PostsEspresso is a popular drink that several people love to hate. If done appropriately, it can be a delicious treat; if done badly, it can be bitter, burnt, and taste awful. There are several factors involved in pulling a amazing espresso coffee shot, including grind size, temperature, quality of the espresso machine, and more. Among the lots of important variables when pulling a shot of espresso coffee coffee is tamping. Tamping the coffee grounds in the portafilter compresses the grounds into a coffee puck, which creates resistance for the water that passes through the puck. This is done to extract the maximum amount of tastes and aromas from the beans in the shortest amount of time. The pressure for tamping the ground coffee into a filter-basket is about 20 to 30 pounds of pressure. There are different techniques for tamping, such as the Stockfleth recipe, the tap technique, and using tools. The Stockfleth recipe involves using an index finger and rotation to distribute grounds and degree them flush with the basket’s rim. The tap technique involves a few successive taps and knocks to remove, lose spots, or air pockets and level the coffee grounds. Using tools involves an espresso coffee distribution tool followed by a leveling tool to create an even distribution and puck. It is important to keep the portafilter level on the kitchen counter to avoid uneven pucks. Pre-tamping is also an choice to prepare the coffee bed for tamping by applying a low amount of pressure. When learning how to tamp, it is recommended to start tamping on a bathroom scale to get the feeling of what indicates to press 30 lbs. Once muscle memory is developed, the scale can be ditched. Overall, tamping is an important part of making a an amazing espresso coffee coffee shot and must not be overlooked.
This post firstly appeared at Brew Espresso coffee Coffee, a website dedicated to make popular the art of creating espresso beverages.