espresso help needed

kev

Hi Guys after reading the summer 07 Crema article about best cafe's i went to Campo's
and Mecca to see for once how a great espresso should be. I thought I was making pretty good espresso's at home but now the bar has been raised , I may not get there but you have to try. I am using a Brasilia Club and a Gaggia MDF/B bur grinder and most of the time ,coffee from Allpress.I don't know musch about the Brasilia as I bought it from a mate who moved overseas but its a basic single boiler manual job with a pretty heavy duty group head.
I have no problem getting a full thick crema but it lacks the caramelised fine layer that should top off a great espresso that you get from the likes of the cafe's above.
Maybe I should have stayed at home because now I know what I am missing.
Any tips ???

askthecoffeeguy

Hi Kev, A quick google search reveals that the Brasilla Club is a pretty tidy little unit! Looks pretty similar in many ways to the Gaggia Classic that I used to own. Like yourself, I had no problems pulling great shots for latte (milk) based coffees, but I struggled to get a perfect extraction for a single shot of espresso. Problem I had with the Gaggia was that no matter how fine I ground the coffee, or 'bled' off a little hot water before extracting the shot, the shot would just come rushing through, often scolding the coffee, and producing an ok but not great crema. I think it's a problem with the higher end domestic machines, that they give you just enough of a taste of what good espresso is about, without being able to fully deliver the goods! I did find that my machine absolutely devoured fresh beans, however, in the nicest possible way, and I always got my best results from using a double basket, fine grind, and 'up-dosing' so that the coffee puck is pressed against the shower screen. And like i said I had no problem producing a fine caffe latte at home, and my double ristretto (20 ml pour from a double extraction) tasted pretty good as well! But to produce a crema similar to what the top performers a producing you will probably need similar equipment! It's a bit of a luxury, but since up-grading to a Bezzera BZ99 - semi-commercial  single group machine, I am producing comparable quality espresso to that which we make at my work, using much more industrial equipment! Also, a good grinder helps.   I know a few people whinge about the doser-less Rocky, but I have never had any problems with mine.  ANd there is much more finesse with the grind than many other domestic units! Like yourself, it was after visiting Batch Espresso, and the Maling Room, and St Ali, here in Melbourne, that  I decided to invest in some more high-tech equipment! Good luck in your espresso quest! Pat

kev

Hi Pat For a while I have been trying allsorts of technique fine tuning from using a double basket , different tamping pressures and of course different grinds. So now I have settled on a grind that gives a single shot of around 15 sec for an espresso dose. I know it should be 30 sec but if I get the grind to give a 30 sec extraction the coffee just drips out.Remember that I am using a single spout on the group head fitted with a single dose basket. The only thing that is out of my control is the water temp so now I am suspecting this. I'll have to get a temp gauge and check it out...Kev

askthecoffeeguy

Contrary to popular belief there is nothing wrong with espresso that just drips out, as long as the end result still tastes good! On my Bezzera at home I have an approx 40 sec pour for 30ml of espresso - allowing around 10 sec for pre-infusion. Remember the golden rule: "30ml in 30sec" And I have it on good advice that you don't even begin counting until the coffee begins to actually extract! One thing you may want to try is getting your machine serviced. My old Baby Gaggia (pre Classic) really struggled for awhile, and when I got it serviced, not only did they clean the machine thoroughly, but also replace the pump and the seals. As the machine is second-hand it can be hard to tell how much use it's had, and, if you have tried everything else as you say you have, it may well be that the pump is shot!~ From memory it cost me $140 to replace the pump in my 10yr old Baby Gaggia (which is more than I paid for the machine), but it's still going strong now (I gave it to a mate and still like to use it from time to time) In my experience if you cant fix the problem yourself, get the experts in! It may cost you a bit more than you bargained for, but at the end of the day that's a small price to pay for quality espresso! And if it's any comfort, I've been making coffee now for 26yrs! (since I was 14) and I am only now starting to produce what I would call 'quality' espresso! So the fun never ends! P

kev

Hi Pat thanks for the info. I did get it serviced

askthecoffeeguy

Hi Kev, The seals tend to dry out too and I replace mine yearly whether I think they need it or not... And I only use filtered water in my machine. In fact I've got a dedicated magic water filtration system attached to the cold tap just set up for the coffee machine! The 30 / 30 rule applies more so to the single basket but the thing to watch for even with the double is a long slow extraction time, with the coffee pouring in a 'mouse tail' type action. And when the crema begins to 'blonde' that means that you have got the max out of your extraction As you say the coffee puck should be nice and dry and pop out as one complete unit. Sounds like you are on the money Coffeegeek.com has links to specific footage regarding using a domestic machine, and if you 'google' your machine, someone, somewhere will have some specific hints about how to get the most out of your equipment Otherwise I highly recommend doing a coffee course with a reputable training provider Cheers, Pat