i have had a bellman for about 2 years and i purchased it from alternative brewing i use it when camping and makes amazing coffee for its size i dont think there is another machine like it other than an original ( Atomic ) with patience and milage you can make coffee like a full sized machine and i have to say that the steamer wand is outstanding almost better than my Breville barista pro!
I have one of these and it's great. You can easily make Cafe Quality coffee after a bit for practice. I find using a very fine grind like you would for a commercial espresso machine makes the best espresso and cremer
Thank you for the video. I bought mine, (without the pressure gage) in 1997 and it's still in great shape. I will try your suggestion and compare a low pressure draw to my usual high one.
Very well explained video. I bought one early this year, took some time to get used it, especially the water/coffee powder ratio, now we can make tasty coffee with it and we always take our bellman when we go camping or boating
Super helpful tutorial. Purchased the Bellman CX25P and the 1ZPresso k-plus grinder through Alternative Brewing in preparation for travelling. Still trying to perfect the combo, so this video has really helped, thank you
Hi! Thanks for the video, and your answers to all of the comments that gave even more info. I have a couple of questions: 1) If I'm only steaming milk, what is the max water I have to put in? Also, since I'm using our "precious" RO water in it, can I leave the water in the bottom for the next day's brewing? 2) If I'm only pulling espresso shots for lattes, what is the advantage (if any) to using more water in the unit, which seems to increase time to come to pressure? Can I use water to the 3 mark, and have enough water for 4 shots and some steamed milk? 3) I've searched online trying to find a forum or Reddit, and can't seem to find an induction answer: does anyone here have a specific brand/model portable induction single burner that DOES work well with a 25P? Id love to avoid the plate, which seems to add so much time (my imagination?) otherwise, I may o with a cast iron electric, for the small size. Using my electric coil range is just stressful, a bit painful (extra heat on parts no matter how I arrange it), and I don't want to damage the Bellman by exposing it to so much heat over time, as this is my daily driver. ;) Btw, a cool idea, after taking shots - extract some extra coffee, pour in an ice cube tray, nice for iced lattes/etc with less water content from regular ice. It takes a few days to fill a tray because I don't want it SO watery... But. It's a thing. Lastly, I did take a cheap tiny weird silicone heat-mitt that came with my air fryer (they look like little puppets) and cut a 1" slit in the tip of the smaller hand part. I was able to slide it over the main handle and offer some heat resistance to part of the unit. ☺️🤷🏻
Hey there! You're welcome 😀 Let me answer your questions. 1. Max water I would recommend is 1.5 cups, or about 3-400ml. 2. No specific advantage. It is my approach, that with more water than you need in the unit - there's no chance of running out of water, in the event you accidentally miscalculate it. 4 shots, is best using the 6 or 9 mark. 3 mark is good for 1-2 shots only. 3. I have an plugin single Breville Induction Cooker, you see me using it in the videos. Got it off Amazon. Was $100AUD at the time. Love it 👌 Definitely a Bellman fan then 😀 So good on the road!
So with the reducer, ive seen a video from you that said to put coffee on top of reducer / using it as a “fake” floor rather than ceiling. WHICH IS IT??
I don't think it would be possible to use it as a ceiling on top. The inner cylinder in the reducer would likely be ending above the top of the filter, making impossible to close the top lid.
wish this video was made years ago when i first bought my cx25p from AB . i've dialled mine in years ago but went through A LOT of frustration at the lack of available and accurate information on this . What i did get from this video is filling the water to the middle level as i have always filled it to 9 cups. Always getting crud in my cups but now dropping it to 6 as you suggested has cleaned the brew right up . Thankyou
Здравствуйте! Сколько самое минимальное количество щелчков на j-max и сколько при этом минимальное количество грамм кофе могу использовать для этого аппарата???
I have the Benhamin & Medwin version (no pressure gauge). Trying to figure out what is the average time it takes for these to reach the 2 bar at medium heat.
Thank you for this In-Depth giude, it really helped my understanding of the sputtering and the pressure, I just made the two best coffees ever since my purcahse of the Belman...
Well done vid on the pressure gauge version. However, my nearly identical brewer is of the other 50% in service - no gauge!! What is the work method recommended to achieve consistency 'flying blind'? My goal is to achieve the nearest possible to espresso vs moka pot. TIA
Hi garth - I would use the steam tap to gauge when the pressure is increasing. So with everything set up on the stove and the water heating up inside, close off the brew tap, but keep the steam tap slightly, only slightly, open - and as pressure begins to build you'll notice this from the steam coming out of the steam nozzle. This will only really begin to happen around 1.1 - 1.3 bars of pressure. Now if you're aiming for a pressure of around 0.5 - 0.8 to brew in - than I'd suggest the same method, and once you notice steam - lower the heat - open the tap right up for 5 seconds - close it off and then begin to brew. This should get a low enough pressure that begins to build again so you can slowly brew out the espresso - like in the vid - otherwise, wait till there is a powerful steam being produce from the tap - and this is safely around the 2 bar mark - again I would recommend lowering the heat a little, but this time don't open up the steam tap, just close it off and begin brewing... you should be then brewing around the 1.8 - 2 bar pressure 👍 Good luck
Hi elise, great question -! The reducer can be used below - preferably - though I have done both above and below ... using it below allows you to add as much coffee as you can to the remaining space - to then ensure it is close to flush with the lid when closing it (with some room for the coffee to expand).
⚙*I love my Steam Punk coffee maker* ☕ I would like to see the technique of the Turbo-Shot espresso - 15g of coffee, extracted with 40g water, with in 15 seconds, as it is the rage these days Blooming Method - basically pulsing (turn the tap on and off) - filling the puck, releasing some of the liquid and repeating the process. Technically this isn't the blooming method, but with the Bellman, it's close enough. 🏒Bellman note: Because the water is being pushed UP though the puck (opposite a machine), I see less channelling (pitting, bypassing, tunnels, whatever you call it), gravity really assists you here Some other interesting things about Espresso Coffee - coarsely ground and lightly roasted beans extracts the same amount of flavour, but at reduced Caffeine levels, the Espresso system (pushing water though when required instead of soaking coffee, like French Press) also reduced the amount of Caffeine extracted, according to science experiments on brewing coffee 🥼 I'm still new to Brewing Coffee and I'm still learning - Happy Brewing
3 года назад+4
After about 3 weeks of experimenting with the Bellman I’m slowly getting quite happy with it. The spacer on top and low pressure proved to be great ideas that really improved the outcome for me. I also feel that induction works better than a standard stove. Now, I’m wondering how to clean this baby up. Would you use something like Puly Caff?
Thank you so much for this video! I just bought a CX 25P and brewed some espresso, but I alwasy got a lot of steam sputtering. Despite everything I got a good tasting espresso, but of course I want to do it better ;) I will try your advices an we will see what happens ;)
Just tried this for the first time. I think I used your other shorter / less detailed video, this one would have been more helpful I think. I tried grinding close to what I I'd use for espresso, only used 20g coffee though, It doesn't seem like it's really capable of brewing 'espresso' the results were pretty bad (very mud / low clarity and weak tasting) with grinds in the coffee, at 2 bars it violently spewed coffee and steam out so couldn't really stop it when I wanted :o Seems like way too much work, more dangerous and more finicky than using a regular moka pot. Steam was decent though with a very dry steam, It only diluted about 120ml of milk with 8ml of water/steam. Similar to the Breville Dual Boiler, and La Pavoni lever machines, much better than E61 machines which usually dilute about 12-15ml! The instructions in this video were better, maybe I'll give it another try with lower pressure when brewing and very slightly opening the knob. It actually BENT the spacer part pretty badly on that first attempt :'(
Hi, great video and great website :-) We’ve had our Bellman for around 2 years and clean it regularly. It’s currently blocked in the coffee spout and it isn’t budging. I’ve tried wire and cleaning with a vinegar solution under pressure. Is there a way to remove the spout safely for a deeper clean? Thanks.
submerging it in hot water for awhile. If there is any liquid coffee that's hardened - than hot water will loosen it up. Otherwise, using air pressure may release something that's blocking it.
Can you clarify what the differences are between the lower pressure brew you describe and the higher pressure brew? I’ve watched your awesome video twice and that part confuses me. Thanks!!
Great point! yes, you can keep the pressure down low - on a lower heat of course - at around 1 bar - and open the tap that way and begin brewing - or you can brew at a very high pressure of 2-2.5bar and brew that way. I would say they're very different approaches. At least the 1 bar pressure gives you a little more leeway and happens much slower than the high pressure approach - plus you want to make sure you have a very fine grind for the high pressure approach vs low pressure which is a little more forgiving. As an Espresso-lover - i actually enjoy the coffee more at the low pressure brew, as it makes it a lot smoother - but it is more beneficial to brew at high pressures if you'll be adding milk. Hope that helps 😀
I found one of these on a council clean-up. Walked past it 3 times until curiosity got the best of me. Ok what is this thing? Dozens of people walked past it. Its complete and barely used. I will say you have to persist and learn from videos like this too get it too really taste cafe level, which is why somebody pegged it I’m guessing. I struggle to get my milk velvety micro foam i must admit as well but it clearly can be done as you’ve shown in your videos.
Try it at 2.5 to 3 bars of pressure - just before the red line. I get velvet every time with soy milk and cow milk. Start with the nozzle low until the milk is warm, then raise it slightly higher in the milk and at an angle so that you get a roil going. Takes only a few seconds to get perfect froth once you get the knack.
Does the steam only come into contact with steel, or plastic as well? One reviewer complained that he had to change gaskets on the Bellman multiple times. Have you found this to be the case?
Changing gaskets often? No. Though you can accidentally ruin the bottom gasket quickly if left of the heat for too long or boiled dry. The gaskets should be changed perhaps yearly - but in a lot of cases will last longer. Will this be your everyday or only on trips away?
Is it normal for the milk to have a “taste” to it? Almost like it’s coffee funk taste to it. Could one steam milk before pulling shot to avoid this? Thx for the video too!!
I've tried this approach - but it does have it drawback - mainly being you have to raise the pressure over 1.5 - 2 bars for good steam - and then the coffee begins to pre-infuse here - plus brewing takes some time - meanwhile your milk is going cold and splitting. I heard of user discussing this issue of funkiness, but have never actually experienced myself. So long as the machine has kept pressure between brewing and steaming - then you shouldn't have too much brew falling back down in to the below steam water (not until the bellman cools down should this happen) - also check the cone shaped valve seated under the filter basket is seated correctly - I've also heard people flipping these upside down with better results - but this valve is meant to stop brewed coffee from leaking back into the reservoir too soon.
Thanks for the reply here. Rubber cone under the brew basket looks to be seated correctly. So far in my tests runs I’ve been putting 30g in and only pulling 2oz of coffee out, someone else suggested to pull more liquid out to avoid this funk. I’m brewing at the #1 and steaming around 2.5-3. More testing in my future to achieve greatness!!
First try was a big mess with coffee sputtering out with a lot pressure (at 2Bar). I find it very hard to adjust the flow right. A bit too much and all comes spraying out.... Is there a hint?
At 2 bar, I suggest either have a full basket of fine coffee - or yes, you'll need to sit on the tap and really make very very small movements to slowly open the tap to get a stream out. Too much and all the pressure with find a way to escape past the grounds. Now if the grounds are not fine enough - then that's another way the pressure will escape to fast. You'll need to either get espresso ground coffee - or grind it fresh in order to control the resistance that has on the pressure.
Really glad to find this video, thanks! May I ask three questions please? I'm trying to decide on the least expensive way to add cappuccino to my kitchen. How big of a difference in the espresso would there be between this, and something like the Flair 58 or the Cafelat Robot? And, since real espresso is at 9 bars, and this contraption CAN go up to four bars, why do you recommend making the "espresso" at 2 bars? Wouldn't it be even better at 3 or 3.5? How much closer, realistically, does this get to a cappuccino, than a Mukka pot? I saw your video of that, great too.
thanks so much for your comments! The Flair 58 is the peak of Manual brewing Espresso. It is near parallel to brewing on an Automatic machine. The Robot - a little less, than there's a bit of a jump backwards to the Bellman for the Espresso quality. - In truth - it's more of a Moka Pot styles brew than it is Espresso. The Mukka much less than the first three to comparing it to espresso. You cannot brew the coffee past 4 bars of pressure with the Bellman as it is not rated to that high a pressure- and a pressure safety release valve will be released at 6+ bars. So you get around this by brewing longer shots of concentrated coffee - that balanced the flavour similar to that which is achieved using an Espresso machine. The one thing the Bellman CX25P has over everything else is the steam wand, so it has everything in one apparatus. It's not a machine everyone should own, nor the best way to get in to cheap good espresso at home, but it works well those people happy with the coffee it makes - and even better in a scenario when you're travelling, and short on space and say brewing with gas. - there is also the Bellman 50SS which is a stand alone steamer and this you would pair with just about any coffee maker - in order to achieve a Cappuccino. I'd be looking at the Wacaco Picopresso even, with a Bellman 50SS 👍
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks. I like the barista style handle/portafilter setup of the Flair 58, seems a lot more fun to use, easier to clean, easier to make shot after shot. If only they'd bring the price down to within my means.
Hi, and thank you for this video. We have used the Bellman espresso/steamer for about 4 weeks now and getting used to it. My question about the 2 cups has been answered but I have one more: when using water to the lowest level (3), do I put the basket in before the coffee (which is all I have done so far) or the coffee (30gr?) and then the basket? This I find a little confusing still. Last question: how would you make 4 espressos? I am so going to try the Mokka pot method!
Thanks so much! I haven't found it to make a huge difference which way you place the space basket in - However I usually place the space basket in first - so then the coffee is pushed between the space basket and the lid - and water will fill the chamber below before brewing through the coffee and exiting out the tap straight away. To brew 4 espresso using the Bellman - you'll be dividing 50g - or as much coffee as you can get in the Basket by 4. This will give you about 12.5g coffee per cup say. In regular home espresso machines the amount used is about 15-20g each cup - so the concern is with 4 evenly split cups of coffee - 12.5g will make fairly weka coffee -DEPENDING ON- the size of the cup you're using. If it is a 250-270 ml mug - you want at least 40 ml of brewed coffee in there - using a 15-20g amount of coffee - But for smaller Latter cups - say 150ml ... you could get a decent flavour splitting 50g of dosed coffee - brewing around 120-150ml brewed coffee - and pouring evenly into those 150ml ml cups. So you see - it all depends on the final dilution of the espresso (adding how much milk or water to it) - whether it'll make more or less cups.
I have a question about the reducer. The manual says to put the reducer in first and load the coffee on top. In the video you put the coffee in first and the reducer last. Does that make a difference?
Hi there I am using my bellman fotlr the first time, and while trying to brew coffee I am watching the video. Ok so I have tried to brew four times and all four time the press does not come out at all. Not sure why this is happening. Everything I clean it out and re start
It sounds like the coffee may be too fine ... causing the water to be blocked. If you're able to, grind a little coarser and see if something begins to come out. If you're not grinding your own coffee - add a little less coffee to the basket than try 😀
Hi Joshua, just wondering, once i have finished brewing my shots, looking at approximately 120ml in total (espresso Strength-ish), will i need to refill with water?
Thanks for the great video! I purchased a week ago and still working on extracting the best coffee. What is the difference in results to both the low pressure and high pressure methods of brewing? Is the taste similar? If I wanted to just make one cup of coffee using 15g (30g out) do I still fill to 3 cup water mark? And 25g for 2 cups (50g out) to 3 cup mark? What pressure do you steam milk at? I find I need to go up to at least 4bar to build enough pressure to get milk steaming properly and leave on heat to maintain pressure. Varied results. Some great, some poor and bubbly. Thanks for your advice. 😊
Hi Rebecca! What is the difference in results to both the low pressure and high pressure methods of brewing? Is the taste similar? >>> The difference mainly is how easy it is to control the shot at the low pressure brewing range. Higher pressure and you'll have to be on that tap more, adjusting it to maintain a steady stream and avoiding just steam blowing out the tap... this only happens above 1 bar of pressure. Beyond that - low pressure is better with a low dose for the same reasons. Temperature will also play a part at different pressures.. so at 0.8bars it's high 90's - boiling.. but over 1bar and it's hotter than boiling water... and will extract the coffee more. .. Crema will be more significant with higher pressures but overall extraction at the two different pressure is comparable. So, I find more consistent results at lower pressure ranges. If I wanted to just make one cup of coffee using 15g (30g out) do I still fill to 3 cup water mark? And 25g for 2 cups (50g out) to 3 cup mark? >>> Yes... one cup, I'd happily brew with 15-20g coffee. Taking in to account what was said about low doses and brewing at pressures... For two cups of coffee. anywhere from 30g and upwards is ideal. So 15g per cup for standard espresso coffee. What pressure do you steam milk at? I find I need to go up to at least 4bar to build enough pressure to get milk steaming properly and leave on heat to maintain pressure. Varied results. Some great, some poor and bubbly. >>> Minimum 2-2.5bars on the heat and so long as you don't loose pressure whilst steaming - that should be sufficient. 4bars on the heat is alot! I've found I can steam a whole jug with 4bars off the heat, rather than keeping it on.. but anything over about 2.5bars is very powerful steam .. and not only this .. it's converting water to steam very quickly and you'll tend to have wetter steam at higher pressures... which is something you do want to avoid.. so make sure you give the wand a good purge ( and watch out for shooting hot water!) when you do... prior to steaming and then yeah if you're able to steam without loosing pressure on the heat - make sure it starts around 2-2.5bars and doesn't drop below 1.5bars during steaming and you should be alright.. If there's anything esle I can help with, let me know 👌
Thank you so much for your reply and advice. I tried the low pressure brewing method with 20g of coffee. It sputtered quite a lot at the start but was then pouring quite well however I found it very weak in taste. Perhaps I poured too much liquid out making it weaker. I’m using quality beans ground to 1.5 on EK grinder. I couldn’t manage to steam milk well at the 2-2.5 bar pressure. Purging first, but the pressure doesn’t seem strong enough to get the milk spinning and it bubbles up and the pressure went down below 1 off the heat. I’m sure I’ll get there with more practice.
If the spacer is being used is it best on top or under the ground coffee? Your other CX25P video would suggest under the coffee but this video suggests on top... Or maybe it doesn't matter! Thanks
@@AlternativeBrewing I've had issues with the coffee tasting burnt. I've managed to make 2 good cups of coffee from over 20 attempts. The rest taste burnt. I'm using a gas stove on the smallest ring turned down. I've tried to use a couple of trivets to stabilise the cx25 and to riase it away from flame, but it still tastes pretty bad. I had been using more presure to brew coffee and was hoping that brewing at 0.8 would fix the issue, but it didn't. Are there anyother reasons apart from too much heat that the coffee would taste burnt? Do you have any suggestions how to stop it from burning? I know its possilbe from my good 2 attempts. I've tried different beans, grinds and brewing techniques. Thanks!
@@benpridmore3610 I saw it on top in this video and tried it. No coffe came out until pressure had built up to 1.5 bar and then when I’d finished the spacer was all bent out of shape. What’s going on there?
Great videos thanks mate! We have an old model without the pressure gauge. Do you have a retro fit option for adding a gauge, as I assume it would help us drive the machine a lot more successfully?
Not that I know of sorry ... you'd have to drill in to the side of the unit yourself - and this may present further issues. Unless you're confident in doing this - in which case you could try get your hands on a pressure gauge through contacting a supplier 👍 It does certainly help with brewing better coffee
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks for the response. I am a fitter and turner and very comfortable with the installation. I'll see if I can find something suitable. Cheers.
Silly question but can you use only the steam wand when using this or is there any reason why you would need to have coffee in? Thinking of adding one of these to the collection for fun, and would be nice to be able to also use it just to steam milk from time to time. Any thoughts? Thanks AB team!
Yes 👍 but it’s not ideal - they’ll be too much room for the grounds to swirl around in. Best to contact alternative brewing and we can source one for you 👌
How much milk do you add to a 30g shot of high pressure coffee from the Bellman? The shot itself tastes good but standard latte ratios of milk always dilute it too much in my opinion. Great video overall! Tried the spacer on top and felt like it works better!
It'll depend on your preferred strength of course but I would say from a 30g shot of coffee you could manage adding around 170ml-190ml of steamed milk for an end beverage of around 210-230ml thereabouts
I am unable to get 4 oz of espresso by filling the water to 9, and filling the large basket of ground beans without packing it, just a light ramp to make the grounds even. I pull the espresso at about 2 to 2.5. Am I doing something wrong?
Everything you've mentioned sounds perfect oki all except for the high pressure. High pressure works, but I'd be guessing it's steaming out at 2 - 2.5bars. The issue is the high pressure. You're best brewing the entire volume you're after around 1 bar of pressure - this way you're able to achieve a steady concentrated brew and not extracting coffee too fast.
Wonderful video. Picked this device up at a thrift store for $8 yesterday :). Today I made 3 shot of espresso with 30g ground coffee and water at the 3 level. I tamped it down with the spacer, removed the space, and placed a paper filter on top. Liked the results and as you noted in the video, the third shot was noticeably weaker. Two questions:,(1) if I were going to do 15g of coffee for 1 shot, should I tamp it and still leave out the spacer or tamp and then put the spacer on top of the grounds? (2) is there a noticeable difference between using the spacer to tamp and using the tamper that is sold separately?
Good question. I would soak the brew nozzle in some hot water for a little while.... than use the Bellman without coffee ... so bring it up to temp and just run hot water through it. The pressure and hot water should be enough to unblock it
From the video I understand that the larger dose of coffee, the longer before it starts to sputter, I’ve been working with the 3 mark and corresponding reducer expecting 3 cups worth, I’ve got a lot to learn. According to the manual it says to go with higher pressure for stronger coffee but it seems that’s wrong. Do you find the .8 pressure gives a nice strong cup?
I find it no different in strength. I actually prefer the flavour from the 0.8 bar espresso vs the higher pressure. But if you were mixing it with milk - than the higher pressure espresso may cut the milk a little better - But I always full a foul of less consistency at those higher pressures so I've personally stuck with brewing under 1 bar.
Hi there, yes you can. I would suggest using the low pressure brewing for this. You would use 20g of coffee, ground fine - and I would brew a 50-80ml shot of coffee from that. This will produce a good flavour and strength from the beans 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing Would you recommend using the reducer or just using less coffee in the basket without the reducer? I find that when I measure out coffee and try to fit it on top of the reducer, far less than 20g fits, even when tamping well.
Thank you so much for that comprehensive video, I am excited to practice, just one quick question, can I use pre ground coffee beans without degrading the strength /taste ?
Great video, I have never found such a nice overview for the Bellman so well done! I have some new things to try with mine, especially trying a finer espresso grind size, I had always avoided it on the Bellman. What's your take on brew temperature with the Bellman, particularly at the higher pressure (2 bar)? My experience was that it was always very hot, close to boiling. My understanding of Moka pots is that this can be controlled by the initial water volume in the unit (more initial water volume will result in a higher brew temp by the end). This is why starting with boiling water, while reducing the time to boil, is actually not desirable, but rather room temperature to start and adjusting the volume from there.
Thanks Zachary! Yes you're absolutely right about the room temp water for Moka Pots. Moka Pots also, you brew with the water they have in their water tanks. And you would say this water has a gradual increase in temperature throughout the extraction up until boiling out and sputtering everywhere. the As the pressure begins to increase in the water tank - the water will be forced up the spout and though the bed of coffee. Best this is done whilst the water is hot but not boiling.. So starting with cooler water ensures this. The Bellman uses a lot more water than a regular Moka Pot due to having at least 300ml of water that is not used for brewing, sitting in the bottom. - This would take a reasonably longer time to reach a good temp if heating it up. Considering the coffee is already within the basket and sitting above the water, it's essentially like locking in the poratfilter of an espresso machine before turning on the machine, and than allowing the machine to heat up before pulling the shot (not advised) so the option is to have the water pre-heated to reach ideal brewing temps as soon as possible. Moka Pots - you do not have any control over when the water is on contact with the ground coffee, other than by controlling the heat. so by managing the level of the water and time it takes to heat up, you manage you brew time/ contact time quite elegantly. The Bellman, you're able to watch the pressure, and so long as the brew tap remains closed, the water remains in the bottom of the unit. I've done this with bringing it up to 1.5bars of pressure, basket full... than colling everything done, no brewing. I noticed the bed of coffee was barely wet at all... this suggests to me, the water will only be forced through the bed of coffee once the tap is open and the pressure has an exit to force the water out of - hence using finer ground coffee will assist in a slower more controlled brew - there being caveat, it will extract faster and have more chance of channelling if too finely ground. The temperature of water at around 1.5 bars of pressure is around 127cº, which is a concern for brewing coffee ... and even at º.5bars it's at 111ºc.. so for this I would consider using a lighter roasted coffee that will generally extract better at higher temperatures - but even using darker roasted coffee, I've discovered it's not burning the coffee as I would expect. If however you're using the Bellman more like a Moka Pot style brew, than perhaps following a room temperature water method would be the best way to go 👍
I am interested in an electric Bellman, but I don't really need one to make espresso. I just want the steam wand. I know there's a Bellman milk steamer, but is there an electric one?
My question: what if one person in the household wanted to buy just the milk steamer Bellman, but a second person preferred to get this model which also makes coffee, can the first person use this Bellman just to steam milk?
Is there any purpose in getting the CX 25P if you only intend to steam milk with it? I hear many people saying that the pressure gauge is the main reason to buy it over the 50SS, but is the pressure gauge important for steaming milk?
The Pressure gauge helps. As soon as you see it at 2 bars - you're good to go. However, on the 50SS - you have to open the steam wand and evaluate the strength of the steam coming out to proceed. - In terms of safety, using the 50SS - I would keep the tap ever so slightly open - and when the steam is coming out quite strongly then there'll be no danger. Additionally, there is a safety pressure valve set at 3.5-4 bars, that will open if it over-pressures. This is much higher on the CX25-P. Hope that helps 😀
First week of using and slowly getting it… I think. A couple of queries though: - I use a full basket (50g) of fine grind, well tamped with water up to just above the 3 mark, but still get significantly less than 100ml of coffee before it starts spluttering/steaming regardless of where it is between 1 - 2 pressure and how carefully I ride the dial. What’s going wrong here? - a fair bit of liquid spills out when I unscrew the lid after brewing, it seems to be sitting above the basket/filter. Is this an issue?
Hey Tyler, try decreasing the amount of coffee a little to around 40-45g and this may help. sometimes coffee will swell up with water and create the resistance and pressure than. If you can - try grinding a little more fine. If you've got the tamp and doing a good job there - than I'd only suggest try and rock the dial a little bit when opening it up just that bit, - it's sometimes not a perfect seal and if there pressure finds anyway out easily, you can bet it'll sputter out. - First and foremost - it helps to pre-infuse the coffee. so as it reaches a steady temp, just open the tap a little and let that first drop or two come out, before closing closing the tap again. Wait 10-15 sec without the pressure rising too high, than open that tap back up. ... the pre-infusion will allow all the coffee to become saturated, and with a fine grind and enough room to swell, this should be enough to brew those double shots smoothly. Yes, you'll have to back it off a bit on the tap as it is nearing the end of the brew - and if the pressure is becoming too much and it's difficult to manage the heat - just open up the steam tap to drop the pressure quickly. Regarding the water on top. I'd say, yes there's probably too much coffee in there.... also, once you've let it cool down, keep the steam tap and brew tap open - prior to opening it - and this should allow any brewed coffee to fall back down into the reservoir
Hello Josh and thanks for the thorough explanation and helpful tips. Our son gave us the Bellman as a gorgeous gift and we are getting to grips with using it 😊. Just wondering if you could give me the details of that glass shot jug you use with the black handle? Do you stock these at all? Thanks so much again. 👍
Hi there! What a great present 😀 Yes we do stock them. they are sorted in the Coffee Servers - with loads of differents styles and volumes to suit. You can find them here: alternativebrewing.com.au/collections/coffee-servers
I have bellman cx25p, the steamer works pretty well. But the espresso is not flowing out nicely, so its more like just drop by drop; eventho the pressure bar is on 2-3 when I open the espresso spout. Anybody has the same issue? Could it be something with the water & coffee dosing ratio that I use?
Thanks for the follow up video, very helpful 🤙 I bought one of these and a Kinu M47 from you to take on a trip around Aus, not had a ton of luck pulling consistent espresso shots yet - I don't suppose you'd know which grinder setting to try? I've been going up and down changing the grind, but I'm mainly getting quite bitter, flat tasting shots, and hardly any liquid before it sputters out.
With a Kinu, try 2.5.0... Keep it on a rather low flame and bring the pressure up steady to 0.5bars - brewing espresso under 1bar. 👍 Let me know how you go
@@AlternativeBrewing Magic 👌 Just tried your suggestion and pulled a decent long black and flat white. Following the first 3:1 method in this video (0.5 > 0.8), with 50g coffee and up to the 3 water line, would you expect to pull just enough for two coffees, or more? If not, is the only way to get more coffee out to increase the amount of water (and dilute the espresso)? Cheers 👍
Hi there, thanks so much for the great explanation! I had one question - I was quite surprise to see that there is a steamer feature on the machine, without having to be plugged in power. Do you confirm that there is nothing else required than the stove? (Ie no gas bottle ...). And if so, I was really wondering how is the machine capable of creating steam, based on what power? Thanks guys
Yes, absolutely - the steam is created from the water in the unit under pressure. Just like a boiler in an espresso machine. Once around 1.2bars of pressure - or 120ºc ... water is rapidly becomes steam and with the steam tap you're able to release this on demand.
Hi, I sent email about the machine and I haven't got any reply yet. I just wonder a o ring, from the top of the square shape which is connected to pressure gauge, squeezed out. Would it be ok to use it?
Yes, unless there is pressure leaking from it -or worse, hot water - it'll be fine to use it. Sometime, some but not all the o ring will pop out of it's seating and it'll still maintain good pressure
Just bought one new and I'm not happy. I turn the nozzle gently, gently, ever so slowly, yet it still explodes out like a geyser, the result is coffee with grounds in it. The taste is ok because I have the coffee/water ratio right but I'm not happy. What can I do ?
If its coming out too fast - it’s the coffee grounds that are too coarse. 🫶Grind them finer and you’ll discover the resistance they’ll create for the water under pressure
As stated you can not use "canned" automatic drip coffee, it's too coarse! But with a steam pressure brewer, it is very easy to get too fine as well! But getting back to your complaint, as with a Moka Pot, MOST PEOPLE put it on way to high a flame or heat!!! If the water is boiling violently, a rolling boil, steam blasts through the coffee bed, in between blasts of high pressure water! Boil the water first, then use very, very low heat to brew the coffee! Two other hints, there is no split pour spout as in a commercial porta filter, THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT!!! DO NOT pour one cup, then a second in another cup! The first extraction through the bed is the best, the second no! So brew into one cup all at once, then split by pouring into the second cup! Never use the smallest dose basket adapter, the coffee bed is way too thin to produce a shot, you'll get only weak water!
Great video! Thanks! I think steaming the milk can make it taste funny. It's almost like the coffee which has fallen into the water has changed its taste. This happens to me more often than not. At first I thought it was the coffee, but the steam has a similar smell to the taste. Have you had any problems like this?
thanks! I've heard of this occurring for some brewers but have not been able to reproduce this myself. In these instances I've suggested to steam the Milk first before brewing. Remembering - so long as you don't open the tap to the brewer - the hot water will not fully percolate the bed of coffee. So you could steam milk first than quickly reduce the pressure in the unit - than brew your espresso that way.
or you could try to place the paper filter underneath the coffee bed(?) In mokapot, marginally helps with water distribution in the puck and usually resulted in no coffee fines powder in the remaining water.
Great video thanks! I've just received mine and starting to play. When using with a smaller dose of coffee, does the separator sit above or below the coffee in the basket?
If you put the coffee in the basket and put the separator on top, then as the water goes through the coffee , the coffee first fills the space above the spacer before it goes to the outlet valve. If you put the coffee grounds on top of the separator the coffee goes the shortest path to the valve. Use a filter ...it will stop junk getting in the valve and make it difficult to adjust the flow.
Damm, who's able to brew more than 120ml of coffee?? basket full of coffee, water on the 9 mark, and cant have more than 80ml. got really lucky when i brew more than that!... what could be my problem!!!??? Any of you get some "slack" in the tap? when opening the tap, pushing it side ways make the coffee flow change a lot...
you are correct. There is a little bit of movement in the taps. Adjusting this ever so slightly on the ball valve will help keep resistance and pressure in. Grinding the coffee a little finer can slow the brew down - but eventually - no matter what you do - the process of extraction - (removing soluble mass from the beans) means that your dose of coffee will slowly give up resistance to the water pressure - and then it's a knifes edge in dropping the pressure down - and keep the flow going. Much like brewing on an espresso machine at home - but more manual in this case.
I was going to say this is good for camps where there is no electricity but then again it can't be used on open fire so I don't see the point of owning one, there are better and cheaper options for home use.
This looks like a _lot_ of effort for what looks like percolated coffee, to be honest. I can not accept this as _espresso_ It may taste good, but without any crema at all... Yes I perfectly understand this sounds like i'm some kind of snob, but once again, I'm not saying this is somehow "bad coffee", just that i can not accept it as espresso.
@@GeorgeTsiros If it is the Crema that you're after ... a finer grind and higher pressure will have no added benefits without ensuring first the coffee you are using is freshly roasted with in the last 20 days and you are grinding fresh right before you brew. - As the CO2 in coffee beans is what creates the crema - and this dissipates over time. Using older, or pre-ground coffee will not produce crema at all. That being said - line all your ducks up and yes, you will produce more crema then there is brewed coffee 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing crema is just the coffee with lots of tiny bubbles. Couldn't be anything else, could it? Hot water goes through coffee, oils and minerals go from the grinds to the water. The taste is mostly those oils, but there's a catch. Your mouth only understands sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Those are not _taste_ . Close your nose, with your fingers, and take a sip. You will perceive sweet, sour, bitter etc, but _not the taste of the coffee_ . Which brings me to my point: the particular taste is not a function of the fluid that comes into contact with the inside of your mouth. It is a function of the gases reaching your nose. you following me so far?
sorry the ratio's to coffee are a little confusing to me. My partner and I are thinking of buying one for our caravan, just curious as to how much water and grams off coffee we would need to make two double espresso latte's/capps, and how much millilitres of coffee should be the end result. my guess was 50g ground coffee, 100mm of water to make 2x 50mm espresso shots? Not sure if that's right. Thanks in advance :)
Hi there, yes I would use a total of 45-50g of coffee and fill it to between the 3 and 6 line in the unit with water.. To brew 2 double shots of coffee, I would brew a total of 100-120ml of espresso out and then separate this in to two cups for a nice strong coffee in each 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing Great video thanks! How much water (roughly) would that be *in* or so would you reccomend for 2 strong shots + steam? Your videos have convinced me I need one, haha! Thanks in advance :)
@@AttitudeCastle you don't need to worry about water for steam. There is a default amount of water in the brewer that will always be in there, no matter how much you brew out .. as it does not reach the brewing funnel - so you would just fill to between the 2 and 6 mark. Brew the amount of coffee you want out, than close of the brew tap, and you could begin steaming so long as you have 1.2bars pressure 👌
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i have had a bellman for about 2 years and i purchased it from alternative brewing i use it when camping and makes amazing coffee for its size i dont think there is another machine like it other than an original ( Atomic ) with patience and milage you can make coffee like a full sized machine and i have to say that the steamer wand is outstanding almost better than my Breville barista pro!
Thanks for sharing Tony! We concur 👌
I have one of these and it's great. You can easily make Cafe Quality coffee after a bit for practice. I find using a very fine grind like you would for a commercial espresso machine makes the best espresso and cremer
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the video. I bought mine, (without the pressure gage) in 1997 and it's still in great shape. I will try your suggestion and compare a low pressure draw to my usual high one.
Glad it was helpful!
It seems very technical with the exact pressure. How is it possible to know without a pressure gauge?
thanks heaps. hadn't focused on the ratio and grind size as much as i should have. i'll dust off the bellman and see if i can get better results
You're welcome 😀
Very well explained video.
I bought one early this year, took some time to get used it, especially the water/coffee powder ratio, now we can make tasty coffee with it and we always take our bellman when we go camping or boating
Thanks for sharing! So good to hear you're enjoying the Bellman
Super helpful tutorial. Purchased the Bellman CX25P and the 1ZPresso k-plus
grinder through Alternative Brewing in preparation for travelling. Still trying to perfect the combo, so this video has really helped, thank you
Glad it was helpful! Perfect Combo for travelling btw 😀
Hi! Thanks for the video, and your answers to all of the comments that gave even more info. I have a couple of questions:
1) If I'm only steaming milk, what is the max water I have to put in? Also, since I'm using our "precious" RO water in it, can I leave the water in the bottom for the next day's brewing?
2) If I'm only pulling espresso shots for lattes, what is the advantage (if any) to using more water in the unit, which seems to increase time to come to pressure? Can I use water to the 3 mark, and have enough water for 4 shots and some steamed milk?
3) I've searched online trying to find a forum or Reddit, and can't seem to find an induction answer: does anyone here have a specific brand/model portable induction single burner that DOES work well with a 25P? Id love to avoid the plate, which seems to add so much time (my imagination?) otherwise, I may o with a cast iron electric, for the small size. Using my electric coil range is just stressful, a bit painful (extra heat on parts no matter how I arrange it), and I don't want to damage the Bellman by exposing it to so much heat over time, as this is my daily driver. ;)
Btw, a cool idea, after taking shots - extract some extra coffee, pour in an ice cube tray, nice for iced lattes/etc with less water content from regular ice. It takes a few days to fill a tray because I don't want it SO watery... But. It's a thing.
Lastly, I did take a cheap tiny weird silicone heat-mitt that came with my air fryer (they look like little puppets) and cut a 1" slit in the tip of the smaller hand part. I was able to slide it over the main handle and offer some heat resistance to part of the unit. ☺️🤷🏻
Hey there! You're welcome 😀 Let me answer your questions.
1. Max water I would recommend is 1.5 cups, or about 3-400ml.
2. No specific advantage. It is my approach, that with more water than you need in the unit - there's no chance of running out of water, in the event you accidentally miscalculate it. 4 shots, is best using the 6 or 9 mark. 3 mark is good for 1-2 shots only.
3. I have an plugin single Breville Induction Cooker, you see me using it in the videos. Got it off Amazon. Was $100AUD at the time.
Love it 👌 Definitely a Bellman fan then 😀 So good on the road!
So with the reducer, ive seen a video from you that said to put coffee on top of reducer / using it as a “fake” floor rather than ceiling. WHICH IS IT??
Fake floor I’ve found to be of great consistency 🙌 apologies for the confusion
I don't think it would be possible to use it as a ceiling on top. The inner cylinder in the reducer would likely be ending above the top of the filter, making impossible to close the top lid.
An excellent and very detailed and interesting video, thank you very much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
wish this video was made years ago when i first bought my cx25p from AB . i've dialled mine in years ago but went through A LOT of frustration at the lack of available and accurate information on this . What i did get from this video is filling the water to the middle level as i have always filled it to 9 cups. Always getting crud in my cups but now dropping it to 6 as you suggested has cleaned the brew right up . Thankyou
Thanks for sharing! Glad it was helpful 👍
My wife love it and I still practicing the ratios
Definitely speed things up in the beginning
Oh the spacer goes on TOP 😮
It can work either way - I have demonstrated this - yet - I find myself placing it on top more often
It’s almost like you were listening in on my last camping trip! 😂 I’ve watched a few Bellman videos and this is by far the most helpful one. Thanks.
haha 😂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Здравствуйте! Сколько самое минимальное количество щелчков на j-max и сколько при этом минимальное количество грамм кофе могу использовать для этого аппарата???
I have the Benhamin & Medwin version (no pressure gauge). Trying to figure out what is the average time it takes for these to reach the 2 bar at medium heat.
Thank you for this In-Depth giude, it really helped my understanding of the sputtering and the pressure, I just made the two best coffees ever since my purcahse of the Belman...
Glad it helped!
Absolutely brilliant video has helped me enormously👍👍👍
Great to hear! Thanks for watching 😀
Thanks Josh, good to know I have been doing it correctly 🍻 ☕️
Nice work!
Well done vid on the pressure gauge version. However, my nearly identical brewer is of the other 50% in service - no gauge!! What is the work method recommended to achieve consistency 'flying blind'? My goal is to achieve the nearest possible to espresso vs moka pot. TIA
Hi garth - I would use the steam tap to gauge when the pressure is increasing. So with everything set up on the stove and the water heating up inside, close off the brew tap, but keep the steam tap slightly, only slightly, open - and as pressure begins to build you'll notice this from the steam coming out of the steam nozzle. This will only really begin to happen around 1.1 - 1.3 bars of pressure. Now if you're aiming for a pressure of around 0.5 - 0.8 to brew in - than I'd suggest the same method, and once you notice steam - lower the heat - open the tap right up for 5 seconds - close it off and then begin to brew. This should get a low enough pressure that begins to build again so you can slowly brew out the espresso - like in the vid - otherwise, wait till there is a powerful steam being produce from the tap - and this is safely around the 2 bar mark - again I would recommend lowering the heat a little, but this time don't open up the steam tap, just close it off and begin brewing... you should be then brewing around the 1.8 - 2 bar pressure 👍 Good luck
Fantastic, thanks for this video :) Very informative
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Josh, you didn’t cover how to use the reducer. Coffee should go on top of the reducer, right? Or do you recommend not using it at all?
Hi elise, great question -! The reducer can be used below - preferably - though I have done both above and below ... using it below allows you to add as much coffee as you can to the remaining space - to then ensure it is close to flush with the lid when closing it (with some room for the coffee to expand).
⚙*I love my Steam Punk coffee maker* ☕
I would like to see the technique of the Turbo-Shot espresso - 15g of coffee, extracted with 40g water, with in 15 seconds, as it is the rage these days
Blooming Method - basically pulsing (turn the tap on and off) - filling the puck, releasing some of the liquid and repeating the process. Technically this isn't the blooming method, but with the Bellman, it's close enough.
🏒Bellman note: Because the water is being pushed UP though the puck (opposite a machine), I see less channelling (pitting, bypassing, tunnels, whatever you call it), gravity really assists you here
Some other interesting things about Espresso Coffee - coarsely ground and lightly roasted beans extracts the same amount of flavour, but at reduced Caffeine levels, the Espresso system (pushing water though when required instead of soaking coffee, like French Press) also reduced the amount of Caffeine extracted, according to science experiments on brewing coffee 🥼
I'm still new to Brewing Coffee and I'm still learning - Happy Brewing
After about 3 weeks of experimenting with the Bellman I’m slowly getting quite happy with it. The spacer on top and low pressure proved to be great ideas that really improved the outcome for me. I also feel that induction works better than a standard stove. Now, I’m wondering how to clean this baby up. Would you use something like Puly Caff?
Great to hear! Yes, you could you puly caff no worries - I'd only use the smallest amount though 👍
do the paper filters help w/ clean up?
Thank you so much for this video! I just bought a CX 25P and brewed some espresso, but I alwasy got a lot of steam sputtering. Despite everything I got a good tasting espresso, but of course I want to do it better ;) I will try your advices an we will see what happens ;)
Glad I could help!
Just tried this for the first time. I think I used your other shorter / less detailed video, this one would have been more helpful I think.
I tried grinding close to what I I'd use for espresso, only used 20g coffee though, It doesn't seem like it's really capable of brewing 'espresso' the results were pretty bad (very mud / low clarity and weak tasting) with grinds in the coffee, at 2 bars it violently spewed coffee and steam out so couldn't really stop it when I wanted :o
Seems like way too much work, more dangerous and more finicky than using a regular moka pot.
Steam was decent though with a very dry steam, It only diluted about 120ml of milk with 8ml of water/steam. Similar to the Breville Dual Boiler, and La Pavoni lever machines, much better than E61 machines which usually dilute about 12-15ml!
The instructions in this video were better, maybe I'll give it another try with lower pressure when brewing and very slightly opening the knob. It actually BENT the spacer part pretty badly on that first attempt :'(
Yes thank you very much for this! Very helpful. I would love to see a video of a brew for just 1 cup of coffee.
Noted!
My instruction manual clearly says when using the spacer to add the coffee on top. Any thoughts on this? Surprised it's not mentioned by anyone else.
Coffee always goes on top of anything they suggest. Spacer or not
Hi, great video and great website :-) We’ve had our Bellman for around 2 years and clean it regularly. It’s currently blocked in the coffee spout and it isn’t budging. I’ve tried wire and cleaning with a vinegar solution under pressure. Is there a way to remove the spout safely for a deeper clean? Thanks.
submerging it in hot water for awhile. If there is any liquid coffee that's hardened - than hot water will loosen it up. Otherwise, using air pressure may release something that's blocking it.
Thanks!
Can you clarify what the differences are between the lower pressure brew you describe and the higher pressure brew? I’ve watched your awesome video twice and that part confuses me. Thanks!!
Great point! yes, you can keep the pressure down low - on a lower heat of course - at around 1 bar - and open the tap that way and begin brewing - or you can brew at a very high pressure of 2-2.5bar and brew that way. I would say they're very different approaches. At least the 1 bar pressure gives you a little more leeway and happens much slower than the high pressure approach - plus you want to make sure you have a very fine grind for the high pressure approach vs low pressure which is a little more forgiving. As an Espresso-lover - i actually enjoy the coffee more at the low pressure brew, as it makes it a lot smoother - but it is more beneficial to brew at high pressures if you'll be adding milk. Hope that helps 😀
Very interested in buying one, can I use it without the paper filter for espresso-style extraction?
Yes you can!
I found one of these on a council clean-up.
Walked past it 3 times until curiosity got the best of me. Ok what is this thing?
Dozens of people walked past it. Its complete and barely used.
I will say you have to persist and learn from videos like this too get it too really taste cafe level, which is why somebody pegged it I’m guessing.
I struggle to get my milk velvety micro foam i must admit as well but it clearly can be done as you’ve shown in your videos.
Try it at 2.5 to 3 bars of pressure - just before the red line. I get velvet every time with soy milk and cow milk. Start with the nozzle low until the milk is warm, then raise it slightly higher in the milk and at an angle so that you get a roil going. Takes only a few seconds to get perfect froth once you get the knack.
Great explanation.
Does the steam only come into contact with steel, or plastic as well?
One reviewer complained that he had to change gaskets on the Bellman multiple times. Have you found this to be the case?
Changing gaskets often? No. Though you can accidentally ruin the bottom gasket quickly if left of the heat for too long or boiled dry. The gaskets should be changed perhaps yearly - but in a lot of cases will last longer.
Will this be your everyday or only on trips away?
@@AlternativeBrewing everyday
Is it normal for the milk to have a “taste” to it? Almost like it’s coffee funk taste to it. Could one steam milk before pulling shot to avoid this? Thx for the video too!!
I've tried this approach - but it does have it drawback - mainly being you have to raise the pressure over 1.5 - 2 bars for good steam - and then the coffee begins to pre-infuse here - plus brewing takes some time - meanwhile your milk is going cold and splitting. I heard of user discussing this issue of funkiness, but have never actually experienced myself.
So long as the machine has kept pressure between brewing and steaming - then you shouldn't have too much brew falling back down in to the below steam water (not until the bellman cools down should this happen) - also check the cone shaped valve seated under the filter basket is seated correctly - I've also heard people flipping these upside down with better results - but this valve is meant to stop brewed coffee from leaking back into the reservoir too soon.
Thanks for the reply here. Rubber cone under the brew basket looks to be seated correctly. So far in my tests runs I’ve been putting 30g in and only pulling 2oz of coffee out, someone else suggested to pull more liquid out to avoid this funk. I’m brewing at the #1 and steaming around 2.5-3. More testing in my future to achieve greatness!!
First try was a big mess with coffee sputtering out with a lot pressure (at 2Bar). I find it very hard to adjust the flow right. A bit too much and all comes spraying out.... Is there a hint?
At 2 bar, I suggest either have a full basket of fine coffee - or yes, you'll need to sit on the tap and really make very very small movements to slowly open the tap to get a stream out. Too much and all the pressure with find a way to escape past the grounds. Now if the grounds are not fine enough - then that's another way the pressure will escape to fast. You'll need to either get espresso ground coffee - or grind it fresh in order to control the resistance that has on the pressure.
@@AlternativeBrewing I will try this, thanx! My dose was a single 15gramm from my Espresso grinder with a grind size for my ECM Dualboiler Machine.
does that thing have a pressure relief valve?
Yes it does 👌 Built in to the handle.
Really glad to find this video, thanks! May I ask three questions please?
I'm trying to decide on the least expensive way to add cappuccino to my kitchen. How big of a difference in the espresso would there be between this, and something like the Flair 58 or the Cafelat Robot?
And, since real espresso is at 9 bars, and this contraption CAN go up to four bars, why do you recommend making the "espresso" at 2 bars? Wouldn't it be even better at 3 or 3.5?
How much closer, realistically, does this get to a cappuccino, than a Mukka pot? I saw your video of that, great too.
thanks so much for your comments! The Flair 58 is the peak of Manual brewing Espresso. It is near parallel to brewing on an Automatic machine. The Robot - a little less, than there's a bit of a jump backwards to the Bellman for the Espresso quality. - In truth - it's more of a Moka Pot styles brew than it is Espresso. The Mukka much less than the first three to comparing it to espresso.
You cannot brew the coffee past 4 bars of pressure with the Bellman as it is not rated to that high a pressure- and a pressure safety release valve will be released at 6+ bars. So you get around this by brewing longer shots of concentrated coffee - that balanced the flavour similar to that which is achieved using an Espresso machine. The one thing the Bellman CX25P has over everything else is the steam wand, so it has everything in one apparatus. It's not a machine everyone should own, nor the best way to get in to cheap good espresso at home, but it works well those people happy with the coffee it makes - and even better in a scenario when you're travelling, and short on space and say brewing with gas. - there is also the Bellman 50SS which is a stand alone steamer and this you would pair with just about any coffee maker - in order to achieve a Cappuccino.
I'd be looking at the Wacaco Picopresso even, with a Bellman 50SS 👍
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks. I like the barista style handle/portafilter setup of the Flair 58, seems a lot more fun to use, easier to clean, easier to make shot after shot.
If only they'd bring the price down to within my means.
Hi, and thank you for this video. We have used the Bellman espresso/steamer for about 4 weeks now and getting used to it.
My question about the 2 cups has been answered but I have one more: when using water to the lowest level (3), do I put the basket in before the coffee (which is all I have done so far) or the coffee (30gr?) and then the basket? This I find a little confusing still.
Last question: how would you make 4 espressos?
I am so going to try the Mokka pot method!
Thanks so much!
I haven't found it to make a huge difference which way you place the space basket in - However I usually place the space basket in first - so then the coffee is pushed between the space basket and the lid - and water will fill the chamber below before brewing through the coffee and exiting out the tap straight away.
To brew 4 espresso using the Bellman - you'll be dividing 50g - or as much coffee as you can get in the Basket by 4. This will give you about 12.5g coffee per cup say. In regular home espresso machines the amount used is about 15-20g each cup - so the concern is with 4 evenly split cups of coffee - 12.5g will make fairly weka coffee -DEPENDING ON- the size of the cup you're using. If it is a 250-270 ml mug - you want at least 40 ml of brewed coffee in there - using a 15-20g amount of coffee - But for smaller Latter cups - say 150ml ... you could get a decent flavour splitting 50g of dosed coffee - brewing around 120-150ml brewed coffee - and pouring evenly into those 150ml ml cups.
So you see - it all depends on the final dilution of the espresso (adding how much milk or water to it) - whether it'll make more or less cups.
I have a question about the reducer. The manual says to put the reducer in first and load the coffee on top. In the video you put the coffee in first and the reducer last. Does that make a difference?
I haven't found a big difference in doing so either way
Hi there I am using my bellman fotlr the first time, and while trying to brew coffee I am watching the video.
Ok so I have tried to brew four times and all four time the press does not come out at all. Not sure why this is happening.
Everything I clean it out and re start
It sounds like the coffee may be too fine ... causing the water to be blocked. If you're able to, grind a little coarser and see if something begins to come out. If you're not grinding your own coffee - add a little less coffee to the basket than try 😀
Hi Joshua, just wondering, once i have finished brewing my shots, looking at approximately 120ml in total (espresso Strength-ish), will i need to refill with water?
to pull any more shots yes - to steam, no. The spout that picks up water from the water reservoir keeps some in reserve for steaming 👌
Thanks for the great video!
I purchased a week ago and still working on extracting the best coffee.
What is the difference in results to both the low pressure and high pressure methods of brewing? Is the taste similar?
If I wanted to just make one cup of coffee using 15g (30g out) do I still fill to 3 cup water mark? And 25g for 2 cups (50g out) to 3 cup mark?
What pressure do you steam milk at? I find I need to go up to at least 4bar to build enough pressure to get milk steaming properly and leave on heat to maintain pressure. Varied results. Some great, some poor and bubbly.
Thanks for your advice.
😊
Hi Rebecca!
What is the difference in results to both the low pressure and high pressure methods of brewing? Is the taste similar?
>>> The difference mainly is how easy it is to control the shot at the low pressure brewing range. Higher pressure and you'll have to be on that tap more, adjusting it to maintain a steady stream and avoiding just steam blowing out the tap... this only happens above 1 bar of pressure.
Beyond that - low pressure is better with a low dose for the same reasons. Temperature will also play a part at different pressures.. so at 0.8bars it's high 90's - boiling.. but over 1bar and it's hotter than boiling water... and will extract the coffee more. .. Crema will be more significant with higher pressures but overall extraction at the two different pressure is comparable. So, I find more consistent results at lower pressure ranges.
If I wanted to just make one cup of coffee using 15g (30g out) do I still fill to 3 cup water mark? And 25g for 2 cups (50g out) to 3 cup mark?
>>> Yes... one cup, I'd happily brew with 15-20g coffee. Taking in to account what was said about low doses and brewing at pressures... For two cups of coffee. anywhere from 30g and upwards is ideal. So 15g per cup for standard espresso coffee.
What pressure do you steam milk at? I find I need to go up to at least 4bar to build enough pressure to get milk steaming properly and leave on heat to maintain pressure. Varied results. Some great, some poor and bubbly.
>>> Minimum 2-2.5bars on the heat and so long as you don't loose pressure whilst steaming - that should be sufficient. 4bars on the heat is alot! I've found I can steam a whole jug with 4bars off the heat, rather than keeping it on.. but anything over about 2.5bars is very powerful steam .. and not only this .. it's converting water to steam very quickly and you'll tend to have wetter steam at higher pressures... which is something you do want to avoid.. so make sure you give the wand a good purge ( and watch out for shooting hot water!) when you do... prior to steaming and then yeah if you're able to steam without loosing pressure on the heat - make sure it starts around 2-2.5bars and doesn't drop below 1.5bars during steaming and you should be alright..
If there's anything esle I can help with, let me know 👌
Thank you so much for your reply and advice. I tried the low pressure brewing method with 20g of coffee. It sputtered quite a lot at the start but was then pouring quite well however I found it very weak in taste. Perhaps I poured too much liquid out making it weaker. I’m using quality beans ground to 1.5 on EK grinder. I couldn’t manage to steam milk well at the 2-2.5 bar pressure. Purging first, but the pressure doesn’t seem strong enough to get the milk spinning and it bubbles up and the pressure went down below 1 off the heat. I’m sure I’ll get there with more practice.
If the spacer is being used is it best on top or under the ground coffee? Your other CX25P video would suggest under the coffee but this video suggests on top... Or maybe it doesn't matter! Thanks
Both! But I've since discovered on top works best 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing I've had issues with the coffee tasting burnt. I've managed to make 2 good cups of coffee from over 20 attempts. The rest taste burnt. I'm using a gas stove on the smallest ring turned down. I've tried to use a couple of trivets to stabilise the cx25 and to riase it away from flame, but it still tastes pretty bad. I had been using more presure to brew coffee and was hoping that brewing at 0.8 would fix the issue, but it didn't. Are there anyother reasons apart from too much heat that the coffee would taste burnt? Do you have any suggestions how to stop it from burning? I know its possilbe from my good 2 attempts. I've tried different beans, grinds and brewing techniques. Thanks!
@@benpridmore3610 I saw it on top in this video and tried it. No coffe came out until pressure had built up to 1.5 bar and then when I’d finished the spacer was all bent out of shape. What’s going on there?
Great videos thanks mate!
We have an old model without the pressure gauge. Do you have a retro fit option for adding a gauge, as I assume it would help us drive the machine a lot more successfully?
Not that I know of sorry ... you'd have to drill in to the side of the unit yourself - and this may present further issues. Unless you're confident in doing this - in which case you could try get your hands on a pressure gauge through contacting a supplier 👍
It does certainly help with brewing better coffee
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks for the response. I am a fitter and turner and very comfortable with the installation.
I'll see if I can find something suitable.
Cheers.
@@greatdane3343 i just picked up an older one today from a thrift store, did you figure something out in regards to adding a pressure gauge?
Silly question but can you use only the steam wand when using this or is there any reason why you would need to have coffee in? Thinking of adding one of these to the collection for fun, and would be nice to be able to also use it just to steam milk from time to time. Any thoughts? Thanks AB team!
please answer the silly question bc would very much like to know too!
Yes it will produce steam without coffee in the machine
I have accidentally thrown out the spacer - can I get away with a small and medium size brew without it?
Yes 👍 but it’s not ideal - they’ll be too much room for the grounds to swirl around in. Best to contact alternative brewing and we can source one for you 👌
How much milk do you add to a 30g shot of high pressure coffee from the Bellman? The shot itself tastes good but standard latte ratios of milk always dilute it too much in my opinion.
Great video overall! Tried the spacer on top and felt like it works better!
It'll depend on your preferred strength of course but I would say from a 30g shot of coffee you could manage adding around 170ml-190ml of steamed milk for an end beverage of around 210-230ml thereabouts
I am unable to get 4 oz of espresso by filling the water to 9, and filling the large basket of ground beans without packing it, just a light ramp to make the grounds even. I pull the espresso at about 2 to 2.5. Am I doing something wrong?
Everything you've mentioned sounds perfect oki all except for the high pressure. High pressure works, but I'd be guessing it's steaming out at 2 - 2.5bars. The issue is the high pressure. You're best brewing the entire volume you're after around 1 bar of pressure - this way you're able to achieve a steady concentrated brew and not extracting coffee too fast.
Do I need to use “espresso roast” beans for this or can I use any beans I like? Thank you!
Any beans 😀 Then taste test - I have found Espresso Beans get the best flavor and crema in general
Wonderful video. Picked this device up at a thrift store for $8 yesterday :). Today I made 3 shot of espresso with 30g ground coffee and water at the 3 level. I tamped it down with the spacer, removed the space, and placed a paper filter on top. Liked the results and as you noted in the video, the third shot was noticeably weaker. Two questions:,(1) if I were going to do 15g of coffee for 1 shot, should I tamp it and still leave out the spacer or tamp and then put the spacer on top of the grounds? (2) is there a noticeable difference between using the spacer to tamp and using the tamper that is sold separately?
How do I clear a blockage from the coffee nozzle. Thanks.
Good question. I would soak the brew nozzle in some hot water for a little while.... than use the Bellman without coffee ... so bring it up to temp and just run hot water through it. The pressure and hot water should be enough to unblock it
From the video I understand that the larger dose of coffee, the longer before it starts to sputter, I’ve been working with the 3 mark and corresponding reducer expecting 3 cups worth, I’ve got a lot to learn.
According to the manual it says to go with higher pressure for stronger coffee but it seems that’s wrong.
Do you find the .8 pressure gives a nice strong cup?
I find it no different in strength. I actually prefer the flavour from the 0.8 bar espresso vs the higher pressure. But if you were mixing it with milk - than the higher pressure espresso may cut the milk a little better - But I always full a foul of less consistency at those higher pressures so I've personally stuck with brewing under 1 bar.
Hi, do you think it is possible to make strong coffee for a cappuccino for one person without waste? if so, what are the ratios? Thank you
Hi there, yes you can. I would suggest using the low pressure brewing for this. You would use 20g of coffee, ground fine - and I would brew a 50-80ml shot of coffee from that. This will produce a good flavour and strength from the beans 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing Would you recommend using the reducer or just using less coffee in the basket without the reducer? I find that when I measure out coffee and try to fit it on top of the reducer, far less than 20g fits, even when tamping well.
Thank you so much for that comprehensive video, I am excited to practice, just one quick question, can I use pre ground coffee beans without degrading the strength /taste ?
Yes, absolutely
Cheers mate
no wakkas
Great video, I have never found such a nice overview for the Bellman so well done! I have some new things to try with mine, especially trying a finer espresso grind size, I had always avoided it on the Bellman.
What's your take on brew temperature with the Bellman, particularly at the higher pressure (2 bar)? My experience was that it was always very hot, close to boiling. My understanding of Moka pots is that this can be controlled by the initial water volume in the unit (more initial water volume will result in a higher brew temp by the end). This is why starting with boiling water, while reducing the time to boil, is actually not desirable, but rather room temperature to start and adjusting the volume from there.
Thanks Zachary! Yes you're absolutely right about the room temp water for Moka Pots. Moka Pots also, you brew with the water they have in their water tanks. And you would say this water has a gradual increase in temperature throughout the extraction up until boiling out and sputtering everywhere. the As the pressure begins to increase in the water tank - the water will be forced up the spout and though the bed of coffee. Best this is done whilst the water is hot but not boiling.. So starting with cooler water ensures this.
The Bellman uses a lot more water than a regular Moka Pot due to having at least 300ml of water that is not used for brewing, sitting in the bottom. - This would take a reasonably longer time to reach a good temp if heating it up. Considering the coffee is already within the basket and sitting above the water, it's essentially like locking in the poratfilter of an espresso machine before turning on the machine, and than allowing the machine to heat up before pulling the shot (not advised) so the option is to have the water pre-heated to reach ideal brewing temps as soon as possible. Moka Pots - you do not have any control over when the water is on contact with the ground coffee, other than by controlling the heat. so by managing the level of the water and time it takes to heat up, you manage you brew time/ contact time quite elegantly.
The Bellman, you're able to watch the pressure, and so long as the brew tap remains closed, the water remains in the bottom of the unit. I've done this with bringing it up to 1.5bars of pressure, basket full... than colling everything done, no brewing. I noticed the bed of coffee was barely wet at all... this suggests to me, the water will only be forced through the bed of coffee once the tap is open and the pressure has an exit to force the water out of - hence using finer ground coffee will assist in a slower more controlled brew - there being caveat, it will extract faster and have more chance of channelling if too finely ground.
The temperature of water at around 1.5 bars of pressure is around 127cº, which is a concern for brewing coffee ... and even at º.5bars it's at 111ºc.. so for this I would consider using a lighter roasted coffee that will generally extract better at higher temperatures - but even using darker roasted coffee, I've discovered it's not burning the coffee as I would expect. If however you're using the Bellman more like a Moka Pot style brew, than perhaps following a room temperature water method would be the best way to go 👍
Great explanation thanks...
I am interested in an electric Bellman, but I don't really need one to make espresso. I just want the steam wand. I know there's a Bellman milk steamer, but is there an electric one?
NO sorry - not an electric one - though the Bellman 50SS does work on any stovetop 👍
Great job, thanks
Thanks for watching!
My question: what if one person in the household wanted to buy just the milk steamer Bellman, but a second person preferred to get this model which also makes coffee, can the first person use this Bellman just to steam milk?
Great question ! Yes they can.. Just place water in the bottom and keep the Brew Tap closed 👍
Is there any purpose in getting the CX 25P if you only intend to steam milk with it? I hear many people saying that the pressure gauge is the main reason to buy it over the 50SS, but is the pressure gauge important for steaming milk?
The Pressure gauge helps. As soon as you see it at 2 bars - you're good to go. However, on the 50SS - you have to open the steam wand and evaluate the strength of the steam coming out to proceed. - In terms of safety, using the 50SS - I would keep the tap ever so slightly open - and when the steam is coming out quite strongly then there'll be no danger. Additionally, there is a safety pressure valve set at 3.5-4 bars, that will open if it over-pressures. This is much higher on the CX25-P. Hope that helps 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing This is ENORMOUSLY helpful, thank you so much for the detailed and quick response
First week of using and slowly getting it… I think. A couple of queries though:
- I use a full basket (50g) of fine grind, well tamped with water up to just above the 3 mark, but still get significantly less than 100ml of coffee before it starts spluttering/steaming regardless of where it is between 1 - 2 pressure and how carefully I ride the dial. What’s going wrong here?
- a fair bit of liquid spills out when I unscrew the lid after brewing, it seems to be sitting above the basket/filter. Is this an issue?
Hey Tyler, try decreasing the amount of coffee a little to around 40-45g and this may help. sometimes coffee will swell up with water and create the resistance and pressure than. If you can - try grinding a little more fine. If you've got the tamp and doing a good job there - than I'd only suggest try and rock the dial a little bit when opening it up just that bit, - it's sometimes not a perfect seal and if there pressure finds anyway out easily, you can bet it'll sputter out. - First and foremost - it helps to pre-infuse the coffee. so as it reaches a steady temp, just open the tap a little and let that first drop or two come out, before closing closing the tap again. Wait 10-15 sec without the pressure rising too high, than open that tap back up. ... the pre-infusion will allow all the coffee to become saturated, and with a fine grind and enough room to swell, this should be enough to brew those double shots smoothly. Yes, you'll have to back it off a bit on the tap as it is nearing the end of the brew - and if the pressure is becoming too much and it's difficult to manage the heat - just open up the steam tap to drop the pressure quickly.
Regarding the water on top. I'd say, yes there's probably too much coffee in there.... also, once you've let it cool down, keep the steam tap and brew tap open - prior to opening it - and this should allow any brewed coffee to fall back down into the reservoir
@@AlternativeBrewing brilliant, thank you. Far better results with these tips!
Hello Josh and thanks for the thorough explanation and helpful tips. Our son gave us the Bellman as a gorgeous gift and we are getting to grips with using it 😊. Just wondering if you could give me the details of that glass shot jug you use with the black handle? Do you stock these at all? Thanks so much again. 👍
Hi there! What a great present 😀 Yes we do stock them. they are sorted in the Coffee Servers - with loads of differents styles and volumes to suit. You can find them here: alternativebrewing.com.au/collections/coffee-servers
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks so much for the link.
Thought I everything right no coffee just steam, what did I did wrong
I have bellman cx25p, the steamer works pretty well. But the espresso is not flowing out nicely, so its more like just drop by drop; eventho the pressure bar is on 2-3 when I open the espresso spout. Anybody has the same issue? Could it be something with the water & coffee dosing ratio that I use?
Could be the grind being too fine? This will stop the water passing through the coffee grounds
@@AlternativeBrewing thanks for replying! What grind size do you recommend? All the time I just use mokapot grind size.
Thanks for the follow up video, very helpful 🤙 I bought one of these and a Kinu M47 from you to take on a trip around Aus, not had a ton of luck pulling consistent espresso shots yet - I don't suppose you'd know which grinder setting to try? I've been going up and down changing the grind, but I'm mainly getting quite bitter, flat tasting shots, and hardly any liquid before it sputters out.
With a Kinu, try 2.5.0... Keep it on a rather low flame and bring the pressure up steady to 0.5bars - brewing espresso under 1bar. 👍 Let me know how you go
@@AlternativeBrewing Magic 👌 Just tried your suggestion and pulled a decent long black and flat white.
Following the first 3:1 method in this video (0.5 > 0.8), with 50g coffee and up to the 3 water line, would you expect to pull just enough for two coffees, or more? If not, is the only way to get more coffee out to increase the amount of water (and dilute the espresso)? Cheers 👍
Hi there, thanks so much for the great explanation! I had one question - I was quite surprise to see that there is a steamer feature on the machine, without having to be plugged in power. Do you confirm that there is nothing else required than the stove? (Ie no gas bottle ...). And if so, I was really wondering how is the machine capable of creating steam, based on what power? Thanks guys
Yes, absolutely - the steam is created from the water in the unit under pressure. Just like a boiler in an espresso machine. Once around 1.2bars of pressure - or 120ºc ... water is rapidly becomes steam and with the steam tap you're able to release this on demand.
Do you get any crema from this ingenious contraption?
100% yes - get the right grind and pressure 👌
Hi, I sent email about the machine and I haven't got any reply yet. I just wonder a o ring, from the top of the square shape which is connected to pressure gauge, squeezed out. Would it be ok to use it?
Yes, unless there is pressure leaking from it -or worse, hot water - it'll be fine to use it. Sometime, some but not all the o ring will pop out of it's seating and it'll still maintain good pressure
Just bought one new and I'm not happy. I turn the nozzle gently, gently, ever so slowly, yet it still explodes out like a geyser, the result is coffee with grounds in it. The taste is ok because I have the coffee/water ratio right but I'm not happy. What can I do ?
If its coming out too fast - it’s the coffee grounds that are too coarse. 🫶Grind them finer and you’ll discover the resistance they’ll create for the water under pressure
As stated you can not use "canned" automatic drip coffee, it's too coarse!
But with a steam pressure brewer, it is very easy to get too fine as well!
But getting back to your complaint, as with a Moka Pot, MOST PEOPLE put it on way to high a flame or heat!!!
If the water is boiling violently, a rolling boil, steam blasts through the coffee bed, in between blasts of high pressure water!
Boil the water first, then use very, very low heat to brew the coffee!
Two other hints, there is no split pour spout as in a commercial porta filter, THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT!!! DO NOT pour one cup, then a second in another cup!
The first extraction through the bed is the best, the second no!
So brew into one cup all at once, then split by pouring into the second cup!
Never use the smallest dose basket adapter, the coffee bed is way too thin to produce a shot, you'll get only weak water!
Great video! Thanks! I think steaming the milk can make it taste funny. It's almost like the coffee which has fallen into the water has changed its taste. This happens to me more often than not. At first I thought it was the coffee, but the steam has a similar smell to the taste. Have you had any problems like this?
thanks! I've heard of this occurring for some brewers but have not been able to reproduce this myself. In these instances I've suggested to steam the Milk first before brewing. Remembering - so long as you don't open the tap to the brewer - the hot water will not fully percolate the bed of coffee. So you could steam milk first than quickly reduce the pressure in the unit - than brew your espresso that way.
or you could try to place the paper filter underneath the coffee bed(?) In mokapot, marginally helps with water distribution in the puck and usually resulted in no coffee fines powder in the remaining water.
Where i can buy one like this please.
right here - alternativebrewing.com.au/products/bellman-espresso-steamer-cx-25p
I have 5he coffee pot and is broke the pipe fron were the coffee came out.
Do you Repair too???
How much? Any idea????
yes - you can find the price here 👉 alternativebrewing.com.au/products/bellman-espresso-steamer-cx-25p
Great video thanks! I've just received mine and starting to play. When using with a smaller dose of coffee, does the separator sit above or below the coffee in the basket?
I've tried both and would highly recommend using it above the coffee 👌
If you put the coffee in the basket and put the separator on top, then as the water goes through the coffee , the coffee first fills the space above the spacer before it goes to the outlet valve.
If you put the coffee grounds on top of the separator the coffee goes the shortest path to the valve.
Use a filter ...it will stop junk getting in the valve and make it difficult to adjust the flow.
Where is the crema?
It's there - but you can mostly taste it more
Mine is sputtering a lot but I think due to using supermarket beans 😬
This is high 2.5 bars
100% supermarket beans are usually quite aged past roast date and this has an effect on the flow. Try grinding finer 👌
👍
Damm, who's able to brew more than 120ml of coffee?? basket full of coffee, water on the 9 mark, and cant have more than 80ml. got really lucky when i brew more than that!... what could be my problem!!!??? Any of you get some "slack" in the tap? when opening the tap, pushing it side ways make the coffee flow change a lot...
you are correct. There is a little bit of movement in the taps. Adjusting this ever so slightly on the ball valve will help keep resistance and pressure in. Grinding the coffee a little finer can slow the brew down - but eventually - no matter what you do - the process of extraction - (removing soluble mass from the beans) means that your dose of coffee will slowly give up resistance to the water pressure - and then it's a knifes edge in dropping the pressure down - and keep the flow going. Much like brewing on an espresso machine at home - but more manual in this case.
Bro, the ratio bit fucked me up sooo hard. I am leaving more confused thsn before.
I was going to say this is good for camps where there is no electricity but then again it can't be used on open fire so I don't see the point of owning one, there are better and cheaper options for home use.
What about using it with a propane stove?
I would love to have one, but that price is crazy!! If it was under $40, I'd buy it. I keep my eyes peeled at the thrift stores.
Warning this DOES NOT work on my induction stove top (Neff)
thank you 🫶
This looks like a _lot_ of effort for what looks like percolated coffee, to be honest.
I can not accept this as _espresso_
It may taste good, but without any crema at all... Yes I perfectly understand this sounds like i'm some kind of snob, but once again, I'm not saying this is somehow "bad coffee", just that i can not accept it as espresso.
Fair enough!
@@AlternativeBrewing 🤔 what if you went with a finer grind and got the pressure as high as the bellman safely allows?
@@GeorgeTsiros If it is the Crema that you're after ... a finer grind and higher pressure will have no added benefits without ensuring first the coffee you are using is freshly roasted with in the last 20 days and you are grinding fresh right before you brew. - As the CO2 in coffee beans is what creates the crema - and this dissipates over time. Using older, or pre-ground coffee will not produce crema at all. That being said - line all your ducks up and yes, you will produce more crema then there is brewed coffee 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing crema is just the coffee with lots of tiny bubbles. Couldn't be anything else, could it? Hot water goes through coffee, oils and minerals go from the grinds to the water.
The taste is mostly those oils, but there's a catch.
Your mouth only understands sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Those are not _taste_ . Close your nose, with your fingers, and take a sip. You will perceive sweet, sour, bitter etc, but _not the taste of the coffee_ .
Which brings me to my point: the particular taste is not a function of the fluid that comes into contact with the inside of your mouth. It is a function of the gases reaching your nose.
you following me so far?
@@GeorgeTsiros 100% . The coffee rbweed from eh Bellman ... can we call it percolated coffee with foam then?
sorry the ratio's to coffee are a little confusing to me. My partner and I are thinking of buying one for our caravan, just curious as to how much water and grams off coffee we would need to make two double espresso latte's/capps, and how much millilitres of coffee should be the end result. my guess was 50g ground coffee, 100mm of water to make 2x 50mm espresso shots? Not sure if that's right. Thanks in advance :)
Hi there, yes I would use a total of 45-50g of coffee and fill it to between the 3 and 6 line in the unit with water.. To brew 2 double shots of coffee, I would brew a total of 100-120ml of espresso out and then separate this in to two cups for a nice strong coffee in each 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing Great video thanks! How much water (roughly) would that be *in* or so would you reccomend for 2 strong shots + steam? Your videos have convinced me I need one, haha! Thanks in advance :)
@@AttitudeCastle you don't need to worry about water for steam. There is a default amount of water in the brewer that will always be in there, no matter how much you brew out .. as it does not reach the brewing funnel - so you would just fill to between the 2 and 6 mark. Brew the amount of coffee you want out, than close of the brew tap, and you could begin steaming so long as you have 1.2bars pressure 👌