Prototype La Marzocco GS3 - A Pro's Perspective - Page 5

[malachi]

Perfect solution if you mean that you spend a lot of time in your car: Bring it with you! Use an inverter. The battery power will be no problem. This is a 10-15 amp machine. My headlights alone draw 16 amps.

Now that is a sick idea!!! GS3 in your car!

[espressoDOM]

aaaah Yeahh... I could write off the cost of a MiniCooper... put that sucker in the trunk... facing out... pop the trunk... INSTANT VENUE... wouldn't you buy coffee out the back of my car... it's the same as a CART...

ps... malachi... how do you get your pours so thin and and uninterrupted...

I am close but no cigar....

[barry]

This is a 10-15 amp machine. My headlights alone draw 16 amps.

just that pesky voltage issue.

[barry]

Now that is a sick idea!!! GS3 in your car!

one of the original ideas regarding the rebuilding of my landcruiser was to incorporate an espresso machine into the dash. the idea is still kicking around; i just haven't had time to do much on the rebuild.


--barry "maddie"

[malachi]

Day 7:

Wow.
Yikes.

Today was a kind of insane day - and it's only 2pm.

I started off the day with some additional measurements (yeah - I know that it's kind of irrelevant and that the machine is going to go through some serious, expensive equipment testing soon enough but it's kind of habit now) and then (about the point where I was dying for coffee) with some shots of the Olympia Coffee Peru.

Triple basket, down-dosed, 201F, 2.25oz in 28 seconds.

Really nice. Fruity and chocolatey and oh-so-sweet. Sugar bomb!!



After a quick cappuccino as well I did some cleaning (oh how I love the stainless block!). And then welcomed some friends from Albina Press. And the geekiness began!!

Tons of shots of Hairbender. Different doses, different temps - just going crazy. 197.8F, 20gram, LM ridged double, 1.75oz in 28seconds was the winner. All the fruit, all the floral, all the chocolate... but so smooth and sweet and rich!!! Incredibly coating on the palate - the aftertaste lingered forever. Wow.

They both described the shots as being both heavier and more coating - while at the same time tasting cleaner than what they were used to. It's the "density" and "clarity" that I've been describing and that I think might be related to the combination of the temp stability, the isolation from any water intake variance and the stainless.



Both Billy and Dan pulled some lovely shots.

You should have seen the big old smiles on their faces!!

And let me explain... these are jaded, tattooed PDX pro baristas.... getting excited about a 110v, reservoir single group espresso machine.

The cool-touch wands, the stainless block, the controls... and when we threw the Scace on there the jaws dropped. A quick climb to the setpoint and then it just sits there... sometimes it bumps up 1F for a few seconds... and it sits there. Shot after shot - the same pattern is repeated. Scary.

So we started whipping out the milk drinks.



At this point we'd been at it for a couple of hours and had burned through a pound of Hairbender as well as some of the Peru. And the machine wasn't even breaking a sweat. I'd refilled the reservoir 3 or 4 times and had dumped the draintray probably a couple dozen times but there was no indication that the machine couldn't keep this pace up all day. In the end, we wore out before it did.

I think Billy said it best when he said, "why isn't there a cafe version of this machine?"

So now I'm trying to relax, to stop smiling, to chill out a bit.
I guess I'm not crazy - I guess this machine really is that good.

[espressoDOM]

4500 dollars....

ok I just typed that because it keeps the FEVER at bay...

looks great.... I am glad you are having fun testing... take a crap load of pictures tomorrow... I want to feel like I was there....

[terryz]

4500 dollars....

ok I just typed that because it keeps the FEVER at bay...

looks great.... I am glad you are having fun testing... take a crap load of pictures tomorrow... I want to feel like I was there....

Sissy

I already added your name to the "List'. You will own one by next summer......................

Look at it this way.........45 Tommy Bahama shirts or 1 GS3, your choice.............

[malachi]

Don't think $4500.
Think Cost = $4500 - $X where $X is what you can sell the MegaWega for...

[MOSFET]

just that pesky voltage issue.

Use an inverter.

An inverter converts DC power to AC.

Of course the laughing smiley should have tipped off those who thought I was serious, though there is no technical issue, especially with the pourover feature.

Maybe for the traveling salesman...

Keith

[MOSFET]

Don't think $4500.
Thing $4500 - $X where $X is what you can sell the MegaWega for...

This is a good point. I sold my Six Million Dollar Expobar for $750 and bought a four group Linea for $800. I'll bet you could scrape up a bunch of junk to sell on Ebay. Put it in the upgrade fund.

Keith

[AndyS]

An inverter converts DC power to AC.

10-15 amps@120volts = 100-150 amps@12volts. You've got a big alternator, right? It sure is gonna cut down on your gas mileage.

[skyryders90]

Sissy

I already added your name to the "List'. You will own one by next summer......................

Look at it this way.........45 Tommy Bahama shirts or 1 GS3, your choice.............

That's it - put me on the list, too.

[malachi]

ps... malachi... how do you get your pours so thin and and uninterrupted...

I moved to the mountains to hone my ninja barista craft, carrying full bags of green coffee through waist deep snow, learning to feel coffee until finally the day came where I no longer needed the machine or the coffee to know if the shot was good.

Grin.

[cannonfodder]

It's certainly interesting to hear the feedback from professionals crowded around the GS3, but the majority of this site's visitors are likely home enthusiasts. So I think it's about time that Chris turns the portafilter over to someone who doesn't have Mistral steam wand scars, hmm-m?

EW, EW, EW, Teacher, I will do it!!! I even named my son after you, Christopher James Stephens.

[cannonfodder]

aaaah Yeahh... I could write off the cost of a MiniCooper... put that sucker in the trunk... facing out... pop the trunk... INSTANT VENUE... wouldn't you buy coffee out the back of my car... it's the same as a CART...

It would look much better in the back of my truck. Hook up the generator to power the machine and Mazzer. Plenty of room for a water supply tank.

[malachi]

Tomorrow's cast of characters includes at least two serious and passionate home baristas, at least two self-proclaimed "noobies" and a couple coffee pros (including the current US Barista Champion).

Should yield interesting results.

Coffees to be used include:

Stumptown Hairbender
Caffe Fresco Daterra Reserve
Artigiano Espresso
Olympia Coffee Roasting Peru Pinachi

[AndyS]

Personal favorites are as follows.

Nice, but here's my new personal favorite:

Tricked-out Silvia's got a new big brother!

[Abe Carmeli]

Gee wiz, you all should get a room! My shameless drooling all over the Versalab grinder Bench is a dry understatement in comparison.

Now you all close your eyes, take a deep breath, empty your brain of all thoughts, and think of Star Jones as a Playboy centerfold. There, there, we are all calm now.

[Abe Carmeli]

Tricked-out Silvia's got a new big brother!

What the?
Is there anyone out there who doesn't have the GS3 already?

NB: The above is a rhetorical question.

[malachi]

Tricked-out Silvia's got a new big brother!

SWEET!!!