for the coffee-geeks

We performed a little long-overdue heart surgery last night on our 3-group La Marzocco Linea semi-automatic espresso machine (at Capitol Hill), that already had a "skunkworx" factory modification of extended banjo tubes (the brew-water tube that extends from the brew boiler to the shower screen is extended and coiled within the saturated group for additional thermal stability).

We installed a PID controller. P.I.D. stands for proportional, integral, and derivative. It replaced the existing thermostat, which is essentially similar in design to a house HVAC thermostat, which isn't nearly as sensitive and precise as the coffee demands. A PID is a digitally controlled thermostat, which has the added benefit of being able to ease up to temperatures by cycling the heating element on and off, rather than kicking on until the target temperature is reached and then shutting off... which results in an overshoot (the heating element is off, but still really hot, which heats the water beyond the target temperature).

What does that mean for you and me? Even more consistency in our espresso shots.

The more precise the instrument, the easier it is for our baristas to perform at top performance.

Just a little FYI. This is the sort of stuff that we're thinking about all day long. Sorry for the geek-out.