This week at SCAA Expo 2015, La Marzocco is thrilled to showcase Auto Brew Ratio, a proprietary advancement in espresso machine electronics that will be available in North America this summer. 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 on display at SCAA Expo 2015 will be 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.

Auto Brew Ratio will be available in North America as an option on the Linea PB beginning this summer. The technology will be on display in the La Marzocco booth number 3031 at the True Artisan Café Friday-Sunday of SCAA Expo.