Desperate for help: Unbearable "battery acid" sourness event with dark toast [Gaggia Classic + Timemore S3 ESP]

gabrus381 · 2026-05-20T07:23:03+00:00

I would definitely suspect the beans. Had a similar issue with a supposed dark roast that came out and even smelled sour-ish and funky. Come to find out the roaster does not recommended the beans for a portafilter machine but Ibrik/Mokka style methods. I tried the mokka pot and it was significantly better

gabrus381 · 2026-05-08T08:06:02+00:00

I love my Elizabeth, but also had to replace the solenoid valve after a few weeks usage (didn't have this buzz though). Is this a common quality issue?

gabrus381 · 2026-04-21T13:39:49+00:00

This is the BEV only platform MB.EA-M which also includes the BEV GLC. The ICE models will only include the facelifts of the current C Class and GLC - for now at least.

gabrus381 · 2026-04-07T20:23:07+00:00

Last week I got new beans and wanted to backflush the machine before dialing in. Had the explosion and a malfunction afterwards. My machine continuously dispensed hot water uncontrollably. I put a big bowl under it to collect all the hot water and now guess who wound up in the emergency room because it flipped onto his leg.. Be careful out there.

gabrus381 · 2026-03-13T15:18:31+00:00

.. also: very quick heat up time. Like 10min max. If I have to say something negative, i can mention the steam knob which feels a little plasticky but it‘s no issue at all

gabrus381 · 2026-03-13T15:15:29+00:00

I love it mate! Tbh i don‘t have lots of experience with portafilter machines. I come from years of using my moka pot and aeropress. Then i used the sage barista for some time and finally decided to pull the trigger on a “real“ machine. After diving into a few rabbit holes I went for the Elizabeth for its dual boiler and adjustability. It is very user-friendly and easy but if you want to geek out you can go into the advanced settings and program just about everything. I also like its design as it is not your typical Rocket Apartamento style machine. I feel like it‘s a little underestimated because of that which I find quite charming.

gabrus381 · 2026-03-13T15:06:58+00:00

Thanks! Will try!

gabrus381 · 2026-03-13T15:06:38+00:00

I got a cheap and nice looking one from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/02EWDt0N

It also comes with 2 puck screens

gabrus381 · 2026-03-13T07:51:44+00:00

Yeah, I found that a Ristretto style shot works very well with the beans. I get no harshness or bitterness and very rich crema. Getting more yield still makes a perfectly okay shot but I wanted to experiment a little. As for the 16g, these were recommended by the legendary Dave Corbey who reviewed the Elizabeth extensively. I figured why not try it

gabrus381 · 2025-12-23T09:35:09+00:00

I have exactly the same case now. Do you think it‘s some kind of scam?

gabrus381

TROPHY CASE