The assessments were conducted on self nominated premises and the critical criteria on which the analysis of small espresso coffee was based is as follows: Required liquid volume:- 25-30ml, including good crema; Acceptable extraction time:- 20-30 secs; Temperature of drink:- 65°C best, 63-67°C acceptable.
Over half those assessed failed on the above criteria alone, with 47% due to under extraction whilst over extraction accounted for 7% of those who didn’t reach the desired BSA standards.
Daniel Clarke, business development manager for Cimbali who carried out some of the assessments on behalf of the BSA, said: “Some operators find the management of the grinder problematic and the issue is compounded by staff who are inexperienced staff do not know how or when adjustments need to be made.
"The result can be coffee that it is either under extracted and very weak or over extracted and bitter. The issue is customers don’t usually complain about poor quality coffee they just don’t come back for more.”
According to the data, over 20% of operators were extracting at between 8-13 seconds, a significant shortfall from the BSA’s recommended extraction time of 20-30 seconds. “At the extreme, we experienced sites with extraction times as low as 7 seconds”, said Paterson.
“Training will help improve standards by filling knowledge and skill gaps. Operators also need to work with suppliers and draw on their expertise to help get the best from their coffee, equipment, milk, water etc.
“Additionally, we welcome the technological advances that manufacturers like Cimbali are making, for example with their new Perfect Grinding System, in order to drive up in cup quality.”
Cimbali’s PGS grinder and coffee machine effectively ‘talk to each other’, adjusting the grind through the working day to guarantee a consistent in cup quality. “It doesn’t matter if the staff are completely new that day, the ‘fail safe’ technology will still deliver that perfect espresso according to the pre-set parameters," explained Clarke.
“In terms of precision, the technology is so advanced that the system adjusts the grind in steps of just 5 microns. That’s finer than the average spider’s silk,” added Clarke.
The technology is currently available with the M39 traditional coffee machine when used with Wireless Magnum On Demand Grinders, which use Bluetooth connectivity.
The Cimbali S54 super automatic machine can also be fitted with PGS technology. This means consistent coffee quality and eliminates downtime as there is no need for a skilled barista to reset the grinder blades.