# Gaggia Classic & Baratza Virtuoso



## chimpsinties

I'm now the proud owner of a Gaggia Classic and a Baratza Virtuoso grinder.

So here is coffee corner as it stands at present










Yes that is two Gaggia Classics. Basically one was lost in the post so the guy refunded me then it turned up so I offered to pay him and keep it anyway with the intention of selling it on as a favour to him. So my normal setup looks more like this.










And here's what it can produce


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## chimpsinties

I can't believe the quality of the Baratza grinder. It's incredible. So heavy and quiet and it just makes absolute mincemeat of the beans. Even the quality of the packaging was 1st class.



















I've got to admit I geeked out a little bit and did some experimenting










I think it would grind fine enough to make Turkish coffee with. On setting 0 it really is pulverized. Saved me buying a hand grinder specially.


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## ChiarasDad

Congratulations!

I wish I knew someone who could help take that extra Classic off your hands. I hate to see a good machine just waiting for a good home.


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## lookseehear

Maybe you shouldn't sell the other one - essentially it means you have a double boiler, 2 group classic capable of steaming and brewing at the same time 

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


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## chimpsinties

Haha, a tad excessive maybe?!

I just descaled both classics actually and I was surprised how little gunk came out. After taking the showerplate and group head off, now that's a different story. All kinds of brown gunk lived up there. All nice and shiny now


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## thomss

chimpsinties, I had a test bag of beans today which I went through trying to dial the Baratza Virtuoso in.

Some success but I couldn't seem to grinding find enough to ever get the Classic to choke. even with the dial all the way to the left on 0 the Espresso was still coming out pretty fast (about 10-12 seconds!). even with quite a lot of coffee and tamped pretty hard.

What settings are you using?

Are you aware of anything to calibrate it to finer?

Thanks.


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## chimpsinties

I was using #3 when I had my old plastic tamper but with my new one I had to grind on #0 and updose a bit. You've really got to give it a good tamp and make sure they're evenly distributed using a bent paperclip or something. Im getting good shots with that.


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## thomss

ok thanks. doesn't that seem really close to the limit? as fine as the machine can go and the espresso still may run fast.


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## chimpsinties

Don't despair I'm pretty sure it's all in the tamp and the amount of coffee. I've only had my new tamper a couple of days so I'm still getting used to it.

How much are you putting in the basket? And what tamper are you using? What's your technique?


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## thomss

Thanks.

I'm using this Tamper:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wooden-Handled-Coffee-Tamper-58mm/dp/B000VJ8J8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1311718234&sr=8-2

not sure exactly how much coffee I am using I haven't used the scales yet but I'm getting a good cone and levelling it and then tamping it pretty firm.

I received the bottomless portafilter too today, but that seems to send little streams of squirting water all over the place! not sure if that is a known issue or what.

We'll get there... I hope!


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## chimpsinties

thomss said:


> I received the bottomless portafilter too today, but that seems to send little streams of squirting water all over the place! not sure if that is a known issue or what.


This suggests to me that there's something wrong with your tamping. The Virtuoso can definitely grind fine enough for the Classic. Like I said, I was using #3 when I was better able to tamp with my old tamper.

Are you definitely getting right to the edges of the filter basket with the tamper?


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## thomss

this tamper doesn't go flash with the basket I'd say. you can move it round even so slightly!

Are you happy with the Rock tamper, or do you think it's worth looking at a Reg Barber one or something.

it will have to wait until next month or so as I've blasted my card with coffee this month!!!


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## Sindibad

I have a virtuoso my dial is on 9 and my pour is too slow, 10 would be too fast so it is hard to adjust.


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## bronc

I think the Baratza grinders need to be calibrated for fine grinding. There is a video on how to do it for the Encore by Seattle Coffee Gear on YouTube. It might be the same with the Virtuoso.


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## chimpsinties

Sindibad said:


> I have a virtuoso my dial is on 9 and my pour is too slow, 10 would be too fast so it is hard to adjust.


What's about putting it on 9 but dosing a bit less or tamping a bit lighter?

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