Where is the pressure at? Decrease grind size to almost choke level and slowly increase and see what happens.

kc2hje wrote:I 2nd this and its a shame as the Rocky has great "bones" but the steps are huge I would often grind about 1/2 the dose at say 6 and the other 1/2 at 5.

If the steps are too big I think it's an easy fix. I can probably find a way to increase the tension in the hopper twist while at the same time disabling the step locking mechanism that it currently uses.

thirdcrackfourthwave wrote:Where is the pressure at? Decrease grind size to almost choke level and slowly increase and see what happens.

No pressure readout on the Silvia

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suolin wrote: - The coffee always pours too fast and is too sour (never too bitter). The cup is fully filled by the 20-22 second mark.

Have you tried adjusting the grind slightly finer?

Suolin, where are you in Canada? If you're around the Edmonton area at all, I'd be happy to connect. I have a Rocky that I'm mostly happy with.

suolin wrote:No pressure readout on the Silvia

You can rig a manometer to the machine and get some data. Probably some you tubes out there for your specific machine.

rdenotter wrote:Suolin, where are you in Canada? If you're around the Edmonton area at all, I'd be happy to connect. I have a Rocky that I'm mostly happy with.

Appreciate the offer very much, however I'm in Ontario. No worries, I'm almost there in terms of getting what I want from the machine WDT is a real godsend.

The shower head screw isn't a huge improvement but it can prevent channeling sometimes if you change it. The whole replacement cited above is ideal but you can get half way by just... well, I think I just removed the washer and that gave more clearance. It also probably works to take that screw to the hardware shop and buy one with the same threads and length but with a flat, screwhead instead of the thicker nut top.

Glad to hear you've been making good progress. It really is possible to get exceptional espresso from the Silvia, maybe just not every shot or from every type of bean/roast.

Perhaps this will help.

Temperature surfing is a must with the Silvia, there are many youtube videos out there on the technique.

Are you weighing your shots? Ignore timing (as long as your shots finish in under 50 seconds) and use grind adjustments as the only variable until you get a 1:2 ratio tasting decent, then start tweaking. Last, puck prep is key. WDT is crucial with a grinder that clumps and dramatically improves tamping. Don't whack your portafilter to get grinds to settle either, that's the job of the tamp.