I highly suggest dialing in your grind setting based on taste of straight espresso. You don't have to drink straight shots, but you should taste them.

I usually take a sip or two before throwing it in the sink or into a mug w/ steamed milk

Edit: I did make the mistake of not stirring the shot first, so all I was tasting was the strong taste of crema and dumping it

Success!! Pulled two shots back to back 17-18 g in 34-36 out in 25-30 seconds with Counter Culture Big Trouble.

I will say that my favorite shot was when I pulled 36 in 50 seconds for my wife. She left a little bit in the cup and I sipped it hours later and it tasted like chocolate milk. Todays latte's have a hint of chocolate but not as strong as the longer pull. I'll play with temps a bit to see if I can extract more flavor from the coffee.

Congratulations!