I have my Silvia and Mazzer Mini Electronic for a while, but I can't get satisfying results. I tried different kinds of beans: freshly roasted, and packed of various grades, and I'm still having the same problem - something I'm doing is seriously wrong.

I use Espro flat tamper, and original 14g basket.

To clarify my preference - I'm trying to make lighter roast espresso.

If I set grinder to finer setting, the liquid comes very slowly, and it's thin and bitter, with no crema at all.
If I set it some coarser, but apply much more pressure then Espro suggests (otherwise it goes too fast), I get somewhat more substance in the extracted liquid, some crema (not a lot), and it's very acidic.

Both results taste no good. I'm desperate to find the reason. The results above consistent from simple Lavazza to Illy to expensive Arcaffe beans.

What am I doing wrong?

You need to try coffee that is 2-3 days out of the roaster. Coffee will be out of its prime around 8-14 days past its roasting date, and will be "decent" usually for 3, and maybe 4 weeks. As coffee ages, it loses its body and tends to become flat and then even harsh. Find a micro-roaster locally, or buy online from one that ships your coffee to you the same day as it's roasted. Your descriptions of the awful taste and total lack of crema are classic symptoms of either bad coffee or stale coffee. Considering you are buying Illy, so you know the blend is a good one, you can deduce that it's staleness.

Since you are in Canada, it may be best for you to try 49th Parallel Roasters.

You don't mention temperature management on Silvia, one of the most inconsistent machines extant.

Check out Randy G.'s http://www.espressomyespresso.com for temperature management tips.

I once gave a nOOb complaining of similar problems some fresh coffee and told him to smell it, then smell the Illy. His description of the Illy : "Rancid vegetable oil."

Canada is a big place. 49th Parallel is almost as far from Montreal as NY is from LA.

Ian, a few years ago I was keeping my Valentina in my office at work, and some of my coworkers brought their 1 kilo tin of nitrogen-packed Illy in to have their "tin-opening ceremony" wherein they stand around the tin and smell the "aroma" as it shoots out in a nitrogenated emission. It was awful. As were the shots (they didn't think so). Then I introduced them, If I recall right, to some Ambrosia, and some Coffee from Milagro's down in Las Cruces, NM (Bernie's shop)

Very different stuff.

Thanks for the replies.

I tried day-before roasted. The results were slightly different, but still of the same pattern. I'm thinking about problem in finding the right grind. The problem with fresh roasted beans from local coffee-shops is that all recommended places offer dark-roast if I only mention "espresso". I tried to explain that I'm looking for lighter roast european-style espresso, but it didn't help. I just stopped buying there.

My attempts with Illy and Arcaffe beans were of equal results (the roast is perfect IMO), even though I bough them from different places. Can all be stalled?
After all, I know people manage to get more then decent espresso out of packed coffee.


Temperature management - I'm yet to concentrate on it, but I happened to push the button both 20sec after the light goes off, and 20sec after it went on. Go figure.

Can it be wrong grind? How can I make sure I'm doing right?

If tamping harder improves the body of the shot then I am guessing that you're experiencing serious channeling due to poor distribution. On the finer grind this could lead to the water just traveling through tiny channels in the puck, leaving most of the coffee non-extracted. The over-extraction of the coffee around the channels leads to bitterness and no crema. Try to focus on your distribution. Many people, including myself, have also had better shots when overfilling the basket with the Silvia. The good thing about overfilling is that it'll also reduce the channeling.

Have you read about the Weiss Distribution Technique? It basically involves stirring up the grinds to break any clumps and even out the distribution of the coffee prior to pulling a shot. You might try this method, and if your shots improve, you will know that you have been distributing the coffee wrong and that you need to work on your distribution technique.

325xi wrote:I tried day-before roasted.

A bit fresh. Espresso sweet spot is 4 to 8, with some 10 to 14, days old

Right on! I do have channeling rather often. Since Mazzer Electronic has inherent problems with distribution, I eventually started to grind into a separate cup, stir it, and spoon coffee to the basket, trying to achieve, well, even distribution. Apparently this method didn't prove to be very effective.

But what is the right way to go with grinding in my case - towards coarser with harder tampering, or finer?

Also, (sorry for dumb Q) what is a right overfilling? How much may I overfill? If I put too much into a basket, I won't be able to normally connect portafiler to the machine...

If you have a scale, you can try dosing to 16 or 17 grams, I think. I wouldn't go much over that in a double basket.

It's best if you can get a funnel that fits over the portafilter basket so that you can stir right into that. Stirring into a cup and pouring is not likely to yield consistent results. A yogurt cup is the usual recommendation for a funnel. If you get the right one, you can cut the bottom out, and it will slide right into the neck of the basket. Mess free and easy, albeit a little time-consuming.