# Mahlkonig Vario, Gaggia Classic and Aeropress Help



## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Hi All,

I have just received my Mahlkonig Vario V2 for Christmas and was hoping that you could give me a little help.

I use a Gaggia Classic and Aeropress (Coava Disk) as my methods of coffee making.

I have managed to dial the Vario it in for my Gaggia Classic @ 4 Major O Minor @ 16g of Monmouth which is way of what most of the experts say but it works for me.

Sorry about the waffle above but my main problem is the Aeropress which I cannot now get a decent cup out of with the Vario - I was hoping there is some kind soul out there that is using my setup and would let me in on their method and Vario Settings as it is driving me crackers.

Thanks for any advice

Chris


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

I also own a vario and read a lot about it, some people say you need to grind a few beans between adjustments and some say a significant amount between adjustments! In the end I decided to just dial the vario in for espresso and continue using my hand grinder for chemex. It could just be the changing of grinds between brew methods messing things up.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Welcome to Coffee Forums UK Chris

Are you using the Fine or older version Coava Disk?

The settings given will differ a wee bit. I have both and have to adjust my Vario for both due to the differing hole diameter


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks for the replies guys.

Glenn I am using the Fine Coava.

Chris


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Glenn

I notice you have a Classic what settings do you use for Dose, Grind and time to Grind?

The reason I ask is I saw Mark Prince's Baratza review from a couple of years ago on the V1 and they seem a lot different from what I am seeing.

Chris


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Try dropping the Major slider 2 down and then micro adjust from there. Should be fairly spot on (if mines anything to go by) I have about 2 major and extra 1/2 minor slider variance on the older Disk


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I have micro-adjusted by Vario so it will be a wee bit different (plus a lot more worn in)

I usually am 1 Major from the top and 4 up from the bottom (minor) for most espresso these days (+/- 5 or 6 minor notches) with 16g doses at 12.2 seconds or so


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Glenn

So that would be about 7 ish? Would the Aeropress method make any difference?

Thanks for your help.

Chris


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Not so much, but amount of coffee and steep time will have a little influence. Grind size is more important.


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks so much for your help.

I will give that a go and see what comes out. Why would there be such a big difference in your Espresso Settings and Mine.

Sorry about all the questions I have come along way in the Coffee making game but get a little baffled at times with teh nuances.

Chris


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

While I am on can I ask - Do you have any issures going between different grinds - I may have a couple of espressos and a couple of aeropresses a day and I have seen there maybe grind issues when doing that. Is there a preffred method of chopping and changing on the Vario.

Chris


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

No issues at all switching between grinds on my Vario.

I always run the grinder whilst going finer.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

turnbullca said:


> Thanks so much for your help.
> 
> I will give that a go and see what comes out. Why would there be such a big difference in your Espresso Settings and Mine.
> 
> ...


There's a way of calibrating the vario that Glenn has done (I asked him a similar question recently!) which involves adjusting the burrs so that they are closer together and you have a different range on the levers. I haven't done it yet but if you google it there's some good guides (I'm slightly scared I'll break mine!) and also have a look at the youtube videos on it as they give you an audio reference to set it too.

If it helps on my unadjusted vario I was grinding with the macro at the top and the micro about 1/3 of the way up for my pump machine and on my Londinium I (lever) I am now about 3/4 of the way up on the micro!

I'm also interested in your question about changing for different brew methods, at the moment I'm a bit hesitant to adjust it too much.


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks for the replies fellas.

I had a look at the videos and some of them showed the burrs being adjusted with a tool that came with the grinder.

On the grinder I have there is a sticker over the adjustment screw that says void if you remove it. There seems to be 2 versions of the grinder with the original saying espresso, filter, coarse on the presets and sliders where as mine just says 1,2 and 3. The picture on my box even shows the original version.

I haven't managed to find a review or video on the one I have so I wonder if Mahlkonig have done the adjustments themselves for version 2 and the settings we are seeing are different.

Chris


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## Danm (Jan 26, 2012)

In response to one of you prior question, when going from filter type grind back to espresso i was always getting gushers the first couple if shots.

I put this down to some of the coarser grinds being retained and finding theiw way into, and therefore destabilising, the espresso puck.

Now i alway let the grinder run for way beyond what it would seem is needed ( min 20 secs) and always put a few grams of coffee through when changing grinds... Also been known to whack it on the countertop, but you may want to avoid that!!


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

I use 19g of coffee in my 18g VST basket in my Classic. I use setting 1H or there about on the vario. I find that running it for 19secs grinds all the coffee and gives it time to spit out most of the grinds (I grind directly into the basket). This will get me my 32g of espresso in about 25secs.

Then if I want to do an Aeropress I wack it up to 10H and run however much I want through it. I've been making some top notch aeropress' at work with this recently. Going back to espresso after that, I throw about 5-8 beans in the top while adjusting back up to 1H and give it about 5 secs to run them through.

This works perfectly well for me and I'm very happy with the results.


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Thank you chimpsinties that is fantastic information and what I was looking for as a starter.

I have brewed an 2 Aeropress coffees on those settings and I got very good results and really enjoyed the drinks.

About to give the Gaggia a run so will report back.

Thanks

Chris


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Well Well 1H with 17G of Monmouth was a bit of a disaster - Gaggia choked, 17 secs before I got anything and not a lot by 30 secs so gave up on it. Went back to 4O and had an enjoyable cup. I don't have enough experience to understand the why's and wherefores - hopefully one of the more experienced members will be able to do the maths and advice.

Thanks

Chris


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Unfortunately you won't be able to use other people's grind settings as your grinders are probably both at different calibration settings from the factory and have had different levels of use. 1H on your Vario is too fine for the coffee you are using. Each coffee much be dialled in to get the best from it, so you won't always get a perfect shot using 4O, depends on many factors.


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## turnbullca (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks for the reply.

The 4O has been consistent so far with teh Monmouth - I do understand about the different factors and that if I change coffees I will have to re dial in. I was just a bit confused as to how different the settings are between what I have found and the experience of others but presumably that is always a possibility.


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