I suppose my frustration is nothing unique among owners of the Starbucks Barista machine and its equivalents, but here goes: I have used my machine (a hand-me-down) for about the past year. ~6 months ago I tried out roasting my own beans with a popcorn popper. It was a wonderful success, which naturally led me to the forums to learn more about coffee in general. In reading I was re-introduced to my espresso machine by seeing for the first time pictures and descriptions of what espresso could be.

I read endless variations on the techniques and principles involved in pulling a shot of espresso, so I naturally began by grinding finer than I ever had before (with the Baratza Maestro - which unfortunately did not survive the vast quantity of shots I was experimenting with and broke), I started to tamp (as I did not have a tamper, I made due with the bottom of a juice glass!), which choked the machine every time, so through research I finally de-pressurized the portafilter, opening the door to the most frustrating and maddening world I have ever experienced.

It did not take long before I realized that I needed a legitimate tamper, so I promptly ordered a stainless steel 52mm tamper, slightly rounded on the bottom, and replaced the now dead Baratza with a KyM hand grinder (a sufficient electric grinder was financially out of the question). Then it was straight to work. I only ordered coffee beans (from Sweet Marias) that were recommended for espresso (that last set that I have been working with was the Brazil Cerrado, which makes the most wonderful cup of press coffee that I have had yet), although my roasts are problematic in that I reach a rolling 2nd crack in 2 minutes 45 seconds (I believe it is a voltage issue, a friend used the same machine and roasted for over 5 minutes before second crack). I tried using a bread machine/heat gun, but I charred and mangled almost two full cups of green beans, and cannot afford to waste any more, thus I am hesitant to try again. I rest the beans for 2 days before using espresso, and will use them up by the 4th day (by which time oils have crept to the surface of the beans). I stop the roasts right when second crack begins (usually just on the heels of the completion of 1st crack). I know the short time is an issue...

So now all that was left was to put it all together. I found the right grind settings. Pull times for ~2 oz doubles was between 20 and thirty seconds. Crema varied. In the beginning it was almost always blond. Then, with practice getting the right combination of grind/tamp, I was consistently getting a dark crema, but EVERY shot I ever pulled was sour, like lime juice! I temperature surfed, I pushed the steam button for various amounts of time before pulling the shots. Temped using the styrofoam cup method (temp went from 180 without steam heating, to 210 with 30 seconds of heating). Surfing in this way DID reduce the sourness, but it also seemed to make the crema thin and unstable. I descaled the machine with a packet of descaler from Starbucks, made for the Barista machine.

Then it happened, about a month ago early in the morning, I got home from work, began to make my wife her morning cappa, and looked at the shot... SPECKLED CREMA!, multicolored, thick, clearly not going anywhere for a while. I sipped it, not sour, not bitter, intense. Oh my God, I did it!! I couldnt live with myself if I kept the shot to myself and repulled another deficient shot for my wife afterwards, so I finished it off by adding the steamed milk.

Every shot since had been bad, just as bad as before... either blond crema and really sour, or dark crema so thin that it is barely there at all and still nasty tasting. Only the worst of them tasted bad with milk, most were repaired by it, but as I know most can understand, it didnt help ME any. In the beginning my espresso quest was fueled by the possibility of success and the thrill of learning so much on the way, but since that one good shot, things have changed. Now every failure is bitter (personally), every fast pull accompanied by resentment over the waste of good beans that would have produced a delicious and satisfying press cup, and every pull that it too slow just seems to nastily taunt me, each drop one at a time falling into the cup below, mocking me as not a single one adds crema.

It seems clear now that either I am terribly prone to mechanical failure (a possibility), or espresso is simply something I cannot do, at least with my machine. I cannot and will not in the foreseeable future be able to fork out $1000+ for a "real" machine, especially when the only thing I can do is fail with the machine that I have. Why should I save up 600 bucks for a Silvia only to have a machine that is less deficient and will invariably involved the same tinkering? I read somewhere that the lever machines are less finicky, but I believe this only because I want there to be something that will someday fix all of this.

I know there are probably 100 things I should try that could help with my current machine, and I suppose that old quests die hard, but I feel so ready to just throw in the towel and call it quits on espresso for good. Sorry for the long ramble, but I needed to vent it somewhere. Perhaps there is someone out there on this forum that has faced a similar degree of failure who overcame it. Please share it if you have, because I would love to have some reason to try again in the hope that it will not be failure number 597!

Hi Noah - I think you know what the problem is, and it sounds like it is not your espresso, but your coffee; more specifically, your roasting.

There's no way you are getting a thorough or consistent roast in 2 minutes, and I suspect that the sourness you describe is probably grassiness from woefully under-roasted beans.

Have you tried ordering some fresh roasted coffee from one of the HB sponsors? That will at least tell you what you really need to focus on - the roasting or the brewing. There are quite a few strategies for slowing down a roast (like a voltage regulator, an extension cord, or increasing your bean mass).

Keep at it! You are at the point where you need to mix things up a bit to see where it's not coming together.

Mark

Gosh, they're dropping like flies today. I will give you one reason not to quit. That wonderful shot you pulled. Maybe you can slowly upgrade....find a nice used Gaggia which should be more consistent that your Barista. (I have never used the Barista) Save your money. Cruise Craigslist and eBay. Enjoy the failures as well as the successes. Find good cafes to sample. Read this forum every day, no, every hour.

Perhaps slowly upgrading is a better option, step by step. Should I stick with the same class of machine, like the Gaggia, or should I look into something like a refurbished lever machine? I know that one good shot should keep it going, but it has made the entire failing process since almost unbearable!

As for the roast, I know it is awfully fast, but wouldnt I be able to taste it in the brewed coffee if the beans were that under-roasted? The coffee is wonderfully rich and has a great dry aroma. The color of the grounds match the color of the roasted bean, so I know I am not just criping the outside with raw innards. I started off pan roasting, so I know from experience what really, really underroasted beans look/taste like, and it is far from this, but I agree that based on everything I have read, this is a real problem.

Noah, rather than offer suggestions on what equipment you might purchase, technique you might employ, or coffee you might order, I have another idea: R-E-L-A-X.

It may sound like a flip answer, but I'm serious. Preparing espresso can be a challenge because small cumulative errors can result in large unexpected and unwelcome variations. That's the technical side of the equation, and one you have limited control over. However, you do have complete control on how you approach the learning process. You can treat it as a puzzle to be solved. Or you can treat it as a learning experience with your most critical focus one day, a simple ritual with no expectations the next. The trap you may have fallen into is one I know very well: Treating every day before the espresso machine, without exception, as a man-versus-machine challenge. As Marshall Fuss can surely attest, that will ultimately suck the enjoyment out of the process.

Some suggestions on how to break the man-versus-machine "death match" mentality:

• Designate three days a week as French press only days. You'll enjoy quick, easy, no fuss preparation and learn more about coffees au naturel.
• Pick two days a week for refining your technique and critiquing the results.
• One day a week, simply focus on easy going espresso (i.e., no scales, stopwatches, etc.). Whatever the result, enjoy it for what it is, even if you must add extra milk and sugar. Remember this day is reserved for developing your Zen outlook.
• Once a week, go to a local cafe, ideally on the weekend so you can linger in the atmosphere. Bring a paper, relax, reconnect. The beverage enjoyment should be a backdrop to your experience, not the focus. If it turns out to be a fantastic drink, wonderful! But be careful that your excursion doesn't become another quest.

Finally, despite the above suggestions, you find yourself remaining critical about your espresso hobby, avoid online forums. Or at least spend more time reading Knockbox than the other forums. I shamelessly suggest my semi-retired blog Overextracted for examples of how not to take the pursuit of exceptional espresso too seriously.

You've tried some fresh pro-roasted beans, right?

Yep, try some professionally roasted beans. I home roasted for over 10 years, across several different methods and techniques and managed to build my skills to the point that I could say I was a fairly accomplished home roaster. I quit last December and couldn't be happier. While I was decent at it, after a few years, it became more of a chore than a hobby. I love the fact that I can play with exploring the extraction space without having to worry about roast consistency. As a suggestion, go over to Gimme! Coffee's site and register for their mailing list. They're offering a 25% discount this month.

Mike

I don't want to seem like I'm piling on, but "R-E-L-A-X" is great advice . . .

Not everyone has to do everything. For example, I spent 35 years in the wine trade, including many years working at various wineries in the Napa Valley and in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Now I know how to make wine; I've been part of the crew that made the wine at several different wineries. I worked crush countless times, yet I can honestly say that I never had any desire to be a home winemaker.

You can make wine at home for a lot less than you can buy it; but will it be any good? Sometimes. Then, there are those other times when . . .

I firmly believe that you can roast coffee at home. But why try to master 17 steps all at once? Isn't frustration bound to be the result???

I think Dan has a great idea when he suggested how you might break down the week. Take it easy. Take it one step at a time. Upgrade slowly, and most importantly ENJOY the journey!

Cheers,
Jason

Coffee roasting is an art.

I used a Barista and hand grinder combo for years, and got very drinkable espresso.

Try a fresh, pro-roasted espresso blend, preferably one that you can try at the cafe, so you know it tastes to your liking.

Grind, dose and tamp to get 1-1.5 oz in 30 sec (the small boiler on the Barista makes 2-oz shots more difficult). Keep the dose and tamp as consistent as possible, and vary the grind.

ENJOY!

PS: I always liked my results with the Barista best when I dosed a pretty full basket, but you need to grind and tamp accordingly.

Thank you very much for the good advice, especially HB. The relationship with my machine is 100% adversarial. I'll follow your suggestions and try to enjoy the beans again. I now feel awfully silly in admitting that the one thing I never tried was professionally roasted coffee. But, given the one good shot, I probably never would have. I dont want to be redundant in asking questions that have already been asked on this forum, but what is it about a super fast roast that would be so detrimental to espresso specifically?

Yes, r-e-l-a-x is fantastic advice, thank you HB!

(I'm a regular on one of the european coffee forums, TMC, and this post prompted me to finally register here at H-B.com).

I've never fomalized it, but some days i switch off the timer, the night before, so the espresso machine doesn't come on the next day. If I want coffee next morning, I'll have an aeropress or cafetiere, and ponder the coffee, not the espresso.

If it's reached the stage of a man-versus-machine, adversarial relationship, step back, get to know the machine in your own time, and don't worry too much about it!

And, if you make an awful cup from time to time, don't sweat it. It's just a cup of coffee - it can go down the sink...

Noah,

A super fast roast doesn't allow time for any development in the roasting process. Either you will never have any development, or you will burn it all away. Roasting is a progression. Think about cooking a steak on the grill outside, adjusting the flame just so, turning it about every four minutes, doing each side twice, finishing in about twelve to fifteen minutes depending on the cut... Then think about cranking up the heat, turning it every forty-five seconds, and finishing in three minutes. How's it taste? You can't hurry the flavor out of the bean, you need to coax it a little.

I didnt quite have the patience to wait for an online order, so I went to a local roaster (Cafe Kubal) with a knowledgable barista and bought a pound of beans after I requested a double shot of espresso using the beans. The first shot that I pulled when I got home was thick and drippy with glorious crema, very dark around the edges, with various shades of brown/red towards the center! I cannot describe the excitement - and the next two shots were just a visually pleasing! The last shot I pulled was actually overly bitter. BITTER! I've never been able to pull anything but the worst sour, so imagine my excitement. So, its back to the roasting forums to try and become comfortable with the bread machine/heat gun method. I feel so stupid for not thinking about the most important factor all this time, THE BEANS!! Thanks guys!

I knew it wasn't the machine or hand grinder! Congrats!
PC

Hello Noah I'm glad you got things figured out. I too have been in the same spot many a time. Might I suggest though that you do not stop getting professional beans? The reason being getting consistent espresso can be a large enough job without the added variable of the roast factor.

Myself I'm an avid home roaster and really enjoy it and I'm not saying quit altogether but with professional beans comes a quality and consistency that is a little more difficult to achieve each and every time at home.

The FAQ has some very interesting discussions on the merits of home roasting for espresso: Home Roasting FAQ.

This is a possibly a benefit to a roaster like the Hottop. Drip brewing is more forgiving than espresso, or so it seems. But i could tell even with my initial Fresh Roast +8 that with drip, it could be better. There were other problems too with the fast roast times of the Fresh Roast. I havent ventured into espresso yet - i have a use Gaggia Classic Coffee in the mail (via ebay). so i am excited to try my Hottop roasts with it. I think that less sophisticated roasting methods are probably a lot of fun and satisfying but perhaps more difficult to get roasts that produce consistently good coffee, no matter the brewing method. i suspect thats one of the fun challenges of home roasting is working to get that consistency. but for someone starting out, all the variables might not be so obvious (such as for the OP). i guess you get what you pay for. but thats not to say that you cant get as good as if you paid for the highest quality tools from the outset - it might just take more of your own effort to get to that point. for example, with me, i refuse to spend $1000 on a grinder for espresso - so i am going to try using my baratza maestro+ and if that fails get a hand grinder and be done with it.

Thanks for reminding me of the FAQs section Tim, I will read through them before I start roasting my new batch. I have enjoyed this bag of coffee so much that I think that I will continue to buy some pro-roasted beans, but, as I am sure you can relate to, I now have a new challenge before me, a new opportunity to learn more, to develop a new skill, so I to dive in head first. As an aside, I began roasting along with a neighbor at the same time, and while we have roasted about the same amount of beans, I have stuck to the popper while he made himself a TimEggers soup can/drill roaster and roasted me a 22 minute small batch of SM Peru FTO San Ignacio Cajamarca (I told him to make the roast on the long side to compare), and the shot was a great success, with a thick speckled crema, but not as dark as the Ethiopian. The color and condition of the beans after the roast were nowhere near as polished or nice as the pro beans, but the taste and the shot were more than enough of a confirmation for me that espresso can be roasted at home (at least for the VERY limited taste I have for it thus far). The cappa tasted like a hot chocolate!

Oh believe me I'm not trying to sway you (or anyone) from home roasting. I do it and love it, but just keep a level head about it (which you are) and realize that by not trying the best pro coffees the home barista will surely miss out on the wider (and more delicious) coffee scene. I've found home roasting to be an excellent and educational addition to the many coffees available abroad.

plexus wrote:for example, with me, i refuse to spend $1000 on a grinder for espresso - so i am going to try using my baratza maestro+ and if that fails get a hand grinder and be done with it.

Oh $1000 seems a little high. I have less that $300 total spent on my Mazzer Super Jolly and it's a grinder that's a joy to use everyday. But to each his own.