Hello, my name is Bernardo and I'm writing from Argentina
i'm new in the espresso world and i'm still learning. I already read the Home-Barista's Guide To Espresso and 6 month ago I bought an used a machine made in Argentina From a Brand call: LaValente model Bambina Is a single boiler machine with a build up grinder , very similar to the Rancilio Silvia and Rocky Grinder with a little differences. The portafilter is a non standard. size the filter basket is 61 mm diameter and I use a 60 mm tamper that i made myself (I'm a Mechanical Engineer) and the steam valve is commanded by a lever instead knob handle. The rest is the same ulka vibration pump, 300ml boiler, opv valve.
I made it the proper maintenance, change all the seals, readjust the ovp valve to 10 bars using a portafilter with a manometer, i checked the temperature brewing that's on 93°C. Everything is as suppose to be
I dose correct, I tamp with 15Kg(30lb) of pressure and the extraction goes to 25 ml in 25 sec but i have a poor crema an dissipate right away
what could i possible doing wrong? could it be the grinder burrs? i never changed that. or maybe the tamper gap? (1 mm)

Please Help i'm lost

I'm trying to add some pictures of the machine so u can see it

Ps: I hope you understand my bad English

LA VALENTE BAMBINA

What coffee are you using, and when was it roasted?

Here is a link to your machine on the manufacturer's web site:

La Valente Bambina con molino incorporado

Used several national Brands even starbuck's Verona. Now i'm using one named CAFÉ FUNDAOR Elite 100% Arabica mid-roasted i opened the bag yesterday

Thats the problem, your coffee is stale.

You need coffee that is freshly roasted. Within 2 weeks it should be used up, after that, its pretty well useless. If the coffee is bought from Starbucks, or the grocery store, its stale.

Idk where specifically in your country to find freshly roasted coffee.. See if there is a roaster local to you.

Without freshly roasted coffee, you'll never get good tasting coffee.

Welcome to HB

What is the roast date of your beans?

If you don't know, the answer to your question is almost certainly that you are using stale coffee.

Get fresh beans, ideally from a local roaster, and try again!

Then update the thread with your results.

-mike

All the good coffee i can find in my city come in a bag vacuum closed or controlled atmosphere closed. the local roaster doesn't know even what kind of beans are roasting could be Arabica, robusta. The don't know what level of roast they don't know nothing, they do it only for sale it to the coffee shop and the coffee shop in my country doesn't anything of espresso making there is no barista and anyone close to the machine make the coffee. So i think that the fresh roasted are worst than the sealed bags. But my problem is the crema. there is non or too little

Your crema and shot speed are due to old beans. I have used Illy in a pinch. The nitrogen charged packing helps slow the staling but once the sealed can is opened the beans will go flat in just a couple of days. The best option is to find a local roaster or mail order beans. You beans should have a roasted on date, if they do not you are getting beans that were probably roasted and sat in a warehouse for months.

As in Chile, finding a good roaster in Argentina, where to buy fresh roasted beans, may not be that easy.
Try speaking with a local Bonafide franchise, asking if they could get you fresh beans, or try a contact with Escuela de Cafe, maybe they can inform about local roasters.
info@escueladecafe.com.ar TE: 54- 11- 4300-7333
http://www.escueladecafe.com.ar/escuela-de-cafe.htm

bmb wrote:As in Chile, finding a good roaster in Argentina, where to buy fresh roasted beans, may not be that easy.
Try speaking with a local Bonafide franchise, asking if they could get you fresh beans, or try a contact with Escuela de Cafe, maybe they can inform about local roasters.
info@escueladecafe.com.ar TE: 54- 11- 4300-7333
http://www.escueladecafe.com.ar/escuela-de-cafe.htm

I went to Bonafide and they also have a packed coffee, the only difference is that they fraction it, so you can buy less than a Kilo.
Escuela de Cafe is in Buenos Aires and I live in Tucumán a city at northwest of Argentina. I sent then an E-Mail but i have no answer yet.
I found a local roaster that sells to local bars, they can sell me a 1/2 kilo but they don't know what kind of bean are (Arabica or Robusta) or what kind of roasted is, They only know that is from Brasil (Do Santos). So I will get what I will get.
Anyway, tomorrow i'll buy it an then i'll try. then i'll upload a video so you can see results

Ps: Sorry my bad english, i'm still learning

Perhaps it is time to consider home roasting? It's hard to believe there isn't a single decent source of freshly roasted coffee in all of Argentina, though.