# Gaggia Classic's owners, Please help me to get the shot look like that



## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Hi

could you please watch this video:






I was wondering if there are Gaggia Classic 's owners who can manage to get the shot like that

I mean please teach me how to get the shot like in the video. I want the shot get REDDISH early in the first seconds

Thanks

JK


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

That's a lever for a start!

Does the 'reddish' come from the bean being used?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Why do u want the shot to be a certain colour , I'm confused

Taste is what counts

That's a la pav and we have no idea what the coffee being used is

It manually pre infuses and then you apply the pressure then the lever and your arm

The gaggia doesn't do that ....


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## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> Why do u want the shot to be a certain colour , I'm confused
> 
> Taste is what counts..


My Gaggia Classic shot got Reddish then blondish, but not at the first seconds.

I think when the coffee is squeezed out / compressed firmly to give reddish/ blondish flow. As a result, I believe the taste will be better ( please correct me if I am wrong).

That is why I want the shot to be reddish , blondish as much as possible


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Yes your wrong.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Equating colour of an extraction from a clip ( from a different machine and an u known coffee ) with your machine and a different coffee is a rabbit hole u won't get out of

yes when a shot blondes is something to look for

but different roasts of coffee will come out different colours at extraction ( simply to some degree )

Weigh the dose , weight the output

Taste it

Adjust the grind accordingly

If you don't know how to do this , then do above , come back tell us how it tastes and we will try and help you adjust accordingly ....


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

All of the above are the reasons why you'll struggle to get a shot looking like that from a Classic- the pressure on the puck with the La Pavoni is all generated by human power a Classic will hit the puck with 9 BAR of pressure or higher if you haven't done the OPV mod.

The colour will be down to the beans used it's not something you can go on what counts is what it tastes like in the cup not what it looks like during the pour.


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

Manual 'pre-infusion' is possible on a Gaggia Classic by opening and controlling the steam valve whilst pulling a shot.

If you really want to emulate a lever pressure profile then you could have a go with a portafilter equipped with a pressure gauge and see how the pressure at the group changes in accordance to how open the steam valve is.

Though I'll admit it's pretty rubbish and I stuck a sliver of tape to my steam dial and on my machine so I could reference where 4 bar was in relation to the steam dial position.

The loss of heat from the water pishing out the steam wand is also an issue...

My routine usually involves temp surfing by flicking the steam switch on for 5 seconds before pulling a shot, switching back to the brew position then opening the steam arm a about 1/4 of a turn.

I'll activate the brew switch and gradually close the steam dial over the course of anywhere from 5-15 seconds.

(I don't bother backing off the pressure towards the end of the shot like a lever.)

I aim to go from 0 bar to full pressure nowadays

Serves well in consistent extractions but involves having a cup by the side of my Classic to pish the water into!

Saying all that I can pull shots without the 'manual pre-infusion' that are just fine like in the pic I included.


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## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Beanosaurus said:


> Manual 'pre-infusion' is possible on a Gaggia Classic by opening and controlling the steam valve . . . . opening the steam arm a about 1/4


Some one said : the steam valve. Once it opens, it opens no matter how much 1/4 or 1/2...

I am not sure it is true? If i am wrong ,please correct


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## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Beanosaurus said:


> My routine usually involves temp surfing by flicking the steam switch on for 5 seconds before pulling a shot, switching back to the brew position then opening the steam arm a about 1/4 of a turn.
> 
> I'll activate the brew switch and gradually close the steam dial over the course of anywhere from 5-15 seconds.
> 
> ...


Have you ever tried:

- surfing temp

- switch brew ( at this moment the steam valve still close)

- open the steam valve

- slowly close the steam valve


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

You can see the effect it has on the group's pressure if you use a portafilter with a pressure gauge attached.

But as far as it goes with a Classic there is a small degree of control you have, play around and see what suits you.

As others have mentioned - your grind and distribution are very important factors.

If your naked portafilter is making a lot of mess then it's likely that the distribution of grounds in the basket needs to be evened out to reduce channelling (check out 'WDT').

That's not the only thing that can cause uneven extractions though, the coffee puck being unsettled by the water blasting against it is something to consider too - Charlie mentioned the OPV mod which is pretty essential if you don't want this to happen!

It'd be a good idea to look into what causes bad extractions and how to reduce them occurring.

Hope this helps!


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