I got my La Pavoni around a week ago and I am currently struggling to make a really enjoyable shot. I thought the issue might be old coffee (Big Trouble from Counter Culture about a month old), but I just got a bag of Streetlevel from Verve (2 days post roast) and I am experiencing the same problems.

Essentially, no matter how I change the parameters, my shots are obnoxiously sour, like hot lemon juice. The crema is thick and dark brownish red, the shot volume seems good, I seem to apply a reasonable amount of force, etc. I have even had a shot with little brown flecks on top, as is desired - awfully sour (though I know you can't do eye cupping). If I go coarse so there is little resistance, the shot is sour. If I go so fine it nearly chokes the machine, it's sour.

Let me outline my basic technique here:

1. Heat up machine, run about 4oz of water through the portafilter into my cup to preheat
2. Weigh 14.2g of coffee (the .2g is retained by my grinder)
3. Grind so the coffee is nearly a powder, with just a bit of granularity when rubbed between my fingers
4. Level in portafilter, tamp with about 20lbs taking special attention to the sides
5. Express steam from machine through wand, let a few drops of water flow through the grouphead (to eliminate sponginess)
6. Lock in portafilter
7. Raise lever very slowly as to not disturb the puck, wait 10s at the top of the pull for water to flow in
8. Push down about 2 inches and slowly raise back up, wait 5s for preinfusion

Should note here, the temperature of the water that comes out of the group is 185F, which is a bit low, but I assume it cools down substantially as it drains into the cup. The espresso is overall a comfortable temperature to drink, not scalding or cold.

The resulting puck (if this is of any use at all) is even, firm, and leaves the basket more or less clean. I don't see evidence of channeling, but I also don't have a bottomless portafilter.

9. Push down with relatively constant pressure, feels like maybe 10lbs, but it goes slowly, shot takes around 20 seconds
10. Admire beautiful shot
11. Drink and cringe at incredible acidity

I know Streetlevel is quite a light roast, and as far as I can tell, so is Big Trouble (but seems darker than Streetlevel). However, the acidity seems excessive. When I first got it, I used French Roast from Verve, which was sour as well. I am fairly certain Big Trouble isn't supposed to be sour, though it's plausible that Streetlevel should be.

Correct me if I'm wrong, sourness usually comes from under extraction. So I tried to heat the machine more and grind even finer. Finally I could not even push the lever all the way down, but all of my tests were more or less equally sour. Right before the shot that choked the machine it might have been a bit less sour with a bit of a salty taste. The finer grind is a bit more bitter, but none of my shots have been excessively bitter. I'd prefer bitter to sour any day. If I go coarse, so there is little resistance, it is still sour, but watery.

I've tried dosing 12g (a bit sweeter but generally more bland, tamping harder to compensate for fewer grinds), as well as up to 18g (choked, tamped softer).

Basically, is there some parameter I am forgetting about that would make my coffee intrusively sour and unbalanced? I'm hoping that it's just the type of coffee... Has anyone tried Streetlevel recently? The current trend seems to be light roast espresso, which is somewhat sour, but in my experience, never this sour.

If nothing else, I'm thinking I'll get some darker (maybe Brazilian) coffee from Red Bird...

Thanks!

Your Counter Culture is too old, your Verve is too fresh.

Yes, you won't get sour acidic shots from Redbird. I suggest letting your Verve coffee rest a few more days and trying again.

Also it's really hard to pull an excellent shot with a La Pavoni Millennium without having a way to measure temperature. Temperature varies a lot depending on how long it's been idling, whether you've just pulled a shot that heated the group, etc.


Adding Thermometry to a La Pavoni Europiccola This gives you more fine-tuning than temperature strips. Others recommend an IR thermometer aimed at the water exiting the portafilter. Having an attached thermometer or temperature strips avoids the need for three hands.

i was really surprised recently by the acidity from one of the coffees I had bought. As a drip it was barely noticeable but undrinkable as any espresso I could pull using it. I think the mix was Brazilian and Burundi beans; the coffee was definitely a lighter than medium roast. So you if you want to be safe get an espresso blend medium roasted at least. I've had good luck from local roasters and from Klatch and Doma roasters online. Let us know what you discover.

Or grind fine and downdose. You might be surprised.

Based on your description the bell simply isn't warmed up enough to give you a properly extracted cup. I bet if you pulled two back to back shots the second one would taste better.

You can cause the group to heat up quicker by doing half pumps with the lever lifting until almost when water starts to come out.

I second the suggestion to add thermometry to your group head, it really is a game changer. Depending on the coffee dropping the dose to 13g could help as well.

If you are going to go with Redbird I would suggest the Sweet Blue as it likes lower temps. The standard espresso blend could get a little bright of you didn't raise the temp enough from what I remember.

I was unable to fix the acidity on the Streetlevel. I tried heating up the machine (surely to the point where it would scald the coffee) and it was still quite bad.

However, I just got the Sweet Blue as recommended, and every shot has been delicious. I also don't have to grind anywhere near as fine as I did for Streetlevel.

I guess I just don't like Streetlevel.

Big Trouble has always been overly bright to me and not in a good way. Try FORTY-SIX for a more forgiving blend until you work out the kinks. Also I think your machine is running too cool.

You want a La a Pavoni to run a bit cool. As Dominico suggests you increase group temperature with half pumps.

I've been heating the group with the half-pumps as suggested, and I think it has helped - at least to get the group hotter faster. Really enjoying the Sweet Blue from Redbird.

On a side note, I got an Espro Toroid pitcher, and I get good microfoam pretty much every time with the default 3-hole steam tip. I would recommend it, but I don't have any other pitchers to compare it to. For all I know it makes microfoam in any pitcher.

A possible issue I am seeing now is that the lever is sort of bumpy around half way through the pull - makes it hard to maintain constant pressure. Should that be a concern for a new machine?