David C. Schomer is an espresso roasting and preparation specialist and the owner of Seattle's
Espresso Vivace.
"Remember this, any metal surfaces that coffee oils contact during espresso brewing will contribute rancid flavors in the cup if not kept clean. At Vivace, we pop the coffee baskets out of the porta-filters every 40 minutes and scour them quickly with a Scotch-Brite pad."
"Each time we brew an espresso we remove the porta-filter momentarily after the coffee is served and activate the pump briefly. This serves to rinse spent coffee oils out of the group head trapped by the backflush valve when you cutoff the shot."
"We backflush our machines as frequently as possible while working. Using your blind filter installed in the porta-filter to force hot water to flush out the group head. If you are confused by any of this terminology consult your equipment representative."
"We backflush with espresso detergent every four hours of machine operation."
"Remove dispersion screens and scrub group heads and clean gaskets using a gasket brush."
"Soak porta-filters in a solution of espresso detergent (1 table spoon per quart of hot water) to dissolve accumulated coffee oils from interior of spouts."
© 1996 David C. Schomer.
