We have now been officially appointed a Pullman Reseller. Pullman are the industry leaders when it comes to precision filter baskets and coffee tamp technology. The days of old are gone and a tamp is no longer a tamp. Many cafes and home baristas are unaware of the importance of using the correct coffee tamper when preparing the coffee in the filter basket. A standard 58mm tamp leaves too much of a gap between the tamp base and the edge of the filter basket and this can lead to an increased chance of tunneling and varied coffee extraction and flavours. The introduction of the Pullman big step base and the Pullman chisel has dramatically improved the consistency of the coffee extraction process and allows the edges of the coffee to be distributed and compressed more effectively. Coffee Machines and Beans love to demonstrate this when you come in and visit, so feel free to drop in. Now in stock are the Pullman Barista Range of Handles and your choice of the Big Step base or the stainless steel 58.5mm original base. This can all be coupled with a matching portafilter handle. See more at http://machinesandbeans.com.au/shop/

Visually distinct, the ECM Synchronika has a powder coated chassis in anthracite at the bottom of the machine combined with polished stainless steel housing. The new dual boiler machine from ECM distinguishes itself by its fresh eye catching design. The ECM Synchronika is the perfect home machine for those after the finesse a commercial machine offers. It has all the bells and whistles in a compact machine.  

• Dual boiler espresso machine
• Coffee boiler made of stainless steel with a 0.75 l volume; steam-/hot water boiler with a 2.0 l volume; boiler insulation
• Steam boiler which is independently connectible with an additional on/off switch
• PID-display - individual adjustment of the temperature in both boilers - indicates the brewing time in seconds - for an optional display of the brew group cleaning reminder Intervals can be programmed individually. - can be turned off at any time
• Patented ECM E61 brew group
• Quiet rotary pump
• Switchable from water tank to direct water connection
• Drainage hook-up for residual water is possible
• In case of water shortage the machine will shut down only after the portion brewed is finished
• "Quick steam" valves with an improve movement due to a 70° angle
• High end "no burn" steam- and hot water wands
• Ergonomic ECM portafilters
• 1x 1400 W and 1x 1200 W heaters
• 230 V and 115 V voltage
• Dimensions without portafilter (WxDxH): 335 x 490 x 410 mm

It has been hot, so this week we have been playing with the Toddy Cold Brew. The coffee has been fantastic! We can provide the correct recipe to go with our coffee blends to give you the best flavours. [video width="720" height="720" mp4="http://machinesandbeans.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2017-01-06-03.23.08.mp4"][/video]

La Marzocco has recently released the Linea PB with Auto Brew Ratio. This now opens up multiple possibilities on how you can program the machine to deliver the most consistent shot. Auto Brew Ratio uses precision scales built beneath each group of the Linea PB. The Auto Brew Ratio scales are incorporated into the espresso machine’s electronics system and provide the barista a new level of consistency, by giving control over beverage mass. La Marzocco was awarded the patent on this design in 2012. Early versions of integrated scale technology have been displayed by La Marzocco previously at the London Coffee Festival, MICE, and the SCAE World of Coffee. The technology was first on display at SCAA Expo 2015 and was the first demonstration of Auto Brew Ratio. Auto Brew Ratio has two modes: Mass Mode and Ratio Mode. Mass Mode In Mass Mode, the barista programs the desired finished beverage mass. The barista activates the brew group by selecting one of the programmed beverage mass buttons. When the desired beverage mass has been reached, the machine automatically stops the brewing process. Mass mode is best applied in café settings where the barista weighs the ground coffee in the portafilter for every shot, and has a specific target weight for the finished beverage. Ratio mode Using ratio mode, the barista programs the preferred brew ratio into the machine. When preparing to brew, the barista places the loaded portafilter on the drip tray scale, allowing the espresso machine to weigh the ground coffee. The barista may then engage the portafilter and activate the brewing cycle by selecting one of the programmed brew ratio buttons. The Ratio Mode will automatically stop the shot when the correct brew ratio is achieved. Ratio mode is best applied in coffee bars that do not weigh every ground coffee dose, or those cafes that would like to eliminate the step of weighing and correcting the coffee dose to a tenth of a gram. Auto Brew Ratio allows the barista to eliminate the step of weighing and correcting the coffee dose, while still consistently achieving the same brew ratio. Auto Brew Ratio has been in development for the last three years. The La Marzocco R&D team has been focused on developing an integrated scales platform able to withstand the rigors of real café use – with the reliability, durability, and precision our customers expect.