Can you guys please help me? My extractions always start pretty good but shortly after start a bubbling kind of action is it channeling? I have tried WDT and all kinds of stuff but nothing seems to really help. BTW im using a silvia v3 and my grinder is a commercial la pavoni.

I didn't see how the shot began but from what I see, it is running too fast and as a result, is underextracted. Also, why is there water dripping from behind the shot?

You might try grinding finer while keeping the dose the same or increasing the dose while keeping the grind the same (both will slow the flow)

okay thanks. the water drips just recently started i think its time for a gasket change

The pour does appear uneven, which is a telltale sign of channeling. Stale coffee is another possibility since it fades earlier in the extraction and has a much higher propensity to channel past the midpoint of the pour. A bottomless portafilter would help.

Stale coffee is often the cause of extraction difficulties. Of course, stale is a relative thing, so if we know what the coffee is and how long it was since this coffee was roasted before you used it in the video it would help. AND, the bubbling look of the coffee at the spout could be too fresh coffee (less likely unless you home roast). HINT: If you do not know the exact roast date, then we can virtually guarantee that it is stale.

How old is the grinder? Worn burrs can create excessive coffee dust which can make adjusting for best extraction nearly impossible.

Have you checked or adjusted the brew pressure using Silvia's internal adjustable OPV?

Now.. This will sound counter-intuitive, but try grinding more coarse. The extraction video starts with a dark start and then blonding after about 5 or 6 seconds. This can be from too-fine of a grind.

After all that we can discuss distribution, dose, etc. Do you weight the coffee to .1 gram accuracy? Silvia is very sensitive to dose.

On my website www.EspressoMyEspresso.com, check out this article: 12 - EASY GUIDE TO BETTER ESPRESSO AT HOME. This article covers a number of the areas discussed here that will assist you in diagnosing and curing the problem you are having. it may take a few days to digest it all (it's over 12 typed pages of test).

Randy is being a little modest with his suggestion to read that article on his website. If your having Silvia issues, there is very little in the way of tips and tricks that isn't worth reading on that website. Even though most of what he outlines and teaches will translate to anyone looking to get better espresso, and consistency in their espresso, its based on his experiences with a Silvia. The man has the patience of a saint, apparently, because he used a Silvia for about a decade before upgrading. Go to his website, make sure you have a fresh brewed cup of coffee, or a cold beer, and begin reading. Stop when you read the little link that tells you why he named the page what he did.

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For the moment, assume the coffee is fresh and the grinder has sharp burrs. (op, just so you know, if these aren't true, nothing we say is useful until you make sure they ARE true)

Since you're not using a bottomless portafilter, and you're using a Silvia and asking for help, Channeling is basically a guaranteed issue. Two things to look at. Amount of coffee used in the basket, and how evenly its distributed. Both of these are covered on Randy's Site, AND on this website. Quick Search words to use here.. WDT and Nickel Test.

Secondly, temperature could be an issue. Almost certainly is with a non-pid'd silvia. Could be too hot at the start, or too hot throughout the whole extraction. Without a PID, Silvia is a little tricky to manage, brew temperature wise, but people did without PIDs for a long time, and so can you. Again, both websites carrying the needed info.. Searching effort on my part weren't as fruitful as the above terms provided.. But just try Silvia Temp Surfing That'll get you a bunch of info to start with.

Last.. Are you using the double basket, or the single basket? If you're using the double basket, your video shows plenty of problems. But, if your using the single basket, perhaps, it might not be as bad as it seems. It would explain why it blonded so quickly and turned to a bubbly watery mess.. Still things to fix, but we definitely need to know if you're using the double, or the single basket. (hint-you should be using the double)

Okay so the coffee is redbird, it's 10 days post roast. Burrs in grinder are sharp. I have a bottomless portafilter but don't like it, it makes the coffee seem too hot. I do weigh beans but not to .1 grams only whole increments. I have adjusted opv pressure to 10 lbs. I have checked the water temp with a very good thermometer, a thermapen, and my machine is at 200 when boiler light goes off. Seems kinda odd to not to surf. Also I am using a la marzocco double basket.

I see that this thread has been quiet for over the weekend, and I'm not sure if you solved it, but to help us help you. A video that will start BEFORE you push the button is very important. And also what dose are you using. Start the video with showing us a closeup of your tamped portafilter.

Is that a La Marzocco Strada basket, or a regular basket?

JmanEspresso wrote:Randy is being a little modest with his suggestion to read that article on his website. If your having Silvia issues, there is very little in the way of tips and tricks that isn't worth reading on that website. Even though most of what he outlines and teaches will translate to anyone looking to get better espresso, and consistency in their espresso, its based on his experiences with a Silvia. The man has the patience of a saint, apparently, because he used a Silvia for about a decade before upgrading. Go to his website, make sure you have a fresh brewed cup of coffee, or a cold beer, and begin reading. Stop when you read the little link that tells you why he named the page what he did.

Jeff,

Kind words, indeed! And thank you so much. As is often said, "I needed that!"
I had Silvia for 6½ years, although it could have felt like a decade. When an golden opportunity presented itself it was a no-brainer to move up! Now, with a Plumbed-in Vibiemme Domobar Double, it seems like two decades ago when I said good bye to Silvia.

I do edit the article every six months or so to adjust to what I have learned, but little has changed, even after two years with DD and about three with a Vibiemme Domobar Super between the two.

And for reading, I highly recommend Macallan 12 year old single malt. We just finished our first bottle and I am addicted!

Time for a new group gasket. If you switch bean vendors does the problem persist?