Gaggia Classic mod & plenty of coffee.

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Gaggia Classic mod & plenty of coffee.

52 posts & 20 voices | Started 3 years ago by chewkw | Latest reply from molgrips

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The Gold-Blend moment

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chewkw - Member

Folks & Coffee Lovers,

Did my Gaggia Classic steam wand mod with Rancilio Silvia steam wand yesterday and guess what ... it's so bloody brilliant!!! Now I can get very good microform for my cappuccino and latte. Woohhooo!

But before you can get proper microform you need to do some practicing first with the new steam wand. I did that ... by experiencing and drinking nearly a liter of full fat milk last night with at least 6 cups of cappuccino/latte whatever that you want to call them.

I give myself a year to get up to scratch to become a "proper" Barista or at least someone who can make some proper coffee.

Oh ya ... made some Americano with freshly grind beans. Woww! very nice.

Posted 3 years ago #
chewkw - Member

Oh will try to post pics when I have time.

Posted 3 years ago #
MrNutt - Member

how is it better, I seem to get superb results with the default thing, I'm tempted to go for one of those digital display mods though.

Posted 3 years ago #
andywhit - Member

>. I did that ... by experiencing and drinking nearly a liter of full fat milk last night with at least 6 cups of cappuccino/latte whatever that you want to call them.

PMSL.

Posted 3 years ago #
chewkw - Member

MrNutt,

The original steam wand with the plastic bit only agitates the milk with big bubbles. You cannot control it to get silky smooth paint like microform to make latte art ... The mod steam wand on the other hand can and better but you need to practice a bit.

Cost me about £22 for the steam wand from including postage from here.

Drury coffee

Andywhit,

LOL! Not to say that half of those full fat milk came from Gold Top (5.2% Fat) as oppose to your girlie normal blue cap full fat milk(3.6%) from supermarket.

But guess what they are swwweeeettttt! Full fat that is.

Bought more beans this afternoon so will try more tonight.

Posted 3 years ago #
TooTall - Member

I thought it was 'microfoam' - but there you go.

Don't 'proper' barristas do this stuff on the geet big machines rather than a wee Gaggia? You'll have to start all over again young fella!

Posted 3 years ago #
chewkw - Member

TooTall,

LOL! Yes, it was meant to be microfoam not "microform" ... I need caffeine boost. More! More! More!

Geet big machines? No use that if the Barista skill is not up to scratch.

Nahhh ... if I cannot get it right with a tiny Gaggia Classic I have no chance in hell to work on those large machine. Bet the big boys cannot work on the tiny Classic to best out of it.

I have seen large commercial machine and all I can say is that it will be easier to steam milk or to pull shots.

Are you in the coffee industry?

Posted 3 years ago #
chewkw - Member

D'oh! This is tough work this ... this is my 3rd cappuccinos within the last 2 hours I think. My 8 today ...

Still not up to perfection but rather okay flavour. My latte art is still shite so far or non existence.

Caffeine boost is not doing any good either as I am falling asleep.

Posted 3 years ago #
TooTall - Member

I'm not - but my lovely other half did work for one of the BIG companies and was trained by their head taster on the technical & taste side of coffee. I've turned into a coffee snob by association and slow education!
Go and visit Italy - you'll see coffee without the fannying about.

Posted 3 years ago #
mysterymurdoch - Member

Since when has having a cuppa required so much expense, time and electricity? Have filter coffee at home so when you buy a coffee out it is a much better treat!

Posted 3 years ago #
chewkw - Member

TooTall,

I think many people love the big companies' coffee because they suit their taste. Not me though as I like proper stuff.

Yes, if I can learn from a proper Barista in Italy I would but then I am not sure that is possible.

mysterymurdoch,

Only if you want to drink a proper cup of coffee and planning to be a Barista like me. Otherwise, I can recommend you instant coffee with sweet condense milk and a bit of sugar.

Posted 3 years ago #
mmccarthy - Member

Sorry to dredge this but i'm considering either a Gaggia Classic or a Rancilo Silvia and was wondering if you guys had any opinions, one thing it must be able to do is be able to make perfect microfoam. I was looking at the Classic first of all, then when I saw that you can only really get good microfoam from using the Silvia wand I had a look at that also. Anybody tried both and can offer any comparisons?

P.S. I simply can't resist the urge to post up one of my little works of art

Posted 2 years ago #
aP - Member

Isn't a barrista just a meaningless name made up by an American company to describe a minimal wage, minimaly trained coffee pourer?
Oh, how I wish I could aspire to such heights.

Posted 2 years ago #
Strangelove - Member

Isn't a barrista just a meaningless name made up by an American company to describe a minimal wage, minimaly trained coffee pourer?

No

Posted 2 years ago #
pedalhead - Member

I've got a gaggia classic, love it. Didn't know you could hot rod 'em though.

Posted 2 years ago #
chewkw - Member

Yes, you can this how you do it.

Modify Gaggia Classic

Very easy but make sure you buy the right steam wand.

Posted 2 years ago #
montylikesbeer - Member

I modified mine last year and agree it makes much better foam.

How about trying a bottomless filter ! now that is an amazing improvement as well

clicky thingy

Posted 2 years ago #
jim_bob - Member

I get great smooth foam out of my Silvia with its standard wand about one time in three. More practice needed!

Posted 2 years ago #
mmccarthy - Member

Isn't a barrista just a meaningless name made up by an American company to describe a minimal wage, minimaly trained coffee pourer?
Oh, how I wish I could aspire to such heights.

Maybe you could start by learning to spell it correctly...

Posted 2 years ago #
iDave - Member

isn't cappuccino a breakfast drink?

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

Well, that does it, I've seen it all now. A thread discussing modding of an espresso machine. Is it possible to get any more middle class than this?

Btw baristas who work in shops have a machine that does it all automatically, so there's little skill involved aside from the speed with which you do it. The faster, the better the coffee.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sandwich - Member

molgrips all you need to get the best from a Rancilio is here.

Posted 2 years ago #
delusional - Member

Btw baristas who work in shops have a machine that does it all automatically, so there's little skill involved aside from the speed with which you do it. The faster, the better the coffee

Erm, that kind of depends on which coffee shops you're frequenting. I'll hazard a guess that the ones where the machine does it all automatically are making pretty shoddy coffee.

Posted 2 years ago #
delusional - Member

How about trying a bottomless filter ! now that is an amazing improvement as well

I got one of these for my Classic and it's awesome. Apart from anything else a brilliant way to make sure you're distributing your grounds well.

I'd quite like to pick up the silvia wand as well, for £22 it's a bit of a bargain - I think just having a longer wand would be useful as I find I waste a lot of milk with the standard wand as if I'm using a jug big enough to froth properly I have to put 2-3x as much milk as I need in for it to reach effectively.

Posted 2 years ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

Is it easy to mod the Classic with that wand then? I assume it is just a spanner job by the look of it...

EDIT - just watched the vid - I assume the hack is to get the bolt off the original and use it on the upgraded wand? I kinda missed that on the vid.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

Erm, that kind of depends on which coffee shops you're frequenting.

Oh christ here we go. I'm clearly far too much of a pleb for this thread

As far as my Gaggia is concerned, I'd rather a) the wand was a bit more mobile as I have to lift the machine up to extract the jug/mug from under it and b) I wish the boiler was a bit more powerful - takes ages to heat two coffee's worth of milk to a decent temp.

Posted 2 years ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

as if I'm using a jug big enough to froth properly

You can get a Gaggia jug which is perfect for one or two cappuccinos and is curved nicely on the base so the milk spins and froths nicely.

Posted 2 years ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

have to lift the machine up to extract the jug/mug from under it

Again, the Gaggia one has a curved top so it can be swung from under the wand without having to lift the unit or place it at the front of a work surface.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

That looks nice MF.. I bet it's £35 tho..

Anyway, everyone knows you're a philistine if you have milk in your coffee...

Posted 2 years ago #
hora - Member

Yes, you can this how you do it.

Modify Gaggia Classic

Very easy but make sure you buy the right steam wand.

will have a look at this when I get home. I used to have a classic and it came with a long black plastic steam enhancer for the end of the steamer that worked great. Tried buying a new machine not so long back but for some reason they no longer come with this addtion?! Its crap without it for frothing properly.

Posted 2 years ago #
hora - Member

Jesus! I only paid £150 for mine. They are upto £300 now for the classic. WTF.

Posted 2 years ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

I bet it's £35 tho

I think I paid £12 from my local kitchen shoppe

Posted 2 years ago #
hora - Member

anyone know where I can find a classic cheapest?

Posted 2 years ago #
mmccarthy - Member

Btw baristas who work in shops have a machine that does it all automatically, so there's little skill involved aside from the speed with which you do it. The faster, the better the coffee.

I've been working as a barista for two and a half years and i'd never do it automatically, the quality you get from an automatic steam wand is horrible. If you don't care about coffee, why bother trying to start an argument over it? Now, run along and stop being a silly little boy eh?

Posted 2 years ago #
mmccarthy - Member

anyone know where I can find a classic cheapest?

Cheapest new would be around £250, you're probably best just looking around ebay and seeing what you can find.

Posted 2 years ago #

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