# Coffee Shop Style Coffee



## bono141 (Mar 1, 2011)

Ok, so I have tried many different beans from numerous online roasters and I have now got my gaggia, my decent tamper and a normal filter basket as opposed to the crema suprema version or whatever gaggia calls it! (although I'm still using my krups burr grinder (ok so no kudos there!)

I'm getting around 4-5mm crema on my shots (in a shot glass) but when I make an americano/cappucino/latte etc I'm not getting the same taste as a 'classic coffee shop'. - Its nice though but I'm aiming for better!

Now is this wholly down to the beans and does anyone know what are good coffee shop style beans? - or is it just lack of skill or poor grinder?


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## ChrisWalton (Mar 7, 2011)

Hey, what beans are you using at the moment? How are the espressos tasting? Crema isn't the be all and end all of good espresso. Its about getting the right extraction of the coffee. How long is the extraction for your espressos?


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

It's probably down to a few factors (the beans being one of them) If you really want to replicate a particular outlet you're best bet is to go into one of them and buy the beans they are currently using. Having said that if you're talking about a big chain like Starbucks then they probably wont be very fresh. Your grinder is not going to produce the same grind quality that you would get in a shop, which will affect flavour a hell of a lot. Another factor is I've found many of the chain coffee shops (Starbucks, Costa etc.) use way more milk than you are supposed to with lattes and cappucinos. Hence most of my friends who like this sort of coffee and try mine find it way too strong. Last time I tried a latte from Costa I couldn't drink it, as to me it just tasted like coffee flavoured milk.

Can you describe what's missing from you coffee (flavour wise) i.e is it too strong, acidic, sweet?


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## bono141 (Mar 1, 2011)

thanks for the replys

Using santos & java coffee beans at the moment from coffeebeanshop. The espressos I make tend to be stronger than my coffee shop and more bitter tasting. I'm going to ask my local what beans they use and see if i can get hold of some! Meanwhile I think its time so save for a new grinder!


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I think a good grinder is the best place to start. If your shots are coming out very bitter this will improve with a better grinder but for now you could try cutting your shots a bit sooner, before any blonding appears i.e the flow turns watery and light in colour.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

Strength is probably a result of a longer shot or different beans - the easiest (and most obvious







) solution to get the flavour you want is just to use only one of your two shots (assuming you have two spouts on your portafilter) or to add a greater volume of milk.

Bitterness could be caused by a few things - and even if the beans are prone to it, there are things you can do to reduce it. It would be helpful to know:

1) How long it takes for your shot

2) What criteria you are using to decide when to stop the shot - colour? volume of coffee? time?

3) And speaking of which, how big (volume or mass) is your shot?

4) And finally, how much ground coffee are you putting in your basket?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Roland summed this up nicely

No probs with the beans themselves. It all comes down to extraction


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## bono141 (Mar 1, 2011)

Just to let you know, Im overfilling the basket with grounds, levelling & tamping, A shot is lasting between -20-30 secs & I stop when my double espresso syle shot glass is filled to the marker (i fill two up at the same time). I may be making decent espresso but I'm a newbie and I might not be used to 'proper coffee' (i am a costa fan afterall!)


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

bono141 said:


> I stop when my double espresso syle shot glass is filled to the marker (i fill two up at the same time)


Sorry if I've miss read this but are you pouring 2 doubles at the same time? i.e 4oz?

Apart from that possible problem it sounds like you're doing the basics correctly. From then on in it starts to get a bit more complicated. This is like the point in the Matrix where you decided if you want to go down the rabbit hole







but if it helps I started off like yourself and have been trying to iron out one issue at a time in search of the perfect espresso. Somedays I get them now but I suspect it will be many years before I can stop calling myself a novice. At the moment I just go by my own taste. I usually keep the amount of beans the same and try a ristretto style shot vs an espresso and then go with what I like the taste of most. Your pallet will quickly learn to appreciate the subtle differences. Even my wife who was a Costa lover has converted


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

It might be worth either:

a) Weighing the beans before putting them in the grinder - there may be some loss but at least you will get some consistency, or

b) Weigh the grounds before pouring into the PF, or

c) Weigh the PF and zero your scales, fill PF with coffee from the grinder, re-weigh the PF to determine the difference and hence how much ground coffee being used.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

As Banish mentions, weighing your dose might be helpful







I'm assuming (please correct me if I'm wrong someone!) that your Gaggia Baby Class baskets are the same size as my Gaggia Classic baskets - which probably means your using about 18g of dry coffee at a guess. It might be worth trying a little less (16g - ish?).

Anyway, the main thing I would suggest would be to try using colour (blonding) to stop the shot, and compare the taste. One thing you could try immediately would be to start a shot normally. Watch the flow of coffee coming from the spouts. When the flow has gone from dark brown to an entirely pale colour (with NO dark stripes left, or anything similar), the shot has "blonded" - at this point you'll also see the streams of coffee start to pull inwards rather than dropping vertically. At this point, pull one of the espresso glasses away (noting the time). Stop the shot when the remaining glass is at the marker.

This would give you too espressos to try in contrast with each other - one stopped at blonding, the other at the volume marker. Compare the taste and see which you prefer - it's worth a go even if you aren't an espresso drinker, but you could always put them into small cups and add a little milk to each if you prefer - as long as you treat them the same









If you decide you prefer the shot stopped at blonding, go back to adjusting grind so that the blonding occurs in the 20 - 30s area, and see what you think. It's all about playing really


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## bono141 (Mar 1, 2011)

I think it may be that my shots are blonding after only a few seconds. This is probably what is making my espresso Taste bitter. I think Roland may be onto something! So would I need to grind finer or coarser to delay blonding? Really appreciating your help with this folks. Learning all the time!


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

If your shots are blonding quickly you could try updosing a bit? If your distribution isn't good then it could be nothing to do with your dose, but you'll only tell that with a bottomless portafilter I guess.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

bono141 said:


> I think Roland may be onto something!


Ha! Had to happen eventually









To delay the blonding, grind finer. The coffee should look almost syrupy as it comes out of the spouts.


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