For a long time I have loved manual espresso. There really is just something special about it. The process is very zen to say the least. However it's not just enjoying the process that makes this magical, with some practice, the espresso produced can truly compete with any top level machine, comercial or otherwise.
AI have touched on why this is before in other posts to do with extraction, temp and pressure/flow profiling.
Today's post is really just my thoughts on something I love. Maybe with the intention of making a few of you true coffee lovers out there, fall in love with it too. I will simply cover why I love it, some simple tips to success with manual espresso, a few products to consider and why it can produce such quality end results.
Let's start with the fun stuff! The Pros! The reasons us coffee maniacs out there just seem to go bonkers for manual espresso in all its forms!
Firstly depending on the gear you buy, and trust me there is plenty of options, it can be a really affordable way to enter the world of espresso at home. Some of the manual brewers on the market are capable of producing espresso rivaling machines 10x their cost. A massive pro for anyone that is chasing high end espresso without the price tag.
Footprint, most brewers are fairly compact compared to their big brothers, the pump machines.
Travel capable, now I wouldn't say every manual machine is exactly portable, but there are many, many options out there, if that's what you are chasing. (I have an arsenal of gear for when we camp or travel, and I truly couldn't live without taking something with me, whenever we are away from the home).
If you are someone that gets joy from the process, then manual espresso is quite likely for you. Pulling a perfect shot on a pump machine is a great feeling, pulling the perfect shot on a manual lever machine takes it to a whole new level.
Once you have mastered the art, the control you have over the extraction is unparallel to anything else, regardless the price tag.
Like most things in this world, lever machines are not perfect. There is definitely some cons to manual espresso, at least in some people's eyes.
There is a steep learning curve with manual levers, even more so if you are talking direct lever vs spring piston machines (more on this later).
It is not as convenient for back to back shots when making coffee for groups.
It can take more time to produce an espresso on a manual machine vs. pump.
Some (note this doesn't apply to all products on the market), can be fiddly to use and have lots of parts to assemble, pre heat ect. This can get tedious.
Requires a grinder that can produce a very fine grind (even finer than traditional espresso machines) to truly get the most out of it.
A lot of manual espresso equipment do not have any way of steaming milk or even heating water, so often you will need some other equipment.
I should also state, that some of these cons aren't really cons, or at least not always depending on personal situations. The best way to look at it is, manual espresso won't be for everyone, but for the right persons, it is the pinnacle.
The lever espresso machine has been around for a long time. It was the original solution to producing enough pressure to move water though a coffee bed, before pumps were an option (I touched on this in more detail, in a post I did a while back about the history and evolution of espresso). The first machine that would resemble what we know today was produced by Archille Gaggia, in 1947. This design would go on to be sold to Faema and from here the legend of the E61 machine was born.
Fast forward into modern days and the craving for lever machines still exists. These days we basically have two different styles of lever machines.The direct level (this will always be my favourite) and spring piston lever machines. While both are lever machines, there is some differences that should be noted.
The Spring piston machine, in my opinion will generally be more consistent, especially with people new to manual espresso and it has a less steep learning curve than its brother. These machines use a lever to compress a spring and allow water to enter the brew chamber, the longer you keep the handle locked down will control the length of the pre infusion. Once released the compressed spring will force the water through the bed at a pre determined force, using a piston and return the lever to it's resting position. This will give the barista some control over the extraction, by controlling pre infusion time, however the pressure profile once released is now controlled by the spring and is not changeable by the operator. This sping lever style of profile can produce an amazing espresso, arguably one of the best and it is a profile mimicked by machines and baristas around the world with flow control or set pre programmed profiles (I talk about this in detail in my flow control post).
In contrast a direct lever machine, is where the barista controls a lever that directly moves the piston. This gives the barista true control over espresso extraction, in any way they see fit. This of course is fantastic in skilled hands, and I truly believe this is the most control you can ever have over espresso extraction. The down side, this also means a lot more variables, which can translate to more inconsistency and a much steeper learning curve. The advantage of this, with practice and time, you will learn to know what the optimum extraction feels like. If you feel the coffee bed is degrading too fast you can back the pressure off slightly to preserve the bed and even close up channels created in the puck. With some practice you can produce any type of espresso profile you want. Bloom, turbo, declining pressure, inclining pressure and the list goes on.
The above may have peaked your curiosity or completely scared you away. For people of the former, I will sum up some options to consider.
Flair espresso make some very interesting units, I actually own a couple of them and the original flair was the first manual machine I have ever owned. With some practice I produced some really tasty coffee from this and it was part of my travel kit for a period of time. Flair do a great job of making manual espresso accessible at all ends of the scale and they can definitely produce a tasty cup, from any of the models in their range. Personally they are not my favourite as I find them a pain to put together every time, as well as the preheating process to be fiddly. Basically for me it comes down to a workflow problem, too many small parts to play around with every time. I do know many people whom love the flair and say it is their favourite, so horses for courses. If you are starting out in coffee, the flair neo or the classic are great options for their price point, trust me while a bit fiddly, they still pull a great shot and it is more than enough to make someone fall in love with the coffee scene. On the higher end they also have the flair pro 2 and the flair 58, now these are the pro models, these pull some killer shots and in the case of the flair 58 the workflow is improved immensely, and the 58 must be considered as one of the best on the market.
No one can write a blog about lever espresso and not include, what may be considered the epitome of direct lever machines. This manufacturers machines are legendary in the coffee world and have lasted the test of time. Of course we are talking about La Pavoni! The true classic of lever espresso and an absolute work of art. Unlike the above mentioned flair espresso machines these are a powered machine with a steam wand, heating element and a more classic looking group handle than alot of other direct levers. However, don't think that because this has some resemblance to a more classic style machine, and has a built in heating element, that it makes it easier to use. The La Pavoni's are a bit like a classic sports car, beautiful in their brilliance, raw power and used correctly what they produce is incredible. Yet they can be impractical and hard to tame, this is also what makes them so special. The La Pavoni Expo 2015 has been on my wish list for a long time. One day I will cave and buy this opulent machine, because honestly what coffee enthusiast doesn't want this on their bar (I use the analogy of a car enthusiast, while they don't need a 1970 Ferrari 365 Daytona, and it probably will be more of a headache than it's worth, you still just want one).
There is also a whole array of less conventional lever machines on the market, that can pull some mean espresso, and in their own right hold a special place in the manual espresso world. Brands like Cafelat Robot, Rok Espresso, Aram Espresso and the SuperKop just to name a few. To continue the trend from there are a range of other manual espresso brewers like Wacaco's Picopresso, a small hand held manual piston device, that I truly love. This often comes travelling with me, it really makes great espresso and you can fit it in one hand! I did own some early models from wacaco that, well let's just say didn't cut it in my opinion. They have clearly pushed on and really delivered a premium piece of equipment for the price.
One last manual espresso device that I can't not mention, is the newest edition to my collection, yet one I have been following for quite some time. I have always been a big supporter of this machine, even before getting my hands on one for reasons I will explain below. I had chosen to hold off writing much about this until now, simply because I wanted a few solid months of day to day use before I put my thoughts down in words. This is for the reason, I had really romanticised this one in my head and I wanted to make sure it was as good as I had hoped/predicted. So in presuite of true feedback to those of you that read my blog, I wanted to give a fair chance for the shiny new car feel to wear off and see any problems arise. It brings me great joy to say, I have been using the Newton Brua now for quite some time. I have put it through its paces with light, medium and dark roasts, different extraction ratios, different grinders and making back to back shots for multiple people. I can truly say that this device is one of the best pieces of coffee equipment I have used. It is built by a small business in New Zealand. Build quality and attention to detail is of the highest level. The design of the Brua in my eyes, is a work of art. Minimalist and refined in its presuite of great espresso.
This lever machine simply does what it should do, pull amazing espresso, leaving the control of extraction and temperature in the hands of the barista, while maintaining a simple, clean and consistent work flow. I don't know what more you could want! It is strong, portable and well thought out. The box it comes in doubles as a simple travel case, it runs a 51mm basket, exactly like a La Pavoni and a naked group for the purest extraction. At its price point, in my opinion, it is the best option for lever espresso.
While I hope the information above, has at least shed some light on some great options, within the manual espresso range. My advice to all interested, is do some research. What I love, you may not, different devices suit different people's approach to coffee and their daily needs. I would like to think anyone releasing a manual espresso machine, is approaching the idea with the intention of putting out what they believe to be a great option.
To round out, what was "meant" to be a brief post about why I love manual espresso, I will cover some simple tips that should generally help anyone taking a leap into manual espresso.
With most brewers, you will require a very very fine grind, even compared to traditional espresso. So don't be scared to go fine and unlock the potential.
Like all coffee brewing, quality coffee is required for quality espresso.
Consistency is key, while you can attempt any profile you can imagine, I suggest picking a simple repeatable method to start. Something in the range of 6-10 seconds of pre infusion with light pressure, then increase pressure until the end of the shot. Once you have mastered this and it becomes second nature, it is time to try different profiles and variables.
While you are learning, stick to easy soluble coffees, master the simple easy to extract coffees, before attempting difficult light roasts.
Temperature is a key variable to extraction, if your brewer is completely unpowered, make sure you develop a consistent preheating process. As much careful attention needs be used on powered machines as temperature stability can be lacking.
Don't be discouraged easily, as I have really emphasised in this post, it is a steep learning curve, but with time and commitment you can master this.
Lastly, have fun with it! This type of brewing, is for the people whom truly love it, not for convenience. So step back take a breath and remember why you went down this path in the first place.
As always, thanks for reading my ramblings. If you have questions or are looking for more specific help or advice, reach out! I am always here to help people make better coffee.
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