Knowledge Base
Alan’s accumulation of wisdom
Choosing a Grinder
This is NOT a grinder review. It is an overview of the most common domestic grinders available to the Australian market as of January 2007…
Espresso Tips & Tweaks
The background to this article is simple; in early November I received a long awaited shipment of Rancilio Silvia espresso machines at the same time that I ran out of stock of Quaha machines. In the following 6 weeks I set up and tested over 80 Silvias, in batches of 6 at a time.
Tasting Coffee
The taste of the coffee is ultimately what it’s all about. Everything which goes before the moment you savour the first sip of your cup should be designed to give you the best possible flavour experience.
Roasting Coffee
If there is any area of the "coffee culture" filled with as many myths, superstitions, half truths and holy grail searches as espresso perfection, it's got to be coffee roasting.
Espresso Machine Cleaning & Maintenance
Clean brewing equipment is an absolute necessity for the best coffee flavour, so it's surprising how often I see various brewers layered with old coffee gunk.
Rancilio Silvia (Pre-2006) Repair
An in-depth guide (with photos!) to servicing & repairing a Rancilio Silvia domestic espresso machine
Repair & Clean a Combi Machine
This is both a "how-to" and a "why you should" article. The "why you should" is easy: it took a trained technician an hour (at $120.00 per hour) simply to clean up the group and showerscreen!
Lelit Boiler Replacement Guide
A photo guide to replacing the boiler element in the Lelit PL series Espresso Machines.