How to develop proper "Peacock" technique

If you find something useful here, good; & if not, too bad. If you want to argue, go find a fence post to argue with (it'll care more about your POV than I will).

It's not easy getting impressive shots from the Europiccola; good yes, impressive no. These are the "secrets" I use.

  • Fresh roasted blend of coffees.
  • Roast large enough quantities (minimum 1 pound) so what I learn on one shot is transferable to subsequent shots.
  • Grind just what I'll use within a half hour.
  • Adjust the grind so it chokes the filter, then gradually get coarser until the resistance on the lever is about the same as pushing a 40 pound cardboard box over the surface of the counter (won't bulk you up but enough that you feel it).
  • Preheat the machine for at least 30 minutes & draw off the 'false' steam.
  • Draw a few blank shots to heat up the brew group.
  • Use an infrared thermometer to measure the external heat at any given point on the brew group (this will be your baseline temp for subsequent pulls).
  • Use a damp tea towel to cool the brew group after every three shots to a temp lower than the baseline.
  • Pull a blank shot, then up to three more shots & repeat #8.
  • If I really want great crema I use the old blender's trick of using a 10% Robusta/90% Arabica combination.

This sounds like a lot but it's easy once you get in the habit of doing it. The keys are coffee, grind, preheat, & control heat. The infrared thermometer is indispensable for maintaining a temp range that works best for you. I don't endorse any particular make or model. I bought mine at Costco simply because of their very liberal return policy.

Here are two links that you might find useful.

BTW, these are basically the same steps I use for any machine, manual or not. It's all about finding a combination that works & staying consistent. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.", and when writing this he intended for emphasis to be placed on the first word.