espresso mix is bitter..please help!!

[fabchef]

Hi guys, fabs here. Well we finally got our espresso machine for the store..it's a saeco aroma se 200 machine. It works like a charm. The problem now is with our house mix. It's our personal blend. Our mix is made up of:
1 large drum of illy(1.5k)
1kg lavazza rosso
1kg lavazza crema&gusto
1kg lavazza gold
1kg sequella
2.2kg columbia brown
1.5kg barbera

the coffee is quite bitter and would like to know what we can do to mellow it out. thanks
Fabio

 

[ElPugDiablo]

It could be many things, so I will start with some obvious ones.

Espresso is bitter if the roast is too dark. I don't think your blend is too dark although I don't know what sequella, colombia brown or barbera are like.

Espresso is bitter if it is over extracted. Set you grind coarser. Pack your portafilter with 30 pounds of pressure with a decent tamper. Observe the espresso once you engaged the machine. The first few drips should start at anywhere from 4 to 8 seconds after you engaged the machine. The pour should be a thick oozing consistency. When the color turned lightish blond, stop the extraction. Total time should be anywhere from 20 seconds to 30 seconds. I'd go with 26 to 29 seconds.

Espresso is bitter if the water temperature is too hot. I believe you have a heat exchange machine. And if the machine is idled for more than 5 minutes, the water is too hot, and the hot water needs to be flushed before you make your espresso. Engage the button for about 5 seconds or until the boiling water is cleared - it makes an obvious boiling water sound. If you pushed the button with the portafilter in the group, remember to wipe it dry before putting freshly grounded coffee in it.

On the subject of freshness, do you know how fresh are your beans? If you are in the US, those Italian beans are going to be pretty stale.

One suggestion for you. Find the best coffeehouse in your area, if the espresso is pretty good, ask the barista to stop by and see your set up and show you how to work the machine. You don't have to pay them anything, a couple of brewskies should do the trick.

 

[equus007]

also

One of those labels might have some mollies in it as well. Just a few can ruin a whole batch. Have you used them in the past or is this a new blend to your company?

 

[fabchef]

Hi guys, So i guys if i were to mix more of a "brown roast" into my mix, it should smoothen it out.

Equus....we have been using this mix for years!!!!!in the last 2 years we've found to get more and more bitter. I thought it was our machine..in part it was that, but now because the machine works amazingly, it shows the "flaw" of the coffee. It;s our mix that is bitter. We will be switching to straight illy coffee in a month or so, but we have to use up the rest of our mix...so i gotta find a way to fix that vbatch that we have.
thanks
fabs

 

[NW JAVA]

Why try to make a silk pure out of a sows ear? If you notice the deterioration of the coffee why have you continued to use it? Cheap? That's not the way to keep or win customers. Don't you have any local coffee roasters? if so: find one you like and have the best freshest AMERICAN coffee available. Your customers don't want you to "fix" your coffee thaey want the BEST coffee.