Colour of crema

[moccafaux]

After having solved our grinder problems (namely putting away the Zassenhaus) we are now running into another problem:
All the coffees we try here look and taste totally different compared with them being prepared with my machine.
Both machines used are Gaggias
The water is the same
The amount of coffee per brew is the same
the tampering foorce is the same, but...
all the coffees taste flat and bitter without any acid or body.
the crema is thin, very light coloured (not even cinnamon) but of a fine structure (mine is usually much darker, coarser with bigger bubbles).
Is it possible that the brewing-temperature of this particular machine is a bit off and how (if) can I adjust the thermostat?

[benoit]

Coffee beans from a shop...
or green coffee bean that you roasted with passion???

10 years ago, a silver foil Lavazza was a delight and today...
It's a physical punishment


Benoit of frome, somerset, England

[moccafaux]

As as!
Its just a major difference in the quality of the outputof the machines, all other factors equal.
Ttemperature at the spout when pulling a shot is 81-86C. grinding a bit coarser and adding 1gr of grounds to compensate the lesser resistance of the puck results in an even lighter crema (almost white) and a far too high volume.
this is going to be a long night!

[moccafaux]

Its getting a bit better by now. Still 17-18gr but we ground finer, tamped harder (20-23kg) and had much less volume. Just one ristretto out of a double puck.
Better but still not there.

[Joey]

Isn't 81-86°C too cold?
89 - 93...depending on the kind of coffee always is my goal....
Where are you? Because you wrote "the coffee here...."
joey

[kingseven]

Which Gaggia machines are they?

[moccafaux]

Joey, I was at a friends place that night, playing weioth his new Zassenhaus and lots of different coffees.
kingseven, his is a "Evolution", mine a "Coffee".
I didnt sleep much that night, only from 3:30 on. Too much caffeine.

[kingseven]

I assume your extraction times are ok? Fresh water in each?
Handles warm and machines left on 10 minutes?

Without seeing it it is hard to tell...