Coffee Appreciation

Replace the burrs in my grinder today... omg what a difference. Went from thin and watery to lovely thick espresso.

I actually replaced them as the grind time was taking a while - wasn't expecting quite the huge difference in taste.

Okay then, here's some coffee content. Cricklewood's Community Blend. 250g for £7 posted. For comparison set against Sainsbo's pre ground Columbian. (the darker). 16g + 220g hot water + little stir - 2 mins in the Aeropress + crust crack + 30 squeeze. Bright, clean, mellow but a bit thin. Think it needs longer but recipes vary so wildly on time 1-4mins or the long 20min drip I just. don't. know. Anyway. Nice coffee

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Probably thin because it's so coarse. You need a higher level of extraction than that grind will provide, or you need to have a longer brew (though I'd just grind finer). A brew that short requires finer coffee, way more akin to the preground.

Yeah that looks like cafetiere grind, you want something much finer than that for filter/aeropress. With that coffee I'd do the aeropress reverse method, 4 minute steep then slow press, if that's still thin then try a longer brew, if that makes it taste too bitter then it's bad beans or worth spending £40 on a cheap burr grinder.

Could just be the coffee you bought doesn’t work with your water?

Ta - and @JB too - 4mins gives a better cup - grinder is next.

It's happened over a few different types of bean, but I think I cracked it this morning by turning the machine on about 30mins before brewing, and running some water through the group head first.

I had my first properly enjoyable coffee from it, so I'm calling that a win!

I have a porlex grinder I don’t use - mostly because I’ve lost the bloody handle. Pay for postage and it’s yours

Good to hear, well diagnosed!

Well now - that’s extremely kind - will pm.

https://www.home-barista.com/tips/espresso-101-how-to-adjust-dose-and-grind-setting-by-taste-t16968.html

May help you a bit.

Wife wants Iced Spanish Lattes. Anyone know of a good recipe to start with?

Edit: she likes the ones where the coffee’s frozen and milk’s added rather than just blitzing up freshly made coffee with milk and ice.

On my classic, I tend to give the temp a bit of a boost with the steam button before brewing.

After letting everything warm up, with the portafilter in place so that warms up too, get everything set up and ready to go.

Then wait for the brew light to turn off (at this point I slot my portafilter in)

Then wait for the light to turn back on (you're now at max normal brew temp, and the temp will be dropping from there until the light turns off)

As soon as the brew light turns back on, flick the steam button on for 5 seconds. This boosts the boiler temp a bit. After you've flicked it off, wait 5 seconds for that extra temp to make its way into the water, then hit the brew button.

On longer extractions (30 secs or so) this is the only way I can keep temp in the water right through the shot. Still often get a bit of sourness, but as I tend to make Flat Whites, it doesn't really matter.

You'll know you've gone too far on the steam button boost if you're getting overly bitter shots.

The thing about the process above is it is repeatable, as you always know where you are temp wise when the brew light has just turned back on.

Get a PID!

You are an absolute hero - I’m literally writing this down on a pad next to my machine!

This is the real answer, and I really should.

My issue is my machine is old and likely unfixable when it does go. Two years ago I managed to shear one Allen bolt that holds the boiler down trying to do a full service. Nothing moved, so I did everything else back up and it's been 'fine' since.

Just makes me nervous spending more money on a machine I can't strip down. What I really want is a la pavoni....but I'm still waiting for the Gaggia to die.

I'm still waiting for the Gaggia to die.

You might be waiting a while. My Classic is on its thirteenth year this year!

Ha. Yeah, mine is 10 now. Just had to buy a new steam knob, but other than that, still going fine. Just wish I could get the thing apart!

Same, but I have the steam switch on for 15 seconds.

I got my Classic off @hippy pretty much 10 years ago to the day. God knows how long he had it for. Only had one issue which was my fault, broke a spade connector off the brew thermostat after a strip down and rebuild. Could still make perfectly reasonable coffee tho using the stream switch to heat the machine until a new stat arrived 👍🏼

I could do with another one of those. Want to reclaim some kitchen space from the monster.

I had a couple but not for too long, maybe a couple of years? They were used when I got them though so yeah, god knows how old that one is. I wonder if you can tell by looking at a manufacturer code somewhere on it (peak LFGSS = carbon dating coffee machines instead of vintage track bikes)

I'm convinced Hippy was a Del Boy-esque Gaggia Classic dealer back in those days.

Bit low tech for here! Anyone want a couple of cafetieres (no glass). Large one is Bodum (1L 8cup), small one from Tesco. Replacement glass easily available.

I've ordered a metal one, as we seem unable to own glass ones without smashing them in this house.

Free collected from Lewisham.

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This stuff smells incredible

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Has anyone got / tried a clever dripper yet? I have a v60 and also French Press but both are a bit of a pain / take a bit to long on week days while I'm getting ready for work.