Five ways to improve the quality of your coffee…

OK, cleaning down the machine at the end of a busy day is not everyone’s idea of fun. But keeping the kit gleaming is vital if you want to deliver coffee that keeps customers coming back for more. La Cimbali’s barista team share top tips for making that daily task just a little bit easier …..

1. Try and get into a routine of cleaning the equipment every day after closing. It should take less than 10 minutes from start to finish and will pay dividends in terms of coffee quality and lifespan of the machine.

2. If resins from oils in the coffee build up on the machine parts they can impart bitterness which will affect the flavour and quality of the espresso. A thorough clean of the group heads and porta filters is therefore essential. A specific cleaning brush is available for this which is useful. Flushing through the machine until the water runs clear should get rid of any residues.

3. For best results, the baskets from the group heads and the Turbosteam nozzle should be soaked overnight in a reputable cleaner to remove any build-up of milk and coffee.

4. Don’t forget the steam wand:

o Always purge the steam wand before and after use.
o Always wipe the steam wand after use.
o Never soak the steam wand!
o Always hold the steam wand by the rubber grip

5. Anyone using a machine with a manual fill water tank should undertake regular cleaning with an appropriate de-scaler (even when using a water softening unit) to prevent mineral scales building up over time.

A traditional espresso machine is probably one of your biggest investments and largest profit generators so it’s worth showing it some love!

Remember, first impressions do count so clean the exterior of machine with a lightly sanitised cloth and polish up with a clean dry cloth and you are then good to go.