Playing with Shot Variables on La Marzocco GS3

[chilipepperslooney]

Seattle is a long way from England but I would face the commute for a job with you guys!! I am an avid Kat & Gale follower(not stalker!). Just wondering, Is an Izzo Duetto II (or I guess now the III) Vid on its way?

Love you guy's - Nick

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@chilipepperslooney Always great to hear!! We won't be doing any more Izzo videos as we're not going to stock them in the warehouse any longer, so sadly we can't fulfill your request! If we ever get one returned or in for repair, we'll see what we can do, but no plans right now to do any more Izzo reviews. Sorry :( - Kat

[JakRyanxxx]

All these shots seem to be blonding super quick.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@JakRyanxxx We're totally down with blonding - Kat

[jonathanhenyolson]

you guys definitely have a lot of extra time on the job! haha

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@jonathanhenyolson Um, this IS my job ;) - Kat

[gabeslover]

@SeattleCoffeeGear Lucky Kat!! = ] Wish it was my job lol

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@gabeslover Yes -- definitely lucky!!! :) - Kat

[joeldamianicigan]

Doesn't this machine have passive preinfusion or is it different that an E61 group?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@joeldamianicigan It is a completely different head design than the E61; you can either use the paddle for pre-infusion or you can program it on the automatic version. - Kat

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@FishAddiction22 Well, it's going to be very different for different coffees. Some coffees don't respond well to pre-infusion and end up overextracted while others respond very well. The idea is that slowly moistening the puck will prevent cracking under extraction pressure and, therefore, limit channeling so you get a more even extraction. But it will depend on the specific coffee you're using, whether or not it tastes better/worse/the same with preinfusion. - Kat

[0806rene]

this is great, thank you for doing these videos. I have one question: when do you start the clock for timing shots? The moment you hit the button or after the first drops come out of the group head? On my Silvia it takes up to 5 seconds before coffee appears, so that could make a big difference.... I assume the time it takes from pushing the button to the first drops appearing varies from machine to machine?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@0806rene This is an oft-debated question. If your machine has the ability to pre-infuse, sometimes folks count that in the extraction sometimes they don't. On the Silvia, I start at shot initiation and part of my calibration process is to see the extraction begin at a certain point afterward. I look for coffee to appear about 6 - 8 seconds after I start the shot. - Kat

[rcdrvrrc7]

I have those same shot glasses and it should be noted that the line is at the 1.5oz mark. Thus a pull to the top of the line on both would be lungo, and would be a total of 3 oz. I can usually only pull 3 oz out of a 21 gram dose without without it blonding before 3oz are dispensed. =)

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@rcdrvrrc7 Not accurate; the glasses are 1.5 total volume, with the line @ the 1 oz. mark. We also sell glasses that have 1.25 oz. overall volume with the line at the 1 oz, tooc. -- Kat

[rcdrvrrc7]

@SeattleCoffeeGear I stand corrected, mine are 2oz total volume 1oz at the line.

costco dot com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid­=11287179&whse=BD_823&topnav=b­doff&cat=77728&hierPath=9888*9­950*77728*&lang=en-US

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@rcdrvrrc7 Cool -- yeah, we sell a couple variations. My favorite are the shot pitchers with spouts that can measure up to 3 oz. - Kat

[Dantius2009]

This machine is very expensive, right? But looks so nice.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@Dantius2009 Yeah, it's the highest cost home machine we have -- can be used in small commercial applications, too, but originally designed as LM's 'home' machine. - Kat

[Dantius2009]

@SeattleCoffeeGear I would kill for such a machine... now bought a Bialetti Venus mokka-maker ... lol. ;-)

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@Dantius2009 I didn't peg you for the violent type, baby! But we are talking about coffee here, so....:) - Kat

[gadgetnoob]

whoa! That was pretty nerdy, ladies. But, I loved it! Yay for us coffee nerds. ^o^/

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@gadgetnoob LOL -- thanks....I think? ;) - Kat

[ezuniga612]

Temperature control and a paddle....I'm saving for that GS3, Kat!! Great video, but I wish we knew Gail's dose in grams each time to ensure that dose wasn't a factor. Really cool nonetheless.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@ezuniga612 I don't know if I'm ever going to break her from her shoot from the hip ways ;) - Kat

[freironn1]

I would love to see a video of this with some mor emainstream equipment like Silva and Rocky combination, that would be great :)

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@freironn1 As noted below, the theory is still the same, even on the Silvia. But it is on the list to do so :) - Kat

[spyrmak]

so 14 seconds is not good ?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@spyrmak Ummmmm.....no - Kat

[photopuppet]

This looks funny with the 1911 button pressed in. :)

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@photopuppet I love it! :D - Kat

[mnix96]

Alright now for my comments...lol so next time can you do this video with a less expensive espresso machine? Not a thousand dollar one? Lol and the grinder can you use something under 200...just to make it more challenging for you! Lol and more helpful to me because I don't have a machine that you can change temp. All it's does it give me espresso! Thank you

[jochemvanl]

@mnix96 the technique is the same for each machine. If you can't change the temp, than try to work around it by changing the other variables. Or by a better machines that gives you a more consistent temperature ;).

[mnix96]

@jochemvanl

I will take your advice the only problem is the same story for most people...money lol but first thing first is to get a grinder like you said! blade ones dont count...lol

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@mnix96 We could do it pairing any of the machines and grinders together, the temp being the only variable that is sometimes difficult to control -- and not an option to control in lower end machines. We may do something similar for the Silvia in the future, but the basic theory is the same for all equipment. - Kat

[greghwong]

great to see the "club" gone :) nice looking "outside" you have, with that fern tree and lots of parking. can i work with you? hehe

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@greghwong She's on her way to fully functional again! Slowly but surely :) If I should you our cold and rainy view today, you might want to take those words back ;) - Kat

[jamescitrome]

Great vid. Demonstrates perfectly why I consider "pulling" shots both a science and an art. However, in consideration of the science side, at one point two variables were changed at the same time. The temp increase ( I'm going to have to temperature PID my Silvia) probably would have sufficed on its own to overcome the sourness. This is why I would agree with Gail's conclusion at the end in regard to dialing back the grinder.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@jamescitrome I had to edit it that way for time consideration; there was actually a lot more grind and temperature changing, one variable at a time. - Kat

[Warrenff5]

isnt 204 degrees ideal???

[KaltorRotis]

@Warrenff5 I find with my PID'd La Peppina that 204 is too hot for most coffees. I average around 201.

[jamescitrome]

@Warrenff5

No ideal temp. I find best temp is according to each espresso blends attributes such as arabica to robusta ratio or dark roast to light roast ratio . I have a preference for 100% arabica espresso blends which I find taste better (more sweet) when I aim for a lower extraction temperature (don't have pid on my machine, I measure temp in cup). I find blends with a higher robusta ratio are less sour when brewed at higher temp. Generally too higher temp = bitter, too low temp = Sour.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@Warrenff5 Ideal brew range is 195F - 205F and it will vary from coffee to coffee. - Kat