A tip from our baristas: portafilter cleanliness

It is important to realize that the cleanliness of the machine’s portafilters can have a big impact on the quality of espresso produced.  Keeping portafilters clean ensures that there is no dirty taste being transferred from the portafilter to the actual espresso.  The way to keep this unit as clean as possible is simply to clean it often.  Every couple of hours, or more, the filter basket should be removed and briefly rinsed under the machine’s hot water jet, along with the portafilter.  As with any cleaning task, the more frequently this is done, the easier it is to do.  Using water from the hot water jet is extremely important as rinsing with this very hot water helps clean more efficiently and keeps the portafilter from losing more heat than necessary.  The barista should be careful not to use this water source excessively, however, as it is a limited water supply.

After pulling shots of espresso, it is typically beneficial to allow the spent coffee puck to remain in the basket (for a limited amount of time).  This allows the portafilter and group to retain more heat.  There is, however, a danger that accompanies this practice: the oils left in the puck will start to go rancid over time.  To avoid negative flavors that may result, don’t allow the puck to remain in the basket for more than ten minutes.