Espresso Distribution Tools and PUCK PREP - What you REALLY need

Struggling to pull a great espresso shot? It all starts with puck prep. Learn what you've been doing wrong and the tools you REALLY need to do it right. WDT, tamps, distributors, portafilters, grinders - puck prep isn't that difficult! Get the right espresso distribution tools and start pulling like a pro!
Tools used in this video:
SWORKS Design WDT - sworksdesign.com/WDT-Tool-p38...
Normcore Tamps - www.normcorewares.com/product...
Espro Tamp - www.espro.com/collections/esp...
ASCASO AFFILIATE LINK - Use DADDYGOTCOFFEE for 10% off
www.ascaso-usa.com/?rfsn=5797...
Fiorenzato AllGround Affiliate Link - Use DADDYGOTCOFFEE for 10% off
www.espressoparts.com/?rfsn=6...

[@parkeranderson1172]

Great video, but it’s been shown many times that tamping too hard isn’t a real issue, only tamping too soft.

[@brandonlucas15]

Really great video! Covered a lot! Thanks!

Was just looking for something like this! Appreciate the tips. Also - great editing at 12:20! Loved how the beat switched once the espresso streams came into alignment 🙌🏾😎

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

HA! Thanks for noticing!!!

[@ddearman]

Keen to try the normcore tamper. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

No problem at all!!

[@NoZenith]

Found another video on what I'm currently researching haha. Loving the Niche Zero btw. Thanks!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Ha! Amazing! Thank you!!!

[@sebastien.jubinville]

I remember when I pulled my first bottomless portafilter shot… legit a total mess…. Since I distribute my beans properly… MAGIC ☕️🤩

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

That first bottomless pull is always a shocker 😅 The good news is it helps you learn what helps and hurts in your distribution routine!

[@carloc8763]

I just found out about your channel. Congratulation for a very well made and helpful video.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Well thank you so much!!

[@liiich6175]

I use a cork and acupuncture needles for my WDT, I also use a portafilter funnel so I do not need to be super gentle as to not spill grounds. I also sometimes just shake the basket slightly leg and right and thats all that is needed so I might end up stoping with the WDT, I use a puck screen and dose 1g less and the results are about the same with zero mess left on my machine.

[@nlaplaca]

Every time I think I'm done I wander back down the rabbit hole and find something else. You just cost me $50 thanks 😂. My tamper was 5 years old though. I got my money's worth out of it for sure.

[@myname-mz3lo]

electric guitar strings in a wine cork is also great as a wdt tool and it looks nice and rustic

[@sk8absence]

The broke in me is doing this tomorrow

[@luis78501]

Thank you !!!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Happy to help!!

[@eladlevy11]

Thanks for a great video! Question about the Normcore tamp. I recently got the Normcore 58.5mm V4 ripple tamper but it seems like it doesn't fit my basket properly! I'm using a 14gr basket that came with my Ascaso machine. What could be the issue? Are you using the same Ascaso basket in the video? Thanks!

[@sakoourfalian9316]

after watching this video I am going to rethink using my distributor tool

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Let me know how your experience is!

[@jmcappell16]

What’s your recommendation on grinder? I do some v60/pour over so was looking at the Niche. Is there a better one for the price?

[@bartoszurbanczyk]

FYI the basket in an ascaso botomless PF is a competition 58,4mm 21gram basket. A regular ascaso tamper wiggles because it's designed for stock ascaso 58mm basket that comes with the machine (botomless is optional). Use a Motta 58,4 tamper for botomless.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Great clarification, thank you!

[@nizamjalal6380]

Can i use a 53mm distributor on my sage 54mm portafilter?

[@AS-wi6hr]

18 grams of coffee yielding 36cc is too much caffeine! And it's a new trend! In our time (which I still stick to at home) single was 7grams yielding 35 cc to 40cc ... double was 14 grams 60 cc to 80 cc.

[@thiagokborges]

That's really not a lot of caffeine, you can actually get more caffeine from a v60 brew that will taste "less strong"...

[@parkeranderson1172]

…. Which are longer extractions…. Extracting more caffeine…. 😂

[@vsimcik]

I do still running approx 1:4 ratio ať home and shots are great👍

[@MetallicReg]

The contact time of the water is much shorter than in a V60. So the amounts of caffeine extracted are relatively small. One Espresso/Cappuccino is much less than one regular brew up coffee.

[@whalenmich]

Great video! Dialing in my shinny new Ascaso Steel Duo here... Is it just my imagination or is the stock tamper from Ascaso slightly smaller than 58mm?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Yes, it is!

[@gregoryrobak456]

Hi, what are your thoughts on the Niche vs All Ground grinders? Thanks

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

The niche will give better body on espresso and the AllGround will give less but with a little higher clarity. The niche struggles more with filter though

[@brownzys7299]

I tried the shaker. Still had to wdt and it didnt improve my Coffee. Now I just rdt wdt and force tamp with the hardest spring 2 times

[@kairasakamoto3187]

My problem is that while I do 18g, use the wdt, tamping, & use the bottomless filter, I don’t have any weird channeling (from looking at the puck after and seeing how even the pull is) but it goes too fast, there is very fine spurting, & the pull tends to be bitter. If I do more than 18g in my current basket it won’t fit in the head. I have a Gaggia Classic Pro, and my grinder is set to a fine grind (last setting?). Would squirting/fast pull happen if the grind is too fine? Or could it be the tamping pressure? Mine isn’t calibrated.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

So when the GCP is stock it pulls at a lot higher pressure which would give you a faster flow than you expect. Give a Google on OPV spring mods. In the mean time you could try going even finer. I would try that before a finer tamp! 🔥

[@luis78501]

Hi ! What Bottomless Portafilter do you use for ascaso espresso machine ? Thanks

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I use the Ascaso one, but it’s quite expensive! Any non-dogleg 58mm will fit though!

[@rohanparti5062]

I don’t have a grinder but I get freshly ground coffee from a roaster nearby (100g) at a time. I recently got all the tools as per the video and I got no crema. I have a de delonghi dedica if that helps

[@ska042]

Did you tell them specifically to grind it for espresso? Otherwise they'll probably grind too coarse. I'm assuming your portafilter is non-pressurized? To get crema, there needs to be enough pressure in the puck. If the grind is too coarse (or the dose is too low, or both) the pressure won't get high enough. So either up the dose (if possible), or get a finer grind.

[@jorgegranadillo9193]

What website would you recommend to buy the caffe machine and grinder. I’m in Florida Miami

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

My espresso machine is from Ascaso-USA.com and one of my grinders is from espressoparts.com (the Fiorenzato AllGround) You can get 10% off both using my code DADDYGOTCOFFEE ☺️ The Niche Zero grinder is direct from Niche in the UK!

[@rinky_dinky]

2 years into this hobby, I found my process. Shot funnel on portafilter. Grind into pf Wdt deep to shallow and level out the surface. Remove shot funnel Use the force tamper give it a pop, done

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Very similar to what I do! Minus the shot collar!

[@NoZenith]

I think I'm headed in this direction but with the normcore tools presented here... I think I want the shot collar for sure at this point and I've only been doing this for a couple weeks hahaha. I'm working with a Bambino Plus so the niche dosing cup doesn't fit and I use the top of a Vitamin Water I cut off as a funnel until I decide... I still seem to make a bit of mess trying to just level it a little bit before I Tamp

[@dundas112]

Awesome fellow dad! Didn’t realise you had a YT channel :). Obviously subscribed ;) Great to see where you came from w a lot less iG followers to what’s going on now. *high five * Ok. Better finish off the pancakes and make a coffee ☕️

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Amazing! So great to see you here!!

[@im_chessi460]

It actually doesn‘t make if difference if you tamp harder past a certain point. Just give it a good amount of pressure and youre fine

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Tamping straight is very important though - one of the reasons I love calibrated tamps with sleeves!

[@im_chessi460]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Thanks for adding that. It is easy to forget something when you try to explain the really important points :)

[@ThePangemin]

You are right. You can not press too hard. However it is true, that the sleeves help a LOT! There is not need for a spring though, so there is a way to save a but of money or to get a bit nicer tamper.

[@Bullishspykid]

When you say 25s do you add the +5 secs of pre infusion? Cause I have I’m the same ascaso machine And the timer shows plus 8s actually

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Yes. The way it works on those machines is there a 3 second pause after a preinfusion. So you set it for 5 seconds, the pump will actively preinfuse for 5 seconds, it will pause for 3 seconds, and then the pump will engage for the main shot. I refer to it as a 5 second preinfusion because that’s how you program it. 👍

[@abeloqui94]

Hey, curious about how you time your shots and the reading you get on your pressure gauge. I have an Ascaso Dream PID and I am looking to see if what i experience is normal…what pressure do you have it set it to? I have 11. I have a 5 sec preinfusion right now. In my experience, the pressure gauge reads 11 when shot starts after preinfusion, and gradually goes down to about 6 by the time the shot is finishing (~35sec). Is that what you see too? Also, if I go any lowers in time (30 to 25) seconds in total the shots doesn’t taste as good and looks very fast on my bottomless portafilter. Also curious how you measure your shot time, based on the video your shot was around 35s but you said it was 25, so maybe you are doing something i need to incorporate 😁. I love Ascaso machines, but takes a minute to get used to…Also, have you upgraded your basket or showerscreen? I have a VST basket and a IMS showerscreen

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Great questions! So, a couple things. First, in the video I slowed down some of the footage and, its not exactly the same shot as I pulled when I was talking (I only have one camera! :) SO the answer is both, what you see in the video is both slowed down partially and not the exact same shot as when I was pulling. To answer your question though, I do time my shots from first drip on the scale and shoot for 20-30 seconds. I don't watch the pump run time because it can be a little confusing when I tell home baristas I pull 35-40 second shots (which include a preinfusion their machine may not be able to do). Lots of discussion on whether or not thats the best way to time and I will say both have their value and their place. And... seeing a peak of pressure followed by a slow drop is totally normal. You'll also see an increased flow rate over the course of a shot. I'm running the stock triple basket that came with the ascaso portafilter AND the stock showercreen. I'm sure I'll get an upgrade at some point but if it aint broke ..... Hope that all helps!

[@Gk2003m]

The bottomless portafilter turns out to be unnecessary. It’s a great tool to have to check your prep, but once you’ve made good prep part of the routine it becomes superfluous…. and you really don’t need it to check the prep if you’re using good technique. Good grind, WDT, and tamping covers the whole thing.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

For sure, but there is definitely a point at which it is helpful, which is why I recommend having one. ☺️

[@JaimetheNomad]

If you could assure me with 100% certainty the prep/shot would absolutely perfect every time, I'd still use a bottomless PF because it's entertaining 😂

[@NoZenith]

I bought a Breville Bambino Plus. There is no heated Brew group or anyting even related to that so having less thermal mass between the puck and the cup is a good idea. Waste less water pulling blank shots trying to heat it up that way, so I feel that many people with entry-level or mid-range machines could also benefit for this same reason.

[@Gk2003m]

@@NoZenith That makes sense…. I preheat the cup and the portafilter with one cup of hot water from a Keurig-type hot water dispenser. So given that the cup should be preheated anyway, it’s not a waste of water to utilize that same process to preheat the portafilter

[@MetallicReg]

They have their use and everybody should have one at hand. You need them when you switch to another new coffee type/grind and also when you have especially large cups in a compact machine.

[@sipntools]

Thanks Justin! I am going to apply your technique in the coming days to my puck preparation. I'm very curious to see the difference of removing the distributor tool after dosing into my portafilter + WDT use. I will happily report back. Did you switch out your Normcore calibrated tamper to the 30 lb spring or do you use the 25 lb that comes already installed?

[@TheLordStuart]

Did it make a difference ?

[@sipntools]

I am reporting back. So I had more channeling without using the distributor before tamping, but the shot was still great on taste 😆. You have more practice on me, but I'm going to try again. Thank you as always Justin!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Let me know how you are making out!

[@sipntools]

@@DaddyGotCoffee So I continue to use my distributor, but I also have the calibrated tamper and that's my final step before pulling my shots. Now that I'm over the initial at home barista hiccups, I'm enjoying every time those shots are spot on! I even have way less or sometimes no channeling at all. So, I can see that my puck preparation is getting better.

[@JumpingWatermelons]

@9:50 wow, be careful! About those 'force control' type tampers: the ones that go entirely inside the basket DO NOT limit the tamping force at all. They only give feedback when you reach a certain force. Any additional force you apply is additional tamping force. For the one he showed, which rests on top of the basket, it might be possible that it does limit the force applied but I don't know specifically. Make sure you know how yours works

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

That is indeed how this tamper works! It bottoms out on the rim of the basket and the spring does all the work!

[@WSRevilo]

@@DaddyGotCoffee which spring do you use in the Normcore Tamper?

[@jacquesdesjardins6729]

Hello, I'm looking into giving me a nice Christmas gift. So I'm looking for a prosumer espresso machine and grinding. I'm hesitating between the Ascaso Steel Duo and the Rocket Appartemento. I'm still not sure which would be better, but I'm open to look at other machines. Price point 2500$ CAD before tax As for the grinder, there's the Ascaso I mini L1, the Rocket Faustino and the Eureka Specialista. Prince point max 1000$ CAD. What is your thought on my choices?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

For the grinders I would definitely reccomend the Eureka out of these three. IMO it offers the best value. Between the duo and the apartmento, this will come down to preference. The appartamento will give you a bit more steam power but with a longer warm up time and without some of the other features, the preinfusion is not programmable, no volumetric programming at the OPV is a huge pain to adjust. Both are great machines though - I might go with the one you like the look of more because if you love the machine you will use it more! If you end up buying the Ascaso, use my discount code at Ascaso-USA.com for 10% off (DADDYGOTCOFFEE). Unfortunately I don’t have a code for the Rocket!

[@friendlyghostkinda]

Which calibrated / level tamp do you recommend that isn’t best quality but still great. The normcore??

[@NoZenith]

I keep hearing about the Normcore and I checked on Reddit and people seem to lean that way. It's quality for the money and all the competing tampers that are built to actually keep the tamper level seem to be more expensive. There are few videos and some reviews on cheap ones that explain the part that sits on top of your basket before you start pushing down is actually kind of sloppy and so it doesn't actually guarantee a straight down, level tamp, which is entirely the point of them. I'm going to look a little bit longer before I commit because I might go ahead and buy some other stuff from Normcore if I decide this is the one to get but so far I haven't seen any legitimately negative reviews on it and all the prettier ones I've been looking at cost so much more 😢

[@friendlyghostkinda]

@@NoZenith the mhw bomber ? Agree the with fake ones.

[@scotthorvath5146]

Holy shit thank you so much, I went from wanting espresso to not back to not feeling overwhelmed lol this video was super helpful

[@MetallicReg]

Concerning tamping there is no upper limit. The "limit" is just a guideline for baristas for health reasons (if you tamp 100 shots a day with 50 pounds+ your wrist won't be amused over time). However there is really only a too little force that will have a drawback.

[@ropliow8744]

Hi um For a content Can you try once this Grinding black tea leaves as fine as an espresso grind And tamping and getting an teapresso Maybe it's gonna be a whole new invention.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Fun idea but not sure I'm that brave! 😂

[@NoZenith]

What size needles have you found the most effective in your wdt tools? I'm seeing a lot of information about not getting ones that are too thick but if you go to thin they collapse into a broom like cluster and do more harm than good. Thank you in advance

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I use 0.25 👍

[@NoZenith]

@@DaddyGotCoffee oooh so delicate with your coffee finess 😉 thanks

[@SteveHofsaess]

I was using all the tools which you do not recommend, do you have any feedback on the portafilter puck. Your videos are great, but costly since I must replace everything.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I think one of the most important things here is whatever you do… make your process simple and consistent. And if you’re getting good results, don’t rush a change! Any change almost always makes it worse before it starts getting better. That being said, when I started doing WDT I saw an almost immediate improvement on my espresso. By portafilter puck do you mean the spinner?

[@SteveHofsaess]

It is the metal mesh that goes in the filter basket on top of the ground coffee

[@NoZenith]

​@@SteveHofsaesspuck screen

[@ahmettanriverdi5238]

let me guess, your favorite color is white? man everything is white in your kitchen! It's simple and also beautiful 👍

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I have to admit, I like it clean!

[@NotSamoan]

Come at you lol? 😂. Just a comment. Just a video. Just coffee. No pucks given. No probs.

[@adilm2k]

Hey there, I really am moving towards the Ascaso Duo (with your link!) It’s good that the portafilter is 58mm, have you used or know of any compatible aftermarket naked portafilters? Also have you played with changing the basket to like a VST for an 18g dose?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Great question! So, I was sent the Ascaso bottomless from the team there and it’s great. It came with a triple basket (18-20g) and I’ve never bothered upgrading because I’ve always gotten good results with it! A triple basket does fit in the spouted baskets too though! The one thing I’ll say is the Ascaso bottomless is a little expensive but my code gives a discount on it too. Any 58mm bottomless will work though - same for baskets!

[@adilm2k]

@@DaddyGotCoffee thanks, it’s quite a pricey naked portafilter at $220 and I really want a machine that isn’t limited to OEM accessories. I am really torn between the Profitech 500 and this. I must say your videos and instagram page really does push me to the Ascaso!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@adilm2k well you can def use other bottomless! The profitech is also a very good although different machine! Follow your heart on this one! Happy to answer any questions on either you can’t find the answer to 😊 As to why I have what I have… I’m just not an e61 guy!

[@adilm2k]

@@DaddyGotCoffee oh yeh one last question, you mentioned a steam update. Do you have any details on this, is it something that can easily be modded or something they will include in a new version?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@adilm2k these were JUST released in North America (like, in the last week) and have been available for some time in the EU. It’s a 25% power upgrade, and some software upgrades. It’s also about 100 bucks more expensive. If you’re in the US it will be about 1700 bucks and email the team to confirm

[@aarmstrong92]

What are thoughts on puck screens?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

They’re great and can really help reduce channeling. I don’t often use them just to keep my routine simpler!

[@aarmstrong92]

@@DaddyGotCoffee thanks so much! I could use all the help possible with my breville express

[@NoZenith]

​@DaddyGotCoffee I was looking in the comments for this exact response. Thank you. I'll wait to go down that rabbit hole in the future then

[@ropliow8744]

Is it actually delicious or people are just pretending? I love espresso but i can't understand when people say its delicious Is it actually? Does it taste sweet or sm?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I will say that drinking espresso STRAIGHT is an acquired taste, a lot like drinking nice whiskey. When I first started I didn’t enjoy even good espressos on their own, it was too intense. I usually suggest people start by making americanos (adding 6-8oz water to the espresso) to make it less intense until you can pick out the nuances in the flavours. Then slowly reduce the water. Good espresso is sweet and balanced (depending on the coffee of course). It is not bitter or sour. Great question!!

[@ropliow8744]

@@DaddyGotCoffee wow that's cool. You got another follower:D

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

😍😍

[@amirluqman1399]

can we talk about hand/manual grinders next??

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

This is definitely on my list and I have been testing a spectrum of grinders from timemore, Varia and Wacaco. I may source a couple more. Do you have specific questions I can make sure to include???

[@Borkgrooming]

💯

[@ropliow8744]

Totally agreed

[@ropliow8744]

@@DaddyGotCoffee i have some. I don't have a burr grinder and i use manual. And my basket is not pressurized so it's important to grind the perfect grind size. But most of manual grinders change the grind size by themselves after time. Is there any way to use them in an espresso machine to make the best results?

[@gregoryrobak456]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Comandante C40 and 1ZPresso ZP6 would be nice to include.

[@36gustavo]

Didn't see, but did he use a screen on his puck?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I don’t usually use puck screens ☺️

[@lacaffetteria1894]

Overlooked? Are you new to the internet hehe 😅

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I talk to a LOT of people on here and on my Instagram and you would be shocked how many people get sucked down the gear rabbit hole, while totally ignoring puck prep!

[@Fitzrovialitter]

2:31 Not really; serious espresso grinders produce bimodal or plurimodal particle distributions.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I’m speaking in very general terms here, ie a Baratza Encore ESP produces very fine grounds in a very consistent manner as opposed to trying to do the same thing with a non-esp encore. Once you get into bi+ modal vs Unimodal, we’ll let me just say… you probably don’t need someone explaining what puck prep tools are for what 😂

[@scott-wright]

I hate the phrase "puck preparation", as well as "preparing the canvas" when doing latte art. We are such wankers, but I love it.

[@NotSamoan]

Looking at the shot at the end -36 seconds without pre-infusion. Not the mmm 25 seconds delicious comment 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Sections of this clip were slowed down, and thus longer. Also, if it wasn’t obvious this is a totally different espresso shot at a different time than the one I drank on camera. Appreciate your encouragement though 😂 smh

[@NotSamoan]

So you’re saying KZbinrs lie and present the glamourised version? No f way!! What you said is ‘let’s pull a shot and see how it does. Then we see how it does. Then ‘let’s give it a taste’ So pretty clear that was sold as one sequence Daddy got truth issues

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@NotSamoan You got it. I'm deliberately misguiding people by pulling a shot, then showing an extremely similar shot, but not exactly the same shot, on video. LOL! I don't know what you're expecting, I only have one camera - I can't magically teleport it around while i'm pulling espresso, and if I kept it on a single shot and never used any B roll footage, IMO it would be a pretty boring video! If my puck prep tips are not helpful to you, or you're not into my style, thats fine please feel free to watch elsewhere - just don't come at me for for being deceptive when I'm just making vids like anyone else.

[@stormquist9405]

Always the Liberals making the best coffee

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I dont know what to make of this comment 😂

[@cliffcox7643]

No one should tamper with your suggestions..

[@Fitzrovialitter]

What you "REALLY" need is to make your coffee without using these costly and laughable "PUCK PREP" tools with their dubious and nebulous mode of operation.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

WDT is certainly not dubious. It’s well studied and effective. And the only tool I use besides a tamper, which I am assuming you also use?