Thanks for making this video, it is long over due. I have two Bellmans, one for home and one for the boat. I use a little more water than what you have indicated but I can attest, it is the best coffee brewer I have had, I can now make a better coffee than most cafes.
The thing I love about this is it looks like at least, is that no plastic ever comes in contact with any water or coffee ever during any process. Been looking for a coffee machine like this. Even the expensive ones have plastic crap leaching into our coffees / water! And with the latest science that is extremely alarming.
Why do you want to get rid of the 9Barista? I thougth it was the best stove-top coffe maker! Would be glad to hear any experience with the 9barista since I am choosing between it and the bellman.
I have an old Bellman (35+ years old) and was having trouble getting a seal with the tub of the basket. An obvious solution seemed to be replacing the gaskets, so I purchased a new set from Ng & Taylor. Unfortunately and surprisingly, the design of the Bellman and therefore of some of the gaskets has changed over the past 35 years. The lid and valve gaskets work fine, but the basket ring gasket is now thinner (and useless), and the shaft gasket has a different profile and is a bit thinner at its narrower end (it is conical in profile whereas the original version had a convex surface). With the new shaft gasket I had to crank the knob so tightly that it bowed the strainer in the lid. It occurred to me that if I could put a washer under the shaft gasket, between it and the flange that supports it, a better seal could be obtained. Critical was identifying a washer whose ID is very close to that of the shaft and whose OD was small enough that the basket's tube can slip over it. Turns out a stainless steel M10 flat washer (10 mm ID, 20 mm OD) does the trick. I'm sharing this in case any other Bellman user has a similar problem. Although I've figured out how to make a good strong Aeropress coffee, it is still no match for the Bellman's brew. Also, thanks for this tutorial. It taught me how to use our Bellman when I pulled it out of the basement a year and a half ago.
You're a legend Scott!! Thank you so much for this detail. Yes, there has been many a discussion whether the shaft gasket was working as intended. I imagine with a better seal your obtaining a better pressure profile once opening the tap up to brew?
Heeey Kristen! I remember ✌️ How are you? Sounds like you're gearing up for some back-country coffee - yeah the Bellman is so good - especially for an all-in-one Espresso&Latte. Alternatively - the Wacaco Picopresso also is a good deal - better espresso - but you'd still wanna get the Bellman 50SS Steamer for frothing milk.
Just received my 25p that my mum ordered for a wedding gift. I look forward to waking up out hiking or sailing and making an awesome coffee! Thanks AB!
I need to get one for hubbys Birthday he loves his coffee and i think it will be great as a gift! We live in Australia! Please let me know where to get it!
I have an issue where even if I put enough water, right up to the 6 mark, I raise pressure to 2 bar, open the tap and within only a shot it is sputtering with steam. Do you have any suggestions why I am lacking water output? I am not even tamping the coffee grind down, and I am using a filter.
Omg thank you so much I’ve been looking everywhere for instructions for this! So… I found an old Benjamin & Medwin version of this product, the only difference is no pressure gauge. Is there a way I can kind of tell when the pressure is at a good place for espresso? (And not explode the unit, you know)
You are so welcome! Yes, use the steam tap - slightly open to gauge when the pressure has built up. When the steam is coming out consistently and with alot of pressure - you've reach a good point to turn the steam closed - lower heat slightly - wait 10 seconds and begin brewing 👌
Still refining my technique on this machine after purchasing it last December. I have another machine at home so this has had little use, maybe four or five uses max. The last two uses I noticed that there is condensation appearing inside the pressure valve. Is this a problem? I have been pretty careful cleaning it, it has never been submerged just rinsed out. Overall very happy with it. My Bellman is about to see a lot more use as my other machine has reached the end of a very long life.
Super helpful video. This video helped me decide to buy one a couple months ago and I love it! Took some practice but now am getting great espresso and milk from this bad boy. I think I may have my espresso a little too fine because I always have brown water in the base at the end no matter what. I have been pulling my espresso at 1 bar because any higher and it seems to start spraying steam sooner than normal. I steam milk around 3 or 3.5 bars. Any thoughts or suggestions on that? One other question I have is why medium heat? Your video and the instruction booklet both suggest medium heat. I already preheat my water but just looking to cut some more time off the initial pressure build. Thanks!
hi James! wrapped you're enjoying the Bellman. what you've described sounds perfect! The brown water at the bottom is just the little bit if brewed water that didn't end up in the cup under pressure and fell back down to the bottom after the unit cooled down. Completely normal and won't effect the performance of the machine. Medium heat is just the average best heat - it's more of a semantical precaution than the perfect heat to use for all brewing with the Bellman :) Preheated water is always best to use so you can bring it up to temp sooner, otherwise you're waiting 20mins before it lifts off 0bar.
thanks for the helpful Bellman tutorial. I see you are using the "little guy" induction burner. Did that thing ever make it to market? Other than being stainless, looked like a very expensive knock of the atomic. Comments?
Yes I did, and we were selling them - but they have since stopped production. They worked great for a few shots, but got very hot and hard to make any more after that quickly
Hi, hoping you can help as I have not had a lot of luck with Bellman's customer support. I have had my bellman espresso maker for 6 days. I have made one latte on each day. For every brew I have used water level 3. The first two brews I used coffee level 9 and a paper filter. After letting the Bellman cool and opening the wand and also espresso spout to release remaining pressure, when I unscrewed the top dial that holds the "lid" on, liquid coffee poured down the sides. I tried next with 6 amount of coffee and no filter and the spacer on top of the coffee grounds. This time there was no leaking when I opened the top up however the area above the spacer was full of liquid which drained after I took the top off. Which to me seems to indicate some kind of vacuum being the cause. Then yesterday I used 3 water and 6 coffee with the spacer and when I opened it up, it did not leak but there was water again above the spacer. However this time something else happened, the spacer itself was bent. Every time I brew I follow instructions I found in a video. At 1/2 bar pressure I crack the dial just a tiny bit and hear a hiss and leave it cracked that teeny bit. Then when the pressure is around 1.5 I start to see a drop form and I open it up more. I adjust the heat so that the pressure stays between 1.5-2 while extracting. I increase the heat and let the pressure rise a bit and in the high 2's I start steaming the milk. By the time I finish its usually close to 1 even with the heat turned on but that's enough pressure to make really nice milk. Okay sorry for how long that background info is...My questions for you are do you have any idea what is causing the liquid build up that does not drain until I open the top? And also about the spacer...first is the spacer supposed to be below or above the coffee grounds (I've been putting it above) and second have you ever heard of the spacer disc warping? I bent it back now but I am nervous to continue using this pressurized device because it seems like a defect. Bellman told me that the reason the liquid is pouring over the edges is probably because of coffee grounds and I should clean it better but this problem has existed from the very first brew so that seems incorrect. I have not heard back from them about the bent/warped spacer disc yet.
btw for anyone finding this comment I want to say that even the first brew - which I did poorly spraying coffee everywhere because I didn't have the finesse yet for the extractor spout - was sooooo good! It tasted like a latte from my favourite place. In my googling I haven't found anyone else with the issues I've had so I don't think you need to be worried about the same problems.
I appreciate the info in fact - helps get a lot of the back and forward questions out of the way 😅 It sounds like - the grind you are using is very fine. And yes, you'd be correct in saying there's some pressure issues - I believe it is resulting from the grind size. Ideally, a fine grind is great - as it will make a slow rich espresso pour - albeit - if it's too fine, and what sounds like the case, the water/brewed coffee that gets brought up in to the top chamber - and is not being served - is getting stuck in limbo up in the top chamber, and can not filter back down through the fine grind after brewing - and with the puck of grounds already fully saturated > What would happen with a slightly coarser grind - is the extra water/brewed coffee would fall back down into bottom half of the Bellman and present no mess when opening up the lid. I, myself have done this, even opening up the Lid, whilst there's still the slightest amount of pressure still in the bellman, with tap and steam wand open - thinking everything will be okay - to have an espresso explosion that casts a 360º spray out everywhere - that was a BIG MESS and I likely won't do that again! I am surprised to hear it happening - even with the lid and steam tap open - which though, has lead me to believe it is the grind size that is catalyst for pressure to remain in the top chamber there. I could suggest leaving the Bellman for upwards of 10-15 mins after brewing, with taps open - and this may provide ample time for the pressure to release and water to fall back down - rather than change the grind size - considering all else being great - or otherwise, making a small grind size adjustment to something a little coarser may assist in the pressure/water backdraw after brewing. If there's anything I can help with, let me know 👍
@@AlternativeBrewing oh my goodness thank you so much for this detailed reply and also how quickly you've replied! I am using the Haro mini slim ceramic manual grinder and I set the grind to 5 clicks. I am new to making coffee at home so I found that 5 clicks on a video for the Haro saying that's for espresso. Are you familiar with this grinder? I'm wondering if you are what setting you would recommend? I have left the machine for more than an hour until it was cold to the touch but still saw water in the chamber so I am thinking your idea of the grind being too fine is probably the problem. It makes sense why the water would not be able to drain. I will give it a try tomorrow with a bigger grind! Oh also, is putting the spacer on top of the coffee grounds correct? That is what it seems like you do in your videos but I couldn't find anything official, the manual just says to use the spacer but doesn't say above or below the grounds.
You're welcome 😀 Setting of 5 sounds pretty fine. try 6 or even 7 and see how that goes for taste as well. Placing the spacer above the grinds makes more sense to me - as it adds the additional metal filter from the space to the top of the grounds - however - in doing this - as you've mentioned - at higher pressures - there is the capacity for the spacer to warp - which is not a concern in terms of safety - and it is easily bent back to shape - in using it under the grounds - you wont have this issue 👍 @@abbeyjackson4362
Hi there! Just started looking into how I can make good coffee at work using an electric induction stovetop portable. Rather than a moka pot the bellman looks great as it can do milk at the same time! Can you please share where or what induction top your using? As I can see that many mention the bellman doesn't work with all induction tops. Specifically the listing says it has to be stainless steel 340 compatible.
@@AlternativeBrewing would you kindly share the model name or a link? I was tempted to get the bellman off your website for work brewing. But I'm worried and trying to find a portable induction that works with it and doesn't take too much room if bringing it to work. Not sure if you had a portable grinder you'd recommend that's suitably small for work use and storing away but decent enough to grind out a good bellman espresso? Not sure if manual or a rechargeable would be better suited ?
Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but I always get an angry hiss of steam rather than a nice smooth trickle of coffee. Could the coffee being too coarse lead to that?
This was so helpful! Thanks for taking the time! I found a Benjamin & Medwin espresso maker in a thrift store but this model doesn’t have a pressure gauge.. any tips on how to judge the pressure, aside from just listening? Also, wondering how long it typically takes before the espresso is ready to flow from your Bellman? 🙂
Glad it was helpful! The best tip would be to open up the steam tap. If it's quite rapid and constant - than it's comfortably above 1 - 1.2. If is isn't quite as strong - leave it on for a little longer. I like to open up the tap a little - let only a couple of drops of espresso out and then close it up again for 10 seconds - then open it back up to get a nice steady flow out. In terms of time until ready - don't let it get too high in pressure or else you'll only have steam coming out.
Thank you for the video! I so have a question. Do you add new clean water to steam after making the espresso? You have to wait again for the (new) water to heat up right?
hmmm... great question .. and one you'd have to trial and error. We're all aware that you get a little bit of coffee in the bottom of the Bellman after brewing with it .. and with this pretyt much unavoidable .. if you're okay with using a that water - I can't see why after already heating up the water , you couldn't just pour it in to a cup than add the espresso's 👌 beats heating water up all over again 😀
So if making one cup of espresso then you must fill the pot with enough water to steam would that be correct or just fill the pot enough with the water for steam as well.Also is there a Tamper you can buy as a extra for this machine at all.
fill it to the 3 or 6 mark - and you'll always have water to steam with no matter what - as the brewing happens through a straw that reaches down into the reservoir only so far - .. once the water has gone under the straw - you no longer can remove water - and the accidentally dry boil the Bellman.
I have a Bellman Espresso CX-25 with pressure gauge. Unfortunately, I have used coffee grinds that are too fine, resulting in the wand becoming blocked up as loose fine grinds have been sucked into it where normally steam and milk only comes out. Any suggestions on how to fix this issue, as I cannot use it while the wand steamer is blocked.
you should be able to loosen them up with some hot water, perhaps submerge that whole side (not where the gauge is) in some hot water. Coffee is very good at be dispelled by hot water and you should also be able to remove the steam tip to flush it out this way. Good luck! let me know how you go
Thanks for information. Great video. Just bot a bellman and used once. Fun machine but poor first attempt. Very weak. Did I get it right that you put in enough coffee for 9 shots and only made 3 ?? Thanks.
Yeah that's correct. Espresso generally uses double the ground coffee to liquid yield. So if a Double Espresso is 40ml, you need at least 20g of coffee in the basket to get a good reasonable strength and viscosity. Brewing 3 coffee and you'd need minimum 40g in but I go and fit as much as possible. Brewing 9 cups of coffee on the Bellman is possible but each of the 40ml Shots is only half strength and you'd want to add at least 80ml of liquid espresso to each cup to make up for loss of strength
Alternative Brewing Wow. Thanks for quick response! I thought maybe I would hear in a week. I will double up the coffee grounds tomorrow. I don’t really measure but will experiment. Thanks again.
Hi Josh. I have a Bellman and use it daily - until last week where I accidentally put it back on the heat empty (no water). I only realised when i saw the white smoke coming up from underneath! So I must have heat buckled the base. Now when I put it on the stove top, steam escapes from underneath at the bolt, and it won't reach 1 bar of pressure. Do you have any advice? Is it ruined forever? Can I seal it somehow? Thanks for your show.
HI Chris, you'll have melted the silicone seal at the base .. that holds the stem in place with no leaks. Please email in at orders@alternativebrewing.com.au and our team can help you out with a new seal to get it back to working order 😀
Hey there, thanks for the video. I have a Bellman without the pressure valve. Any suggestions on how to use the bellman without the valve for the best possible outcome?
consistent outcomes - I would always use a fine grind - espresso grind - use as much coffee in it as you can - pre-boil the water - then have it on a low-medium heat. Keep the Steam Tap slightly open to hear the pressure slowly building up - close it for 30 seconds - than open the brew tap up ever so slightly until drips start coming out - close it again - wait 10 -15 seconds than open it up again slowly until you get a steady stream... close it up if it pours out to fast - if it steams out - lower heat - close brew tap - open steam tap to remove excess pressure - and repeat. 👍
This is the Divider - when brewing with less coffee. My thoughts - always use at least 50%-100% of the basket for a good rich brew. In that case, you won;t need this - but it does help for tamping if you don't have the Bellman Tamper.
Would the strength of the coffee be around the same as moka (or slightly stronger)? The pressure isn't going up to 9 bars so it'd technically be weaker than espresso. Would this be correct? Cheers and thanks for the video!
that's correct, lightly weaker than espresso due to usually brewing slightly higher than a 1-2 brew ratio, the thing I loved most about the espresso from this unit is the texture of the coffee, it's closer to that really thick creamy texture you have in espresso bc you're brewing around 2bars
After drinking moka pot coffee for the last 4 months, I finally got a 2-cup Bialetti Brikka last week, and even getting just that 1-ish extra bar over a standard moka pot has made all the difference! It doesn't make as much crema as a real 9 bar espresso would, but it smells more like a real espresso, has a mouthfeel more like real espresso (seriously, it stays on the back of your tongue long after you've taken a sip--i love my mokas, but they don't do that!), a more complex flavor overall, and it even has "legs" like a real espresso or a full bodied red wine (as in, swishing it around and it "sticking" to the sides of the cup). It's still not as "thick" of a texture as a real espresso, but it's definitely a substantial step closer in that department as well. Reason I bring all this up is, I think the 2-3 bar zone is really crucial, more than I thought even a week ago! You really get a lot closer. The Bellman seems to brew at an even higher pressure than the Brikka (and the crema looks better on this video too--though I don't know what kind of coffee he's using, whether it has Robusta in it or not, etc.), so it's definitely going to check all those boxes I mentioned, and then some :)
@@rblossey I also use the Brikka daily, pressure if about the same as this machine. The crema really depends a lot on the freshness of the beans. I agree though, the taste is richer than regular Bialetti Moka models which i've also used
Very interesting machine! What happens if you don't use the paper filters? Is it no similar to a bialetti without them? Or would the quality of the coffee decrease? TX!
Not at all - the paper filters do create a cleaner espresso but it doesn't change the consistency of the coffee at all. You can brew very viscous coffee using the method in the video- but it does require some attention to detail, like any manual espresso brewing- or without too much attention, you can easily brew a large batch of Moka Pot coffee, and still add steamed milk to that for just as good a coffee as any 👍
I recently picked up a similar device called an Elebak, the markings inside are 6, 9, and 12. I was wondering if I should use similar ratios or if the different sized device will change that? It doesn’t have a reducer either, so is my only option 12?
no - it's more than likely similar results. The more coffee and less water you use - will get as close as possible to similar results as you'll find in an real espresso machine for strength and flavour.
After the coffee has been extracted what is the ideal pressure to start milk frothing? In the video it looks like you purge at 1.5-2 bars. But then when you start frothing it looks like the needle is back up around 3 bars? Did you reheat before starting milk? My first milk froth ran out of pressure with the milk only heating to 45 degrees, starting it at 2 bars.
So you have the choice of keeping it on the heat at a steady 2 bars of pressure. You'd need a medium heat to achieve this whilst also in the process of streaming - but this will get you the best results as the pressure won't drop and you get consistent heat - or you can bring the pressure steadily up to 3 - 4bars of pressure - remove it from the heat and it should comfortably steam a 600ml jug of milk to around 60ºc and good texture - but tbh I prefer the 1st method. 👍
I recently bought on and it is great but experimenting to find the right ratio for water etc. Did you have to refill it up with water before you used the steamer for the milk? or can you steam without water inside?
the brew spout that reaches down in to the unit for brewing water does not remove all the water - so it is designed to always have water in there after brewing your espresso 👌
Does anyone know if I can use this exclusively as a steamer? There is a used one for a good price that I’m looking to exclusively steam milk with for a flair espresso maker.
Yes, use the steam wand slightly open whilst heating the water to gauge the temp... when steam starts to build up, close the tap, give it 30secs on low to medium heat and begin brewing than 👍
So in order to brew espresso and steam milk after, you'd have to let it cool, open it, put water in, let it heat and then use the steam wand? Or can you add more water than you need for coffee and then steam as soon as you're done brewing?
Thank you for this video. I have tried the method using water level just under three and 50 grams of fine ground coffee to try and achieve the recommended espresso, but I am finding I can only get about 90-100 milliliters (and no where near the 150 ml he mentions in the video). Am I doing something wrong?
Having another go at this 3 years after purchasing and still can’t get it right… I followed this video step by step and all I got was steam out of the coffee spout???
They're very similar in brewing really. The Atomic may have some advantages to having an external portafilter here where the Bellman it's all internal. Having the grounds warm up is not an issue - you'd place hot water in the bottom of the bellman first and this speeds up the time it takes to begin building pressure. -
@@AlternativeBrewing Thank you. Are they both around the same pressure? Isn't two to four bars barely half what normal espresso machines use for shots?
Yes, I would leave the steam tap open a little whilst it's on the heat building pressure, this is the best way to know when theres enough pressure inside for brewing without beginning or interrupting the brewing process. When there is some pressure leaving the steam wand, than it's ready to close off - give it a few moments (15 - 30 secs) to build than brew away! 👌
first thing is - these units should not used at a continuous high pressures nor taken over the pressure set by the pressure limiting valve. (variable depending on you're altitude.) I've brewed at 4bars and brewed under 1bar.. the higher the pressure = more erratic and less control you have, the less you need to open the tap and the more chance it's just going to steam out.. you'd have to properly grind fro espresso and tamp nice and hard to compete with the higher pressures.. And you'll be surprised how volatile the unit reacts with the jump from 1bar to 1.5bar or even 2bar. It's not dangerous at these pressure but it is equally much harder to control and maintain. Above 2.5bar and it usually run away from you. What you don't want is an increasing pressure build up whilst brewing; rather a pressure that holds to result in an even flow that you can manage by intermittently slowly opening and closing the tap. So the higher pressure for me I believe results in a much higher concentration of the final beverage that has a texture and strength that closely resembles that of espresso coffee brewed at 9bars of pressure. ~ there are so many elements and controls to an espresso machine that make it work so well, whereas the bellman is quite rudimentary in it's espresso brewing. Hope this helps
my only question is that can the unit brew and steam simultaneously , i am asking this because it seems you got all the water you put into chamber as brewed coffee, then is there enough water left for steam ?! or we should cool down the unit , open it and then add water for steaming ?!
you can steam and brew at the same time but wouldn't as you'd loose too much pressure at once. But you do not need to refill the boiler with water after brewing as it cannot siphon out all the water as the funnel that access the water for brewed coffee only goes so far into the bottom, leaving plenty of water for steam
I'm only getting about 70-80ml of brewed coffee even when using a full basket and 9 cups of water. The first 30 ml is relatively smooth, the next 50 or so is quite spluttery. I've been starting the pour at around 2 bar of pressure. Experimented with a grind slightly coarser than espresso, a medium fine grind and a courser grind (probably still a little finer than Moka pot). Any hints or tricks? I'm doing something wrong
Everything sounds good - once you begin brewing the espresso - look to lower the heat so it does not continue to rise whilst you're brewing. Then only slightly open the tap each time to brew the espresso's. If you'r ebrewing more than two or three - it is advised to brew it all out in to a large container - mixing it all together before separating in to other cups so the espresso are the same strength in each coffee.
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks you good tip! I'll give that a go. I am using a ceramic stovetop too rather than gas, so I imagine it may take a bit longer to register the change in temp. Funny enough I've made a couple more using the 6 cup adapter and only filling water to the 3 cup line. I got a similar amount and it was a little smoother. Back to the lab!
Hi, I got my machine the other day but the brew has been very watery. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong here, at the end I find a lot of coffee in the remaining water. Can someone guide to using it bettee?
another great video here 👉 scontent.fbne4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t15.5256-10/p370x247/95205696_938824399869390_3623765389122469888_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=ad6a45&_nc_ohc=cdZv9CWoBeEAX-WFFV9&_nc_ht=scontent.fbne4-1.fna&oh=a350fee1d5641bddd44d60aa8a3c33fd&oe=5F0344EF
Thanks for the detailed instructions and coffee to water ratios. I just purchased some filters and the rubber seals at your store. Perhaps is there and indicator or approximate time for when this must be replaced, saying that we use it daily?, -Thanks for you time and looking forward to know the answer.
Appreciate the kind words Luis! With everyday use, so long as it's not exposed to high temps/pressure to extended periods of time.. (ie: left on the stove to dry out) .. Annually would be sufficient.
Hi all coffee legends, I got it today...and one thing is confusing me before start to use.I want to make sure for safety and use correctly. Once all top knob really tight sealed,Coffee valve and steam valve both are close or only steam valve close ? I've watched some others videos demonstration.They let coffee valve tiny opened ,steam valve tight closed til coffee dripped out a bit and closed coffee valve for few seconds and reopened for stronger brew came out. So which way is correct
Yes, correct - I would say steam valve closed - but if you get too much pressure - use the steam valve to release unwanted pressure. Don't try brew over 2 bars. You can leave the brew tap open a little but I've found keeping it closed and having it on a steady 🔥 = steady controllable pressure rise ... then when at around 1 - 1.5 bars open the tap ever so slightly - you'll hear the pressure release - you'll see drips coming out of the tap - close it for no more than ten seconds then re-open it very very slowly to get a nice steady stream of espresso.
If it were on a grate - sitting on hot coals possibly. I feel the ability to manage the heat source would be a problem here though - you don't want the Bellman to have excess pressure over 3 bars.. taking it of the coals hot will present an issue and yes being careful of the radiant heat on the baker-light brewing handles and steam tap knob - they will melt if things get too hot.
Yes 100% So long as you mix the milk in to the espresso and create a good homogenous base, then the latte art will be no different. Crema does help - but more than this - having a nice strong and concentrated espresso will provide the contrast for latte art 👍
without the pressure gauge, I would leave the tap open whilst it heats up, also leave the steam tap open. What you don't want to happen is it reach a dangerous pressure point.. so when the coffee begins dripping out of the tap, close it off, tighten but do not close of the steam tap altogether, and then when steam is coming out of the steam tap quite nicely, then close it off - wait 30secs then open the brew tap to begin brewing coffee at a reasonable pressure.
Thanks for this awesome video! I've got some troubles using my Bellman CX-25p: I tried various settings (coarse/fine grind, low/high heat, different amounts of water) but I never got a steady stream of espresso, only steamy sputtering or sparse drip... Any suggestions to overcome this problem?
I would stick to fine grind, full basket - nothing over 1-1.5bars slow to medium heat building up.... key here is to only slightly open the tap. Opening it ever so slightly, if it begins to sputter, decrease the heat, close the tap and than open in again very slowly. Here's a link to a Facebook video of a customer of our that explains the brewing in realtime as well. facebook.com/429263593910064/videos/938823656536131
These tips do the trick! I guess I opened the coffee valve far too fast every time as the instructions came with the CX-25p advise to open the valve 180° at once... - My mornings are saved! ☕ Greetings from Germany!
@@awogbob so under the right conditions, that is brewing it close enough to espresso parameters - I would say it's a 6.5/10. 10 being actual espresso from an espresso machine. Moka Pot in this instance would be a 4.5-5/10. It's better than Moka Pot but not as good as something like the Flair, Robot or Nanopresso
Thanks for the very helpful vid. I'm running into issues with the steaming process though. I've been able to produce great results when steaming the milk only, with no coffee inside; and I think I've been able to produce good coffee extraction following these guidelines - but not both together. After I release all the coffee, when it comes to steaming, it is out of control. It screams out of control and usually burns the milk without producing any usuable steamed milk. I've tried steaming more or less straight after the coffee process and I've also tried heating the water back up until it reaches 4 bars with the valve going off. Any suggestions?
Purging the wand is a must. Condensation builds up in the wand and you need to get rid of it and aim for the driest steam possible. Try turning the steam tap on very slowly to release that first large burst of air that comes out and gradually open it to begin swirling the milk. Everything else you're doing sounds ideal 👌
Great video. I have had variable results with the Bellman cx 25p. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. I fill the basket with around 50grams of coffee, followed filling boiling water upto the 3 cup mark inside the boiler. Then I extract the coffee at 1.5 bar and the result is initially water that pours out for 10 seconds followed by yellow brown water. That's it. The strange thing is that I have done this exact process before and I have extracted better results. I have even tried the same coffee and water ratio but 2 bars of pressure. I never receive espresso coffee with crema. What am I doing wrong?
Hey David, thanks for the kind words. I would say the inconsistencies come with the heat applied to the Bellman, the rate of rise in the water temperature and the ambient air temperature. All this can turn hot water under pressure in to steam quite quickly! This is why, occasionally I'll have the steam tap open a little way now and this just helps lick off some steam from the brewing side and also helps not build up the pressure too quick in the pot. Always on a low-medium heat to control the rate of pressure building up.
We cut filters from Melita 6 cupfilters and cut an x in the center to slip it over the the center bolt....prevents coffee bits from plugging the coffee valve and gets an uneven flow. I put a thin rubber washer on the center bolt between the paper filter and the lid to close the gap between the center bolt and the basket tube...that's how the water goes from the tank through the basket tube straight through to SS filter to the coffee valve and bypass all the coffee. If you tamp too hard the coffee becomes like a hard plug and forces the water through the basket tube even worse. Close the coffee valve and open the steam wand....after you get a nice amount of steam close the steam wand and wait 30 seconds Open the coffee valve and when the coffee comes out foamy , tilt the unit so the coffee valve faces up and let's the air out of the the lid. When the coffee comes out without bubbles put the unit back on the stove and finish. We get 4 oz of strong coffee out of 5 teaspoons of coffee on top of the basket insert in the I cup setting Ethiopian abysssinian mocha is outstanding
How did you know when to remove the steam wand from the milk? Also is the pressure gauge version of the Bellman more helpful for steaming milk than the 50SS?
Two things you're aiming for when steaming milk. Texture to the milk (increased volume) and the right temperature (just too hot to touch) .. so stop when you have both or one is getting out of control 😂 The pressure gauge helps with knowing when to begin steaming 100%. You are wanting to get at least 2bars of pressure before you begin steaming - but with the 50SS I imagine with regular use, you get good at timing and getting a feel for the pressure when you open the gauge to check if the pressure is there.
Just got my Bellman, but it does not have a pressure meter. How long would you leave it on the stove before you open the coffee valve? As in how many minutes would it take to create the ideal pressure for the espressos you made in this video?
without the pressure gauge, I would leave the tap open whilst it heats up, also leave the steam tap open. What you don't want to happen is it reach a dangerous pressure point.. so when the coffee begins dripping out of the tap, close it off, tighten but do not close of the steam tap altogether, and then when steam is coming out of the steam tap quite nicely, then close it off - wait 30secs then open the brew tap to begin brewing coffee at a reasonable pressure.
The texture and viscosity of the espresso is surprisingly thick though and with some work you can get a good crema on it - what constitutes an 'espresso'?
@@AlternativeBrewing bro, I belong to an exclusive club many do not know even exist (I can't possibly be the only member?!): *The Red Tub Club🏮* I can make year old Folgers ground coffee taste as sweet n creamy and with the headiest of crema as any fancy pants, hoity toity coffee shop 'spresso out there. And this is with that funky little aeropress..at altitudes above 9,000ft! As with life; Practice makes perfect.
