I came across an article on a recent trip to New York, and it explained the problem quite well.  The article describes an NY Times critic’s attempt to find a real espresso in a city known for food excellence of every type.  He had ample help from Italian residents to the regional head of QA for Illy.

It can be summarized by this one-liner.

If the quality assurance guy at Italy's leading coffee maker cannot score a good espresso under direct supervision, what hope is there for the rest of us?

This, after a story from the Illy QA guy describing a time where he set up a new machine for a cafe, pulled a great shot, then ordered one 5 min later from the barrista and it was bad.

The core problem, as many know is that people simply do not know what good espresso actually is…or even that espresso is a method…not a drink…or that Starbucks has “Starbucked” people into thinking that espresso tastes bitter and burnt.

The author went so far as to take advice to seek out a freshly immigrated Italian fellow at a random location because that’s where real good espresso could be had…that week.

I fully appreciate and understand this problem.  There’s only one place in San Diego that I have had a seriously great cup, and only 2 total places that have served me actual espresso (and not just dark bitter water).  I would go so far as to say that Starbucks has also not just affected taste, but the production problem as well.  In order to keep up with impatient consumers, many establishments are taking the barrista out of the equation by using auto grind/dose/tamp machines and programmable volumetric machines.  So, anyone that can push a button can make a drink.  But, without understanding the actual variables of a real good espresso, you can’t actually make one.