and Haus models), they seem to just do a better job than the Rocky, but the Rocky is no slouch and not a bad purchase decision.

Save the PID for down the road - get to know the machine, the nuances, its pluses and minuses, then possibly convert it to PID down the road.

[ryleeryno]

Great walk-though. Mark Prince does a very good job at explaining to everyone how to make a good espresso with the Silvia.

Folks. This machine can be easily tamed with a PID and Mazzer or Macap grinder. Take my advice.

[sangese1]

I was hoping you could answer a quick question for me. I just purchaser a Silvia and have a mediocre grinder (infinity). Should I attribute the bitter taste of coffee to the grinder or is the bitterness an indication that I am doing something wrong with the extraction process. Thanks for your input.

[CoffeeGeek]

I wouldn't say yes, the Infinity is responsible for the bitter taste, but it's probable. That grinder creates more dust particles than better quality grinders. Try brewing at lower temperatures first though (bitters come out at higher temps), using the surf method to brew at the "bottom" of the temperature curve - just before the boiler light comes on, to see if that works.

If not, maybe an upgrade? I really like the Anfim grinders - Best and Haus models.

[houseofchintz]

Very informative. I watched this video before I pulled my first shot from my new Silvia. I've have had nothing but success since, thanks to your great video. Keep on keepin on!

[Quebro]

Thanks a lot Mark. Very well done. Just arrived in the Republic of Panama and unpacked my new Silvia for the first time.

Chris

[mattb4rd]

Why not preheat the cups with the water from the temperature surf? Also .. I noticed that you're using a ridge-less basket. Does having a ridge make that much of a difference? Great video .. I've had my silvia/rocky for a few months now and this video really helped me.

Oh .. I even bought a Bruce Lee action figure just like yours so I could have defense against bad espresso. :)

MB4RD

[cdrikari]

It is a great vid, one of the most useful out there. I've got Buddy Christ on my machine. Sometimes, you need a buddy. ^_-

[hankstereight]

After reading countless "How To Handle Sylvia" blogs and postings, your vid was the most concise and helpful. Two practice runs and my pulls time perfectly and are a crema-ly sight to behold. Much thanks, man! (Btw, doesn't hacking with a PID void the warranty?)

[CoffeeGeek]

Yep, hacking the machine with anything (temp gauges, upgrading thermostat, PID modification, etc) will void the warranty. The thing is, if there's no problems in the first month or two with the machine, it's not much of a concern - these are built like tanks.

[TaruTaru76]

thx for uploading this. silvia came today and its my very first machiene. this video gave me some good tipps.

[Asonqualityguitars]

Great video Master Prince! I am about to sell my Francis Francis X1 to buy the Sylvia/Rocky kit, pretty excited!!! This video just gave me EMAS! Espresso Machine Aquisition Syndrome...

[birdw0rks]

great demo, thanks Mark. our Silvia should be arriving tomorrow :-D

[tsk3767]

Hello Mark,

Question for you. You put the portafilter back in the Silvia after cleaning. I have heard to not leave it in there because it shortens the life of the gasket. Do you not tighten it?

Thanks for your time! Great video and website!

Tammy

[jmhere07]

i love that grinder it looks good to use good job on the vid you give good advice for starters :)

[Tintoking]

Nice video, well prepared. But viewers should be aware that inexpensive and excellent PID controllers can be found on eBay, and these remove the temperature "variable," and give you an instant display of the boiler temp is at any time. For only about $130 it makes a sensible upgrade to the Silvia IMHO.

[Anacolia]

I'm a new owner of a Silvia/Rocky looking forward some day of producing one of those mythical, near-godly shots. In the meantime I'm dealing with bitter shots with little crema using Black Pearl espresso blend. In order to get a shot over 20 sec I have to grind at 2 clicks over my zero mark, which is +3. Thanks for the fine video, its encouraging that its possible to get the temperature variable under control.

[UCLbiochemistry]

hmm.  maybe there is something wrong with my silvia. i am able to take a decent sip straight from a freshly brewed espresso

thanks for your replies btw. much appreciated!

[UCLbiochemistry]

you drank the brew almost immediately after brewing. was it not too hot or is espresso supposed to be cool enough to drink straight after brewing?

do you always make drinkable brews? i hear that silvia often produces espresso that is not drinkable if the barista does not perform each element of the process to perfection..

[CoffeeGeek]

One of the things you learn in cupping coffees and drinking espresso as a judge in competitions is how to drink something in such a way that you don't scorch your mouth. It's more a problem in cuppings for me than in espresso though. The first sip is a "coating" sip where you get a relatively small amount of the liquid coating a large part of the interior surfaces of your tongue.

[CoffeeGeek]

Those who say the Silvia doesn't produce acceptable shots or is too difficult are those who, in my opinion, perhaps shouldn't be giving much advice about espresso preparation in the first place.

I'm not saying every shot is great, and that the Silvia is a necessarily easy machine to use, but it's quite capable of consistently good or great shots in most peoples' hands.

[sjm123]

Please forgive the text errors below..

On the new Silvia, any advice as to wait time between when the brew light goes off and when one should flash the steam and pull the shot?

Much appreciated.

[GIGAMSX1974]

I want to thank MR.CoffeeGeek on the black cat

i just got it in today and it's GR8 i almost pulled a cup full of crema :)

If you can recommend other beans for me will be sweet, thanks again....

[sharpanator]

i plan to buy a bezzera 99s here in europe and im new to all that espresso things because i have actually a full auto espresso machine like push and forget. i hope it isnt to complex to me. So if you clean the filter after every espresso no espresso will dry in and you dont need chemical stuff to unstick it? After how many weeks i must clean the brew group?

[UCLbiochemistry]

the shot you brewed was 29/30 secs. Was that intended? or would you nornally stop at 23-25 secs?

(apologies for all the questions - i am a newbie and am still finding my feet..)

[CoffeeGeek]

Hi - it was a little long, but I usually aim for the higher end of the WBC standard (ie, anything between 20 and 30 seconds is accptable).

At the end of the day, anything under 40 seconds from the switch pressed is acceptable to me, because I don't judge shots by time - but by what's in the cup.

[CoffeeGeek]

additionally:

When you hear "25 seconds" that should always be a starting point, not an absolute. Start there, and as you experiement with pulling espresso, adjust the grind, and if the shot runs slower but looks good, run it for 30, 35 seconds, then try drinking that. If it's too bitter or not good, adjust grind, dose, pack, brewing time, etc again to discover the most you can out of that particular blend.

[UCLbiochemistry]

estimated time of release? estimated price? will you be shipping to the UK?

[CoffeeGeek]

shipping worldwide. only having 100 made. I hope to have them done by Christmas.Price will be between $100 and $160 cdn depending on what you want.

[UCLbiochemistry]

is that a flat tamper you used? or convex?

[CoffeeGeek]

It's a tamper I'm designing. It will be available at some point soon via the CoffeeGeek website.

[guitar1111111]

make more videos please :)

[fotog65]

Hi Mark:

Thanks for posting the video.

I'm using a Silvia/Mazzer Mini combo and find your temp surf technique easier to apply.

As was already echoed a video of your steaming with the Silvia would be great. I'm able to get microfoam but I'm wondering if there are limitations to the Silvia's single hole tip in really building dense pourable microfoam. Mine seems to be a mix with the dense stuff at the bottom of the pitcher.

[CoffeeGeek]

I'm about to pack away the Silvia, after completing the data testing segment for the detailed review, but I'll see if I can get a frothing video done this week.

[MadDogUSA]

What kind of beans are you useing?????

[CoffeeGeek]

Most likely Blackcat from Intelligentsiacoffee dot com.

[thefleck]

Awesome video- but the $300 Anfim grinder I now have my heart set on turns out to be a $600 grinder also sold under the name Pasquini Moka.

[CoffeeGeek]

Don't buy the pasquini one. It's just a rebrand, with a premium price.

Check out 49thparallelroasters dot com for the Anfim Haus and Best. It's in Canada, but they will ship to the US.

[photofabix]

Do you reccomend temp surfing for other machines such as the Saeco Via Veneto, or would this method only apply to the Sylvia. Thanks for the informative video

[CoffeeGeek]

temperature surfing would benefit any single-boiler, pump driven machine. But here's the rub. First, get the best shots you can, by having a good grinder, grinding and immediately packing and locking your pf into the machine, getting your dose, tamp, grind, technique down pat.... aim for the best taste possible using that. Once you're happy, then move onto something more advanced, like temp surfing.

[CoffeeGeek]

What grinder are you using?

[cubix2006]

I bought an Macap M4 doserless a couple of weeks ago (and my press pot coffee is great!). I have it set as fine as it will go just before it starts to clump. I've tried stopping and tamping at the halfway point and then filling the other half, but I get the same result: ~10 sec pull.

[cubix2006]

I don't have a bathroom scale to measure my exact force, but I've varied it from light to nearly my maximum. I'm using Columbian supremo roasted within the last 12-24 hours. Any idea what's going on here? Should I go to an even finer grind?

[cubix2006]

Maybe I need a Bruce to fend off the evil espresso. ;)

[CoffeeGeek]

You may have to go finer then. Clumping is, unfortunately, a way of life with most doserless espresso grinders. I'll take some grind clumping anyday over a 10 second shot pull.

[CoffeeGeek]

Though I don't practice it myself, look up the Weiss or WTD tamping method, detailed over on home-barista dot com - it's specifically addresses using doserless grinders and clumping problems. For me personally, that method is a bit too "anal" and keeps the coffee away from the espresso machine for too long, but it does fix any issues with clumps.

[cubix2006]

Wow, that's a finicky process, but definitely looks applicable here. I would be a bit disappointed to learn that my new 500CAD grinder is the source of the problem, but if that's what I have to do... Thanks for the tip.

[CoffeeGeek]

Personally for me, clumping is a minor issue with a grinder. I'm not saying it's a non-issue, just a minor one. I think espresso is damaged more by leaving ground coffee out and exposed to air for more than 45-60 seconds than it is by clumping (ie, I've seen some vid techniques that have the ground coffee sitting around for 2-3 minutes)

[cubix2006]

Hi Mark. I just picked up a Silvia Friday and as you might imagine, I spent the weekend trying to make a decent shot of espresso. This video was an extremely helpful place to start. Although, I'm still having problems getting anything approaching the recommended 20 pull. If I stop at about 10 seconds it tastes reasonably good, but if I stretch it out to 20, it tastes completely flat. Lots of crema in both cases though. Any suggestions?

[parliament33]

Thanks for this. I've had my machine for three months now and thanks to your post I'm getting consistent, delectable pulls from my Silvia/Rocky combo. Do us a favor and show us your microfoam technique via video. I'm getting decent creamy foam but would love to see your work.

[jbauer]

Excellent - thanks for posting this Mark! Can you do another one showing how to FULLY clean the Silvia??? That would be GREAT!

[CoffeeGeek]

The grinder in the video is the Anfim "Best" model for the home. Upgraded burr set over the "Haus" model, more powerful motor, but otherwise, very similar to the Anfim "Haus" model.

[blnavarrete1]

what kind of grinder is this?

[macemil]

Nice demo, ty Mark ;)

[CoffeeGeek]

LOL! I'm American?

[ChampagnePowder]

ah we dutchies interpet American and Canadian as the same language. So i will refine my writings as North-American ;). Its the same for Most Americans wont notice the difference between the Dutch and the Belgian Language (hell, most cant even pinpoint these 2 countries). Even worse, dutch is commonly mistaken for German, thats a whole different language hehe.

[ChampagnePowder]

ust like to hear a Italian voice over, maybe that Italian dude who is pretending he's the uber barista with the uber skills.. whats his name with those shitty youtube vids making shit coffee... Well thats comedy!

[CoffeeGeek]

I know exactly who you mean - "da BEST espresso... ever!" ;)

Re Dutch and Belgian... the other day, I was in a restaurant and the server (woman) had an accent, everyone at the table was guessing french. I said Belgian, and more flemish than French... and I was right - native of Brugges. ;)

[ChampagnePowder]

consider yourself belonging to the .0001% of people on the American Continent who can seperate the two. Maybe the Canadian do it better on avarage since I

know there are a lot of Dutchies who have immigrated to Canada.

Btw, gotta love the flemmish accent. Its the sweetest. My tomtom has a female flemmish voice in fact.

[CoffeeGeek]

I think it's because I briefly dated a Flemmish woman, and really was able to distinguish between even it and the more "french" accent of southern Belgium that I was able to pick it up. Weird stuff, but I've usually been good with picking up accents. Sometimes I completely miss though.

[furrycanuck]

"it's like-a WOOL. Like=a WOOOOOOOL."

[ChampagnePowder]

Gotta love this. Think we need an italian style voice over though because the american accent doesnt justify the Italian Machine ;)