Decent Espresso (long)

Snip

I can't help reviving this thread...
For four years my little $tarbies Buon 330 espresso machine
has poured probably 10 shots a day and other than the typical
limitations of a thermal block machine it has done
a wonderful job...  Well, now, some 12000+ shots later it's
getting a little tired.  (Damn good investment though!)
I've spent at least a year researching new machines and
had limited my selection down to the Pasquini Livia 90
(the likely candidate) and the even more expensive La
Cimbali junior.
I found a distributor that carried both and scooped
out a handful of beans from my stash and headed down to
try them out.
First he was out of the Livia 90...  Not a big surprise
as it is his low end machine ... Oh well ...  Just what I
needed an excuse to spend more money.  (I did know that
before I headed down.)
The salesman ground the coffee that I brought and we first
tried a shot from M31 Dosatron dual group machine that had
been on, while we waited for the junior to warm up.  It was
truly wonderful!  No sugar and just as sweet and caramely as
you could imagine.
Now the junior was warm...  and a shot was pulled.  Although
it was good there was a very distinct sour note to the coffee.
I suggested that he try it and the salesman declined.  So back
to the Dosatron then back to junior same results.
"Well maybe the water in the tank is old."  So out goes the
old water and it gets refilled.  Again Dosatron wonderful and
junior a bit sour.  At that point the salesman suggested that
we try an M31 Bistro single group which is a step up from the
junior.  OK let's try...  Well it wasn't the worst coffee that
I ever drank but it was terribly sour.  Again the salesman won't
pull himself a shot.  There are probably 12 or 14 half full cups
on the counter and my coffee had run out.
This then went on with Lavazza for another 30 minutes or so
without a lot of change.
Of course his tech wasn't in so he wouldn't adjust the boiler.
I was suspicious that the water temp was low.  The shots on
junior poured quickly also but the salesman was unwilling to
adjust the grind and simply attempted to tamp it harder.
I could continue but I think ya'll get the idea.
First it amazed me that the salesman didn't appear to be a
coffee drinker.  Here he is making his living in selling
top of the line machines and begged off on tasting it even
when his demo went south.
He openly admitted that the demo machines were essentially
uncrated and rolled out with little to no setup by the techs.
He claims to have personally sold 'several' Bistros based
on demos that he has done on the machine that was really
sour.  So go figure... A restaurant owner comes in, demos
this machine and buys one even though it's terribly sour.
I don't want to sound like a snob but my observations from
this experience were enlightening.  We have machines
being sold by a salesman that doesn't appear to like coffee.
They are apparently being bought by people that don't
know what good coffee should taste like.  Is it any
wonder that the waiter or waitress (typically there is
no barista in restaurants around here that serve espresso)
doesn't have a clue?
Now for good part of this...  The owner of the store is
(He is also supposed to be thier best Tech on Cimbalis)
going to bring a junior to my place tomorrow.  He will
dial it in with my grinder and coffee.  If it produces
good coffee it will stay, otherwise he'll pack it up and
take it back with him.  That did impress me.
We'll have to see how it goes.  BTW - The owner's father-
in-law is their roastmaster as they also produce their own
coffee.  I got a chance to talk to him.  He was very
knowledgable about coffee and roasting but couldn't help
with the machines.
ciao jeff
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