New member, first post

[superg]

Hi all,

ive been lurking around here for a while and thought id finally join.

Ive got a Gaggia Coffee Deluxe and a Sunbeam Grinder, here is a photo of a shot i pulled over the weekend does it look good?

Its just using lavazza beans, ive just been trying a few different brands to see the differences, what beans would you all recommend i try next?

Cheers

[KJM]

Re: New member, first post

Welcome to Coffeesnobs!

Ive got a Gaggia Coffee Deluxe and a Sunbeam Grinder, here is a photo of a shot i pulled over the weekend does it look good?

Its just using lavazza beans, ive just been trying a few different brands to see the differences, what beans would you all recommend i try next?

Looks like it is lacking the "reverse Guiness effect" but pretty respectable for the Lavazza beans..

If you want to try something very decent, and appropriately fresh look over there <--- and click on "Roasted Coffee" and goto "Espresso Wow" ;D

Of course, there is bound to be a local roastery somewhat closer than Andy to you, but you really cant go wrong with Wow. It has that name for a reason!

I think youll find there is a taste explosion with the fresher beans.

My $0.02!

/Kevin

[iaindb]

Re: New member, first post

welcome

what beans would you all recommend i try next?

anything "fresh" - roasted within 1 - 3 weeks ago. If theres no "roasted on" date on the packet, dont buy it!

How does the crema settle after a few seconds? And most importantly, how does it taste?!

[superg]

Re: New member, first post

Didnt really take much notice on how it settled, how should it be settling?

Also what do you mean by its lacking the reverse guiness effect?

[iaindb]

Re: New member, first post

how should it be settling?

It shouldnt (not by much anyway). Its not uncommone to have a frothy looking pour which settles to little/no crema after a few seconds. If you end up with (for example) half crema 10s after stopping the extraction then its just one indicator of a good shot. The numbers are made up to illustrate the point.

But most importantly:

And most importantly, how does it taste?!

If it tastes awesome it is awesome

[KJM]

Re: New member, first post

Also what do you mean by its lacking the reverse guiness effect?

You probably need to see some Guinness poured ;D But seriously - this is nothing more than the very fine bubbles and oil (apparently) flowing downwards in the glass in a kind of wave like way. You tend to get that with fresh beans and perfect shots. The effect is transitory and after a while you end up in the state your shot above looks like. But that is usually after the shot finishes!

As Ian said above: How does it taste?? The accepted wisdom is that you should be getting your 30ml in 20/25/30 seconds (delete as appropriate, depending on which wisdom source youre using ). If thats how you got the shot above, then youre in the ballpark - and you can play. Try pulling it short - youll probably get a slightly sweeter taste, for example.

Getting some known-fresh beans and trying those would be a good thing to do though - so you can see what (if anything) is missing/wrong/different (again, delete as appropriate) from what youre doing now.

/Kevin

[iaindb]

Re: New member, first post

oh by the way, does the Gaggia use pressurised baskets or pressurised pf? (can you see light through lots of holes in the basket? can you see light through the pf spouts?)

If not, then the crema is "fake" as its created by squeezing coffee through a tiny pinhole to froth it up and create some back pressure in the puck.

yours may or may not be like this, Ive seen someone mention Gaggias have these baskets but Im not sure.

[superg]

Re: New member, first post

Deifinately unpressurised, im doing the spv mod tonight and then when i get my next pay im going to buy the classic OPV so i can measure pressure and adjust to the correct 9 bar aa i was reading they come set at a higher pressure from factory