No crema!!

[Seeka]

Hi guys, noobie here looking for some help.

I cant seem to create any kind of my crema on my espresso shots. Im using a Gaggia Coffee deluxe, I grind my beans prior to brewing, heat the filter basket accordingly and tamper to the required 30lbs of pressure. Ive used several types of beans from all over. However, my shots seem to pour in roughly 10 seconds which I know is far too fast.

Im wondering is there still something Im doing wrong or maybe I can adjust my machine in some way.

Any help or suggestions welcome.

Seeka

[Sullo]

Re: No crema!!

maybe check your grind settings?
an expert will be along to this thread shortly

[COFFEECHASER]

Re: No crema!!

Welcome Seeka,
What are you using to grind at the moment? You may need to simply grind finer if you keep getting 10 second gushers. How fresh are your beans? Do you know the roast date?

[Thundergod]

Re: No crema!!

What brand are your beans and where do you buy them from?

If you dont know the roast date, what is the expiry date on the packet.

[Seeka]

Re: No crema!!

Thanks guys. Ive used many different types of beans. On a recent trip to London I bought some Kenyan and Arabica from Harrods. And recently I tried the Gaggia ready ground espresso. Im using a blade grinder and grind quite fine. Im looking into buying a Gaggai MDF Burr grinder this week. Would this help?

[COFFEECHASER]

Re: No crema!!

That grinder would help a lot. Blade grinders are no good for espresso, they smash the beans and are not consistent.a burr grinder and fresh beans, less than 3 weeks from roast date, such as those from brown bay, should see a vast improvement.

[Thundergod]

Re: No crema!!

Thanks guys. Ive used many different types of beans. On a recent trip to London I bought some Kenyan and Arabica from Harrods. And recently I tried the Gaggia ready ground espresso. Im using a blade grinder and grind quite fine. Im looking into buying a Gaggai MDF Burr grinder this week. Would this help?

Id guess the beans from Harrods would not be fresh enough.
The ready ground would definitely not be up to par.
As Brett said, a blade grinder cant grind for espresso.
I actually dug one out of the garage the other week and tried just to verify that (Im an auditor).

So if you get the MDF grinder and then get yourself some freshly roasted beans, you will be starting with a much better chance of producing a good shot.

[Dimal]

Re: No crema!!

I grind my beans prior to brewing, heat the filter basket accordingly and tamper to the required 30lbs of pressure. Ive used several types of beans from all over.

Gday and Welcome Seeka,

Out of interest, what beans are you using and how old would they be?

Mal.

[Seeka]

Re: No crema!!

Excellent, thanks. And any final suggestions to slow down the pour, or should grinding the beans extremely fine sort that out?

[Seeka]

Re: No crema!!

I grind my beans prior to brewing, heat the filter basket accordingly and tamper to the required 30lbs of pressure. Ive used several types of beans from all over.

Gday and Welcome Seeka,

Out of interest, what beans are you using and how old would they be?

Mal.

Hi Mal, Arabica and Kenyan from Harrods, and ones I bought from Starbucks.

On the evidence Im reading, I reckon my beans are probably too old for espresso. Im gonna pick me up a burr grinder and buy the freshest beans I can. Ill keep the older beans for Cappuccinos and Lattes

[Dimal]

Re: No crema!!

Hi Mal, Arabica and Kenyan from Harrods, and ones I bought from Starbucks.

On the evidence Im reading, I reckon my beans are probably too old for espresso. Im gonna pick me up a burr grinder and buy the freshest beans I can. Ill keep the older beans for Cappuccinos and Lattes

Think youve answered your own questions there Seeka..... If youre in the UK, you might like to try grabbing some beans from a local supplier. One that I can recommend is this one...http://www.hasbean.co.uk/ Used to be one of our site sponsors and Steve (the owner) will make sure youre looked after properly,

Cheers,
Mal.

[lucinda]

Re: No crema!!

As a Gaggia owner here are some other tips

Use the double basket and updose.

By this I mean grind enough coffee that will come to about 1 mm below the top of the basket. Then tamp it firmly. This should compact it about 4 mm below the top of the basket (approximately). The top of the coffee shoul just be touching the showerscreen.

A good way of getting the right amount of beans is to by a small digital scale that is in 1gm increments. Depending on your basket size the ideal amount can be between 17 - 20gms.

Also get yourself a good tamper. The plastic ones you get with the machine are terrible.

Any other questions feel free to ask. Frothing milk is something you can ask about after you get you espresso pour right.

[Seeka]

Re: No crema!!

Thanks guys for all your tips. Ill give it a shot (punn intended!!! ;D) and let you know how I get on.

Seeka