What am I doing wrong with my silvia? (video)

[avidan]

I bought fresh beans from Klatch, my local roaster. ground them on my rocky 7 clicks above "0" (listened for grinding, which was actually at 2). evenly distributed the grounds in the portafilter. applied 30 lbs of force with a properly sized tamp. tapped the portafilter with the tamp. loaded the puck. confirmed the temp was 220. flipped the switch.
fyi, this machine was beautifully modded with a PID by hitech espresso, but other than that, its basically stock.
at first, i thought the bubbling was CO2 because the beans were so recently roasted, so i waited 2 more days. still the same bubbling at the end of the shot. way too much blond. off center stream. so many problems. oh so many problems....
what am i doing wrong? is it something basic? please, send me in the direction i need to go. search terms are appreciated. i just don't even know where to begin with this issue....my last machine had training wheels...

[HB]

what am i doing wrong? is it something basic?

The pour is too fast (20 seconds) and it's uneven:


Dripping along back; large no-flow areas towards handle, center

Here's the bloom:


Cone expansion; also notice splattering from channeling

Frequently this is a sign of coffee that's still outgassing, but it's too early to draw that conclusion given the fast pour speed. First, grind finer. Second, work on your dosing and distribution; it looks like you dosed more towards the handle and then pushed it forward. The Weiss Distribution Technique is a good "cure all" for clumping and distribution woes.

Assuming you filled the triple basket, there's 19-22 grams of coffee. The dwell time for such an extraction should be at least 5 seconds. The bottom of the basket should bead evenly. There are dozens of videos that demonstrate an orderly, even extraction. Below are a couple examples:


Gaggia Achille


La Marzocco GS3

[quar]

How much coffee are you dosing? Are you drying your basket before dosing? Also, stop tapping the portafilter with your tamper. Try tamp, polish (if you must), go. Try grinding finer if problems remain.

Mike

[avidan]

thanks for all the tips will try today.

[avidan]

so i tried working on my distribution (i have a doser on my rocky, and i dont have any yogurt containers), and things are getting a little better.
first off, it seems i dont need to worry about the bubbling at the end of the shot, since the example video of the La Marzocco GS3 shows the same bubbling. So i guess that is one less thing to worry about.

also, I went with a finer grind, but my machine choked. is that normal?

I noticed another thing that got me thinking. when i take the portafilter out at the end of the shot, there is a round indentation in the puck from the nut in the showerhead of the silvia. does this mean i am overpacking, since the coffee is hitting the nut?

here is a terribly out of focus picture. could this be a problem, or am i just trying to come up with problems, and its really just a matter of distribution?


thanks for all the help! I have been reading this forum (and others) trying to learn as much as possible before this day came, and now i am so thankful there are people here to help...

[avidan]

and here is another video.....this really is starting to look a lot like a distribution issue. time to go buy some yogurt and a needle

[quar]

Yes, you're overdosing. Try dosing till the basket is full and striking off the excess. Feel free to do any distribution finagling that you want to during this time.

How much finer did you grind? You'll probably find after you decrease the dose, you won't be choking the machine. (Assuming that you only went down one or two clicks.)

Mike

[avidan]

thanks! more to test with this evening...i wish i could drink this stuff late at night and still be able to sleep

[Marshall]

Since you provided no information on the taste and body of your shots, it is difficult to say whether you have a problem at all. 20 seconds is within normal range, especially on a machine that does not pre-infuse, and, frankly, your shot did not look all that bad. Put away your camera. Put a regular portafilter back on, and try focusing on the cup.

Musicians talk about "eye music." It's music that looks brilliantly composed on the printed page (clever variations and modulations, the order of the notes spells out the name of the composer's dog, etc.), but sound terrible. We probably focus too much on "eye espresso" on this forum.

[TimEggers]

Taste is paramount as Marshall notes. So how did the shot taste?

Yes your shot was a little fast and a little uneven. One thing to note too is that to me flows look faster from a bottomless portafilter than a spouted one. I try to watch the cup and monitor how fast it fills.

Bottomless portafilters are nice from a cleaning convenience perspective but can become distracting with the show they produce. Learn to taste your espresso and how to affect changes to the taste. The visuals may offer feedback on the physical mechanics but the essentials can only be discerned on the palate.

[Spresso_Bean]

If you lock the portafilter in normally and then remove it before pulling your shots, do you still have the impression from the screw in the middle?

[HB]

We probably focus too much on "eye espresso" on this forum.

Andy raised the same point in The goal is great TASTING espresso, not great LOOKING espresso.

When a beginner is struggling to master the mechanics of making espresso, a bottomless portafilter is a valuable diagnostic aid. Taste can provide the same diagnosis, but requires a lot more experience. It's especially difficult when multiple problems are occurring, e.g., initial overextraction followed by mid-extraction channeling. To help others interpret taste defects, it is also helpful to use a well-known espresso blend. Avidan, which Klatch coffee are you using?

[Marshall]

When a beginner is struggling to master the mechanics of making espresso, a bottomless portafilter is a valuable diagnostic aid. Taste can provide the same diagnosis, but requires a lot more experience. It's especially difficult when multiple problems are occurring, e.g., initial overextraction followed by mid-extraction channeling. To help others interpret taste defects, it is also helpful to use a well-known espresso blend. Avidan, which Klatch coffee are you using?

Yes, but the OP never said he had a taste defect. He only complained about the visuals. I speculated it would have tasted better, if he stopped fretting about how photogenic it looked.

[avidan]

sorry for the late reply.
I am currently using the 2008 US competition blend.
In regards to the taste vs visual issue, I think the issue stems from the mediocre world of american chain espresso that i have lived on (no, not starbucks, i work above a coffee bean).
I am a daily espresso drinker, but have only recently ventured into the home barista world. I guess the real issue is that to really know good espresso by taste is a matter of a LOT of experience. I have probably had 3 good shots of espresso in my life. The most recent was at 9th St. Espresso in New York. Before that, Intelligentsia.
I spoke to the baristas as much as possible about their techniques, but most of their insight were things i had already learned by reading articles here
That being said, I have a hard time identifying bitter/sour/sweet issues in my espresso. I guess I have been tasting these shots with only vague recollections of the killer cups i've had, and what espresso SHOULD taste like....
the reason visual aids help in a place like online forums is that i don't have the experience to actually share the "taste" accurately with you....and my camera isn't half bad.
I hope that in my experience with more and more coffee, I will gain a more refined palate, and can hone in my espresso making skills through describing the issues.
I will try to add taste descriptions with my subsequent video, but hope I don't mislead with a poor description.....but most importantly, thank you to everyone!

[avidan]

oh. and i also used some belle espresso.
i joined the 6-month program with Klatch....and looking forward to it.

[TimEggers]

Working on the mechanics should also help the flavor of the shots (a physically ideal extraction should offer better tasting results then a shot from hell).

I would heed Dan's advice and try the WDT for better distribution. Maybe a finer grind for a slightly longer pull. Visually you're close and with a little practice/change in routine you should see improvement.

Further reading: Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) Explained and Perfecting the Naked Extraction

[avidan]

I have actually been using the WDT method, and have had much better results. I will post the video shortly.
thanks!

[avidan]

as promised. I saw the dark spot, but its getting better!

[HB]

And...?

I will try to add taste descriptions with my subsequent video, but hope I don't mislead with a poor description.

[avidan]

this shot was made before the promise just got around to uploading the video late.
i usually am drinking espresso at home on the weekends....don't have any time to give it the necessary attention during the week.
but hopefully i will get faster at making shots, and build it into my morning routine.