Hardware
GS/3
The most usable espresso machine ever
With the GS/3, La Marzocco sets the standard for single group espresso machines. According to espresso geeks, the GS/3 with its impressive set of specifications surpasses even professional machines. The GS/3 is finding its way to the professionals and into the homes of espresso-lovers, looking for top-notch performance in a compact design.
History
With the launch of its GS-series in 1970, La Marzocco introduced the dual-boiler technique. This marked a great step forward in thermal stability, compared to the heat-exchanger machines (thermo siphon) such as the well-known E-61. The GS/3 established La Marzocco as a high-end manufacturer, at the same time making the dual-boiler technique a standard feature of all professional LM machines.
Ultimate machine
The GS/3, introduced in 2006, is also equipped with this ultimate technological innovation. Remarkably, the GS/3 was originally intended for the more exacting home user. A buzz on all kinds of internet forums however, caused its popularity to extend beyond the community of espresso geeks. Espresso Service West now supplies the GS/3 not only to baristas, but also to coffee roasters, offices and people in the hospitality industry, who want to get the most out of their coffee.
Primary functions:
- Dual boiler system: separate boilers for espresso and steam/tea water
- Saturated groups: unsurpassed thermal stability, due to a direct connection between boiler and group
- Digital display: user-friendly interface for programming temperature, shot, pre-infusion, extraction time, etc. An in-built weekly timer clock allows the machine to switch on or off automatically.
- Pre-heating: water entering the coffee boiler is pre-heated, ensuring extremely high thermal stability
- P.I.D.: electronic control over espresso brewing temperature, with an accuracy up to 0.2˚ C
- Stand-alone: the machine is fitted with a large drain tray and an easy to remove 3.5 litre water tank. The machine is ready for connection to water supply and drainage.
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Options:
Portaflon™ Portafilters & glass side panels.
User impressions:
The GS/3: Terroir’s magnifying glass
Maarten van der Jagt, Culinary journalist and editor of SpecialtyCoffee.nl about his GS/3
'My first encounter with the GS/3 took place in the Swiss town of Bern, during the World Barista Championships. Head sponsor La Marzocco offered a free GS/3 to the winner. Throughout the competition this machine was placed right next to the stage. It was the talk of baristatown and basically, it still is.'
Cool specs
'One look at the specifications of this machine and it becomes quite obvious why every barista wants to own it: dual boiler system, P.I.D. and touch-sensitive keys that allow you to regulate temperature with an accuracy up to 0.2˚ C, to mention just a few. Of course, with its € 3800 price tag it is quite an investment, but bear in mind that this machine will give you full control over your coffee. For each cupping I perform for the benefit of roasters or as a coach during espresso competitions, I use my GS/3.'
'Having said this, it is somewhat disappointing to see that La Marzocco seems primarily focused on the technical aspects of the machine. I mean this quite literally. I find little beauty in the design or the materials used. The drain tray especially does not look the part. Replacing the side panels by stainless steel or figured wood, like Wenge, would improve its appearance. However, glass side panels can be purchased at La Marzocco’s, although I haven’t seen any pictures of these panels yet.'
Magnifying glass
'As the GS/3 allows for adjustments in temperature, it is possible to brew flights of espresso, maintaining a variation in temperature of less than 0.5˚C / 0.9 Fahrenheit. Finding the ‘sweet spot’ in a coffee has therefore become relatively easy. This knowledge enables you to further adjust the coffee, in collaboration with a roaster. With the GS/3, it is possible to explore the different components of a blend. Lower the temperature and the typical citrus flavour of Sidamo will reveal itself. Raise the temperature and Costa Rica’s specific qualities will come to the fore. It is also possible to switch this process around, by maintaining the same temperature and work from there to optimize the coffee, the brand profile and the blend.
For me, the GS/3 acts as a magnifying glass, revealing the subtleties in a coffee. Are you interested in exploring the taste of terroir and processing techniques? In that case, the GS/3 is the best you can get. Still, the machine will also brew your daily, regular espresso with ease and gusto. At the DCB 2010, my GS/3 worked extra hours as a cupping machine for Coen and Yakup. During the preparations for the WBC 2011 in Bogotá, I taste all coffees for Yakup Aydin, using the GS/3. Bogotá is situated at 2500 metres above sea level, which causes water to boil at 91˚C or 196 Fahrenheit.'
Good Morning Life!
'The machine switches itself on at 05.30 in the morning. My guess is, heating time sits around the 20 minute mark, but still being in bed, I am usually quite oblivious to the machine’s start-up process. In any case, around 07.00, I get to taste my first espresso-shot of the day. Good Morning, Life!'
René Bos - Home barista
'March 2008, I received my long-awaited call from ESW: My GS/3 had arrived! Man, I felt like a little boy in a sweet shop. I immediately drove to The Hague to get my machine. After a short training session, I could start brewing in my own home. The good life was about to begin...'
Home Roasting
'For quite some time I had been roasting my coffees on a Gene coffee roaster. This taught me a lot about coffee as a product, for example, the way in which timing and temperature –the ‘profile’- influence the development of taste in a coffee bean. The many variables (always up for debate) all come to the forefront during this process. All too often I came to the conclusion that home roasting does not yield the high quality I had come to expect. It is simply impossible for the home roaster to reach the standard of a professional roaster. This is why I decided to abandon home roasting altogether, supported by the fact that ‘The Golden Coffee Box’ (Boot koffie) sits just around the corner from where I live. I decided to concentrate on brewing coffee instead, focusing on barista-techniques. This marked the start of my search for the ultimate espresso machine.'
The Internet Buzz
<'It was the GS/3 that finally caught my attention, prompted by the critical acclaim it received onhomebarista.com. The fact that La Marzocco was head sponsor at the world championships, reinforced my impression that this brand stood for quality. I also found out, that the company is in fact a small-scale producer and even supplies customized products. The image that came to mind, was that of an artisan machine-builder like Orange County Choppers. The decisive factor for me to buy the GS/3 however, was that this machine would open up so many possibilities: I would be able to adjust the machine to my own wishes, thereby taking my espresso brewing skills to the next level.'
Price Tag
'The € 3250 pre-tax price tag may spark some debate. To the real aficionado however, the years of enjoyment this machine will provide, outweigh its high price. A GS/3 is after all a once in a lifetime purchase. Funnily enough, my wife used to drink hardly any coffee, her attitude towards the beverage was actually quite a sceptical one. Since the arrival of my GS/3 however, she has completely changed her tune. Now she tells me: ‘home brew is best brew.'
Service
'I am not in the habit of smooth-talking, but it has to be said that ESW’s customer service provides excellent quality. The connections on the steam pipe and hot water pipe of my GS/3 left something to be desired and as a result, broke down. Without further discussion, the parts were replaced, free of charge! Questions and problems you may encounter will always be addressed. You pay good money, but excellent service is thrown into the ‘bargain’.'
PID
Temperature regulation with an accuracy of 0.2˚C is one of the GS/3’s most attractive assets. After all, temperature will have a huge impact on the taste of coffee! I saved all my experimentally determined settings for a particular coffee in a table, from grinding position, grinding time and weight to P.I.D. and extraction time. This makes for a good starting point when programming settings for a new coffee. Of course, there are many variations in the way different baristas brew their coffee, but the weight of ground coffee and the temperature of the coffee boiler are both data, that lend themselves to comparison. In my case, the programmed ‘offset’ equals 3, which means that the temperature of the coffee boiler is around 3 degrees higher than the temperature of the coffee that flows into the cup. For example, if you programme the machine to attain a coffee boiler temperature of 95˚C, the coffee in the cup will measure 92˚C.'
Editor’s note: The GS/3 display will read a temperature value of 92˚C. The electronics will automatically subtract the offset from the selected temperature of the coffee boiler. The result will be shown on the display. Some users set the offset at zero as their default position.
The sharing of knowledge
'What strikes me, is the fact that a lot of people seem to keep their knowledge to themselves. At the same time, they would like to see specialty coffee as a product rise to more prominence. In my opinion, the sharing of knowledge will contribute to this process in a positive way. Square Mile Roasters sets the example by providing brewing settings with their coffees. Many users, including myself, have welcomed this as a positive and professional gesture. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all renowned roasters would follow suit?
It would also be very helpful if baristas were to share their know-how about temperatures, grinding degree etc., amongst each other. Evolving discussions will focus on the quality of coffee, which will bring specialty coffees automatically into the picture. For this reason I am making my P.I.D. table for coffees, dosage and temperature available on this website. I hereby invite all baristas to do the same! I am quite sure, many baristas will appreciate such a list, which can also be used as a starting point for anyone interested in brewing espresso.'
