Cremina lever profile (for darkly roasted beans)

The Olympia Cremina is a classic lever machine.

It doesn't have a spring.

Like most lever machines it exhibits a declining pressure profile.

This profile is a long shot ... about 45sec.

It uses a fine grind.

With dark roasted beans most of the flavour comes out early in the shot.

Towards the end, the shot is quite watery.

The Cremina uses  a narrow 49mm basket. 

It is characterized by a manual pre-infusion, a pressure ramp-up, and a subsequent pressure decline, all managed by the user's interaction with the lever.

I have a La Pavoni Europiccola which is quite similar.

I like to start the shot when the machine's group head is around 85C.

The end of the shot usually sees the group temp rising over 90c ... sometimes getting to 92-93c.

The classic La pav basket is 14g so you'd aim for 28 out.

Key Aspects of the Cremina Espresso Profile:

Pre-infusion:

The user initiates a pre-infusion phase by gently lifting the lever, allowing water to gently saturate the coffee puck at a lower pressure. 

Here the pressure rises to about 1 bar.

Ramp-up:

As the lever is further depressed, the pressure increases, typically ramping up to a peak pressure as the piston moves through the brew group.  (9 bar though I usually hit around 6-8 bar on my La pavoni)

Pressure Decline:

The user manages the lever's movement to control the pressure, causing a gradual decline towards the end of the shot. 

This is a really flexible profile.

You can pull this as a 1:1 ristretto for that classic Italian shot.

Sometimes I end the shot early at 30secs but you can also pull this with 12g  still at 45 secs.

These lever shots always finish at very low pressures.

This is a screen shot of a lever profile I have loaded into my modded (Gaggimate)

Rancilio Silva.

Red: Temp

Blue: pressure

Green: Flow

The flow peaks twice at 4g/s but drops to 1g/s 

I was using a 58mm to 49mm stepdown basket.

It has a Cremina Lever profile.

The initial dose is 18g. 

grinder: DF64V (grind setting 15).

Out : 36g

Phases

A preinfusion for 25 secs (zero volume in cup)

  - soak - 15s, 1.1bar pressure

  - Ramp up to 3 bar, 4 s

  - ramp up to 6 bar, 4 secs

  - ramp up to 9 bar , 2 secs 

There should be no coffee in up at this point.

B. Brew stage (40 secs)

   - Ramp down to 8 bar. 10 secs. 6 g volume

   - Ramp down to 7 bar, 10 secs, 14 g volume

   - Ramp down to 6 bar, 10 secs, 26 g volume

   - Ramp down to 5 bar, 10 secs, 36 g volume

The Gaggimate is connected to Bookoo scales via wifi, and the pull shot stops precisely at 36g.

   

------------------------

variation 2

Temp settings: 

Higher brew temperatures for lighter roasts, lower brew temperatures for darker roasts

Preinfusion settings: 

    longer (slower flow rate) preinfusion for lighter roasts, 

    shorter (faster flow rate) preinfusion for darker roasts

    After preinfusion, pressure is ramped up to a maximum and then gradually declines. 

Pressure settings:

   Max brew pressure of 6-9 bar (I like 8-9 bar)

    Adjust decline to maintain a fairly steady flow rate (1.0-1.5ml/s) as puck erodes.

Pour time of ~30s (not including preinfusion)

Use the coffee dose suggested by basket manufacturer (but feel free to updose).

 "normale" brew ratio of 1:2 (adjust to your preference)

When starting out, I recommend getting a medium roast house espresso blend from an established specialty coffee roaster. This will maximize your chances of success. Then feel free to branch out to single origin coffees, uber-light roasts, etc.

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Coffee index. Click here :

https://djjondent.blogspot.com/2024/03/coffee.html

Q162 - sequential switch used as a Clock divider module

 The Q962 is a specific type of clock divider, likely a module within a modular synthesizer system.

 It's designed to take an incoming clock signal and produce a series of divided clock signals, meaning the output clock pulses occur at a slower rate than the input. This is useful for creating rhythmic variations and controlling other modules with different timing relationships. 

manual

https://shop.synthesizers.com/cdn/shop/files/q962data.pdf?v=14249181206263548610

Here's how a clock divider like the Q962 might be used:

1. Basic Division:

Connect the incoming clock signal to the input of the Q962.

Each output of the Q962 will provide a clock signal divided by a specific factor (e.g., /2, /4, /8, etc.).

These divided clocks can then be used to trigger other modules, such as sequencers, envelopes, or LFOs, creating different rhythmic patterns. 

2. Creating Rhythmic Complexity:

By using multiple outputs of the clock divider with different division factors, you can create complex rhythmic patterns that evolve over time.

For example, you might use a /2 clock to trigger a kick drum, a /4 clock to trigger a snare, and a /8 clock to trigger a hi-hat, creating a basic drum beat.

You can then experiment with different combinations and offsets to create more intricate rhythms. 

3. Combining with Logic Modules:

Clock dividers can be combined with logic modules (AND, OR, XOR gates) to create even more complex rhythmic variations.

For example, you could use an AND gate to combine the output of a /2 clock and a /3 clock, resulting in a clock pulse that only occurs when both clocks are high, creating a new rhythmic pattern.

4. Timing and Modulation:

Clock dividers can be used to control the timing of other modules, such as LFOs (low-frequency oscillators) or envelopes.

By using a divided clock signal to modulate the rate or amplitude of an LFO, you can create rhythmic variations in the LFO's output.

Similarly, a divided clock can be used to trigger envelope generators, creating percussive sounds with varying attack and decay times. 

5. Performance Techniques:

During live performances, clock dividers can be used to create dynamic changes in the music by switching between different division ratios or combining them in various ways.

This allows for transitions between different rhythmic feels or for creating build-ups and breakdowns in the music. 

Example:

Imagine you have a sequencer that is running at a certain tempo. You can use the Q962 to divide that tempo and then use the divided clocks to trigger other modules. For example: 

/2 (half speed): Could trigger a bassline or a longer melodic phrase.

/4 (quarter speed): Could trigger a percussive element like a tom-tom or a short melodic phrase.

/8 (eighth speed): Could trigger a hi-hat or a subtle rhythmic embellishment.

/16 (sixteenth speed): Could trigger a very fast, subtle rhythmic element.

By combining these different divisions, you can create a complex and evolving rhythmic landscape. You can also use the logic modules to combine the divided clocks in different ways, creating even more intricate patterns. 

In essence, the Q962, and clock dividers in general, are powerful tools for creating rhythmic complexity and dynamic changes in modular synthesizers.

Best overall Profile - for dark roasted espresso

The best overall pressure profile for espresso, often referred to as the "Best Overall Profile" 

by some, (was made famous by Scott Rao)

typically involves 

a fast fill, a pre-infusion of about 2 bar, a ramp-up to 9 bars of pressure, followed by a gentle decline. 

I think its very similar to a classic lever espresso style shot but it never finishes at the low pressure that

the Cremina shot did.

This profile aims to balance extraction, avoid bitterness, and produce a well-rounded, balanced espresso.

Below is what this profile looks like on a decent DE1.

 The DE1 version  (for 18g in, 36 out) has 

1. a ramp up to 4 bar over 20 secs, 

2. steep Rise to 8.4 bar and hold for 10 secs

3. gradual decline to about 6 bar over the last 30 secs.

4 stop pour at 36ml

This is a really good profile for milk based drinks.

Moog index page

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  + Moog Mother 32 - Sequencer shortcuts 
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  + Mother 32 & DFAM - Live jamming ideas
  + Moog Mother 32 & DFAM Jam # 1  
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  + 961 INTERFACE
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•    + My 5U sequencer setup
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• + Q162 - sequential switch used as a Clock divider module
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Cryptocurrencies , bitcoin

Disclaimer.. I'm a crypto sceptic and don't own any bitcoin. 

This is not to say that I won't buy any in the future, but at this moment I'll sit on the fence.

I'm writing this post to expand my understanding.

What is Crypto?

It is a digital currency.

Bitcoin is a value based token. It is the first but just one of many cryptocurrencies.

The promise is that bitcoin is the currency for the people. 

It is decentralized, free from government & a salvation from the "greedy banks".

It's been 16 years since bitcoin launched. Does it have any widespread utility?

What is the block chain?

It's a public digital ledger ... a way to record a transaction that is independent of a 3rd party.

It means that I can transfer value to you without needing permission from a intermediatory.

For example:

If you go back 5 thousand years, when we transact with each other we typically use a third party.

If I was to buy your house I'd instruct my bank to send funds to your bank. The bank/s would charge a commission.

Or if I was to buy food at a restaurant with my credit card or phone, Visa or MasterCard or Apple transfer the digital money on my phone from my bank to the bank of the restaurant.

Blockchain is a way I can avoid paying the 3% charge from Visa, Mastercard etc.

In the past, this technology has been stalled by the regulatory processes from Governments, banks, credit card companies , taxi companies etc, etc. 

(ie anyone afraid of the new, potentially disruptive, technology).

In the past various US and European Governments had stalled its acceptance.

But now the Trump administration has come to power and he is heavily influenced by the crypto lobby.

The real person behind this is Paul Atkins. He is the acting SEC (securities and exchange commission) chairman. He believes that the increased use of crypto will reduce the cost of transactions.

It will disrupt the role of banks and move beyond the types of governance we are used to.

This technology is quite volatile. Eg after Trump was elected the price of bitcoin rose 40% in a month.

It eventually rose to 126K but has since dropped to 80K.

Trump issued 2 meme coins on the eve of his election (for him and his wife).

These meme coins went up in value, he takes a few hundred million out for him self and these coins over the last 7-8 months have crashed in value. This is a problem when the President is issuing self interested meme coins as he is susceptible to grift. People who buy the token may try to influence him.

This has soured the industry. It has had the opposite effect of what the crypto industry wanted.

Instead of promoting the future promise of  making transactions cheaper and easier for the consumer

it has made crypto look like its full of scammers.

Today, I wonder if bitcoin will ever life up to its promise of being a digital currency we can trust.

It has high volatility, high transaction fees & high fraud.

There is so far no widespread adoption as a payment system.

You cant use it to buy groceries... and even if you could it would probably be converted to hard currency ASAP.

I suspect that the real use of bitcoin is as a speculative asset.... like gold.

It's 4x more volatile than stocks.