# Gaggia Classic incoming!



## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

So I managed to snag myself a 2010 Gaggia Classic on eBay which I am hoping to collect tomorrow. Unfortunately I don't have a decent grinder yet (and I haven't decided which to go for, either!).

I do have a Bodum blade grinder which I currently use with a Moka pot. My question is - is it worth using that with the Classic for now as a first foray into the world of espresso? Or should I buy some ground coffee from the supermarket, and if so what? Or should I get some nice beans from somewhere that'll grind them for me? Or should I just wait till I have a decent grinder?

All views much appreciated!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

First job will likely be to clean it.... I'd be purchasing pulycaff not beans! (Or both!)

Buy some decent but not expensive beans in a kg from somewhere like rave, see if you can force your blade grinder fine enough.

Then when you can't, or can't well go forth and buy a better grinder!


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Thanks! Will see if I can get my hands on some Puly Caff tomorrow too!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

omikin said:


> Thanks! Will see if I can get my hands on some Puly Caff tomorrow too!


Lols.

Places like Rave sell it. Cafiza, puro, pulycaff, all pretty much the same thing. It's often called "espresso machine cleaner"

Anything that comes off, remove and soak in it, anything that doesn't use an old toothbrush (or pick up a proper espresso machine brush) and scrub with the solution.


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Cafiza coming tomorrow via a popular online store.


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Got it. Have had a couple of stabs with some North Star Ethiopian beans ground in my blade grinder and so far watery mud. Lots of learning needed here.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

get some tartric acid as well to give it a descale - 1tsp to a 1ltr tartric acid is kinder to the boiler than citric or other cleaners

and defo buy a better grinder - the gaggia will piss through supermarket preground and taste like it too!

and keep asking questions and reading up its the only way ;-)


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

omikin said:


> Got it. Have had a couple of stabs with some North Star Ethiopian beans ground in my blade grinder and so far watery mud. Lots of learning needed here.


You can get by with a blade grinder until you've decided which proper grinder to get, I did.

I used to time the length of time the blades were spinning with exactly the same weight of beans in.

I could adjust pour times by the length of time the grinder ground for.

If the pour is too quick, grind for longer,, chocking the machine, grind for less time.

IIRC I used to grind for something like 40 seconds (2x20second pulses) for 30grams of beans.

Quite surprising how when youve got it right 5 seconds either way makes a difference to the pour time.

Sounds like you need to grind for longer.


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## smallblueplanet (Dec 4, 2016)

jimbojohn55 said:


> get some tartric acid as well to give it a descale - 1tsp to a 1ltr tartric acid is kinder to the boiler than citric or other cleaners


Any idea where to buy it from?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Ebay or pharmacy or home brew shop

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100g-Tartaric-Acid-food-grade-home-brew-wine-making-/130474398569


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

So having had several attempts I have succeeding in creating something that, although not perfect, is definitely an improvement on what I have been making with my moka pot.

My method:

Grind 18g of beans in my Bodum blade grinder - I've tried various different levels of coarseness.

Add to large perfect crema basket.

Tamp with Motta tamper until the shoulder of the tamper is about level with the top of the basket.

Pull the shot.

Usually takes about 5 - 10 seconds for the coffee to flow, and I've generally done ~40g of coffee (dark, cloudy, with crema) in about 15 seconds (i.e. 20 seconds total).

I only measure the weight of the coffee afterwards - I drew a line on the glass based on what 40g of water looks like so I know roughly when to stop.

I haven't got scales to fit on the drip tray yet (arriving today!) and I'm using a small glass to brew into so there are a lot of woolly areas at the moment.

If I get a chance to post some pictures I will. I'm enjoying the learning but a little frightened of the cost of beans until I get a really good result!

Any tips based on the above would be really gratefully received!


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Note - I do have another double shot basket which has loads of holes in the bottom rather than the 1 for the perfect crema basket. I haven't had great results with this so far - shoots through really quickly with a very muddy result. :/


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

omikin said:


> Note - I do have another double shot basket which has loads of holes in the bottom rather than the 1 for the perfect crema basket. I haven't had great results with this so far - shoots through really quickly with a very muddy result. :/


stick with this basket (stop using the perfect crema basket) and grind much finer,, you just arnt grinding fine enough , you should be able to chock the machine even with a blade grinder,, just keep grinding finer until the pour slows down.

To grind finer means you have to grind for longer in a blade grinder.

How long are you running the grinder for in seconds? time it when you grind the 18 grams,, whatever time it is now, DOUBLE IT


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Will do. I hadn't thought to time the grind but I will do so I have a benchmark to work from. Won't be till Thursday now as I'm away from home but I will do it then! By then I will also have a small set of scales and a pair of shot glasses so should be easier to quantify various elements.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

omikin said:


> Will do. I hadn't thought to time the grind but I will do so I have a benchmark to work from.


Its imperative you time the blade grinder and also grind the same weight of beans each time.

This makes it easy for you to reproduce the correct grind once you found the right length of time to grind for.


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Progress! Measured 19g of beans, ground for 40 seconds and got 49g of espresso in 17 seconds.

Then measured 19g of beans, ground for 45 seconds and got 44g of espresso in 27 seconds!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Quite surprising how when youve got it right 5 seconds either way makes a difference to the pour time.
> 
> Sounds like you need to grind for longer.





omikin said:


> Progress! Measured 19g of beans, ground for 40 seconds and got 49g of espresso in 17 seconds.
> 
> Then measured 19g of beans, ground for 45 seconds and got 44g of espresso in 27 seconds!


Knew you'd get there.

See, 5 seconds extra grinding made 10 seconds extra pour time with 5g less espresso out.

But how did it taste ?

Also, is this with the standard un pressurised basket? the one you said "I haven't had great results with this so far - shoots through really quickly with a very muddy result. :/"

Blade grinders can achieve fair results for what they are all things considered


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## omikin (Nov 25, 2016)

Yep, it tasted really good. And I used the non-pressurised basket so was pleased with the outcome.

It does make me feel like I don't need to rush into upgrading the grinder right now (i.e. before Christmas). Although I do have my eye on a Mignon...


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