Baratza Forté Brew Operations Manual

Below you will find brief information for Forté Coffee Grinder. This grinder offers precision weight or time-based grinding with ±0.2g accuracy, 260 grind settings via macro/micro adjustment, and quiet belt drive operation. It includes ceramic (or steel) burrs for consistent results and automatic scale calibration for reliable dosing.

PDF

Document

Forte

Weight and Time

Based Coffee Grinder

Operations

Manual

Forte

Thank you for purchasing the Forté

or the

Forté

Brew Grinder. With the Forté

, it is easier than ever to grind by weight or time in an industrial setting. Below are detailed descriptions of the features that make the

Forté

stand out from all other grinders.

Note: the Forté

will be used when talking about the grinder and it applies to the Forté

BREW GRINDER (BG) as well unless otherwise noted.

TM weighing, while grinding to within (+/-) 0.2 of a gram. The time-based dosing allows for grinding directly into your porta filter.

Innovative software allows for automatic conversion from weight-based dosing to time-based dosing.

Precision, commercial-quality, task specific ceramic and steel burrs.

The ceramic burrs we use on the Forté

are manufactured in Germany by MAHLKÖNIG.

They are designed to cover a full range of grind, from espresso to French press. The materials used are made with the highest industry standard and are designed with the equal care. Ceramic burrs remain sharp for a life time unless a stone or other foriegn object comes in contact with them.

The Steel burrs that are used in the Forté

BG are manufactured in Switzerland by DIT-

TING. They are manufactured to the highest standards in the industry. The range of grind is strictly limited to manual brewing (they will not do espresso grind).

Macro and Micro adjustments are quickly and repeatedly achievable with the intuitive Forté

adjustment system. The range of grind and the accuracy of the settings gives more functionality and precision to users. The Forté

-BG has

260 distinct settings to fine tune the perfect particle size for all manual brewing.

The Forté

has 260 distinct settings that ranges from espresso to French press.

Quiet drive system.

The Forté

houses a high torque DC motor with a belt drive transmission. The industrial drive belt provides for a smooth, quiet operation, and thermal disconnection of motor and burrs. The motor is able to effortlessly handle long duty cycles.

Additionally, the Forté

possesses an automatically resettable thermal safety circuit that protects the motor from overheating.

Time or Weight-Based Grinding, for extreme accuracy (and ease) in dosing.

The Forté

can be used as a fully integrated time or weight-based grinder. Using the touch screen you can change whether you want to grind by time or by weight. The built-in precision load cell provides accurate

Introduction .......................................................................................... 1

Table of Contents ................................................................................. 2

Parts Identification ............................................................................... 3

Safety Information ................................................................................ 4

Initial operation .................................................................................. 5

Macro and Micro Grind Adjustment ................................................ 5

Weight Based Grinding Operation .................................................. 6

Time Based Grinding Operation ..................................................... 7

Programming Dosing Weights or Time............................................ 7

Sleep Mode .................................................................................... 8

PortaHolder

Setup and Installation .............................................. 8

Forté

Burr Calibration ................................................................... 8

Scale Calibration ........................................................................... 9

Care and Cleaning .............................................................................. 9

Cleaning the Housing and Hopper................................................... 9

Cleaning the Burrs .......................................................................... 10

Removing the Bean Hopper and Upper Burr ................................. 10

Replacing the Upper Burr and Bean Hopper .................................. 11

Replacing the Bean Hopper ........................................................... 11

Automatic Cleaning ......................................................................... 11

Warranty and Service .......................................................................... 12

Grinding Notes .................................................................................... 13

Baratza Contact Information ............................................................... 14

Forte

Parts Identification

Hopper lid

Whole bean hopper (300 grams)

Micro grind adjustment lever

Macro grind adjustment lever

Programable preset buttons (3)

Grind weight adjustment buttons (2)

Ground coffee bin (125 gram capacity) cutaway to show Weight Platform

Weight platform

Ceramic burr

(Forté

Brew Grinder)

Steel burr

(Forté

)

Portaholder

Before First Time Use

Prior to using your Forté

for the first time, wash the bean hopper and ground coffee bin in warm soapy water and allow them to dry thouroughly before use. See the section on Care and Cleaning for instructions on how to remove and reinstall these parts.

Important Safety Information

Please read the information below very carefully. It contains important tips for the use, safety, maintenance and care of the Forté

Please keep these operating instructions for future reference.

to be performed only by authorized service centers. An improperly repaired grinder is a source of risk to the user and voids the warranty.

Baratza will not accept any liability for damage or injury if the grinder is used for anything other than its intended purpose or if it is improperly operated or repaired. All warranty claims will be void.

Do not operate the grinder with a damaged cord or plug. Turn off and unplug the grinder if it malfunctions in any way. Do not leave your grinder unattended while turned ON.

Your new Forté

is rated for either

120 VAC or 230 VAC. Please confirm the voltage of your Forté

on the nameplate attached to the bottom of the grinder. The 120 VAC

Forté

can be used from 100 to

130 VAC and the 230 VAC Forté

can be used from 200 to 240

VAC. Please ensure your supply voltage range matches the nameplate voltage on your Forté

. Only clean the grinder housing with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not use this grinder for anything other than grinding whole roasted coffee beans. Disassemble the grinder only as directed in the Care and

Cleaning section of this manual.

If you cannot remedy a malfunction, please visit www.baratza.

com for assistance. Repairs are

Caution

Turn off and unplug the grinder from the electrical outlet before cleaning. To unplug, grasp plug and to remove it from the outlet - never pull on the cord. Keep your grinder out of the reach of children.

Do not immerse the grinder, the plug or the cord in water or any other liquid.

Initial Operation

Place the Forté

grinder on a level surface. With the hopper lid in place, mount the hopper on the grinder housing by lining up the two small tabs at the base of the hopper with the two slots inside the collar on the top of the grinder.

The Hopper Guard Open/Closed lever is oriented toward the back of the grinder.

to the OPEN position. Center the ground coffee bin in front of the grinder and slide it in onto the load cell platform. Press WEIGHT, then press TARE. The display should now read 00.0. Press button 1, then press START.

Setting the Macro and Micro

Grind Adjustment

Note

Partially ground coffee beans may remain between the burrs when the grinder is turned off. When making

ANY grind adjustment the grinder must be running. After a macro or micro adjustment is made, allow

5 grams of coffee to pass through the grinder to receive the desired grind.

Insert the bean hopper then rotate clockwise to lock in place.

Turn the hopper clockwise until the back tab lines up with the small notch in the colar. There will be a destinct increase in friction as the hopper locks in place. Insert the power plug into an AC outlet. Pour the desired quantity of roasted, whole coffee beans into the hopper. Replace the lid and turn the

Hopper Guard counter-clockwise

Micro

Adjustment A-Z

Macro

Adjustment 1-10

The Forté

must be running when grind adjustment are made.

Grind Adjustments (cont.)

Move the Macro lever (right side) up or down to the desired grind size. Set the Micro adjustment lever (left side) to the middle of the scale.

Grind a small amount of coffee into the bin by pressing WEIGHT, then

M (manual), and then the START button. Press STOP after 5 grams of coffee have been ground. Check the particle size. If the particle size is close to what you desire, use the

Micro lever to fine tune the grind size. If the particle size needs a big change, then adjust the Macro lever to a new position.

The full range on the Micro scale is equal to one “click” or position change on the Macro scale.

When both levers are moved UP, it produces a smaller particle size and when both levers are moved

DOWN it produces a larger particle size. The actual grind size for a particular setting will vary depending on many factors including; the degree of roast (light vs. dark), freshness, humidity, the type of bean, and bean oil content. With use you will become accustomed to determining the correct settings for various beans, taste, and brewing styles.

Weight-based

Grinding Operations

Select WEIGHT, then insert the ground coffee bin on the load cell and press TARE then press one of the preset buttons (1, 2, 3).

The screen will show the pre-programmed grind weight in grams.

Press START to begin grinding.

While grinding, the screen will dis-

All Weight and Time settings are made using the touch screen.

play in real-time, the weight of coffee in the grounds bin. When the screen reaches the programmed weight (+/- 0.2 gram), the motor will stop and the screen will show the actual weight in the grounds bin for

3 seconds, then the screen will reset to the programmed weight. The grinder will only allow a maximum of 120 grams to be ground at one time. At any time during grinding,

you can stop the unit by pressing the STOP button. The motor will stop and the screen will reset to the selected preset weight.

You can also press M (manual) grinding, and use the START and

STOP buttons to grind to the desired weight to a maximum of 120 grams.

Time Based

Grinding Operations

Select TIME and either place the

PortaHolder

™

over the load cell, or place the ground coffee bin on the load cell. Press the desired button

(1, 2, or 3). The screen will show the corresponding Programmed grind time in seconds. Press

START button to begin grinding.

While grinding, the screen will count down the seconds to 0.0.

When the screen reaches 0 seconds, the motor will stop and the display will reset again to the programmed time. For greater quantities of ground coffee, press the M

(manual) button then START. The grinder will count up to 55 seconds, then shut off automatically.

At any time during MANUAL operation, you can stop the grinding by pressing the STOP button. The motor will stop and the screen will show the total amount of seconds for 3 seconds, then it will reset to

0.0.

Programming Dosing

Weights or Time

The Forté

is equipped with three programmable buttons for both

Weight and Time. The buttons are simply labeled 1, 2, 3. These programmable buttons only adjust the amount of time or weight of coffee to be ground, they do not adjust the coarseness of the grind. Each button comes from the factory with a preset:

Weight: 1=15g, 2=30g, 3=60g.

Time: 1=10s, 2=15s, 3=30s.

You can easily program more or less grinding weight or time as follows: 1.Press the up or down arrow buttons to adjust the grams or seconds. Press and hold the (up or down) arrow for two seconds to advance grams or seconds more quickly, hold for five more seconds and it will advance even faster.

2. Once you have reached the desired Weight or time setting, press the corresponding button

(1, 2, or 3) and hold for 3 seconds.

The selected amount of grams or seconds shown on the top of the screen will blink to confirm the setting is stored. 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 above for either WEIGHT or

TIME for each of the other two buttons. The quantity of ground coffee you need depends on the type of burrs (steel or ceramic), bean, coarseness of the grind, brewing method and personal taste. With use, you will find the most suitable

settings for your personal taste. If the grinder is unplugged it will retain the stored settings.

Sleep Mode

To minimize standby power consumption, the Forté

will go into “sleep mode” automatically after 5 minutes of non-use. While in sleep mode, the screen goes blank. To “wake up” your Forté

, press any button. Once the screen lights up, select your grinding method.

PortaHolder ™ Set-up and Installation

Place the PortaHolder ™ on a flat surface and check to see if your porta filter fits onto the two steel bars and sits level. The steel support bars can be adjusted vertically by loosening the two Phillips screws on the back of the Porta

Holder. Once you have the correct vertical position for the bars, tighten the screws. Insert the PortaHolder ™ into the grinder and press it rearward until fully installed. Make sure not to put any pressure on the load cell. Then insert the porta filter into the PortaHolder ™ by lifting the handle up so the front lip of the porta filter slides under and gets hooked by the hook bracket on the under side of the funnel shape

Porta-Holder

™

. To use, insert your porta filter into the PortaHolder

™

Press TIME and the desired preset dose button, then press START.

The grinder will run for the preset dose time and stop automatically.

Forté

Burr Calibration

Note

All directional indications assume you are looking down on the machine.

A 2 mm Allen head calibration screw is located in the round hole behind the discharge chute (see photo). This calibration screw allows the user to easily fine tune the calibration of the burr in the finer or coarser direction while the grinder is running. To make the adjustment, empty all beans from the grinder. Turn the grinder on and lower the Macro and Micro levers all the way to the bottom.

Let the grinder run long enough to expel any remaining ground coffee. With the bin removed,

TARE the grinder. Now press any one of the preset buttons then press START. The grinder will run until you press the STOP button or 3 minutes elapses. For a finer grind, while the grinder is running, move the Macro arm up to the top

(setting 1). You should not hear any change in motor speed. Now slowly move the Micro arm up to the top (setting A). If the motor hasn’t started to slow, use the tool

to turn the calibration screw in toward the finer direction until you hear the motor start to slow. If you want a coarser grind, insert the tool and turn the opposite direction of the arrow on the tool. If you do not have a Baratza tool you can substitute with a 2mm Allen wrench. Determine direction to turn while looking from the base of the grinder up.

Use the burr calibration tool while the grinder is running.

Scale Calibration

If the display is showing “EEE”,

“out”, or the grinder is over or underdosing coffee, the scale needs to be calibrated. To calibrate the scale you need a 200 gram weight.

To “create” a 200 gram weight, place the Forté

grounds bin on a separate scale and add whole

9 coffee beans until the scale reads

200 grams (total weight of bin and coffee beans). Keep your “200 gram weight” handy. Now unplug the Forté

and make sure there is nothing on the scale platform.

Plug the Forté

back in and while it powers on hold buttons M and

WEIGHT until a value between

1500-3000 is displayed. Then press Button M, the display will read “cal”. Gently set the 200 gram weight onto the platform. The display will flash “pas” and then show the total weight of the bin and coffee beans (it should read 200). After removing the bin the ON screen will show 0.0. Empty the beans.

Then press start to bring the grinder to the “home screen” then place the bin back on scale and press tare (T). The scale is now calibrated . Please e-mail us at support@ baratza.com if you have problems calibrating the scale.

Care and Cleaning

Cleaning the Housing and Hoppers

Rotate the Hopper Guard so it is

CLOSED, then press the START button to run any remaining beans through the grinder. Remove the plug from the power outlet. Then remove the hopper by twisting it with both hands (with the lid on) in a counterclockwise direction until it stops (about ¼ inch, or 4 cm)

and then lift the bean hopper off of the grinder housing. Remove and wash the grounds bin, hopper, and hopper lid in warm soapy water, then rinse and dry.

Caution

Do not put the bean hopper, hopper lid, ground coffee bin, or porta filter-holder in the dishwasher.

Hand wash only. Do not immerse the grinder housing in water.

Cleaning the Burrs

If the grinder is used daily, the burrs (steel or ceramic) should be cleaned at least every few months with a stiff brush. Proper cleaning enables the burrs to achieve the most consistent grind possible.

Cleaning also removes some coffee oils which will stale and degrade the flavor of the ground coffee. Do not wash the burrs with water.

Removing the Bean Hopper and Upper Burr

Note

The icons and arrows on top of

Baratza Burr Tool indicating the direction to turn. Rotate the Hopper

Guard so it is CLOSED, then press the START button to run any remaining beans through the grinder.

Remove the hopper by twisting it with both hands (with the lid on) in a counter-clockwise direction until it stops (about ¼ inch, 4 cm) and then lift the bean hopper off of the grinder housing. Using the Baratza

Burr Tool included with the grinder, rotate the metal burr carrier

clockwise until it can be twisted free by hand, then lift the burr carri-

Turn burr clockwise to remove

Steel burr mounted on burr carrier

er straight up and out of the grinder housing. The ceramic or steel burr are mounted to the underside of the burr carrier. Clean the burrs using a stiff brush. Do not wash the burrs with water.

Replacing the Upper Burr

With your hand, gently thread the upper burr carrier turning counter

-clockwise until finger tight . Using the Baratza Burr Tool, rotate the burr carrier counter-clockwise an additional 1/8 inch or 2 mm. (do not over tighten).

Replacing the Bean Hopper

To replace the bean hopper line up the two small tabs on the base of the hopper with their respective slots in the top of the grinder housing and insert the hopper into the grinder. Once the hopper is in place rotate it clockwise until it clicks to a stop (about ¼ inch or 4 cm).

Automatic Cleaning

A thorough, fast, and easy cleaning can be accomplished using Full

Circle

™

, biodegradable, grinder cleaning tablets. Full Circle

™

tablets are designed to dislodge coffee particles and absorb and remove odors and coffee oil residue.

Simply place the recommended amount into the empty grinder hopper. Adjust the grind setting to

Coarse, place the grounds bin on the load cell and press WEIGHT,

M (manual) then the START button. Grind all of the tablets into the bin, then press STOP. Once complete we recommend grinding some coffee (4 tbs.) to remove any tablet residue. Discard the ground coffee. For information on Full Circle

™

cleaning tablets go to www.

urnex.com. or baratza.com.

Warranty and Service

U.S. and Canadian Warranty

Information

Limited Warranty for Baratza

Grinders is 1 year. This warranty covers all defects in materials or workmanship (parts and labor) including free ground transportation to and from our repair facility within

US and Canada. This warranty does not apply to: improper use, lack of cleaning, abuse, normal wear and tear, lack of proper adjustment, foreign objects (stones, screws, etc) in the beans, or uses outside the intended use of grinding whole roasted coffee beans. If your grinder fails within one year, e-mail [email protected] or call 425-641-1245. If the problem cannot be solved over the phone and the problem is determined to be a warranty issue, then Baratza will deliver an identical or comparable replacement to your door, free of charge and arrange to have your “failed” grinder returned to us.

When you receive your replacement grinder, use the carton and packing material and shipping label to return your “failed” grinder by dropping if off at any UPS pickup locations. If the grinder is outside

US or Canada the customer is responsible for the shipping of the grinder for repair.

International Warranty

Information

Go to: www.baratza.com for warranty information on grinders sold outside the United States.

Proof of Purchase and Product Registration

You can register your grinder at www.baratza.com. Registration will enable us to contact you in the unlikely event of a product safety notification and assist us in complying with the provisions of the

Consumer Product Safety Act. The serial number is located on the bottom of the grinder. Please keep your sales receipt that shows the date of purchase.

For repairs or Questions e-mail: [email protected]

For parts and information go to: www.baratza.com

For all other inquiries call:

425-641-1245

Grinding Notes

Baratza, LLC

3923-120th Ave. S.E. Bellevue, WA. 98006 www.baratza.com

rev: 062713