General Best Practices & Golden Rules

Freshly Roasted, Freshly Ground Coffee is Key 

Any coffee can be brewed as espresso, and we think whatever coffee you like best is the best coffee for you to choose. However, we have consistently gotten the best results when brewing espresso that has been ground fresh immediately before brewing from whole beans that were roasted within the last 2 weeks. One of the most common questions that comes across our tech phone line is ‘Why doesn’t my espresso have any crema?’ and luckily, it’s a very easy issue to fix: the coffee being brewed is typically either too old or too coarsely ground for espresso. Our advice is to use freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee whenever possible. 

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Water Quality Matters

Coffee is about 98% water, so maybe we should all just collectively vow to pay a little more attention to the water we’re brewing with. In all seriousness, though, you might be surprised to learn how much the quality of your water affects the taste of your coffee. If you want to see for yourself just how dramatic the difference can be – try brewing the same pour over with distilled water, bottled water/well filtered water, and tap water. The results may shock you. As for your the taste of your espresso, and the longevity of your espresso machine, we recommend using one of the following options:  

  • BWT bestsave filter  
  • Third Wave Water packets + distilled water 
  • Bottled Spring Water 
*NOTE: Please do not use distilled water without an additive like Third Wave Water in your espresso machine.  

Clean Equipment is Happy Equipment 

There are major benefits to cleaning your equipment and tools regularly: your coffee is going to taste better, your equipment is going to last longer, and you’re going to spend significantly less money on repairs over time. Whether you just got an espresso machine, or you’ve had one for a while, today is a great day to build cleaning into part of your coffee making routine. If you have a Silvia Pro X, cleaning is especially quick and easy due to its Automatic Backflush Function.  

Silvia Pro X Weekly Cleaning Blog Video