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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/01 11:42Thanks for the tips! I continue in my quest for the perfect shot! Cheers! Scott
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Dave
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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/01 12:08Scott,
Thanks for the pic!
This is a rather simplistic reply to a more complex situation, but to answer the question: Yes, you can increase the temperature of the brew water if you want. I would not assume that your temperature is low without additional evidence. How does the coffee actually taste? Is sourness a notable attribute?
To start with, flush hot water through the group until the light goes off (with practice, you will learn how long to run the pump to do this), then wait for the light to come back on. This will give you a repeatable, "high" brew temperature at the upper end of the brew thermostat band. If you feel that this temperature is not hot enough (for a lighter-roast coffee, for example), you can increase the temperature further by flipping on the steam thermostat for a few seconds. This takes practice and is akin to temperature surfing. Be sure to start from a "known" repeatable temperature to make this as consistent as possible: i.e., use the flush technique above to cycle the boiler.
Likewise, you can lower the brew temperature by cycling the boiler in the same way and then flushing water through the group.
Before getting into the nitty gritty of diagnosing your shot problems, can you please give us a better indication of: i) exactly what grinder you are using? ii) what coffee are you using, and approximately how long ago was it actually roasted? iii) Did your previous machine use a pressurized portafilter? iv) during your shot attempts, is the colour change gradual or is there an abrupt shift to blonder or thinner/watery espresso? early or late in the shot? v) is there an abrupt change of flow, or do you notice a spiralling output in the pour? It can help to remove the spouts on the portafilter to see this more clearly (if they come off easily).
Thx, Dave
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victoriasdad
User Junior Barista
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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/01 15:08Dave, Thanks for your reply! I didn't think to use the steam switch to increase the temp, I'll have to start 'surfing' with the next shot. Makes sense, though. We went through four different grinders with our last machine, starting with an inexpensive burr grinder, which we all know does not work, and then proceeding through a Solis Maestro Plus, then a MDF doser model, a Nemox Lux (a piece of garbage, like a toy), and we settled on a Saeco MC2002, which, amazingly enough, works extremely well and will grind to a powder and for the French press. Cheap, too...$80 USD, but hard to find now. The next stop was going to be the Rocky. Anyway, I am trying different blends, I got some freshly-roasted local espresso beans yesterday and they make for a fine cup. Some Lavazza, freshly opened. I do taste a big difference with the Gaggia on the freshness of the bean. Here's what I'm getting to know about the Gaggia:
1) Needs a good warm-up time, 15-20 minutes. 2) Sensitive to grind and tamp (got a Reg Barber today, what a difference!) 3) Need to watch the lights and brew accordingly. 4) Must fill the basket to the brim and tamp, not use "2 scoops" as others.
This is my first boiler machine and as such I am very paranoid about accidentally frying the boiler by not doing the start-up sequence correctly. Also, after frothing or steaming, must let off a few degrees before brewing again. I think I've got the formula, I guess now is the time to play and experiment. Like I said, I'm only afraid now that I will forget to flick a switch or turn a knob and fry the pump or boiler. Thanks, Dave, and all of you, for your help. I'll get it yet! I do think that the Gaggia is a good machine, I haven't read too many negatives about it. Cheers!
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dave
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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/01 16:11Scott,
Victoriasdad wrote: This is my first boiler machine and as such I am very paranoid about accidentally frying the boiler by not doing the start-up sequence correctly. Also, after frothing or steaming, must let off a few degrees before brewing again.
Starting out: Just run water through the steam wand when starting it up. Ideally, recycle the entire contents of the boiler - only 3.5 oz - by running sufficient water through the wand and/or group. Using the wand ensures that any steam gap is purged from the boiler. Running water through the group helps to heat it up (or cool it: see below). Replenishing the boiler with fresh water at the start of each session might give you piece of mind if you have any concerns about trace amounts of aluminum oxide ending up in your cup.
After steaming: Turn off the steam switch. Run the pump with the steam wand open, until just water is flowing. This accomplishes a few things: i) the wand is cleaned out, preventing milk buildup or migration into the boiler; ii) the boiler is certain to be full; iii) you cool down the boiler and prevent overheating. Run some water through the group until the ready light goes out. This helps to cool the group back to brew temperature, while also cooling down the boiler. The boiler cools rapidly due to its small size and the intake of room-temperature water.
When finished your brewing session: Perform the above to cool the boiler before turning it off. By reducing the temperature of the water in the boiler, you reduce the likelihood of it remaining corrosive and harming the boiler. Very hot water will scale out more quickly and is more likely to become corrosive.
On grinders... Both the MDF and the Lux that you tried should have provided better grind quality than the Saeco MC2002. What were your problems with the grinders? Mind you, you have used both and I have not, but also consider the machine that you paired them with in your evaluation. I understand that the Lux is a bit plasticky in some respects, but the conical burrs have a much greater (and likely sharper) surface area than the small Saeco burrs. A Gaggia MDF would in some respects be similar to a Rocky, at least in grind quality (fewer steps, I think).
I'm not trying to argue down your choices and would appreciate your feedback on these other grinders.
On coffee... You indicated that you have tried multiple roasters: do you have local roasters in your area? I would be sure to try some locally roasted coffee, roasted within the past 3-10 days to ensure that coffee freshness is not at the root of your frustration [more likely: a contributing factor].
I shouldn't jump on the Lavazza-bashing bandwagon, perhaps, but I have a hard time considering coffee that has been roasted in Turin, shipped to an importer, delivered to a distributor, and then warehoused and shipped to customer as being fresh. Even with all of the "sealed-in freshness" techniques of the big guys in Italian coffee, folks tend to find that they stale very quickly once opened, even if they might get an acceptable product in the first moments after cracking the mythical packaging.
You have the right idea, though: practice and experiment, give it some time, burn through some coffee, find what works best. The amazing thing about the coffee journey is that it doesn't end. The road keeps going if you want to keep following it, and it takes a certain amount of experience to really get to know how to pull a good shot from a semiautomatic espresso machine. Like the Silvia, the Gaggia machines do require a fairly fine grind -- finer than commercial machines I have used.
DaveDave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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Zazenmaster
User Zen Master
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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/02 12:24Hi Scott;
Hope things are working better now.
If you're anywhere near an Espresso Vivace location (see http://www.espressovivace.com/retail.html) (a) I envy you and (b) you will definitely get freshly roasted beans there as Schomer is a lunatic for freshness and quality.
When you're ready to take your technique to the next level, his book on espresso technique is worth a look too (in the opinion of this armchair barista).
Robb
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victoriasdad
User Junior Barista
Posts: 12
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Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/02 15:15Dave,
I agree on the Lavazza. In fact, I should be ashamed for even bringing it up. Yes, we have several small roasters here (it IS Seattle) and my experience today with freshly-roasted beans, freshly ground, with my new tamper proved a success. A very drinkable, pretty-looking doppio. I've got to work on a few things but I am getting the hang of it. The temp-surfing helped. I'm getting comfortable with the Gaggia, so I feel better about its needs and wants. Regarding the grinders, the Nemox Lux LOOKS GORGEOUS on the Internet, but when it arrived it looked like a cheap salesman's sample: lots of plastic, odd engineering, very tiny size, and it choked on my first set of beans. had to take it apart to fix that, then the screw holding the very loose-fitting hopper fell into the inside of the grinder. Maybe we got a bad model, but the MDF doser was a mess, although it had 40 settings the difference between 1 and 10 was very small, so we had an effective range of about 10 settings. Not fine enough for espresso, not coarse enough for the wife's French press. We heard from a friend that the Saeco grinder was a 'sleeper' and that if we could find one it was worth it. For $80, it has turned out to be the perfect grinder for all of our needs, although the static problem creates a mess, I just wipe it down (the outside) with anti-stat spray I use on my Mac. Locally, we have The Good Coffee Company (a very small roastery), Caffe Vita, Vivace, and several others. Tony's Coffee also roasts here, and I find his blends to be very smooth. I'm excited now about getting it just right and continuing to learn. At least with the Gaggia we now have a "standard" machine that everyone knows and can repair, with a proven track record. Our last machine was a Breville, and it was their first foray into espresso, so we felt like "beta testers". MANY THANKS to all of you with your tips and suggestions; the first weeks are the worst, but then the day comes when you get that 'perfect' shot...and it's all smooth-sailing from there. Cheers from Seattle! Scott
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victoriasdad
User Junior Barista
Posts: 12
Karma: 1
Re:Gaggia Classic Problem - HELP - 2006/08/02 15:21Hi, Robb.
Thanks for the tip. I've heard good things about Vivace, also Zoka (?) here in Seattle. I am definitely going to be spending money on beans. Cheers! Or, should I say, Salud! Scott
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