A dream for adventurous

Actually I was quite happy with the one-cup version of the Moka Express. However, the espresso from the Siebträgermaschine tasted always better to a corner with us in the work. And had I so beloved crema on top. So I tried it with the Brikka. Since then, I no longer liked the coffee from the Siebträgermaschine :-)

First of all: I'm not a coffee-nerd and will never spend hundreds to thousands of euros for expensive espresso machines and grinders, but from a scientific aspect ago the Brikka fascinated me from the beginning. I actually took a few test runs, until I had a feel for how a good coffee. Therefore, I can also understand both the good and the bad reviews of the other reviewers mostly.

Why might someone find on this small machine any favors? It is true that for two cups, it is actually a bit small. Moreover, it is virtually impossible, the crema "brotherly" divide to two cups without destroying the majority of them. So you should be aware that the machine on the best excellent for a cup of espresso / Moka is suitable. Since the concept at the 4-cups machine allegedly not working so great (to me perfectly understandable) is coffee from the Brikka always be a luxury, because if I cool down gently after each small cup of the machine, disassemble, must be cleaned and refilled gross I'm mad at the latest after the fourth cup in a row. Furthermore, it is an accurate feel for the "process parameters", ie quantity of water, coffee quantity, type and degree of grinding of the coffee, etc., necessary to produce an excellent cup. Schlampt you somewhere, you get punished either with undrinkable coffee, GAR no coffee, or a dirty kitchen. So nothing for people, which is too stupid, to abide by the values ​​found out for yourself. Furthermore, I am surprised that after simmering always a small (up to larger) water remains in the lower chamber, into which a few grains of coffee are lost. This brown sauce tends to burn something, therefore the lower chamber after rinsing must also always good to be obliterated, because otherwise the impact on the taste of the next cup. So nothing for plaster lazy. This water residue in the lower chamber incidentally my only gripe, as I simply bring together no consistency here. Most often it is just a small varnish, but sometimes so much that my real coffee only half as large as otherwise fails ...

Now my ritual with which it is possible for me:
1) approx 60ml (instead of the specified 100ml) water in the lower chamber.
2) approx 11g Splendid Classic or Ricco (cheap-but-good-coffee from Italy, has just the right degree of beating) the sieve. Not firmly press, but loose smoothly knock. Fill about 2/3 on the Siebvolumens.
3) screwing, make the already slightly preheated smallest available hotplate.
4) Do not leave the room! :-) Espresso glass provide (possibly pre-heating).
5) after 1-2 minutes: PFFFFFFFFCHHHHHHHH!
6) immediately from the heat, pour peppy look briefly how the fine crema from below to form (the Guinness effect).
7) If you want to disassemble the machine and clean it soon, first hold 10 seconds hot, for 10 seconds under cool water.
8) Enjoy.
9) disassemble, clean, dry.

What can go wrong:
1) to fine coffee => much rest in the lower chamber
2) too little water => No Coffee (pressure is not sufficient to open the valve)
3) too long bitter at the stove => coffee, little to no Crema
4) Too little coffee => little (no) Crema

So who is willing to look for the right coffee (and possibly grind itself) and a bit to play with the parameters, is (ie cost of coffee + depreciation for the coffee) rewarded by a fraction of the price with excellent coffee , The purchase price paid for itself after my Brikka approximately 2 months (when compared with conventional coffee capsules, not to mention expensive espresso coffee machines). For mass production, the small Brikka is however not suitable. But that does not care. :-)