# Best Pre Ground Decaf for Gaggia Classic



## Xonize (Aug 1, 2020)

Hi all,

Can anyone direct me to the best pre ground decaf coffee for a Gaggia Classic based on coarseness of the coffee ?

Lavazza decaf tends to be too fine so extracts way to slow

Most other supermarket pre-ground decaf coffees extract too fast ( 15 seconds ) as coffee granules are too large

I've read the ideal extraction time would be 25-30 seconds for a double shot. When coffee is measured out correctly and tampered.

Or on the other hand can someone recommend the perfect coarseness setting on a specific grinder for the gaggia classic ?

Thanks in advance


----------



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

Xonize said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Can anyone direct me to the best pre ground decaf coffee for a Gaggia Classic based on coarseness of the coffee ?
> 
> ...


 What about getting them from a coffee roaster? They can grind for espresso for you.
Obviously you could do with your own grinder, but until you do this could work?


----------



## ChilledMatt (May 9, 2015)

The only reliable way to use pre ground coffee is to use a pressurised basket and a crema pin. No need to tamp. But I would strongly recommend getting your own grinder as soon as you are able to.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Xonize (Aug 1, 2020)

My Gaggia classic ( old version ) has the double shot pressurised basket with the black rubber crema pin I believe.

On the fast extraction pre ground shop stuff I'm getting enough crema no problem.

Issue is I only drink decaf, so getting a grinder would mean puting the pre ground stuff into the grinder to make its slightly finer so extraction is slower at 25 - 30seconds.

Just feel I'm not getting the full flavour from a faster extraction as there would be less pressure on the coffee flowing through the basket.

The nearest roaster to me is

https://www.littlefinroastery.com/ so might give them a try


----------



## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Xonize said:


> My Gaggia classic ( old version ) has the double shot pressurised basket with the black rubber crema pin I believe.
> 
> On the fast extraction pre ground shop stuff I'm getting enough crema no problem.
> 
> ...


 what you are getting is not crema. It's just foam, resulted from squirting coffee at a very high pressure through a tiny hole. Crema is bitter, a result from the coffee oils and CO2 trapped in the fresh beans. Pre-ground will never give you crema because the coffee is stale. It's no different, in a way, when eating a chopped apple: it oxidises really quickly and will dry up. Or, you get the Apple, chop and eat it straight away for a much better flavour.


----------



## Xonize (Aug 1, 2020)

Interesting, I'll try some roasters near me that deliver freshly ground decaf and hopefully it will be an upgrade in taste and crema !

Also the right extraction time !


----------



## Blue_Cafe (Jun 22, 2020)

Xonize said:


> Interesting, I'll try some roasters near me that deliver freshly ground decaf and hopefully it will be an upgrade in taste and crema !
> 
> Also the right extraction time !


 I drink decaf. I grind decaf beans from a local roaster and it's great.

Wouldn't worry too much about crema tbh. Go off taste. I find decaf brews differently to normal. It does need a finer grind for my machine though.

Suggest you go on eBay and snag a cheap second hand grinder which you can use to grind your own coffee for the pressurised baskets (anything will do really)

If you like it and feel you want to use unpressurised baskets, you can then make the leap to a espresso grinder. (£££)


----------



## Xonize (Aug 1, 2020)

Cool, I'll start off with a local roaster who can deliver freshly ground decaf before I put In the investment for a grinder and buy the decaf beans whole.

I'm not after perfection, just an upgrade with not too much hassle from the Taylor's / Lavaza's of the supermarket shelf world !


----------



## Alfieboy (Dec 26, 2018)

I have a Classic and I buy ground coffee from different roasters around the UK and find their grinds inconsistent giving the issue you describe initially - I buy espresso grind, some can be tamped really hard yet my latest one I cannot even push with the back of a spoon as it doesn't flow at all so end up just putting it in the basket

Neighbourhood in Liverpool are great but my Limini experience was that it was too fine for my machine

I think you need to assess each bag and adapt accordingly


----------



## Xonize (Aug 1, 2020)

Yup agree, I've ( since this post ) been buying Swiss Water decaf espresso grind from Little Fin Roasters local to me.

14g coffee / 1.7lb pressure on the same salter scales applied with basic plastic tamper incl with the gaggia classic.

I get consistent 20 second extraction double espresso shots almost every time

Any more pressure on the tamper and the extraction slows to a trickle, so may experiment and add a gram at a time to get to around a 25 second extraction for a more pronounced flavour.

Good soo far though, thanks for everyone's help


----------

