[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Egan

I've put a serious amount of time into trying but I'm rarely successful. I believe it may be a combination of too much pressure from my machine (it needs to be 9 bar, apprently, mine is 14,) and the fact that the water here is very soft. I'm convinced the hardness of the water helps a lot.

What is the problem? Maybe I can help.

Most decent machines claim a starting pressure of 14 or 15 bar, so you are within limits, because before the water reaches the coffee powder and passes through it, the pressure drops internally, usually to around 9 bar as desired.

The grind is VERY important, it influences the speed of the water passing through and thus it influences the extraction. You want to have a shot of 20-26 or 27 seconds, first 6-9 of it in the beginning may be "empty", no coffee being produced. Water temperature is also to be taken care of, while soft water is preferred over hard water (also saves the machine).

Check the cream. If it is too light and maybe the coffee tastes thin or even "acid", then the coffee is under-extracted, you want to grind finer or tamp with more pressure to make it more difficult for the water to pass through and thus increase the shot length, and to make sure the particles get "bathed" better.

If it is too dark, the shot is overextracted, and all the bitter stuff you do not want in the cup is right there - with you drinking it and tasting it. Less tampering, courser (?) grind.

Try to aim at a timing of 20-30 seconds for a 25-40 ml shot.

I use 12 gr of powder, Segafredo standard powder (relatively big grain), 22 seconds. It gives me around 40 ml. Crema is covering and okay, but not fantastic - while fine in consistency, it thins out a bit too fast and does not carry sugar. So, the extraction I do is not optimal (probably too thin), but by taste I like it, and so do occasional visitors who even copy me.

Of course, there is room for improvements... Lavazza powders are finer grinded than Segafredo, usually, but I do not like them by taste - too acid. Would like to find something completely new, a bean that is milder, but full, voluminous, not bitter, but a bit like the smell and taste of cakao, reminding of the creamy image you have on mind when saying the magical word "mocca" (I mean mocca-chocolates).