ESPRESSO ANATOMY - Does Tamping Matter?

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  • Опубликовано: 3 мар 2022
  • After my short about using a distribution tool instead of a tamper went viral it seemed clear that there was still some debate surrounding the topic of tamping, even to the point of whether or not its necessary at all. So in this video I try out a few techniques including not tamping at all. Why you say? Because a barista has to do what a barista has to do.
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Комментарии •

  • @BobKimball
    @BobKimball 2 года назад +19

    Really appreciate that TDS table toward the end, such a stark difference and the variance was low enough to be convincing. 10/10

    • @BobKimball
      @BobKimball 2 года назад +1

      I had seen softpourn's anti-tamp video earlier and thought something smelled a little off.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      You’re welcome and thanks for watching. In the end these are my results, but I’d love to see someone show me a well extracted, smooth running, no tamp shot. I couldn’t make it happen.

    • @floorpizza8074
      @floorpizza8074 2 года назад

      Yes, that TDS table at the end really cemented it for me. The discussion laid the groundwork, but the table really drove it home.

  • @Sprometheus
    @Sprometheus  2 года назад +32

    **FUNDRAISER UPDATE** Through the week we collected a grand total of $3,659 in Ukraine Relief funds for Doctors Without Boarders! A big heartfelt thank you is in order, and I'm very proud to be able to foster such a generous community. Stay caffeinated friends.

  • @Dimich1993
    @Dimich1993 2 года назад

    Thank you man! Every bit of help helps!

  • @orrinbelcher6593
    @orrinbelcher6593 2 года назад

    Wonderful and Superbly done beyond measure. I agree with you

  • @Thrilos30
    @Thrilos30 2 года назад

    Thank you for taking the time to do this Spro!

  • @floorpizza8074
    @floorpizza8074 2 года назад +1

    I got here via James Hoffman. James has a history of giving shout outs to great coffee channels, and, IMO, this is the best one yet. So glad I found your channel! Now to sit down with a fresh Americano, and binge watch your channel.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      Hello 👋🏻 thanks for coming by and deciding to stick around!

  • @justinhillpac
    @justinhillpac 2 года назад +4

    I just got my S-works WDT per your recommendation. I have really noticed a difference not only in cleaner shots but better taste and consistency. I’m really happy I went with that over the jack leveler. Currently I grind into a dosing cup from my Sette 270, shake then flip into PF, WDT, then cheap leveler set pretty shallow, and finally tamp. It sounds like a lot but goes pretty fast. I’m only making a double for me in the morning 18g in 40 or so out depending on the beans. Thanks for these awesome videos and experimenting. It’s fun following along!

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Glad to hear you’re liking the WDT! It’s honestly been a great addition to my prep. I personally just grind into the dosing cup, straight to the basket, WDT, tap and tamp. Like you said it all sounds like a lot written out but it’s quick and I’m happy with it. Thanks for watching and the kind words!

  • @christopherf1217
    @christopherf1217 2 года назад

    Well done, sir! With regards to the fundraising effort and @3:47, where you show the OCD outline during the shot. That was beyond insightful. I’ll add, I was beginning to experiment with a leveling tool until I saw your initial video. Then it went by the wayside. Wondering if the 1.5% average difference between the OCD and a full pressure tamp is truly noticeable in the cup…thanks for the great espresso content and your efforts to help send aid to the Ukrainian people. Cheers!

  • @chessmambo
    @chessmambo 5 месяцев назад

    Excellent explanation! It all made sense..

  • @joe8172
    @joe8172 2 года назад +2

    As always, a great video.
    Good work on setting up the donations too, just added mine. When I heard you say the target was $1k I had to smile knowing that would get hit so quickly :)

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Thank you my friend! And of course we can go above and beyond, but I didn’t want to ask more of people than I was willing capable of putting in myself.

    • @joe8172
      @joe8172 2 года назад +1

      @@Sprometheus oh absolutely. You've hit the target on day 1, which is outstanding, but I'm certainly looking forward to watching that figure keep growing over the coming week!
      Again, good work getting the ball rolling :)

  • @Fuuntag
    @Fuuntag 2 года назад +2

    4:16 enjoying the look, sound and feel of this setup.

  • @colecciongranados
    @colecciongranados 2 года назад

    Thank you, great as always!

  • @brandonc1875
    @brandonc1875 2 года назад +10

    Brilliant video, Spro! You consistently dish out wonderful content and I appreciate the thoroughness of your work and research.
    The no tamp technique make work for those that don't use a naked portafilter and just want some strong coffee with or without milk.
    I visited family in Germany not too long ago and they thought I wasted so much time utilizing all of the proper techniques to get espresso out of their machine 😂 in the end, they throw in milk and go about their day.
    Us coffee nerds can stick to our techniques and they can have theirs! 😂

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      Thanks Brandon!
      And yeah, I did try the no tamp with the spouts and it isn’t nearly as dramatic, so I can see how maybe some folks would think it’s working well. But in the end, if you’re drinking it and you like it, have at it.
      I catch a lot of judgement of my meticulous nature for coffee too, online and in my personal life so I feel you. This channel is a safe space for coffee geeks! Haha

    • @Caffeine.And.Carvings
      @Caffeine.And.Carvings 2 года назад +2

      I actually converted the parents of my gf to good coffee. Got them a porlex mini (upgrade of a cheap blade spice grinder), showed them how to set up the grinder by taste and adjust, and gave them a cork needle wdt. They have a wmf machine and now are always super happy when I bring along some specialty coffee :)
      Already did a tasting with them and also a side by side comparison between there old workflow and bladegrinder vs. My workflow with a commandante. Also in germany here btw.
      Now I only need to convince my mother somehow to get into espreaso

  • @AX-yw4bi
    @AX-yw4bi 2 года назад +1

    Great video. 🥰 Does the OCD ONA leveler fit in my 58mm Linea Mini portafilter? Or did you adjust your portafilter to a 58.5mm version?

  • @ProfSimonHolland
    @ProfSimonHolland Год назад +1

    as a scientist...ground coffee in the basket is millions of grains. as you tamp, you press these grains together but your pressure is passed onto each grain....you will never compress the puck too much, because your force is lost or dissipated. in my opinion...tamp as hard as you can...you cant over tamp...coffee grains wont let you....its a bit like sleeping on a bed of nails....the force is distributed. altering your grind should be the only variable....keep dose and tamp consistent...tamp hard....it does not matter how hard, its self regulating. do you agree?

  • @AdastraRecordings
    @AdastraRecordings 2 года назад +1

    I got my puck prep consistent watching your vids, I learn't that over tamping is as bad as not tamping, just my experience, but it's worth considering.

  • @george_taylor
    @george_taylor 2 года назад +4

    Well spotted Sir! Fascinating seeing the outline of the distributor at the bottom of the basket when the flow first appears. You didn't mention the puck screens. I've found I can tamp much lighter, with better results using the puck screen. I suspect that the puck screen does a sort of in-shot secondary tamp as my pucks are always nice firm cakes when I knock them out regardless of how hard I tamp.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +2

      Thanks George, and I did try the puck screens and I found it did do some compression but didn’t include it as it just didn’t seem to be all that interesting of an addition to the topic. And for me using the screen with untamped coffee and a normal dose the screen on the machine actually would press down effectively tamping before the water even flowed.

  • @AndrewCouch
    @AndrewCouch 2 года назад +6

    Great video, I only used a leveler for the first 3 months of making espresso but then switched over to a tamper. I found I got better body and texture from my shots but felt it was less consistent. I just bought a normcore tamper so I'm hoping I get better consistency with tamping pressure and leveling. (My setup is a Gaggia Classic Pro with OPV mod and a Baratza Sette 270)

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Thanks Andrew! A palm tamper is always going to the the most consistent way to go, I have one but just love my Pullman so much haha. What pressure are you using on the OPV, I have a classic pro and the kit here, just waiting to be installed haha.

    • @AndrewCouch
      @AndrewCouch 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus Yeah I was originally thinking about getting a palm tamper but I just like the aesthetic of an actual tamper haha. I'm using the Mr Shades 6.5 bar mod which I prefer to the 9 bar one.

  • @Psychoh90
    @Psychoh90 2 года назад

    That white GCP back there!!! Waiting for the video :) I hope you'll cover the tips and tricks that everyone can use without modifying it to improve both espresso and milk frothing :)

  • @omniryx1
    @omniryx1 2 года назад

    Thanks for a good discussion. We coffee nerds are prone to diving down rabbit holes in our quest for a better cup. Many of us remember the days when people were preoccupied with tamping technique. Discussions ranged across the merits of the N-S-E-W method versus the over-the-shoulder-and-behind-the-back technique versus the grab-the-tamper-and-mash approach. The latter, of course, being dismissed as totally naive and amateurish.
    There seems to be an emerging consensus as to the importance of distribution and sensible tamping. Now if we could only overcome our obsession with clumping. The way people go on about it, one would think there were little boulders of granite coming out of the grinder when actually the brush of a canary feather is sufficient to break up the dreaded clumps. In fact, any tool used to distribute grounds in the portafilter will disperse any clumps.
    Videos like this one can help us stay focused on variables of genuine importance. Keep it up!

  • @MicoGorres
    @MicoGorres 2 года назад +3

    Not the cat just chilling on the Mini at the intro.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +3

      Haha well I usually record when she’s sleeping, but she was up and decided she wanted a warm seat

  • @fikaprado763
    @fikaprado763 2 года назад +1

    Love you channel, been a subscriber for some time, and always look forward to your new content🥳
    Q: what WDT tool do you have in this video?

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      Thank you my friend! I appreciate the kind words. I’m using the Sworksdesign WDT, he makes a wide variety of great coffee tools, with checking out!

  • @akquicksilver
    @akquicksilver 2 года назад

    I level and tamp and I also you a puck screen. Great results and the puck screen does a lot for keeping the brew group clean.

  • @LadyTigerLily
    @LadyTigerLily 2 года назад +3

    This reminds me of the debate about whether or not turbo shots and flow-profiled shots are "really" espresso. I wonder if a "true" no-tamp shot works better with deeper baskets, and perhaps an Aeropress filter or puck screen on top, kind of how a moka pot brews. Then again, a moka pot brews much hotter but with much lower pressure. My thought is that not tamping at all creates a slurry because of the turbulence in the basket from the high pressure. When I was first introduced to this concept, it was from the people at La Marzocco during the NY Coffee Fest in 2018. They were dosing 17g and using a distribution tool, but also using a GS3 for pressure profiling. I found the best results with the coffee they were using were a distribu-tamp with a slight pre-infusion, 6 bar pressure, and then slow ramp back down. Thinking about this moka pot as a comparison, this makes some sense to me.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      I see what your saying, that is interesting. But the part that I was most surprised by, there’s a debate that turbo and flow profiling isn’t espresso? This is news to me.

    • @LadyTigerLily
      @LadyTigerLily 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus Yeah, it's a pedantic thing of "if it doesn't hit 9bars of pressure and doesn't extract in the SCA defined time for espresso, then it's not espresso".

  • @ptr3671
    @ptr3671 2 года назад +2

    Thank you. I’m a home barista with a Rancilio Silvia and Baratza Vario. I’ve been brewing espresso for 10 years. I started just tamping didn’t worry about how much pressure just consistency. I still was getting inconsistent results . Bought a bottomless portafilter and noticed that puck prep was the main problem. The puck wasn’t level very often with channeling. I figured if I could get the bed consistently level all would be solved. I got the aptly named OCD tool. Using it as a leveler and a tamper consistent extraction appearedHallelujah! Then somewhere someone said leveling tools effected the taste. Huh? Again someone somewhere implied that using a WDT for distributing and returning to a tamper produced a “better” extraction. I did a comparison using a home-made WDT and a tamper I got a shot that I thought was better than the OCD only shot. So this is where I’m at now. I’m also getting looks from my wife of 52 years that just maybe I’ve become a bit pedantic. I say everyone needs a hobby. Again thank you for your videos. I’ve learned a lot from them. The most important is, it’s up to me and what I like!”

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      A bottomless will definitely show you where you’re puck prep is falling short, and even your tamp considering what I showed in the video. Glad you got it nailed down, and you’re right, we all need a hobby and coffee is a good one!

  • @reza0gan
    @reza0gan 2 года назад

    Quite an interesting video and the comparison test results was kinda expected but strangely enough, I just came across one barista of a famous coffee shop from Japan who doesn't push the tamper into the portafilter basket. I saw that he barely pressed it down, just a slight touch on top of the coffee ground to make a flat surface of coffee bed. Even so, he can pull the shot in a consistent way and the coffee dripped down through the bottomless portafilter with a good flow without any sign of channeling. Worth mentioning that he paddled the Slayer halfway and wait for about 17-1s before he continue to push it all the way.
    Not sure if it is something unorthodox but his workflow seems to be more efficient.

  • @daviddyer6751
    @daviddyer6751 2 года назад +1

    Thanks so much for this! How about tapping versus not tapping, before tamping?

  • @timmarshall4881
    @timmarshall4881 2 года назад +2

    I appreciate your channel thanks Love and peace. Tim

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      I appreciate that, thank Tim!

  • @YelloJello
    @YelloJello 2 года назад

    For this test, did you do full wdt bottom up, or just the top? Also, for both tamp and OCD? I did ditch my Motta distributor after a couple of months, and either just tap bed down then tamp, or wdt the top layer before tamp. I grind directly in pf/funnel, not using dosing cup.

  • @mrhoborz
    @mrhoborz 2 года назад +13

    I've been riding the 'no tamp, just level' train for about two years. The reason I keep at it is that the shots taste good to my palate and it keeps things consistent. That being said I adjusted my leveler to max height (or depth?) to ensure the puck is basically compressed.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +7

      I think a leveler can be almost as consistent as a palm tamper, and taste is king! So as long as it’s tasty no need to fix something that isn’t broken

    • @ozespresso
      @ozespresso 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus agree on that

    • @hcr32slider
      @hcr32slider 2 года назад

      Many ways to skin a cat. It's all about taste. I've made many an espresso that's come out too fast but tasted awesome and then saw sprom do a video on the turbo shot. Was a great watch.

  • @asmith2886
    @asmith2886 2 года назад

    I have only been using the OCD for the past 2 years and have never looked back. I followed advice that it was the level bed for water to hit that was important not the tamp. I have not changed the depth of the leveller from 9mm with and 18.5 g dose.

  • @error404BrainNotFound
    @error404BrainNotFound 2 года назад +1

    i have been playing with brew pressure recently and surprisingly found that my 6 bar shots seem to be less even than my 9 or 8 bar shots. would love a vid like this on the topic too!

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +2

      Interesting! I’ve definitely got plans to work on some brew pressure/flow control content in the near future. For me I use 6bars and found it more clean and even, but in the end of it works there’s no need to fix it.

  • @dzurisintube
    @dzurisintube 2 года назад

    The extraction percentage chart put up at the end was very telling and relatively linear among techniques which I feel is a pretty open and shut case that puck compression is required. How that compression is accomplished is more nuanced. As I mentioned in the last video I have removed my tamp (calibrated) from the flow just because my observations seemed to support the empirical data provided here. I could probably squeeze a few additional percent out of my workflow by adding it back in and for troublemaker extractions I do. I think we may be able to settle on the term "compressed" to encompass all of the myriad tools we have at our disposal to accomplish the task (or we can all just keep the discussion going haha).
    Quick parting question: you mentioned that the top of the compressed puck creates a layer that is temporarily impervious to water. I have played around with spritzing my compressed puck as my last prep step and I don't have a feeling about it just yet. Something tells me that it is a pre-pre-infusion that gently prepares the surface of the puck to accept the rather violent infusion of water that it will experience during extraction and may result in more even penetration of water across the surface of the puck but I don't have anything to back that up. I'd be curious to see your take on what that step might do and how it impacts the extraction.

  • @stevencallen8406
    @stevencallen8406 2 года назад +1

    I’d be interested to know if just dropping a puck screen on top of an untamped bed of espresso in the portafilter improves your results. Consistent with the results in your video on using a puck screen, I find shots (from tamped pucks) run slower and channel a bit more when not using one. Perhaps the puck screen would add some needed resistance and better water distribution for untamped espresso.

  • @bret_moss
    @bret_moss 2 года назад +1

    I use Niche, Bamino Plus (best at Lungos and unattended frothing) with an all in one (two sided) distributor/leveler/tamper. I thought I’d like to try a needle/wdt tool but the grind out of the Niche is so flowy, a bit of knocking levels the grind beautifully. As an aside I tried heated beans vs frozen beans this morning, fun stuff!!

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      I do think the grinds from the niche look good, but I have had great results by adding even just a simple one needle WDT to the mix with it. May be worth an experiment.

  • @infomercialguy
    @infomercialguy Год назад

    Wow. Very interesting. I had a fully automatic gaggia for 18 years. I think i want to try tamping myself next time. Do you think tamping produces a much better flavor? Also, what unit do you think is the best? I don't want to cheap out.

  • @timgerber5563
    @timgerber5563 2 года назад +1

    To be honest, I only use a leveler, because it creates a nice even surface to tamp on which allows me to tamp almost perfectly vertically. I believe if you have a good WDT tool and precompress the puck by knocking the portafilter vertically, there’s no need for a leveler to distribute the coffee as it is already neatly distributed.

  • @judithverheijden8588
    @judithverheijden8588 2 года назад +1

    Another interesting video! I’ve been levelling without tamping for a while. After seeing the video I’m thinking maybe I should buy something like a normcore level tamper. The issue I’ve been having is that my puck often has a pit towards the middle, the puck is more compressed in the middle than towards the edges. Bottomless portafilter also shows first drops appearing and faster blonding of the flow in the middle. Could this be due to not tamping?

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      My guess is this has something to do with distribution, and possibly not tamping. Honestly I’d invest in a WDT tool and I think they may solve your issues.

    • @judithverheijden8588
      @judithverheijden8588 2 года назад

      WDT-tool + tamp fixed the problem! Thanks!

  • @baristajs
    @baristajs 2 года назад

    Thank you for discussing this topic. Tamping - is a moot point.

  • @michalgolski2651
    @michalgolski2651 2 года назад

    Hi, I have been a roaster barista for 19 years and I tamp!
    I have noticed, but have not done controlled experimentation that lighter tamping (with slightly reduced dose and correspondingly finer grind) may result in a shorter extraction with earlier blonding.
    Heavier tamping can lead to a longer shot.
    I thought that this may be worth considering.

  • @tullynation
    @tullynation 6 месяцев назад

    When I first bought an espresso machine I watched a video where Mark from "Whole Latte Love" commented that tamping was overrated and demonstrated just using his (Assos) leveler to do the same job. I've now been doing it that way for years with good results and have, in fact, never tamped in my life! I do have the leveler set fairly deep so it applies some pressure, and I lower it onto the bed very slowly while spinning so as to evenly and gradually apply the pressure. It has worked for me. But I do wonder if by tamping I could elevate my results further. One thing I found interesting, and perhaps unsurprising, in your testing is that tamping had the highest extractions, followed closely by using a leveler, but the leveler appeared to actually have the most consistent results!

  • @gavinavers2805
    @gavinavers2805 2 года назад +1

    I thought you were supposed to use a leveler like the OCD and then tamp. Did I get that wrong? Or did you intentionally omit this from your testing? Great video!

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Yeah so the design of the OCD is intended to be low level and just flatten the bed. But when I made the popular short I was messing around with using it deeper as a tamper and that’s what set all the gears in motion, so in this video it was intentional I didn’t use it as designed. Thanks for watching!

  • @weaverhchrist
    @weaverhchrist 2 года назад +1

    I mostly do 19-20g tripple shots in a naked PF and I use a leveler for it's intended purpose-TO LEVEL the COFFEE BED-and then I do a moderate to heavy tamp (mazzer Major/titanium burrs set @ around 8 with actual zero (when the burrs touch) being 6. This method has been working for me ever since levelers 1st became available.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      I found a mixed experience with levelers. I actually retired using mine awhile back because I found lower extraction numbers. But I think there is something to be said for all of the variables combined.

  • @MrArdytube
    @MrArdytube 2 года назад

    Re OCD
    in order to avoid the slight uneven compression, I use my fingers slightly between ocd and portafilter…. Giving about 3/8 inch space. Then spin the ocd as I drop the final 3/8 inch.
    I also use the currently fashionable screen which I feel has a few benefits, Keeps the screen and machine cleaner! Reduces occasional channeling, and eliminates occasional puck adhering to the screen.

  • @ozespresso
    @ozespresso 2 года назад +1

    I think this is a very important topic and it has a direct impact on the cup I’m personally split in the middle about this. I think traditional tempting is great but you can’t really argue with good results of using a leveling tool alone.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Yeah I’d say in the end it’s more or less a preference, neither of those two are objectively better, but I don’t think anyone really needs both options.

    • @ozespresso
      @ozespresso 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus Good observation.

  • @danielclodfelter3170
    @danielclodfelter3170 2 года назад

    Golden opportunity missed to end the video with “thanks for coming to my tamp talk”

  • @JonFairhurst
    @JonFairhurst 2 года назад +1

    Yes tamp - but not overly hard. I also have a Niche, OCD, and LMLM. My son visited and tried it. He really smashed the tamp and got more channeling than I ever do. I’m probably hitting just under 30 LBs. I press until the sponginess collapses and no more.
    The biggest improvement to my espresso, since getting the LMLM is backflushing daily. Since I’m only pulling 4-5 shots, rather than a cafe load, I can use the tiniest amount of cleaning powder. It rinses fast and easily, so it’s less than a five minute job.
    In the past, I treated it like BIG maintenance. I’d remove the screen and basket to soak, open the machine to oil the boiler vent valve, etc. It was a pain, so I did it rarely. There was lots of buildup, so I’d use lots of chemical and multiple applications. Rinsing took longer and probably left residual soap. Not ideal.
    Now, I just leave the screen in place and use a trace of powder. It’s fast and easy, rinses perfectly clean, and every shot is crisp and in clear focus. Without such cleanings, shots get muddy with a hint of old-coffee-pot from the rancid oils.
    I still do a bigger clean or service on occasion, but doing a quick simple backflush daily is a great habit to develop for getting the best possible shots.

    • @JonFairhurst
      @JonFairhurst 2 года назад +1

      The key is to use the smallest amount of cleaning powder that you can get away with. Just enough to still give some suds. Since the buildup is minimal, you don’t need much, and with minimal soap and clean surfaces, there’s nothing for the chemicals to attach to. It really rinses clean.
      I wish I had learned this years ago.

  • @CorollaGTSSRX
    @CorollaGTSSRX 2 года назад +1

    I got a Gaggia OWC just over a month ago and am just having an awful time with channeling. I added the dimmer mod to lower pressure and PID to level out the temp. Lately I've messing with grind and tamp a lot, and I think I'm getting closer, but still get channeling. I was wondering if it had to do with my tamp not being perfectly level

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      Does the dimmer mod change anything having to do with pressure? I have a Gaggia and from stock it’s at 14 bars and on a bottomless it just destroys the puck without super careful and meticulous puck prep.

    • @jameshilferty5403
      @jameshilferty5403 2 года назад +1

      Yeah, just adding an old style light dimmer you can adjust it from full to pretty much no flow. I kind of just guessed where 9bars is on the dial and have been pulling shots from there. I need to get a pressure dial and verify. Thanks for the confirmation that I'm not alone. Could you make a short going over ' meticulous puck prep' :)

  • @Chiro75
    @Chiro75 2 года назад +2

    La Marzocco has a nice integrated cat warmer, which is a nice feature.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      It’s one of her favorite features!

  • @testdasi
    @testdasi 2 года назад +1

    I spent a few months working through various things e.g. levelling tool, WDT, light tamp, levelling tamp, no tamp, heavy tamp and eventually found out my inconsistent shots were because of... wait for it... not-yet-broken-in grinder. LOL. I now just do WDT + heavy tamp for very consistent shots.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +2

      Hahaha a story as old as time itself!

  • @doctorgears9358
    @doctorgears9358 2 года назад

    Can't wait for my Normcore tamper to come. I got a palm tamper atm and while people like them, I do not.

  • @MattHarris85
    @MattHarris85 2 года назад

    'Thank you for coming to my Tamp Talk' was right there

  • @unol
    @unol 2 года назад

    Have you tried using the porcupress but with no tamping? Tamping gives a puck more evenly distributed density than none tamped. The porcupress works in a similar way. Worth a go?

  • @cataony813
    @cataony813 2 года назад

    How about hydroforming ? Have you tested idroprep tamper yet ?

  • @CraigStocksArts
    @CraigStocksArts 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for the video. What about polishing after the tamp? Good or harmful?

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      In my opinion, it may not be harmful generally, but it create a potential for issues like unseating the puck from the basket, so I personally avoid it. It’s an added variable that adds risk and no reward.

  • @scoobtoober2975
    @scoobtoober2975 2 месяца назад

    sette, 21g ims, silvia gen1, 9 bar set, aeropress filter on top. wdt, finger poke around the edge, wdt some more. perfect shots. fussy for sure. not sure how else to get the best shot possible. i get channeling if i don't massage every variable with my setup.

  • @c2251393c
    @c2251393c 2 года назад

    Just remove the cap of the leveler and use the leveler to "screw" the puck. This ensures uniform tamping pressure and perfectly flat puck.

  • @harrydog6795
    @harrydog6795 2 года назад

    Lifestyle lab showed pressure and flow was consistent as low as 5 pound with full 9 bar when not using pre infusion but 20 pound and up was required to be consistent when using pre infusion. What do you think about those results?

  • @daboross2
    @daboross2 Год назад

    Huh, could this work better with a turbo shot? I've no idea but it would be interesting to try as well as the regular shots.

  • @cheekster777
    @cheekster777 2 года назад +1

    One day I hope to get my hands on one of those lovely Pullman (preferably a Cat & Cloud limited edition) tampers. 😎

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Pullman makes a beautiful product! Not sure if C&C still sell them, but I got it from them because it was less expensive than getting a custom one shipped from Australia.

  • @KristofferEngstrom
    @KristofferEngstrom Год назад

    Very interesting subject as so many do claim it does not matter, but still realizes that an uneven tamp for example, really messes things up. I mean, how could it if the tamp didnt affect the flow ?

  • @josephstephen2010
    @josephstephen2010 2 года назад +1

    Bro, when are we going to see some GCP videos?? That white one looks good on your counter!

  • @notme123123
    @notme123123 2 года назад +1

    I use a Breville Oracle Touch, which has a build in “tamp fan”. I suspect it’s just a distribution tool. I’ll try tamping after the tamp fan and let’s see what that does.

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      Yeah I’m sure the fan operates a lot like the OCD and flattens by layering spins. Is there a way to skip the fan and try just a plain tamp to compare?

    • @sethgrandeau9267
      @sethgrandeau9267 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus I have a Rancillio Rocky, which has been relegated to pourover duty. I can try dialing that in and comparing, but right now I'm thinking that tamping on top of the fan's action might be the easy solution the issue of inconsistent shots. A 30 second brew can produce between 38 and 60 grams of espresso from the same grind, against 22 g of coffee. If a consistent tamp can bring that under control, that would get me back to my preferred balance of laziness and tastiness. I knew I'd never be dialing superior shots, but the Oracle has gotten me into espresso and milk drinks, when previous espresso makers had failed.

  • @thedancingsousa
    @thedancingsousa 2 года назад

    What if you did the true no tamp shot but instead added a puck screen and started the shot with incredibly high pressure to flatten it?

  • @wakeawaken430
    @wakeawaken430 2 года назад

    After many years I came to the conclusion that levelers don't offer anything, the upper part seems perfect but the coffee underneath may be very bad distributed
    I only use mutation and a medium tamp

  • @ThePlayahans
    @ThePlayahans Год назад

    For the cafemacs robot a very slight tamp (maybe double the weight of the tamper) will give you the same results as a full tamp, sometimes even better imo. I don’t have a refractometer, however, so this is purely based on taste.

  • @glloyd9707
    @glloyd9707 2 года назад

    Can you explain the cat and cup warmer function on you setup? Looks like you could do another episode where you compare cup temps with the cat warmer and without. Keep up the good spro flow

    • @leafyleafyleaf
      @leafyleafyleaf 2 года назад

      I have a cat warmer atop my machine. Cups must be turned rims-down or I find my espresso tastes somewhat furry. Might be my imagination.

  • @godblessthelessfortunate3175
    @godblessthelessfortunate3175 2 года назад

    I am curious and wish there was some discussion about over tamping. What are the consequences of over tamping? When I really pack it down, I think the water may channel not through the puck, but around the sides of the puck causing the puck to float up. That's my theory anyways. Before pulling the shot on a puck with a heavy tamp, I observe a decent amount of head space. After pulling the shot, I observe the puck had "floated" up so that there is minimal head space. Just to verify it wasn't caused by expansion due to absorption of water, I measured the thickness of the spent puck vs the depth of the basket. The puck was thinner by about a 1/4" than the depth of the basket which led me to conclude the "head space" has gone to the bottom of the basket making the puck float up. Anyone have a similar experience?

  • @socomon69
    @socomon69 2 года назад +1

    Even with a leveler, I see a difference when I tamp versus not.

  • @ash2joker
    @ash2joker 2 года назад

    Love it

  • @rosskline
    @rosskline 2 года назад

    The majority of the confusion is probably a result of pressurized filter baskets. They virtually eliminate the need/benefit of tamping. However with a non-pressurized basket, it's critical.

  • @peterreist5489
    @peterreist5489 2 года назад

    My pet theory is that the ritual act of coffee preperation is potentially as important as other factors in determening the tastiness and quality of the coffee. You are going through a particular set of motions and experiencing a particular set of scents and sounds that prime you to the experience that a tasty cup of coffee is about to be drunk. Unfortunately creating an operationalized experiment to test this is somewhat difficult.
    Sure you could probably try to operationalise the experience of the various styles of tamping and test through repeated blind triangle tests to determine the probaility of being able to determine the difference. Yet that, in part, comes down to how refined your sense of taste is in distinguishing fine details. So ultimately, at the end of the day, if what you are doing is making tasty cups of coffee. Then that is what works for you. Experimenting with alternatives may or may not be fruitful.

  • @MaxHTde
    @MaxHTde 2 года назад

    My Dedica style has a very hard time if I tamp my fine coffee. It just stops.

  • @ZubinSaxena
    @ZubinSaxena 2 года назад

    I use jack the leveler and barely get any channeling. The trick is to find the right depth setting without under/over dosing the pf. I wish someone could measure extractions with the Jack though, coz it could very well be around that 18% like OCD. Maybe you could loan me your Atago for a bit… Lol

  • @donh1572
    @donh1572 2 года назад +1

    Many regions of Italy use a light or no tamp espresso pull

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      I’ve heard this before, but didn’t witness it when I was in Italy, granted that was 2008. But I wonder if it has to do with using more traditional, darker roasts? Maybe the oils and fines create enough density?

    • @donh1572
      @donh1572 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus I don’t think it’s the roast because I see it in northern Italy too, which uses a lighter roast

  • @SerfonteinL
    @SerfonteinL 2 года назад +1

    After I bought my coffee machine, even before I bought coffee beans, I bought myself a 58.5mm tamper. I was trained to tamp the coffee bed, when making espresso.. Without tamping, I cannot drink the coffee.... Regards, Leon of RSA

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад

      Thanks for watching Leon, and I’m with you, tamping feels like a must have.

  • @GraemeGibbs
    @GraemeGibbs 2 года назад

    The pattern from the distribution tool is really interesting! Given it spins, why do you think the pattern is so distinct?
    I’d imagine it levels equally and therefore wouldn’t be so evident 🤷‍♂️

    • @christmas83
      @christmas83 2 года назад +1

      It levels evenly after the spin, however I think the imprint would come from how the distro tool first goes in and creates that initial pressure on the puck, that will be where the most force is applied to the coffee

    • @GraemeGibbs
      @GraemeGibbs 2 года назад

      @@christmas83 that certainly appears to be the case, but I don’t understand why the initial pressure is greatest at the point of contact. The lip of the tool stops it depressing any further and then it rotates at exactly the same depth across the entire puck? Why is there more force on initial application?
      I’m probably overly thinking it, and as you say, the initial pressure is what causes the imprint 🤷‍♂️

  • @djispro4272
    @djispro4272 24 дня назад

    Check out Syrian Espresso culture in Turkey - no tamping all the time there

  • @austinfreyrikrw6651
    @austinfreyrikrw6651 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for doing this video as a fund raiser. I tried to hit the donate button many times and Google keeps giving me the “oops, something went wrong” massage. So I’ll donate to a Canadian charity that is raising funds for Ukrainians instead. 🌻

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +2

      Of course! And I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work, maybe it’s country specific? I have to look into this, thanks anyway and any support anywhere helps! Cheers

  • @NANA-gy7yx
    @NANA-gy7yx 2 года назад +2

    Gonna donate 👍🏻
    What's happening in Ukraine is heartbreaking! And so is what's happening in Yaman, Syria...etc. Are you going to start fundraiser campaigns for those as well?

    • @Sprometheus
      @Sprometheus  2 года назад +1

      The world is in a state of disarray that’s for sure. This is my first time doing anything like this publicly, but since it’s been so successful and has now doubled my personal donation I fully intend on doing more fundraising efforts in the future.

    • @NANA-gy7yx
      @NANA-gy7yx 2 года назад

      @@Sprometheus looking forward to that 👍🏻

  • @granttonner7491
    @granttonner7491 2 года назад

    That Cats ready for some spro! 🐈‍⬛

  • @xiayu6665
    @xiayu6665 2 года назад

    I just use distribution tools and puq press ,that is all

  • @Thetache
    @Thetache 2 года назад

    Is there a Venn diagram where the no tamp evangelists crossover with the flat earthers?

  • @awfully.average
    @awfully.average 2 года назад

    I just want to say, having a cat on your espresso machine may very well alter the brewhead temperature, changing the taste of your coffee

  • @chris9650
    @chris9650 2 года назад

    Who cares about tamping. How about a review of the top of espresso machines and how warm they keep the cat 😀

  • @goldmuncher
    @goldmuncher 8 месяцев назад

    Adam Sandler

  • @akquicksilver
    @akquicksilver 2 года назад

    Fund raiser may last longer than Ukraine, unfortunately.

  • @xiayu6665
    @xiayu6665 2 года назад

    I just use distribution tools and puq press ,that is all