Thanks to all of you I took the plunge. After lurking here for about 3 weeks and reading many posts I bought a setup.
I got a very good deal that included the Rancilio Silvia and a Rocky doserless grinder. Which also came with a bottomless portafilter, ss 58 mm tamper, and a bag of espresso.
But because it's a Christmas gift I can't use the Silvia. So I have been using the Rocky and a French press. Wow what a difference in taste compared to DD.

I have read alot of the guides and faqs is there anything you could say would be the most important thing to keep in mind while learning?

Thanks in advance,
Steve

Good question... Most of the site's articles focus on how-tos and reviews, but the small collection of articles in the neglected Features section are among my favorites. Chris' Understanding Espresso and my own It's the Barista, Stupid capture what I believe is the most important beyond the typical focus on equipment performance and consistent technique.

After all the obsessing and research, remember it is just coffee. Don't get yourself worked up when your shots go in the sink. Stop, rest and then return to the machine. Only change one variable at a time. If the shot is not right, don't adjust your grind, dose, tamp all at the same time. Change one, pull a shot and see what it did, then adjust as needed. Plan on several pounds of coffee to get it dialed in and the basic technique, a one pound bag will not go far in the beginning. Finally, and most important, have fun.

iflawdya wrote:...is there anything you could say would be the most important thing to keep in mind while learning?
Thanks in advance,
Steve

Enjoy the journey and be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day and barista techniques to produce the elixir of life will not be mastered in a day.

have fun.

dont take it too serious.

taste smell taste, repeat.

my first post here...
As a former scientist, I would say change ony one thing at a time in order to assess the effect of the change.
The challenge is of course to hold everything constant....

Remember...have an open mind because there's always something new to learn. Be humble, nobody knows everything.

Try a good Yemeni coffee. They taste great, and it won't make any difference if you're consistent or not; either way they'll taste a little different each shot.

The most important thing is to pay attention to what you're doing. If you're getting different results than you expect ask yourself "why." If you get really nuts take notes about great shots- how old the beans are, shot time & volume, strong flavor sensations, etc.

Thank you for the advice. I will try my hardest to have fun while learning.