# am I heading in the right direction..?



## yardbent (Aug 8, 2015)

had the Gaggia Classic a few days now

0.1g scales bought, and group gasket replaced

1st...with shop ground Limini Ethiopia beans

18.0g - firm with 55mm plastic tamper - no scales to judge pressure

proper 58mm tamper in post

50cc out in 10secs and thin crema.......









  

2nd....with Segafredo beans

Krups set to #3 position

18.0g with NSEW tamp

50g in 20 secs - crema better and tastes far smoother

  

screen screw indent in puck

  

does this puck look OK.?

  

so a week from now i'll open the* Rocko Mountain Reserve*



*
tips and advice welcome.....*


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

PM me your address John and will get you a Motta 58mm tamper in the post. When received throw the plastic thing to the back of the cupboard never to return. Might not be today but probably tomorrow and don't want anything for it or postage just pay it forward to someone else if you ever stop using it.

Might want to grind finer as well looking at the puck above and the pour times / grammes out.

John


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

It's your grinder that is your limiting factor at the mo. Pucks don't tell you a lot after he fact. A naked pf will. Better grinder is essential tho ( you have one on the way I think yes )


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

You would get much better results if you could upgrade the grinder.


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## yardbent (Aug 8, 2015)

johnealey said:


> PM me your address John and will get you a Motta 58mm tamper in the post. When received throw the plastic thing to the back of the cupboard never to return. Might not be today but probably tomorrow and don't want anything for it or postage just pay it forward to someone else if you ever stop using it.
> 
> Might want to grind finer as well looking at the puck above and the pour times / grammes out.....John


John------THANKS very much for the offer - i have already ordered one so your generosity could be to somebody else who is new

OK will try Krups grinder down a step when i open the new beans

again -- thanks..!


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## yardbent (Aug 8, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> It's your grinder that is your limiting factor at the mo. Pucks don't tell you a lot after he fact. A naked pf will. Better grinder is essential tho ( you have one on the way I think yes )


no - i have the Krups on loan from GCG - and saving up for my own


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

No worries and having re read the thread can see you mentioned getting one in the post.

The grinder I know well as my Father has my old one from a few years back and you may struggle to get it fine / consistent enough ( it works fine on his pressurised baskets hence he happy with it)

Keep an eye on the sales thread occasionally a bargain comes up.

John


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

Puck in portafilter suggests large edge channelling which your new tamper should help prevent. As others have stated your shot times were fast so need to grind finer. Also to be clear as there are different units mentioned, keep to weight only for grinds in and coffee (wet) out. Probably best to aim for 36g espresso out from your 18g in to start. Don't worry too much about time, be guided by taste. Having said that, typical range will be 25-45secs depending on water and flow rate.


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## Tigermad (Sep 7, 2015)

johnealey said:


> PM me your address John and will get you a Motta 58mm tamper in the post. When received throw the plastic thing to the back of the cupboard never to return. Might not be today but probably tomorrow and don't want anything for it or postage just pay it forward to someone else if you ever stop using it.
> 
> Might want to grind finer as well looking at the puck above and the pour times / grammes out.
> 
> John


could I be cheeky and ask for the motto tamper please?


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## yardbent (Aug 8, 2015)

forzajuve said:


> ........................ Probably best to aim for 36g espresso out from your 18g in to start. Don't worry too much about time, be guided by taste. Having said that, typical range will be 25-45secs depending on water and flow rate.


aah...I've been measuring ass-backwards then

18.0g in - and running the brew switch for 20secs

so 18g in - 36g out and then adjust the grind to a acheive a reasonable time dictated by taste

---------------------------------------

as to taste

just had 18g in -- 45 out in 25secs.......tastes good; with sugar, no milk; rich, full and smooth


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## jimbocz (Jun 5, 2015)

forzajuve said:


> Puck in portafilter suggests large edge channelling which your new tamper should help prevent. As others have stated your shot times were fast so need to grind finer. Also to be clear as there are different units mentioned, keep to weight only for grinds in and coffee (wet) out. Probably best to aim for 36g espresso out from your 18g in to start. Don't worry too much about time, be guided by taste. Having said that, typical range will be 25-45secs depending on water and flow rate.


Another newbie here....

Can you give us some more detail on why there's edge channelling and what it is?


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

yardbent said:


> aah...I've been measuring ass-backwards then
> 
> 18.0g in - and running the brew switch for 20secs
> 
> ...


The time is just a guide, the important thing is how it tastes. Anywhere from 25-45 is probably fine. Try and drink it without the sugar though, as this will totally mask the taste.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

jimbocz said:


> Another newbie here....
> 
> Can you give us some more detail on why there's edge channelling and what it is?


There is edge channeling because the tamper is too small for the basket and the grounds around the edge of the basket are not being compressed. This is amplified by the coffee being ground far too course.

Water will always find the path of least resistance. This is channelling and means the water can rush through these areas because in this case the coffee is not as compressed. This causes certain parts of the coffee puck to be under-extracted (where there was little contact with the water) and other parts where there is channelling to be over-extracted as too much water will have come into contact with the coffee. In this case it is around the edges, and normally if you have a bottomless PF you will see 'spritzers' or 'sprays' of coffee shooting out normally missing the cup and going all over the worktop.

This is very easy to see if you have a bottomless (naked) portafilter. Which is why they are always recommended for people especially those first starting out.

End result: The coffee tastes yuck.


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

Yup, as above well summed up. Your new tamper will help a lot, a better grinder will help even more.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Tigermad said:


> could I be cheeky and ask for the motto tamper please?


Hi Tigermad

If you looking for this to fit VST baskets you may find this slightly too small as it is 58.0mm (thought you ordered a Torr from Jens?)

If however you haven't and are still using a plastic tamper am happy to send to you as per offer to John above. If not will put it up on the Pay it forward thread, hopefully this sounds fair?

Apologies John for hijacking your thread, Pm me your address and will send you some beans.

John


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## Tigermad (Sep 7, 2015)

johnealey said:


> Hi Tigermad
> 
> If you looking for this to fit VST baskets you may find this slightly too small as it is 58.0mm (thought you ordered a Torr from Jens?)
> 
> ...


Hello. Have ordered the torr but looks like it's delayed so wont be getting it until next week(getting coffee machine this Friday). No worries. Was going to use the motta until then and pass it on when it eventually arrives. Will pick a temporary one up from the store to use in the non Vst basket until then  you never know the torr may arrive sooner anyway.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Will post it on the pay it forward then ( your new machine should come with something and will keep fingers crossed for early delivery of your Torr) so as to give this thread back to Yardbent 

John


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