Hi,
I have recently got a Gaggia Classic Pro. So I am quite new to espresso.
After I pull my espresso shot, the grounded coffee puck has imprints of shower screen (photo attached)
Is this normal? If not, how do I solve this?
I am filling it up with 18 grams of pre ground coffee (commercial espresso fine grind) in a pressurized basked.
I’m probably the last person that should be answering this, just getting into espresso myself, but you can buy a mesh filter that goes between the espresso and the machine. They’re pretty inexpensive and can help protect the screen from making contact with your puck. I believe they’re also supposed to help with water distribution?
It's not supposed to touch the shower screen. Mine does sometimes, too. Try decreasing the dose. Remember that light roasts weigh more than dark roasts per volume unit, so 18g of a dark roast is higher volume than 18g of light roast.
While not specific to your basket, it illustrates the differences.