PROCEDURE: The Espresso PROCEDURE # : FB09

Machine
DEPARTMENT : Food and PROCEDURE CREATED: 29th June 2015
Beverage
STAKEHOLDERS : Food & PROCEDURE MODIFIED: 3RD Jan 2017
Beverage
GM : Clyde King GM SIGNATURE:

Purpose & Responsibility:

To ensure that the team knows the different parts of the espresso machine
and their functions to enable to make quality coffee.

Procedure:
The Espresso Machine

1. Parts and Functions

a) Espresso machine group or group head this part is where you
insert the port in preparing to extract espresso. The group showers pressurized hot
water through the diffusion plate over the head and freshly ground espresso.
b) Portafilter - the portafilter is the device you grind coffee into and then
place in the group to brew coffee. The name is easy to remember as long as
you think of it as a portable filter (porta-filter) Also known as a filter handle, and
that thingy you put the coffee into.
c) Portafilter Basket - the portafilter basket is the filter screen located in
the portafilter. These come in both double and single sizes, and are held in place by
a spring
 d) Gasket Group - The group gasket is a large rubber o - ring that seals the
portafilter to the group. It is inserted into a groove machined into the group. Usually
if the portafilter is leaking this is the part you need to replace.
e) Group Screen is located in the group and sometimes refer to as a
dispersion screen shower screen or simply shower. It is considered best practice to
replace the Portafilter Basket, Group Gasket and Group Screen on a quarterly basis
or every three months or so.
f) Steam Wand - the steam wand is the part of the machine that you steam
milk with. The steam wand is also known as a steam pipe. The steam wand is
activated by the steam valve and steam valve knob or lever.
g) Steam Tip - The steam tip is located on the end of the steam wand. This is
the part that disperses the steam from the wand into a splayed pattern allowing you
to steam milk.
h) Hot Water Tap - Some call this the Americano wand or tap. It is simply a
hot water tap. Call it what you will, this is where you dispense hot water.
i) Group Dosing Keypad - Dosing keypads are found on automatic and
super automatic espresso machines. These are the buttons that you depress to
activate the group head on the machine. The keypads show a legend of various
dispense times and quantities as well as programming and continuous flow.
j) Group Dispense Switch - The dispense switch acts much the same as
the dosing key pads, but is usually a simple on off switch located over the top of the
group it actuates. Some automatic function machines also include a dispense button
as an additional means of group operation.

k) Power Switch - The power switch on most espresso equipment is located

on the backsplash of the machine. It is often indicated by a faceplate showing the
numbers 1-0-2. The general position for full operation is the number 2 position.
l) Pressure gauge - The pressure gauge is located on the front of the
machine. It usually has two needles indicating both boiler pressure and pump
operating pressure. This is an import part to be aware of as it monitors the health of
your machine as well as the parameters of your coffee brewing temps and
pressures.
m) Sight Glass - Most machines have a site glass. This part is located on the
front of the machine and its purpose is to indicate the boilers water level. The site
glass is typically a glass tube with water in it. It is marked with Maximum and
Minimum markings.
n) Top of Machine - The vented top of the espresso machine was designed to
keep ceramic cups warm prior to serving.
o) Drain Grate or Trough - Used with drip pan and drain, area where liquid
drain.

2. Start- up procedure for espresso machine

a) Lock the filter holders on and turn the machine on. It will take 15-20minutes
to warm up.
b) Run water through the filter holders for 1minute to warm them up.
c) Place coffee from the previous day into the grinders dosage chamber.( This
saves the cost of using fresh coffee to warm up the machine )
d) Make at least 3 espressos using cold grounds to season the group heads
and filter holders.
e) Empty the dosage chamber of old coffee grounds.
f) Fill the hopper with sufficient beans for 2-3 hours.
 g) Grind fresh coffee and make sure that the dosage chambers are covered
with coffee
h) Make a fresh espresso. Check the quality by taste, smell and colour of the
crema. Make any necessary adjustments.
i) Flush the steam wands for 10seconds to remove any condensation. You are
ready to serve the coffee.

3. Pre-service check
a) Always start with fresh cold milk
b) Check the use- by- date on unopened milk
c) If the milk has been opened smell and taste milk to ensure of
freshness
d) Store milk in a fridge temperature range 0-4 degrees
e) Pour the required amount of milk into the jug and return the open
packet to the fridge
f) Check the steam wand is clean and the hole in the steamer nozzle are
not blocked
g) Position the nozzle over the drip tray of the coffee machine and gently
turn on the steamer tap. Some water is released from the nozzle before the steam
appears. This water is condensed steam, and if you do not expel it before texturing
the milk it will dilute the milk.
h) Turn the steam tap on until the steam pressure does not increase any
further. Observe the steam jet to ensure that an even pattern of steam is being
produced from the holes
i) If everything is ok, turn off the steamer tap.

4. Espresso machine points of care

a) Always use warm and dry cups, stacked on the cup warmer only 2
cups high
b) Keeping used coffee in the filter baskets prevents the espresso from
tasting metallic and will keep the baskets warm so you do not serve cold coffee
c) Constantly clean the cup holder, steam and water wands in order to
avoid the forming of scale and bacteria.
d) Hit the filter holder ( group handle ) on a plastic or wooden support to
dispense with the cake( spent coffee grounds) do not bang it too hard as this could
damage it. If the filter holder is damaged you will get water leakage from the edge
of the group head.

5. The perfect espresso pour

a) Check there is enough fresh, ground coffee for order. Use warm cups.
b) Remove old grounds into the knockout tube
c) Dry and clean the filter basket with a cloth or brush.
d) Dose the coffee: 1 flick for a single shot
2 flick for double shot
e) Level the coffee
f) Tamp with adequate pressure
 g) Brush any loose coffee off the rim of the basket. Tamp again and
brush.
h) Rinse group head
I) Brew the coffee. For espresso: use 7g of coffee per shot to produce 25-
30ml in 25-30s
For ristretto: use 7g of coffee per shot to produce
15ml in 15-20s
For doppio: use 14g of coffee to produce 25-30ml
in 15-20s.

6. Espresso extraction faults

7. Cleaning and Flushing Procedure

a) Clean steam wands with a clean, wet cloth. Do no use scourers or knives!
b) Remove filter baskets from filter holders. Soak baskets and filter holders in
water for 10-15mins.
Scrub with soft scourer
 C) Place blind filter in a filter holder
d) Clean the heads with running water, insert filter holder and gently clean the
filter holder until the water runs clean. Complete forward flush procedure.
Be careful not to get burn by the hot water
e) Backflush with or without chemicals
f) Replace baskets in the filter holders
g) Wash drip tray and wipe down any splashes on the machine and wipe cup
tray
Normal Back Flushing:
Lock filter holder on
Activate group for 10s then turn off. Repeat twice.
Remove filter holder and tip out the residue
Repeat the procedure 3 times
Back flush with chemicals:
Do this for every 6kg of coffee used
Put teaspoon of cleaner into the blind filter and back flush as
normal
Make sure to back flush with water afterwards to avoid chemical
residue
Forward Flushing:
Remove the filter basket and replace with blind filter
Hold the end with a cloth to prevent burns
Insert the filter holder but do not lock on
Gently jiggle the filter holder up and down until the water runs clean
This should be done several times a day to remove any loose coffee
grounds from the inside of the group head

Coffee Grinder
 1. Taper to ensure correct extraction pack down the ground coffee in the filter
basket using both hands with about 20kg of pressure to produce a flat, uniform
surface.
2. Dosage chamber collects the ground coffee. A lever connected to the feed
system dispenses a regular single cup measure of coffee. The amount of ground
coffee released per pull is 7g.
3. Hopper put the quantity of whole bean coffee in to the hopper that is necessary
for 2-3 hours
4. Blades they can be flat or conical. The grinding size of coffee depends on the
distance of the blades from each other. .Check the condition every 3 months

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