Tamping

Tamping is the process of pressing ground coffee beans in the filter baskets into a compact cake .some baristas refer to this as packing.

Understanding Tamping...

To make a perfect espresso , the ground coffee beans that a dosed into the filter basket must be compacted by applying pressure.This operation known as tamping.The device known for doing pressure known as tamper. There are hand tampers for pressing down ,fixed tampers to grinder , grinder with push down move able tamper disc,Tampers with even cut of pressure plate ,professional tamper

Your tamping skill or lack of it can make or break extraction even after you have set the grind and dose to perfection Take the coffee as a traveller water like to get from A to B if the surface does not provide enough resistance to the hot water then it will blast its way through the weak spot please make sure you make a detour back to the extraction section and grinder to fully understand the role of the water and coffee Keep in mind no mater how good your tampering skills are if the shower plate or group head worn or clogged the water will not be distributing evenly or huge inconsistencies in the size of grind particles may also cause uneven channelling of the water .Bypassing will also accrue when you are using a tamper that his to small for the size of the basket the ground coffee at the edges are left UN tampered

Pressure

The amount of pressured applied by hand must be enough to make a compact cake .Some tamp once some twice only if there are loose particles they can be moved to the centre if all OK there his no need to tamp twice.

Another way of preparing the cake of ground coffee beans for the hot surface for even flow is by twisting a little in the final action a few degrees this polish the surface

Summary.

Regardless of how you achieve this the reason for this

To provide a perfectly smooth and even surface for the hot pressured water to go through the cake

To compact any loose particles of ground coffee

To remove the tamp with out disturbing the camped surface of the coffee

When making a decision about how much pressure to use when you are are tamping keep in mind that

A- There is a huge difference in surface water pressure between loose and tampered coffee

B- Only minor differences in surface resistance to the pressurised water can be detected between a weekly tampered and a force full one, with little change in the taste of the espresso

Keep in mind if you are busy making hundreds of coffees the effort you put in can add a lot of spent energy

Don't disturb the cake

Watch the fill line Many baskets have a groove called the fill line that runs round the circumference of the basket (mesh fitted in handle ) The fill line is a good indicator of were the pressed down top of the cake should be

Heavy tamping , or feather touch produces a better result ,It doesn't, see machine extraction and grinder adjustment, cleaning section

How hard to press? firm his the answer practice by using you finger and thumb and pressing firm a finger on your left hand or partner hand you would know if this heavy because it will hurt or to light opposite feather affect.

Using the fixed position grinder tamp fitted to bottom left picture instead of telescopic shown most common.

1 hold the group handle in one hand and centre it under the grinder tamping fixed disc

2 move the group handle upwards be sure to keep handle horizontal

3 press the coffee ground against the disc at the same time push down on the disc to keep grinder stood still

4 lower group handle check tamped cake is flat and level all way round

5gently tap against the handle with your hand to spread out partly loose part particles clinging to side of basket

6 tamp again if got loose particles finish with a twist

Hand Tamp top right comes in different weights, heavy type would give you feel and control

1 hold handle on counter

2 press the tamp down onto the coffee be careful to keep horizontal

4 twist the tamp

5 check filled in and flat

6 gently tap side of handle with hand

7 tamp if any loose particles finish with a twist

Grinder with movable telescopic disc bottom left

1 move handle under disc

2 push down against ground coffee

3 check level and flat

4 gently tape against sides of handle

5 re tamp if loose particles and twist

Bottom right hand tamper with adjustment

1 Used as a hand tamper see above

2 Screw by hand to make adjustments see ring marks on shaft

3 Down to slow coffee flow down

4 screw up to speed coffee faster flow

5 Plate hits group handle to give same pressure to coffee

ITS BRILLIANT TO STOP UNTRAINED STAFF PLAYING WITH GRINDER ADJUSTMENT. THE TAMPER QUICKLY HELPS RECTIFY CUP TO CUP SALE INSTANTLY WHEN THERE HIS A HUMIDITY CHANGE THROUGH OUT THE DAY BECAUSE OF ITS PLATE IT GUARANTEES ALL STAFF PUT ON THE SAME PRESSURE. NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE.