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Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

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  • gbastiani
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Glad to see that you got your classic figured out. Ive got a Gaggia Baby and until I can get a grinder, I get mine from the Starbucks store here in Wilmington, NC. and get them to grind it for me. Its ok for now good to see that you got rid of the plastic toy they call a tamper and got a real one

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  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    OK Just a quick update. Bought me a Rocky and tamper....and fresh coffee. Spent 200g of the coffee getting the grinder right and it probably needs another 200g to test levels and tamp pressure......for this batch of coffee, anyway.

    The Milk advice above worked PERFECTLY Thankyou very very much.

    BTW - how many coffees do you drink a day?? I am scared of ODing

    Cheers and thanks again
    Catchy

    Leave a comment:


  • abev2709
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Dont give up. They make a good cup. I use a fairly cheap grinder and can get it to do ok. Found getting a decent Tamper made a huge difference over the plastic crap one. As for milk, the trick is like described above.

    Make the coffee, then flick the steam switch, get jug and milk from fridge, wait about 20 seconds and purge the steam (turn the knob on and off quickly), then wait about 5 more seconds and start steaming the milk as describe above. The trick is to get the steaming started before the red light comes on. If light comes on, then the thermo state turns off and no more steam gets produced until it goes off and then some wait before the boiler cuts in again (hence runs out of good strong steam flow). Steaming before red light comes on means boiler keeps trying to get to the full pressure, so keeps on producing steam.

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  • mjs
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Why dont you try a steaming technique that has been reported here previously and which I now use exclusively with my Classic/Silvia wand combo.

    1. Put milk in the jug then in the fridge
    2. Draw the shot
    3. Bleed the steam wand without turning on the steam button (open the steam valve)
    4. Turn the steam button on, retrieve the milk from the fridge
    5. Start steaming after 10secs have elapsed (from 3)
    6. I find keeping the jug tilted quite a bit helps
    7. Keep the Silivia tip just at the suface of the milk right at the edge of the jug so you get the chh..chh sound and a good swirl
    8. Keep the tip at the surface as the milk expands
    9. Plunge the steam tip after the milk gets a fair bit hotter (I do this at about 50deg - others may vary) and keep going until you get to about 65deg (or until you can hardly hold the jug)
    10. Stop, clean the tip, purging some steam for a few seconds
    11. Swirl the jug and bang on the bench a couple of times
    12. Voila, micro-foam milk with a paint like appearance

    Plenty of steam pressure and works for me!  ;D  ;D

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  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Well the training went well. Great people at JetBlack (Debbie and Charlie). They spent WAY longer than what I was scheduled for. It was important to them that I got it right before I left.

    I found that the Classic doesnt really build up enough pressure to do milk all that well. Then it runs out of steam and has to build back up which is somewhat annoying but worse still, it can wreck your milk.

    I also found out that I do not like the taste of straght, un-sugared espresso. Give me sugar and milk and Im a happy camper.

    So....buying a grinder. You can NOT make anywhere near what could be considered decent coffee without one. A Rocky will do me for now. Charlie put on a Silvia steamer and that did the trick....just the running out of steam issue is, well, an issue.

    After the grinder, then I need to find a blend I like. I want to try all different coffees......will have to keep my eye out on a cupping session in Sydney.

    Cheers
    Catchy

    Leave a comment:


  • cyn7180
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    ;D

    Leave a comment:


  • willsy01
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Originally posted by 011B0C55535A52620 link=1235529476/18#18 date=1236854886
    Hey Catch 22, howd your training sess go??
    Ssshhhhh, hes busy making coffee  

    Leave a comment:


  • cyn7180
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Originally posted by 747663747F3A2525170 link=1235529476/17#17 date=1236674897
    ...well, I have my 1 on 1 training session tomorrow and will buy a real grinder whilst there, IF I can taste the difference.
    Hey Catch 22, howd your training sess go??

    Leave a comment:


  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Thanks willsy01..

    ...well, I have my 1 on 1 training session tomorrow and will buy a real grinder whilst there, IF I can taste the difference.


    My journey has begun.....

    Leave a comment:


  • willsy01
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    I think the fact youre missing a grinder is a big part of the problem. The grind youre getting from the people that sell the beans mustnt be right for your machine. Each machine has different characteristics and as such, require a different grind.......then to complicate the issue more, each type of bean likes a different grind. Its all part of the fun.

    I had a similar problem when I first got my EM6910.....I was getting espresso grind coffee from Belaroma that was recommended by Sunbeam (even had the Sunbeam logo on the bag) and no matter how hard I tamped, the shot ran like there was gravel in the basket.....tasted the same too. I picked up the EM0480 grinder and some fresh Campos beans and saw immediate results......far from perfect, but infinitely better than what I had before.

    That was about 12 months ago......im still searching for "perfection", but im happy with the shots im producing to the point where im concentrating more on milk texturing.

    To summarise, dont give up.

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Originally posted by 5C4651080E070F3F0 link=1235529476/14#14 date=1236378884
    Selling the Gaggia for your $99 KR*A*PS machine?!? Now that is just a tragedy. The Gaggia is a truly magnificent machine (for its price) if you persevere. Your only problem with the milk steaming was that it sounded like you still had the useless plastic thing on the end of the wand. It should be removed and thrown away so youre steaming only with the little plastic nub. Secondly, only use the double basket to brew.

    Its kind of like learning to drive in a souped up racing car when youve been used to a Datsun 180! Its a completely different experience and you need to acknowledge that youre starting from scratch.

    The only creama from your Krups is the fake kind anyway. PLEASE persevere. For me, the coffee-making ritual fills me with a sense of continual learning and is a beautiful process that is both calming and anticipatory at the same time.
    Ahh catch-22....seems like youre in a catch 22... :-?

    You have a machine which requires training and without investing in training and really learning about coffee, youll have to put up with kraps espresso!  ;D

    2mcm

    Leave a comment:


  • cyn7180
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Selling the Gaggia for your $99 KR*A*PS machine?!? Now that is just a tragedy. The Gaggia is a truly magnificent machine (for its price) if you persevere. Your only problem with the milk steaming was that it sounded like you still had the useless plastic thing on the end of the wand. It should be removed and thrown away so youre steaming only with the little plastic nub. Secondly, only use the double basket to brew.

    Its kind of like learning to drive in a souped up racing car when youve been used to a Datsun 180! Its a completely different experience and you need to acknowledge that youre starting from scratch.

    The only creama from your Krups is the fake kind anyway. PLEASE persevere. For me, the coffee-making ritual fills me with a sense of continual learning and is a beautiful process that is both calming and anticipatory at the same time.

    Leave a comment:


  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    No need to reply. I am selling the unit.

    My Krups makes deep black coffee that I love....

    Cheers all....

    Leave a comment:


  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    OK, I am pretty sure there is something wrong with the machine. I have let it heat for some time and dont seem to be able to get the steam to stir/push the milk. It heats the milk no problems but the milk doesnt get pushed around at all. There are no leaks that I can see of here. The wand is the standard metal with the plastic surround.

    I have run triple action liquid cleaner through a few times now and let it really heat between flushes.

    Any sugestions?

    BTW - I can still make a better coffee with my 80 buck Krups...just no creama on either....but I am ok with that as long as it tastes good (I have a coffee class booked).

    Leave a comment:


  • catch-22
    replied
    Re: Gaggia Classic - newbie near clear coffee

    Thanks CE.

    Yeah I bought some fresh beans yesterday. As I knew I was going to be experimenting I had them grind an espresso grind for me. I have a feeling they are not fine enough, however, as I have packed the grind in as hard as I can and still it seems to flow just a little too quick. The double scoop is a little slower.

    As long as I have old faithful while I am learning, then no problemo..

    Leave a comment:

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