Paragon Nucleus

Systemic

Picked this up on eBay - been used as a demo at a coffee fest. It’s very well made and includes two balls. They’re filled with a liquid rather than being solid. The sieve that holds the frozen ball can be used to sit on an espresso cup which is a bonus. Easy to set up but with the whole apparatus sitting on a set of scales, you need to have your wits around you to avoid disasters. Downside - with the Hario Switch installed, combined weight exceeds my Acaia Pearl scales.

MWJB

Systemic You could get a larger set of cheap, higher capacity kitchen scales to hold all the brew gear, then just use the Acaia’s under the server to record bev. weight.

dfk41

Systemic Simple hack, put the set up ready for use on your scales, turn them on them tare them

Systemic

dfk41 Systemic Simple hack, put the set up ready for use on your scales, turn them on them tare them

Taring makes no difference if the combined weight exceeds the scale’s limits.

HarveyMushman

Nice design but it’s crying out for someone to do a version that includes a scale in the base.

Maybe old mate asking about the coffee frustrations in the other thread.

dfk41

Systemic Yes it does!! Put them on the scales, then tare…..works for me every time (and for Dave who told me)

Systemic

Interestingly, the Paragon balls aren’t solid - there’s a liquid inside. Anyone explain how this is achieve?

Platypus

Systemic Interestingly, the Paragon balls aren’t solid - there’s a liquid inside. Anyone explain how this is achieve?

I would be interested as well. I bought a “solid” stainless steel ball from Amazon but it has a “substance “ in side that rattles so not solid at all. No mention of what this substance is so I’ve requested a refund, it came on the “slow boat” so concerned about leaching out and food safety.

Rob1

What does this do?

Systemic

Will give it a go.

Rob1

Overloading your scale is risking damage even if tared to zero. Not worth the risk with expensive scales.

tompoland

Acaia dont recommend leaving items sitting on a scale. I guess that would apply to other brands too.

whinmoor85

I’ve been doing the low tech version of the paragon by blooming the coffee with lower temp water (as per Lance’s recent video) and it produces good results.

Coffee definitely tasted that bit more juicy and sweeter than I remember. This wasn’t a blind taste test so it could be placebo but I like it.

MWJB

whinmoor85 Lance said that when he did that that also got a lower extraction. Wouldn’t using cooler water throughout do the same thing? (E.g. give a lower extraction, then increase noise levels if trying to determine if there are more VOCs).

Systemic

@Platypus Have googled around to try and find out what’s inside the Paragon balls without success. Compared to my stainless steel ball, the Paragon is same size - 40mm but weighs about a third of the SS one. I dug my ACS double spout portafilter yesterday and will try a split shot to see what, if any, difference extracting a shot over a frozen ball makes.

Rob1

Is this for making iced coffee?

Systemic

Rob1 Is this for making iced coffee?

Not really - doesn’t drop the brewed or espresso temp much.