| I mislaid my Thor Ridgeline briefly after a kitchen clean up a few weeks ago and had to make do with a regular tamper for a couple of days til I found it. My shots were fine, but I had to pay more attention to getting the right tamp. I especially love the Ridgeline for that first shot in the morning when my brain is not yet in full gear. The Ridgeline makes it easy to get it right the first time every time. It doesn't bother me at all to have a good tool do the job, but I can tamp properly on my own when I need to. If someone invented an automatic machine that would grind, tamp, and pull shots at least as well as I can do it myself, I'd be delighted to have an automatic that would let me push a button and get great espresso. The problem is not that the automatics are automatic, but that the current automatics do such a poor to mediocre job at best. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| I agree down the line there. I can tamp, but it is easier with the Ridgeline and my results improve or stay the same, and in reference to the automatic machine, I don't find any negatives associated with Ridgeline. The automatics have negatives in many regards, most notably a poorer cup quality. At 22:07 8/11/2008, you wrote: <Snip> John Nanci AlChemist at large Zen Roasting , Hand Grinding, Blending & Espresso pulling by Gestalthttp://www.chocolatealchemy.com/Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| With all this Ridgeline Talk, I thought I ought to comment since I am the guy who makes them. First off as Mike McKoffee pointed out and has been echoed by all the other comments, the Ridgeline will not make up for poor technique. In fact, it may enhance poor technique. I have one professional barista using one in the Bay area. He loves it. His first comment was, "The Ridgeline forces me to use good dosing and leveling technique or the shot isn't good." There is no adding pressure or going for a deeper tamp if I don't dose right." Since I have had the fun of being a Barista for the past 8 Sunday mornings, I have been going back and forth between the Ridgeline and a regular tamper. Last Sunday once I got the grinder dialed in, I pulled 34 perfect mouse-tail shots in a row. I then switched to my standard tamper and I had some channeling on shots 3 and 5 out of 10 shots and it was more difficult to get consistent shots. I do get more consistent shots with the Ridgeline. . The other news is that I can now put "Patent Pending" on the Ridgeline. I have been jumping the hoops and spending the money to get the Ridge patented. The attorneys have filed the papers with the patent office. I am working on a tutorial that will be on my website soon. I think that when you polish the puck is where the Ridge really helps to keep the integrity of the puck where it ought to be. I want to be careful with this post, because I don't want this post to be construed that I am soliciting. I do want to provide good information. However, Tom does sell my tampers, and maybe I ought to offer him the opportunity to carry the Ridgeline. He also has a link to my website. Les Thor Tampers On 8/12/08, Alchemist John wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Pros aside, for someone who's really only recently seriously moved to the darkside at home, I've found the Ridgeline to be invaluable. It's allowed me to hold one variable constant and focus on my grind, dose, and leveling. It's absolutely true, using it on a crap dose and level leads to a crap shot. Is it just training wheels and I'm actually not learning good pro technique? Maybe, but I think it will lead to me having better technique in the long run should I ever move to using a regular tamper. I'll know that any problem is likely with my tamp pressure and technique, not the dose and level, and I'll be able to adjust accordingly. Plus, it's gorgeous! Congratulations on the patent, Les! That's great! It is ingenious, I'm glad you've taken that step. Have you trademarked the name too? Best, Kris McN On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 8:05 AM, Les wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| My congratulations too. As one of the first owners of a Ridgeline I concur.It is a fine tool not a learning device at all. On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 7:09 AM, Kris McN wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Congratulations, Les, on the patent pending! The Ridgeline has made me more careful about dosing. Since I started using it, I also began weighing my shots. The combination has given me very consistent, repeatable shots. I agree with Barry that the non-naked PF has more mass and better temperature retention, but I've gotten addicted to watching the shots form on my naked PF, plus it's so much easier to keep it clean vs having to soak the spouts to get all the gunk out. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Your comment about better temperature retention made me remember a line of though and experiment I tried some time ago. It has directly to do with this assumption that a big brass PF makes for better temperature retention/stability and consequently better shots. Upon looking at my naked PF one day, I saw there was this air gap completely around the basket and the PF. I wondered why in the world a hot PF would make any difference in the shot. It is effectively insulated from the basket, and thus the grounds. I tried a series of shots with a hot, warm, cool and down right cold PF. The result....I could see no difference what so ever in the shots. Grounds fresh from the grinder, into a thin metal basket, and hit with hot water for 30 seconds or so, had no chance to cool off or in any way be affected by the PF not directly in contact with them. Any one else see this kind of thing? Assuming the validity of this test, I wonder what other "myths" are out there. That a 40 lb tamp absolutely critical has gone the way of the myth as shown by the 'non-tamp' and the Ridgeline. Any others out there? At 11:02 8/12/2008, you wrote: <Snip> John Nanci AlChemist at large Zen Roasting , Hand Grinding, Blending & Espresso pulling by Gestalthttp://www.chocolatealchemy.com/Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| <Snip> You are so right! I never thought about that, but now that I look, I wonder how much effect the heavy brass PF really has. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| " I wondered why in the world a hot PF would make any difference in the shot. It is effectively insulated from the basket, and thus the grounds. I tried a series of shots with a hot, warm, cool and down right cold PF. The result....I could see no difference what so ever in the shots. Grounds fresh from the grinder, into a thin metal basket, and hit with hot water for 30 seconds or so, had no chance to cool off or in any way be affected by the PF not directly in contact with them....Any one else see this kind of thing?" I've seen it with my mind's eye- on two counts: - The brass wouldn't tend to stabilize the water temperature, since the specific heat of water is greater than that of brass. The water controls the brass temperature. besides- - All the brewing has taken place before the shot exits the filter, and the brew doesn't ever touch the filter handle, as you mentioned. Just makes for a good story and more copy from people that write for a living... New life from the Carpeso Leaks- Using the steam wand like a Mini Hotsy, I blew out some gunk from the filter handle and the filter basket. More of the steam pressure through the group and diffuser screen into a blanked filter gets more grounds and slightly off color water. For the steam function, the thermoblock temperature is set higher. Then at the higher temperature, turn the control knob to brew. With the blanked filter, it steams out the group and pf assembly quite well. It's all set up for a back flush, but I do everything with moderate steam pressure. No damnage, no hydrostatic lock and it really accentuated the buttery body and crisp sweet CR flavors. What a shot. Cheers, Mabuhay -RayO, aka Opa! Got Grinder? Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| This is wonderful! Thanks for the observations! One of the features Mr. Espresso (Carlo diR) touted highly when selling me my machine was the HEAVY PF. Should we start our own Myth-Buster thread? Happy Roasting (and brewing), robert yoder> Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:52:19 -0700> To: homeroast> From: John> Subject: Re: [Homeroast] Good tools, was tradition offering> > Your comment about better temperature retention made me remember a > line of though and experiment I tried some time ago. It has directly > to do with this assumption that a big brass PF makes for better > temperature retention/stability and consequently better shots. Upon > looking at my naked PF one day, I saw there was this air gap > completely around the basket and the PF. I wondered why in the world > a hot PF would make any difference in the shot. It is effectively > insulated from the basket, and thus the grounds. I tried a series of > shots with a hot, warm, cool and down right cold PF. The result....I > could see no difference what so ever in the shots. Grounds fresh > from the grinder, into a thin metal basket, and hit with hot water > for 30 seconds or so, had no chance to coo l off or in any way be > affected by the PF not directly in contact with them.> > Any one else see this kind of thing?> > Assuming the validity of this test, I wonder what other "myths" are > out there. That a 40 lb tamp absolutely critical has gone the way of > the myth as shown by the 'non-tamp' and the Ridgeline.> > Any others out there?> > At 11:02 8/12/2008, you wrote:> >Congratulations, Les, on the patent pending!> >> >The Ridgeline has made me more careful about dosing. Since I > >started using it, I also began weighing my shots. The combination > >has given me very consistent, repeatable shots.> >> >I agree with Barry that the non-naked PF has more mass and better > >temperature retention, but I've gotten addicted to watching the > >shots form on my naked PF, plus it's so much easier to keep it clean > >vs having to soak the spouts to get all the gunk out.> >> >> >Homeroast mailing list> >Homeroast e.com> >http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20>> > John Nanci> AlChemist at large> Zen Roasting , Hand Grinding, Blending & Espresso pulling by Gestalt>http://www.chocolatealchemy.com/>>Homeroast mailing list> Homeroast>http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.com>Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20Reveal your inner athlete and share it with friends on Windows Live.http://revealyourinnerathlete.windowslive.com?locale=en-us&ocid T_TAGLM_WLYIA_whichathlete_usHomeroast mailing list">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.com>>Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) : > >http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20>> > John Nanci> AlChemist at large> Zen Roasting , Hand Grinding, Blending & Espresso pulling by Gestalt>http://www.chocolatealchemy.com/>>Homeroast mailing list> Homeroast>http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.com>Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20Reveal your inner athlete and share it with friends on Windows Live.http://revealyourinnerathlete.windowslive.com?locale=en-us&ocid T_TAGLM_WLYIA_whichathlete_usHomeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Seems having a PF at group temp prior to the shot is more about group temp stability and PF not drawing heat off group and hence better shot temp stability as caused by the water temp coming from the group. Some groups would be more affected by under temp PF than others, and a heavier PF would affect adversely even more with greater under temp mass. Bearing this in mind with a good massive actively heated group a bottomless lighter less massive PF would logically affect group shot temp the least and hence possibly be the best from a shot temp stability point of view. Kona Konnaisseur miKe mcKoffeehttp://www.mckoffee.com/Ultimately the quest for Koffee Nirvana is a solitary path. To know I must">http://www.mcKonaKoffee.comURL to Rosto mods, FrankenFormer, some recipes etc:http://www.mckoffee.com/Ultimately the quest for Koffee Nirvana is a solitary path. To know I must first not know. And in knowing know I know not. Each Personal enlightenment found exploring the many divergent foot steps of Those who have gone before. Pacific Northwest Gathering VIIhttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/">http://home.comcast.net/~mckona/PNWGVII.htmSweet Maria's List - Searchable Archiveshttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/ <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| You confuse me, Barry. A funnel or a needle or a naked PF are training wheels but the ridgeline is not? Les-- way to go! I need one to match my massive black walnut pawn piece you made for me. I don't care if someone does say they are training wheels-- I want whatever makes it easier to make the best and most enjoyable espresso I can. On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 12:17 PM, Barry Luterman wrote: <Snip> -- -Kevin /* Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. */ Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| No you misunderstand me. The needle and funnel are tools. The PF is a tool only in the sense that it trains one to pull a good shot. It is a tool only in the sense that it is a training tool. On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 6:19 PM, kevin creason wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| I'm a recently new owner of a beautiful Ridgeline in Desert Ironwood Burl. It's a lovely piece, much nicer than my Reg Barber tamper. However, I do have a question for the rest of you Ridgeline owners out there (or Les, for that matter). The design of the tamper is such that the level of the grounds in the portafilter after tamping (for my La Spaziale Vivaldi II) is a bit too high. Not only does it contact the screen screw when locking in the PF, but it contacts the screen, too, destroying the integrity of the top of the puck. So, what I've been doing is an initial tamp with the Ridgeline, and then a final tamp with the Reg to compress the puck further so that it doesn't hit the screen. Has anyone else dealt with this, or is it possibly just a function of my machine's design? -AdkMike |
| Mike, Contact with the screw head is OK, but not the screen. I wonder if LaSpaz has lowered the head a bit. They love to make minor spec changes. If you want to send yours back for a tune up. I can do that. This really isn't the place to be posting this discussion, so lets talk in private. Les On 8/13/08, Michael I wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| That's fine, Les -- I was really just looking to see if anyone else had any similar experiences. There is an alternate screen configuration for the Spaz, one which supposedly increases the head space, and I wondered if any of the listers had tried this (or something else) to beneficial effect, before I tried it myself, or went the "tune-up" route. -AdkMike |
| There is also a thinner distribution disk for the S1; I tried this but as the coffee was not contacting the grouphead with the (?) 17 gram dose I used, I found little difference. I went back to the original thicker distribution disk when I moved to a 14 gram dose following a suggestion about dose sizes for my Macap MXK(R) grinder in the www.home-barista.com Titan Grinder Project thread. If you wish to use these larger doses, I'd definitely try the thinner distribution disk first - IIRC the admin of s1.rimpo.org tried the different configuration of the screens and liked it at first but I don't think he said finally that it was an unmixed blessing. Cheers, Hugh <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Sorry to still be resurrecting old threads. I'm almost done... All I wanted to say, CONGRATS Les on the patent. Good for you! bill in wyo Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |