Coffee Appreciation

Just got my Knocktop tamper in the post, beautiful piece of kit, really makes making coffee a more enjoyable experience. Next on the list is swapping out the wand and getting a grinder :) #toomuchcaffine #cantsleep

Back in business.

Just put the Silvia wand on my GC this morning, looks like I have yet another learning curve to master.

Re. pressurised basket the coffee gets forced out through the single hole in the basket and without that silly filter grommet it hits the portafilter spout under pressure and will spray sideways.

^^ Nice, not seen one of those Gaggia's before. A lever has been on my list for ages, still get excited when one comes up on ebay......simple pleasures

No, it's the auto version. But I don't want to have loads of grinds left in the machine. Did weigh the grinds just now after whacking the machine a few times, had 13g so a bit better.

I do know what you mean about the lid, BMMF has done a similar mod to his grinder (Rocky?). The shute does need modifying, as there's a small lip on the bottom edge which stops grinds. A small file should remove that.

Funny though, all I read about the MC2 was nothing but praise, personally I think it's a bit shit.

Another option is
+

are these gaggia machines shit straight from the box?

i had my silvia as stock for about 8 years before deciding to start modifying it

No, they are fine as all coffee machines are trouble.

You are 8 years behind everybody else.

^^ Nice, not seen one of those Gaggia's before. A lever has been on my list for ages, still get excited when one comes up on ebay......simple pleasures

It's fun, and makes really nice coffee.

I've just serviced it, and banished all the little leaks, which has made me like it a lot more.

I paid £270 for the machine, the grinder and a knock draw/stand thing on eBay a while ago, which was ok I think.

I'd like to change the grinder for one with a stepless adjustment, but to be honest it's ok as it is.

I have been thinking about a Gaggia Classic, but this is yet another Gaggia fail I've heard about. The other half's Dad got through four of them before buying something more reliable.

The cheapest Silvia I can find is ex-display for £379, can they be had cheaper?

How many Gaggia Classic fails have been new machines? How many ebay purchases? People don't maintain their machines properly and they get sold for £50 on ebay as 'for parts' only to have someone descale them and show they work fine.

Also, Silvia's are twice the price of Classics new so you'd expect them to be substantially better.

That these people assumed somewhere was "good" because it didn't look like a major chain is retarded.

Where do they say that? People are rightly choosing what they think is supporting a small local business over a tax-dodging behemoth and being rolled when they find out it's a scummy Tesco deal.

The true indie shops'll be on the Gold Blend within months, I tell you

As usual I'm a step ahead..

(broken machine, instant or nuffink, such is life)

Just put the Silvia wand on my GC this morning, looks like I have yet another learning curve to master.

Re. pressurised basket the coffee gets forced out through the single hole in the basket and without that silly filter grommet it hits the portafilter spout under pressure and will spray sideways.

I found the Silvia wand MUCH easier and produce much better results without even trying.

http://www.espressovivace.com/archives/9512scr.html

Potential idiotic question here....

Will 14g of coffee beans still weigh 14g once ground?

Reasoning behind the question is that I'm now using an MC2 to grind and for the first time in my coffee 'career' I've started to weigh my beans rather than guess. As I don't want stale beans in the hopper (I only make coffee at weekends, and then only 1-2 cups a day), I weigh beans then tip them in.

If you're weighing the beans, wouldn't it be simple enough to weigh the ground coffee as a test?

I found the Silvia wand MUCH easier and produce much better results without even trying.

http://www.espressovivace.com/archives/9512scr.html

Great article, and its true what he says, the more you learn the less you know. Both my fiance and I are shaking from caffine overdose :) better break out the homebrew ginger beer to take the edge off

Having done some planning today there is just no way that a commercial two group machine is going to fit in my kitchen, so if anyone wants the one I have (awaiting service), let me know and you are welcome to pick it up.

The machine, a Gaggia E81:

Machine is complete apart from external pump, and plug.

Did you ever get it working?

If not, you know some chap replied on that thread you started on home-barista.com with a full wiring diagram?

#dammitstalking

How many Gaggia Classic fails have been new machines? How many ebay purchases? People don't maintain their machines properly and they get sold for £50 on ebay as 'for parts' only to have someone descale them and show they work fine.

Also, Silvia's are twice the price of Classics new so you'd expect them to be substantially better.

They were all new, but you may be on to something with the descaling thing. I don't think missmouse has had time to scale hers up though and I've heard of other similar cases.

Agree completely on Silvia v. Classics - that's why I was asking upthread if there is a recommended machine between the two cost-wise?

I descaled the Krups today though and the standard of coffee it produces has, of course, increased significantly. Which is cool as I would rather keep using that and save up for a Silvia I think, I don't think the difference between the coffee from the Krups and the coffee from the Classic would be radically different, just 'a bit better'.

Did you ever get it working?

If not, you know some chap replied on that thread you started on home-barista.com with a full wiring diagram?

#dammitstalking

Yeah, I did see that- CYOA pointed it out to me before he, well, "went away".

To be honest I never made the time to service it- I've got to finish the house first, and it really is too large for the space I have.

Anyway, it's a free, two group commercial machine- come and get it.

I've got a water filter for it also- BNIB, which I'd like some money for, or I'll keep that.

Dammit - could I dibs that please, pm coming

Sure, I'll measure it tomorrow - it's big, imagine a couple of standard microwaves side by side.

Ace, thanks a lot

Sooo...
This might or might not be the place for this but worth a shot.
I need to cut down on the coffees, big time. Realised over xmas that I can happily sink 10-12 cups a day without really thinking about it. I can't imagine this is a good thing(headaches during runs, crappy nights sleep etc).
Does the fact I drink shit, cheap, instant coffee keep me coming back for more? Not normally a caffine junky - not really into fizzy crap etc but summat keeps pulling me back to coffee.
I have a bodum and am perfectly capable of making a half decent brew. Would 1 or 2 quality brews a day keep me away from the cack and sate my cravings or am I doomed?
/csb

I'd say so. Kick the disgusting instant and enjoy a few quality drinks.

If you're weighing the beans, wouldn't it be simple enough to weigh the ground coffee as a test?

I did that hence my post. Next time I made sure I got all the grinds out, bit of a faff, but I got there.

Anyone know the optimum amount of beans required for a Gaggia double basket? Instructions for the MC2 state to grind 14g of coffee, but this leaves quite a lot of room in the basket once tamped, and after brewing it leaves a fair bit of water on top of the puck. Cheers!

^ 18g will get you close, but again worth experimenting from there.

I used 18g in my Gaggia classic last night, some lavazza rossa they we got bought from the super market. It was too much and I went batshit crazy. Tried 12g today with Small Batch Goldstone Espresso ground and it was significantly better but def weaker. I think between 12g and 14g is going to work for me. There is space after tamping but you can compress quite a lot and you get a nice crema #stillanoob