Backflushing Dilema

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Backflushing Dilema

Postby Paws » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:41 am

Hi there,

I work as a Barista in small Espresso Bar. Recently there has been a slight dilema amongst the staff relating to machine cleaning and backflushing.

When the machine is cleaned usually the staff scrub the groupheads with a brush and then backflush a few times.

When I clean the machine, I scrub the groupheads, I run some water through the grouphead and then I attach the blind filter and let it build up pressure for a few seconds. Then, I gently start to remove the blindfilter causing the water spray up to the coupling of the group head and clean all the ground out. Then I backflush until the water is clear.

My question is that, when the blindfilter is slowly edged off to break the sealing between blindfilter and the machine, can this harm the machine? Some of the staff think that this can harm the machine and they have muttered about air getting in the pump or the heads.

Thanks.
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:54 am

It's a portafilter wiggle, no problem. Have a look at number eight in the following:

http://www.quiknet.com/frcn/Coffee/HowToBackflush.html
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Postby Guest » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:58 am

Thank you CakeBoy for the quick reply.

Hehe, portafilter wiggle? What an ace term!

Is there any problems with using machine cleaning powder all the time? My boss reckons that it should only be used once a week.

I've read the website you linked, didn't like the statement about the build up of oils in the 3-way valve. Our machine has started to make a "klunk" sound when you finish pouring a shot.
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Postby Beanie » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:59 am

Yeah the PF wiggle :) I do that after every brewing session before leaving the machine to idle :)
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:17 am

Anonymous wrote:Thank you CakeBoy for the quick reply.

Hehe, portafilter wiggle? What an ace term!

Is there any problems with using machine cleaning powder all the time? My boss reckons that it should only be used once a week.

I've read the website you linked, didn't like the statement about the build up of oils in the 3-way valve. Our machine has started to make a "klunk" sound when you finish pouring a shot.


No problem. Sounds like you already know way more than your boss. Like BaldyBeany says, most of us use cleaner all the time. Cleaning once a week in a cafe should guarantee some pretty poor shots in the mean time. I would keep doing what you are doing and train your boss at the same time :wink:
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Postby Beanie » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:53 am

I think it depends on your volume... but most "high-quality" cafes will use detergent clean AT LEAST nightly. For extremely high volume places, this probably happens 4x a day as a minimum.

Most home users probably do so weekly or monthly and some even quarterly :shock:
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Postby Guest » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:37 am

Hey there,

Yeah, I've noticed that the day after I've been using the machine the shots have better crema and a a fuller flavour.

Its meant to be a upper-market cafe but the way the machine gets treated isn't too good.

I keep heckling the boss to let me clean the grinder. He can't actually remember if the grinder has ever been cleaned.
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:45 am

How old is it?
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:48 am

You should consider joining TMC, you clearly like coffee a lot. It's a pretty good place to be :D
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Postby Guest » Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:01 am

CakeBoy wrote:How old is it?


Its a 4 group Brasilia B03 Exclusive (Raised) Machine.

http://www.brasilia.it/en/bar-line/b03-exclusive.htm

If I remember correctly the plate on it states that it was 2004.
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:09 am

Nice machine. I actually meant the grinder. Was wondering if it had a doser and if so how full it that was of grinds, or do you grind frequently?
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Postby Guest » Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:16 am

Oops, sorry.

The Grinder is also a Brasilia one.

http://www.brasilia.it/en/grinders/rr45.htm

The tamper is a spring loaded style one that you can press down on to the PF when you've dosed it.

Normally the hopper is kept full and the grinder is left on. It grinds after every two clicks so its always full. The ground is quite fine but its something I keep playing about with. Shot times are roughly between 15 and 20 seconds.
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Postby Joris » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:42 am

How about the ground coffee which is not used up during the day, is it left in the doser untill next day and then used again ? That will definitly affect taste of the cup in a bad way. The grinder should be cleaned on a regular interval. Grinding per cup is the way to go if you want get the most out of the beans (quality wise that is).

Shot time is a bit on the short side in my opinion. 24 / 26sec is generally seen as good shot-times.

What I learned from the DVD and book of mr. Schomer....
- After each shot, run some water through the head, use a brush to wipe the grouphead and gasket.
- After use of steamwand clean it and blow some steam through it to clear the tip-holes
- The showerscreen should be scrubbed every hour or so in a café, both sides. Remove it to get it clean.
- Backflushing with clear water, again every hour
- Evening maintenance is doing all of the above and then backflushing with detergent.

[/quote="BeanyGirl"]I think it depends on your volume... but most "high-quality" cafes will use detergent clean AT LEAST nightly. For extremely high volume places, this probably happens 4x a day as a minimum. [/quote]

According to mr. Schomer the less use a machine has, the shorter the time between cleaning, although cleaning it once an hour is minimum. Using detergent every hour or every 2 hours would be a pain in the ... ehm... head... takes too long. Removing the showerscreen and scrubbing that both sides is quicker.


But this is all book-wisdom, I don't work as a barista. However, about the need for cleaning the grinder and ways to clean the machine (and a lot of other great info) you should get the book "Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques" by David Schomer. That should convince your boss.
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Postby mhuk » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:47 am

Enough free info- you are now required to join TMC.














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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:04 pm

A full doser is bad news really. Try to organise it so that although it grinds after two clicks, that the doser is not full, after all it makes no difference to the way it serves you, just that there is less coffee going stale at any time. A cleaning routing and disposal of any unused grinds at the end of each day is crucial for the production of quality drinks. Keeping less ground coffee in the doser at any time should make throwing it out at the end of each day more acceptable to your boss.

What coffee do you use?
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