Advice to Newbies from a Newbie - Page 2

by **oconee** on Fri May 02, 2008 6:33 pm

I stopped by one of the Intelligentsia locations in Chicago and order a double espresso. Very good, quite similar to what I experienced in Italy with less bitterness. I liked it so much I ordered another, and that illuminated the skill of professionals: the second was very very close to the first. I watched the Barista closely on both shots to try to learn. He must make hundreds a day, and I'll bet the shot variance is less than 20%.

by **zin1953** on Mon May 05, 2008 10:30 am

lberg wrote:Did you try it with "half of the wand" still attached to the bare metal wand? I mean, without the black "covering," but still with that little nozzle thing? I've read that some people do that.

That works great for me!

by **fergus420** on Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:20 pm

This is kind late but you can get good micro foam on a gaggia with one of these....

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/Ga...o_Wand.cfm

It doesn't have the same air holes as the stock wand.

by **zin1953** on Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:13 pm

With respect, throw that thing away . . .

by **miKe mcKoffee** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:03 am

zin1953 wrote:With respect, throw that thing away . . .

I believe what Jason was saying is those things are worse than training wheels. With training wheels you learn balance and eventually remove them and ride off in the sunset. With those pseudo steam wands you never learn how to steam milk properly and are stuck with training wheels forever.

by **RapidCoffee** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:11 am

FWIW, the WLL site does suggest removing the sleeve for latte art. I have done this on low end machines and superautos. The black plastic tip (without the sleeve) has a single hole and functions reasonably well for frothing. It can be useful on machines with very short steam wands.

by **bernie** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:44 am

Marshall wrote:
When the SCAA Conference was in Atlanta in 2004, there wasn't a single shop anyone would recommend to us for espresso. Looks like we'll have at least one shop to enjoy in 2009 (hope there will be more!).

I've always found it odd that at the world's most prestigious coffee event I have never been able to sit and enjoy a decent cap. Maybe I have not looked hard enough. I can overdose on shots while walking up and down the aisles, but to sit and enjoy a cup with someone seems impossible. Plenty of fried foods available from the concessionaires, but it strikes me that nobody is allowed to set up a sit-down venue which is what the ultimate goal is for all the equipment, syrups, signage, casework, etc that is being hawked. Sort of like having no parking lots available for those attending the Detriot Auto Show.

Bernie

by **zin1953** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:14 am

bernie wrote:Sort of like having no parking lots available for those attending the Detriot Auto Show.

Yeah, but Bernie -- that's to encourage use of mass transit . . . :wink:

(OTOH, I can't explain the lack of a place to sit down and enjoy a cup.)

by **shadowfax** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:30 am

RapidCoffee wrote:FWIW, the WLL site does suggest removing the sleeve for latte art. I have done this on low end machines and superautos. The black plastic tip (without the sleeve) has a single hole and functions reasonably well for frothing. It can be useful on machines with very short steam wands.

+1 to this. My grandpa has a Gaggia espresso and he's got the old school Panarello wand. You *cannot* steam milk without the Panarello wand (way too short to get into the milk at all) and with the panarello wand on but the sleeve off, it works passably: I can pour latté art just fine, but steaming is a PITA because it's still kinda short. That wand linked would be a godsend from the perspective of being something easy and cheap to upgrade to, adding a much-needed inch or two. They're a nuisance in terms of cleaning (much harder to clean than a SS wand), but very capable of giving rich, creamy microfoam.

by **cannonfodder** on Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:31 pm

I used that wand with the Gaggia Achille review. Pull the sleeve off and you have a usable single hole steamwand. Worked quite well.


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