Coffee Appreciation

How do you descale it? I've got a gran gaggia that I'm going to start using but it's been sitting in a cupboard for about 5 years.

I bought some Gaggia descaler from here: http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/on/demandware.store/Sites-hof-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=630547622&cgid=00030

It's still free delivery so it's cheaper than most places.

You basically dissolve the powder (tartaric acid) and then run it through the machine, leave it for twenty minutes and then run it through again. Be warned though - I had to completely change the way I made coffee since the flow was a lot faster than I was used to so had to tamp the coffee a lot harder.

I bought some Gaggia descaler from here: http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/on/demandware.store/Sites-hof-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=630547622&cgid=00030

It's still free delivery so it's cheaper than most places.

You basically dissolve the powder (tartaric acid) and then run it through the machine, leave it for twenty minutes and then run it through again. Be warned though - I had to completely change the way I made coffee since the flow was a lot faster than I was used to so had to tamp the coffee a lot harder.

And never ever use vinegar (whatvever anyone sez).
It rots the rubber seals in your machine!

Good to know that HoF do the Gaggia descaler, ta very much for the link.

My other half is from Constantine, where Origin is based. May not sound much, but it's a tiny village in deepest, darkest, in-bred Cornwall. You would never expect some of the best coffee I've ever had to come from somewhere like that...

Obviously Origin is just a brand but a few of the guys there really know their stuff - I think a member of staff is a judge on the UK barista champs and a cafe in Wadebridge is owned by the new UK Champ! http://www.enjoy.origincoffee.co.uk/origin_news_details.asp?NewsID=180

I recently came into possesion of a Gran Gaggia (parents have had it kicking about for ages and I nabbed it). It's a pretty low-end machine but it'll do as an interim before I buy a better one next year.

A few questions.

I had a bag of ACS coffee that was ground for a stove-top pot in April. I bought quite a bit of it and haven't finished it yet so I used that. Result: no crema, blonding after only a few seconds.

I then, last night, bought a red label pot of Illy coffee from Tesco. Result: crema but still blonding after about 20 seconds.

I've got a very rubbish tamper so I think I'll get a nicer one (any suggestions) but what are the opinions with the grind? I thought that the red label Illy stuff would be a good grind but it still seems a bit coarse.

Another question. Is there any benefit in taking off the group head and cleaning it?

And, what dosage should I use? I'm just guessing really.

A few questions.

I had a bag of ACS coffee that was ground for a stove-top pot in April. I bought quite a bit of it and haven't finished it yet so I used that. Result: no crema, blonding after only a few seconds.

I then, last night, bought a red label pot of Illy coffee from Tesco. Result: crema but still blonding after about 20 seconds.

I've got a very rubbish tamper so I think I'll get a nicer one (any suggestions) but what are the opinions with the grind? I thought that the red label Illy stuff would be a good grind but it still seems a bit coarse.

Another question. Is there any benefit in taking off the group head and cleaning it?

And, what dosage should I use? I'm just guessing really.

I'd say the ACS is stale by now, hence no crema and rapid blonding.

I would say the rapid blonding with your fresher Illy may be due to you not tamping the coffee hard enough?

I use a plastic (!) tamper and manage to get crema most of the time without much blonding.

As for dosage, it is for taste really. Too much and you'll know about it (sweats and etc) too little and there is no 'kick'

Keep trying!

Another question. Is there any benefit in taking off the group head and cleaning it

Yep. Give it a good clean. It cannot hurt. Easy peasy too. Just unscrew and scrub/wipe.

Too much and you'll know about it (sweats and etc) too little and there is no 'kick'
Hehe a poison isn't defined by what the thing is, it's how much you have of it. The sweats are pretty horrid...

I'd say the ACS is stale by now, hence no crema and rapid blonding.

I would say the rapid blonding with your fresher Illy may be due to you not tamping the coffee hard enough?

I use a plastic (!) tamper and manage to get crema most of the time without much blonding.

As for dosage, it is for taste really. Too much and you'll know about it (sweats and etc) too little and there is no 'kick'

Keep trying!

To be honest, I've been using Illy for the past 4 or 5 years and I've never had perfect results - and I've tried all kinds of stuff in terms of technique: really hard tamping, filling the portafilter as much as I can etc etc. It tends to taste stale even when you've opened a fresh tin.

Makes me wonder why I've persisted so long...

Hi everybody, first post.

I'm as geeky about coffee as you lot are about bikes, I ride a SS converted alu road bike which wouldn't win much acclaim round these parts so forgive me for not posting in the pictures thread.

Anyway, @ Mooks, try buying some really fresh beans. Illy is roasted several weeks or months before you actually use it and despite the nitrogen packed sealed can much of the CO2 and aromatic compounds vital to achieving rich crema have dissappeared by the time it reaches the cup.

When I have used Illy (whole bean and ground with a Mazzer) I can get reasonable crema for the first day after opening the tin but after that the beans stale incredibly quickly. The best espresso is made with coffee roasted between 1 and 3 weeks before use.

BTW, I've got no bike porn but plenty of coffee kit porn. Here's the home setup:

Espresso grinder

Espresso machine. KitchenAid (read unipack) grinder since upgraded.

Brewed coffee grinder

Good first post :)

My coffee always comes out average. Th current thing is that I get crema for the first 5 seconds of the pull, then it goes dark then the pressure valve on the machine goes and sends steam out the top.

Tastes god enough to drink but that's about it.

Hmm, sounds like the pump pressure is set too high. For reasons best known to themselves, machine manufacturers often ship machines with brew pressure set to anything up to 12 bar, when ideally you want 8-9 bar for good extraction.

If you take a look inside the machine (unplug it first) there may be an adjuster screw on the pump. Turn it down 1/4 turn and pull a shot then repeat until the shots start looking and tasting better.

If you get no joy descale the machine which should help (you need to do this every 3 months anyway), and if that doesn't fix it then the over-pressure valve (OPV) may be at fault.

Happy fettling.

Actually, mulling this one over with a coffee, It's most likely scale causing a flow restriction and popping the pressure valve. I would try the de-scale first before pulling the machine apart.

Anyone offer any advice on the best otp stove-top thingy to buy? i have neither room nor money for the real deal. also which is the best budget grinder?

Thanks fella, I ussualy use the stove top but have recently gone back to my machine. My Mrs has a Gagia, I might try and use that.

Actually, mulling this one over with a coffee, It's most likely scale causing a flow restriction and popping the pressure valve. I would try the de-scale first before pulling the machine apart.

Cheers, it doesn't do it with nothing in the basket.

Good first post Bombcup - welcome to the forum.

I'm still using the stovetop but have noticed that freshly ground beans is key to a good brew - I used to think Illy Red / Lavazza Gold were good coffees until I tried fresh ground. Now it's costing me a fortune but coffee so much better.

@Smithchild, Bialetti make about the best stovetop moka pots, but as with all mokas avoiding overheating and burning the coffee is very difficult. When using a new moka, make 2 brews and throw them down the sink to season the pot then drink the third. Don't wash it in detergent just give it a rinse, think of it like a wok.

Aeropress is a good alternative if you want an intense thick brew, but you can't beat pour-over filter cones or french press IMO for getting the delicate flavours out of the coffee.

The Gaggia MDF / Dualit burr grinder is very good for brewed coffee at around £60 but if you want to get into espresso in the future you would be wise to spend a little more now on a Rancillio Rocky at around £140-£180, an Iberital MC2 around £120 or a second hand Mazzer SJ at around £100-£150, plus £30 for fresh burrs. The Mazzer would be the last grinder you ever need.

@Ant, Yes it will probably only happen with a dosed baket because this gives resistance to the flow and ramps up the pressure. If descaling a gaggia use their own gaggia baby stuff or go to a home-brew shop and buy a big bag of tartaric acid for way less dough. The alu boilers in gaggias don't take kindly to citric acid or other proprietary machine descalers.

Cheers JustMouse, there really is no substitute for fresh coffee. Fresh beans, hand grinder, cool the kettle for 2 minutes, presspot. Easy.

Hi everybody, first post.

I'm as geeky about coffee as you lot are about bikes, I ride a SS converted alu road bike which wouldn't win much acclaim round these parts so forgive me for not posting in the pictures thread.

Anyway, @ Mooks, try buying some really fresh beans. Illy is roasted several weeks or months before you actually use it and despite the nitrogen packed sealed can much of the CO2 and aromatic compounds vital to achieving rich crema have dissappeared by the time it reaches the cup.

When I have used Illy (whole bean and ground with a Mazzer) I can get reasonable crema for the first day after opening the tin but after that the beans stale incredibly quickly. The best espresso is made with coffee roasted between 1 and 3 weeks before use.

BTW, I've got no bike porn but plenty of coffee kit porn. Here's the home setup:

Espresso grinder

Espresso machine. KitchenAid (read unipack) grinder since upgraded.

Brewed coffee grinder

Christ...I am green with envy!

Bombcup - You appear to be some kinda oracle...... Welcome dude.

Haha! Yeah, just send any coffee q's this way, and hopefully someone might be able to tell me where I can get a 46T ring for a 5 bolt Suntour crank.

Ta.

I've got about £50 or £60 to maybe spend on a grinder and tamper. Does anyone have any suggestions.

I'm looking at the Dualit 75002 and the Krups GVX231 as possibilities.

Does anyone have any opinions on tampers? The portafilter that came with my Gran Gaggia seems to be about 58mm but it looks more like 60mm when I measure it. The rubbish plastic tamper that I got with the machine is only 55mm and it really doesn't work to well. I think the Gran Gaggia has the same potafilter design as the Cubika so any Cubika owners care to tell me a good tamper to buy?

I've got about £50 or £60 to maybe spend on a grinder and tamper. Does anyone have any suggestions.

I'm looking at the Dualit 75002 and the Krups GVX231 as possibilities.

Does anyone have any opinions on tampers? The portafilter that came with my Gran Gaggia seems to be about 58mm but it looks more like 60mm when I measure it. The rubbish plastic tamper that I got with the machine is only 55mm and it really doesn't work to well. I think the Gran Gaggia has the same potafilter design as the Cubika so any Cubika owners care to tell me a good tamper to buy?

I think you can score a lower end Gaggia grinder for £60 which I think will best the Dualit and Krups. In fact half that http://www.garraways.co.uk/p449614/GaggiaMLCoffeeBeansGrinder.html
Search out some reviews and amke up your own mind 'tho. Innit.

I think you can score a lower end Gaggia grinder for £60 which I think will best the Dualit and Krups. In fact half that http://www.garraways.co.uk/p449614/GaggiaMLCoffeeBeansGrinder.html
Search out some reviews and amke up your own mind 'tho. Innit.

Soz...don;t think it's a burr grinder? No time to search...

ML is blade and about £25, MDF is burr and about £125, MM is burr and about £70 I think.

Sounds like spending anything less than getting a Gaggia MDF or an Ibertal MC2 is just wasted money that will need upgraded very quick.

Does anyone have any opinions on the Ibertal MC2? It's £117 which is over my budget but I could wait maybe.