How I Make Espresso: Tools and Techniques

[@nickcifarelli8887]

You have the vanishingly rare ability to speak clearly and eloquently whilst providing so much information. I could watch your videos all day. Honestly, they are brilliant. I can see why you are so successful.

[@LIPOHIKE]

Bet he learnt alot about it

[@jasonboomgarden4480]

Honestly, the whole maximize your setup speech is why James is my favorite KZbinr. Thanks for watching out for us man.

[@tommos1]

When he talks about solving a problem I have it doesnt help that much since my problem is i dont have that thing that i now want because he's shown it in a video.

[@Numl0k]

I love his philosophy on that. I've had my Gaggia Classic for probably 12 years, and I think I'm finally at the point where I've maximized my setup. I'm making good shots pretty consistently, but I'm finally at the point where I want to spend some money on a new machine. But, since I'm making good espresso already, I don't feel rushed, and I don't feel like I need to go out and spend $1500 on a new machine right this minute, so I have the luxury of waiting until the right deal falls at my feet. I had a great deal lined up on a gently used machine, but it didn't go through. But you know what? Oh well. I can wait for the next one, because I can still drink good espresso while I wait.

[@laowai2000]

So glad to have just found this channel. Within days of finding now making much improved coffee at home.

[@ubaldo7227]

Motion seconded.

[@christophertaylor8166]

I certainly *agree* with everything he said there, but I don't think that James can actually cure people of upgradeitis simply by saying it. In my experience, you're either in a place with a hobby where you're still trying to figure out what you like, and you're really open to trying just about anything new to get there, OR you have a pretty good idea of what you want and like, and you're really just looking to min-max your setup. To an extent, I think that personality factors into this quite a lot as well. I tend to try and get in and out of hobbyist spaces long enough to understand them pretty well, and come away with a setup that works really well for me. Once I achieve that, I tend to drift away from the community until and unless I have a problem with that hobby I'm trying to fix. For this reason, my contributions to these communities tend to be evangelizing for them in gen pop rather than hanging around chatting directly with my fellow hobbyists.

[@Director-M]

This year I learned why even "Pro" coffee shops struggle with keeping their espresso consistent. My mom laughs out loud when she sees all these tools I bought alongside my new espresso machine, but after her first sip she understood. Thanks for all that you do, James!

[@jamesgarner2103]

why did i just watch this? i dont even like espresso.

[@dariusshojaei5036]

@@jamesgarner2103 Espresso is life

[@frogstock2597]

Sunken cost fallacy

[@philberthabi6867]

@@frogstock2597 Mormon

[@quentins8165]

​@@frogstock2597For distribution you can probably use a fork.

[@JohnTheBrewer]

"...a sign of obsession?" That ship sailed when I bought my first espresso machine. Nice presentation. Thank you.

[@flyingchicken33]

i just bought a Breville barista pro. Ive never made an espresso, and very rarely do I go out and buy one. I usually drink regular coffee from Tim hortons. Ive learned all my techniques through James's videos, and since there's so many tutorials out there that teaches beginners how to use their machine. One thing that ive learned is that each roast, roaster need a different technique to make a great shot; and i learned that from James. No body has taught that so thoroughly, and now a month after owning my machine, I am confident to say, i have perfected the roast i most enjoy. After adjusting grind settings, temp settings, changed portifilter and now a stirrer which I felt was the main item that got my shot tasting exactly the way i wanted. Thank you again

[@TheBaconVanMan]

I don’t even drink coffee hardly ever. But I love the way you talk about things and make a big point that some things are expensive and unnecessary and you do a great job of helping people not feel left behind who may not be able to afford things. I’m planning to make my first video in cocktail making in the next few days once I finish building my backdrop and I love watching your videos because I find they’re a great resource about how to talk to the public and teach in a way that isn’t overbearing, or condescending. I think a video like this could get a lot of “this is insane all you need is a good old cup of drip coffee” but with you, you make a great point of making everyone feel valid for what they do and at the same time saying “if you want to take things to the extreme in attention to detail, here’s how to do it, but you don’t need to, and you’re valid for wanting something quick and easy. There’s something so wonderful about watching a master share their love of something without putting down the people who do things differently or who can’t afford or don’t want to deal with the “best” or “proper” way of doing things. Love your content mate! You’re an inspiration to me! I really can’t speak highly enough of how good a teacher you are!

[@Masjo16]

With respect to the vibration distribution method and migration of fines - this is a well known topic in sediment science and hydrology. The smaller particles can more easily find small gaps to move down, while the larger particles cannot and appear to migrate up to the top. It's the same reason why if you shake a jar of sugar that has sat out for a while, the clumps move to the top.

[@Acceleronics]

One of the steps I took to decrease "spurting" was to grind directly into the portafilter rather than a dosing cup. My DF64 grinder has a bellows that blows out very fine particles. My guess is that those fine particles formed "dams" at the bottom of the basket (when I used the dosing cup) that the water had to burst through. Grinding into the portafilter puts the fines at the top of the coffee bed, which has resulted in less spurting. That's my current theory...

[@tomvandongen8075]

Anyone who's stored Lego in a box knows this phenomenon too

[@KrivTheBard]

@@tomvandongen8075 I worked in construction, and every time I had to look through a box of random, loose screws, the tiny ones I needed were always at the bottom lol

[@HauntedSheppard]

Works in avalanches as well, as long as you're the biggest piece you have a high chance of riding it out on top. Hence the airbags are a thing

[@lukipedia]

Granular convection is a term I’ve used to describe this phenomenon. Also known as the Brazil nut effect.

[@Sprometheus]

Hey James, thanks for the shoutout my friend. The Porcupress is definitely a unique tool, but like you the WDT is my daily driver. I’ve got a similar video in production at the moment comparing extraction numbers between a handful of distribution tools, will be a great addition to this conversation. Cheers!

[@macehead]

The Spro hath been blessed on this the 29th day of March in 2022 the year of our Lord. Amen.

[@aronvandepol]

@@macehead year of our lord 2022? How old is James? 🙃

[@wakeawaken430]

Let the coffee unite us ❤️

[@_kwak]

Thanks to the both of you for pushing open coffee knowledge further! Both cafe baristas and home baristas benefit from this widely, so sincerely thanks to you both!

[@KTOWNK1D]

@@aronvandepol 40s. I think he's 42 or so.

[@sharpedance]

Your final section is perfection. Expresso making as art. Did everyone else also notice James’ reflection on the group head above the filter basket?

[@tonybernard4444]

I love that James emphasizes spending money to solve specific problems. None of your prep looks in any way excessive; it's low maintenance and easily repeatable. Every espresso machine should come with a link to this video.

[@DmitryBabanov]

I don't do espresso myself (only V60) but watching all your videos is so much pleasure. The amount of effort you put into production (video quality, sound quality) is above all expectations.

[@spiritualbeancoffee1031]

Yes. I’m a V60 guy too but really enjoy the nuances of everything in life. Questioning everything is our birthright.

[@jin_dj]

In addition to better extraction, the metal disc on the coffee tablet allows you not to clean the mesh of the group from coffee grains. So I choose to clean the disc rather than the grid group. This is a subtle but important advantage for me over paper filters

[@dominickarpf1081]

but with the paper filter on top you dont have to clean the shower either… no?

[@arturotinajero11]

@@dominickarpf1081 There's still reason to clean the shower group. Altough you won't see coffee grains after extracting, there are still coffee oils that make contact with the group, so yeah, "less mess" but still a regular cleaning will protect your expensive gear.

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

​@@arturotinajero11▪️ You forgot the H!!! A dog is a man's best friend!!! 🟥

[@PavolCeluch]

The final video of a full process was so well done. That camera shot at the end with James turning off the coffee machine, was very cinematic. Great stuff as usual.

[@ncz1-tv8tt]

Totally agree! The camera shot was so satisfying. And don't forget about the techniques James used, it's really helpful for me to make a perfect espresso at home.

[@Likeacannon]

I find it amazing that when I started in coffee 15 years ago the purpose of going to a Third Wave coffee shop was to get better coffee than you can make at home. Today the very opposite seems true. With enough time, resources, and a pinch of obsession you can make better espresso at home than almost any cafe in the world, and us in the coffee industry have yet to reckon with that reality.

[@Leapoffaith4]

I agree, coming to the reality of wanting to make espresso with my $3k setup at home more than with the $40k setup we have at work baffles me.

[@flitcroftLA]

@@Leapoffaith4 I was telling someone recently that I make better espresso with a Gaggia Classic Pro than any espresso I've had in a coffee shop, at any price. 1) I'm buying very good, very fresh beans 2) I have a good grinder in the Euruka Mignon Specialita and 3) I've messed around enough with all the small things covered in this video to get repeatedly great results. My $1K+ setup has a fairly steep learning curve and consistency isn't perfect but it can reach high highs. (The downside of this machine is the steam -- you really can't produce 3 quality milk drinks in a row and even two takes some technique).

[@Weeem]

True. I remember a slightly embarrassing tweet by a smallish boutique coffee chain asking "Which barista makes the best coffee?" The majority of replies came back that they (the public) make better coffee at home and any shop they've tried. oops 😄

[@Likeacannon]

@@Weeem and to be honest it used to be really hard to make good coffee back in the mid-Aughts. We had very little real knowledge about extraction, and therefore you needed more hands-on experience to get things right. What we have now is the natural end of the Third Wave, ironically, and the industry needs to figure out what we can now offer that is better than what the public can make at home.

[@PandaMyCo]

I used to work for some high end cafes in Chicago and remember the same thing. Now that I've been out for over 6 years and just bought my first espresso machine, I'm realizing I am way behind the game! I'm still using Stockfleth's and didn't realize that was old news.

[@TheDennzio]

Yes I like all these prep procedures...they give a sense of ceremony, meaning and intimacy to an otherwise mundane activity

[@FartPanther]

... Including the vibrator?

[@trentrushmusic]

@@FartPanther Especially the vibrator.

[@Wintermute-088]

Surely you can get that sense of meaning from what you do while, you know... drinking the coffee. Isn't sitting on the balcony with a book or walking through the streets the "ceremony" of coffee?

[@kiwikakashi]

@@Wintermute-088 almost every culture that's had tea/coffee for enough time has developed rituals and processes around its preparation. Yes, it's just a drink, but it can also be a lot more.

[@Wintermute-088]

@@kiwikakashi I don't believe any of that conflicts with what I said, though.

[@danielchipper6781]

In no way am I interested in speciality coffee, mostly because I don’t have the money but my god when im stressed or feel just shit I watch your videos and am calmed by your voice and your clear expertise! Thank you James!

[@losingitrush]

Awesome comment, but I bet you're lying to yourself about not being interested! Get into it, bud! 😋

[@danielchipper6781]

@@losingitrush I am interested I suppose but I am a chimp when it comes to addictions; If I take interest in something it become my single focus and pff goes all my money 🤣

[@franciscoweitzman8892]

@@danielchipper6781 i thought the same, but then I met my life passion and an income source:)

[@danielchipper6781]

@@franciscoweitzman8892 Thats awesome! Perhaps I should put the chimp-like obsession to a passion :)

[@paritybit7830]

If you make price-efficiency part of your obsession, it may not be nearly as bad as you think. I have replaced auto-drip and blade grinder with a V60 and a 1zpresso JX Pro ... Pourover devices are pretty cheap, and while a metal-burr hand grinder is a *lot* more expensive than a blade grinder, it's not nightmarishly expensive and should last a long time. This and technique has strongly upped my filter coffee game. I don't have espresso yet, but strongly contemplating the Nomad, a finicky plastic contraption kind of manual espresso machine, but for affordability it's hard to beat (have not seen James do a review of it, I'd like his take, although I can already imagine his conclusion will be that it makes lovely espresso but is a less than lovely 'experience', heh); alternatively, I might go with a used Gaggia and mod the heck out of it. If I ever decide I need milk drinks, there's always the nano foamer for pretty cheap or the bellman stovetop steamer for something high grade that doesn't break the bank. Of course, doing it this way does require a bit more time investment and tolerance of what James has been calling 'faff'. Oh, and btw, for scales I just have two cheap ones from walmart... The '2lb' scale does fractions of a gram and I use it just for beans, while the high-poundage scale only does whole grams but can handle the weight of a carafe and I use that just for the water pouring. I already have a stopwatch on my phone so that requires no investment. I don't need an expensive scale that can do both precision and volume and stopwatch all at once while simultaneously streaming the data via bluetooth to an app on my phone... I'd only end up just using it as a dumb if high-precision scale anyway.

[@joytimes4]

As a newbie to espresso making I am binge watching your videos. There is so much to learn and I appreciate all the knowledge and suggestions you provide. I am compiling a list of the basic items necessary and a list for future purchases after I’ve become comfortable with the process and can then decide what I really need. You have opened my eyes to a whole new world and I look forward to exploring it with you.

[@sciencescience9102]

Same here! I have been watching all his videos about expresso machines and grinders. Now down to how to make an espresso. I have some items on my list and can't wait to get them one my one!

[@Dolosxd]

How’re you doing now? I did the same thing :) I’ve gotten quite good but I don’t think I’ve gotten the grind size or milk steaming perfected yet :p

[@ch0nkyk0ng69]

To be clear to those who are newer: For a standard espresso machine experience, the only essential pieces are the machine, the bean, the grind, the portafilter, and the tamp. (and a cup to drink it out of.)

[@spiritualbeancoffee1031]

Yes Joytimes4. Tesla says Attention is the currency of the universe. I really enjoy the exploration process.

[@lukejanofski4233]

No cuz literally same

[@danielmiller5521]

Awesome. I've been tinkering around with my espresso shots for a year now. Test after test, tool after tool, and came to a similar conclusion as you. I do everything the same, just no filter and only spray when shooting for near perfect retention. I really struggled with channeling when I first acquired a bottomless portafilter. I was stumped. I was using a WDT then a metal distributer. Every shot had channeling. As soon as I stopped using the metal distributor, and started stirring a level-as-possible puck before tamping, it's been smooth sailing. Very interested in trying out the filter. Awesome video, James. Really appreciate all you do.

[@VaticDart]

I want an hour long video of James wordlessly making coffee, different ways, with that same great recoding quality of the sounds. ASMR has never done much for me, but my gods that last 90 seconds was wonderful. Great video overall. Very entertaining and interesting even as a consumer of espresso who has never pulled a shot.

[@Nuck_Gee]

Literally scrolled to find this comment because I knew I wasn’t alone

[@davidhill3043]

yes please!

[@heartdyedpurple]

Look up Peaceful Cuisine, great food/drink related “unintentional” ASMR

[@heartdyedpurple]

Also Chocolate Cacao, if you’re, well, into chocolate

[@eileenfb1948]

@@Nuck_Gee kzbin.infoUgkxlG5MLbwKG3QA9kuGkMFU_vwrS7NOMhdt a Clip on KZbin The Sound of Coffee I just made it using Clip feature below video. Enjoy

[@LeoRomanusFilms]

I sincerely appreciate the tone of your videos. Aside from them being wonderfully informative, I love the “here are some options for you to consider” delivery model. You demonstrating ALL the toys, and then offering editorial on why one may/may not want to use said toy really offers the viewer the opportunity to weigh the value based on their habits/needs. I always look forward to new content. I love your high quality content!

[@crashm161]

The way James is able to provide so much information, so fast, consistent, and clear blows my mind. Other people would take 40 minutes providing the same amount of information. Thank you James!

[@user-jm8ky1kn2t]

This might be a dig at Lance but their viewers overlap. James keeps things at a high level and Lance is able to really dig down in to the nitty gritty

[@PiotrBrykalski]

(funnel magnet pings) (needle distributor stirs) (basket taps) (tamper clicks) (Cup and scales put in place) (machine buzzes) (espresso drips) (machine clicks) (spoon stirs) (spoon taps) (James slurps) It made my day. 😄 Thanks James (and the person who does subtitles)

[@andrewbreeden4027]

Everything about James is so wholesome and pure. The fact he posts both his affiliate and non affiliate links to things. While I'm sure he makes a great living on this channel I truly believe his first and foremost goal is to share his love of coffee :)

[@Andrii_G]

As a Ukrainian I want to thank you for a couple of things. For the compassion and willingness to help and support. For doing your work and showing the passion for it. For providing guidance on how to explore the topic. While working, volunteering, going to deoccupied territories with aid, taking care of the family it's important for me to maintain a sense of normalcy. Learning new things and step by step improving my skills of working with my Gaggia Classic is a meditative experience. Thank you again. Stay well.

[@CoffeeGodAzzy]

I'm only 22 years old, going on 23, and I opened up a coffee shop last July. I've scoured the internet for resources to help me learn some tricks of the trade because culinary school did not teach me how to make proper coffee; I absolutely love your videos (sometimes I play them in my shop and people come and watch) because they've helped me learn quite a lot about how to properly treat and make coffee for people to enjoy! One day I hope in the future that I become as good as you and other people in the Industry that use your content as a refresher or a guide to better hone their skills.

[@segamble1679]

I love that you play his videos in your shop! That's brilliant! I also love cocktail channels on KZbin, and I've always thought liquor stores should have their videos on loop.

[@LeerVrijLeven]

Just want to wish you success with your coffeeshop. Amazing that you're only 22 and already own your own shop. Hope you will become as good as you aspire!

[@pizzarsvideo]

Any favourite roasters in the Montreal region? Id love to come watch some of James' content in your coffee shop.

[@CoffeeGodAzzy]

@@pizzarsvideo personally there aren’t any roasters I’m particularly fond of because they do a bunch of modifications and synthetic garbage to their beans(locally anyway or they get natural imports and ruin them with chemicals or by roasting them to oblivion) Mine are all natural Italian import (a few of my Italian relatives are quite up there in the coffee industry so they make sure that I get what I ask for, which is good natural non modified coffee). You are absolutely welcome any time you’re in the area, my shop is located at 2120 Sherbrooke east H2k 1c3 and you can find our menu on my channel :).

[@CoffeeGodAzzy]

@@LeerVrijLeven I very much appreciate it! I am trying my best to balance my new location and university and it is honestly quite hard but it’s rewarding. I’ve fulfilled all my promises to those dearest to me and I hope one day I’ll get to serve you a cup of my coffee! :)

[@Tomaschhh-k5z]

I do something I haven't seen very often online: After puck prepping, I spray my coffeebed excessively with cold water(2-4g) and this has changed my Espresso for ever. Never ever did I have a bad coffee since then. This has worked for me especially on machines without real pre-infusion(steady pressure/water-line pressure - not from a vibration pump). It also works on machines with preinfusion, but on pre-infusion machines the difference is less dramatic. So the process goes like this: Puck prep(WDT,RDT, distribute,etc.) Tamp Water spray bottle -> 10-20 pumps of Water droplets Pull your shot The theory behind this is, that the cold pre-wet coffee-powder expands and becomes softer, whereby it can be easily penetrated by the high pressure from the coffeemachine. Because the water is cold, it doesn't extract the coffee powder prior to the planned extraction in the coffee machine. Due to the pre-wet coffeepowder, the high power water pressure is less likely to disturb your puck and helps to distribute the water through your puck. One note: You need to grind a bit finer if you pre-wet for your coffebed, to keep the extraction times equal I hope that helps and I would be happy to here, if you too found it helpful in Espresso making!

[@ishkabibl]

Can you share what kind of sprayer / spraying you are doing? The amount of water getting onto / into the grinds seems important here

[@Tomaschhh-k5z]

@@ishkabibl I just use a regular small spray bottle (50ml glass spray bottle), but I would say any spray bottle with fine mist should work.

[@shahar85]

I think you and James should have a cup of coffee together...

[@TeKNiQ50]

Very interesting idea. I'll have to give this a shot.

[@Heiko_Cochius]

@@TeKNiQ50 "shot"

[@ihopethisnameisfree]

The motion under vibration of small particles to the bottom and large particles to the top is called the Brazil nut effect because it explains why the (large) Brazil nuts are always on top of a can of mixed nuts. It’s common in granular materials.

[@bbjazzmanjazzman7721]

Bullshit!!

[@willbower1839]

Also known as granular convection

[@djabroni_brochacho4644]

@@willbower1839 I prefer Brazil Nut Effect

[@isodoubIet]

Probably the one thing that actually makes a measurable difference when it comes to distribution since similar techniques are used routinely to improve drainage (gravel anyone?). Leveling and needles etc all probably make little to no difference once the thing is tamped -- stuff advects, the coffee is not going to just sit like a compressed little mound in the middle. But short of vibration nothing will create this sort of vertical gradient in average particle size.

[@jakk.7489]

​@@isodoubIet firstly, for that you would need quite a symmetric mountain to distribute evenly while tamping. Secondly, you still have the clumps. I agree that making good espresso is possible, but consistency will be more of a problem without distribution

[@MrFornicater]

I always think about how insane all this would look to the people who actually grow the coffee.

[@fgordon5575]

Imagine how Coca leaf growers must feel...

[@cold_static]

The gods must be crazy.

[@jimthebutcher99]

or to people who just want a cup of espresso.

[@CalitoProMedia]

@@jimthebutcher99 u mean a shot? espressos come in small amounts (shots). Cup of coffee u mean?

[@jimthebutcher99]

@@CalitoProMedia guess it depends on how much you like it. but yes, a shot.

[@musicmann1967]

For me the biggest boost to my espresso shots was getting a proper WDT tool. It made a big difference in the consitency of my shots. I had sort of a home made affair to save moeny but the needles were too thick and didn't do the declumping properly, although I didn't realize that for a while. When I finally got a proper WDT, I felt foolish for not getting one sooner. I still have plenty to learn, and I always love your videos! Thanks!

[@bekeneel]

But is the quality/taste of your shots than really better than a good bean to cup machine? I'm just wondering. I started to like those semi automatic machines like Breville etc but it seems quite some work to do if you make like 5 cups a day..

[@Beakerbite]

@@bekeneel Most things seen here are extremely small gains made. So small that you really have to empirically test them with a refractometer. Your placebo perception will likely have a larger effect than anything (assuming good beans, good water, good grinder, and adequate technique). In end though, there's no need to change up your coffee routine. These videos are to make you aware of what's out there and to provide answers for those who are looking to step up their game. The only important part of coffee is whether you enjoy it.

[@bekeneel]

@@Beakerbite thanks. I find more fun in trying/finding new/special beans. Like today I found some from Ethiopia that have a very citrus like taste, in an auction.

[@PugetSoundFlyer]

This is an outstanding video on all fronts, including solid instruction/guidance on making espresso. You should win some sort of award for this! Edit: I just came back from the kitchen after implementing several pieces of your methods and it solved some issues I was having with loose/sloppy pulls. Here's what I did... I cut some paper circles from (unbleached) coffee filters. I placed in the portafilter (no spouts, just holes) and wet. Next, I filled my portafilter (no measure - just a bit over the top) I ran a fork through to break up clumps. If I spilled to much to level, I simply added a bit more to top off. Then, level and used the manual method you described with a plain tamper. I pulled about 6 shots with this method and loved the results. My set up is: Expobar Control and Ranchillo Rocky grinder. I've ordered the punch and will DIY a needle/cork stirrer. Many thanks for the great advice.

[@l.u.c.a.s.]

He actually won the World Barista Championship back in the day :)

[@Falcon5ive]

I had enough with the tools and inconsistencies so bought a Oracle (non-touch), been very happy and satisfied with the ease and consistency. And after using it for a few months now, I realized I just wanted a good espresso instead of a hobby but I did enjoy all the tinkering when I had the time and energy, it was very fun.

[@anishborkar9378]

One other underrated method I like to use to distribute is use a dosing cup, put it in the portafilter, and shake it vigorously for a few seconds. Works like a charm with no channeling for me!

[@b1j]

First, I love your vibe. Next, I’m a week into this with Baratza Encore (on 3) and Bambino Plus. As for puck prep, I now create less mess since I got the Matow dosing funnel. I can almost hold the portafilter under the grinder without spilling (many) grounds. While waiting to receive a commercial WDT, I made a stopgap one with a wine cork and two paper clips (straightened and cut in half - four prongs). The prongs are 0.015” thick (!) but they help a bit. Then I tap the portafilter on a cutting board to settle. I use the tamper that came with the Breville. I find this is slightly smaller than the filter basket diameter, though, and it leaves a little outer wall of grounds around the rim. I just ease that back in with my finger. I sometimes use the Breville Razor trimming tool if the level is too high. Not really puck prep, but I discovered pre-infusion yesterday. I suspect this improves (lowers) channeling, because the left and right spouts flow more evenly now. Lots of variables!

[@ExplanatoryApe]

James - I can report that this video has levelled up my espressos! It's incredible that the small changes transformed my espresso to being below "good cafe"-level, to equal or better than "good cafe"-level (depending on the cafe). Again, thanks!

[@vrasis]

Loved the video, so informational and watched literally every second with 100% attention. I weigh my beans and grind into a dosing cup. Then aggressively use a needle distributor in the dosing cup to break up all the clumps, pour my grind into the porta filter and use the needle distributor again to just make an even basket. I tamp using using a pre set depth tamper that I can also use to "polish" I then use a mesh puck cover, main reason being it keeps my grinds off the machine for ease of cleaning. I love the paper filter technique and might give this a shot. Thanks again.

[@leatherneckprepper4477]

So over the last few years, I’ve had a cheap $$300 Dongi espresso machine. I’ve tried different beans and different things so I bought a year ago. I started grinding my own beans and recently have gotten the grind that I like for the espresso that I like. Now I’m going to up my game and get a mid-level espresso machine to do what you say which is to make the perfect cup of espresso. I spent a lot of time this morning in my grinder, which I’m ashamed to say I did not do before. Grams of beans for a two shot cup of espresso on a medium fine grind.I can’t go to fine because it taste too bitter. Thanks for all your help.

[@WSW0424]

I bought a Gaggia Classic Evo Pro for $500 a year ago (they're $400 now) and I love it because it's a standard size 58MM portafilter so you can get the VST basket and IMS screen to make it legit. The pressure spring is very easy to change to a 9 or 5.5 bar pressure valve spring. I love it because it's so simply designed and easy to upgrade/repair. I recently installed a PID temperature controller with a display screen and shot timer. I'd say I've put $200 into upgrades and it blows away anything you can get for $1,000 or under.

[@glleon80517]

Thanks, James, for this survey. When I decided to get a WDT there was a supply shortage of acupuncture needles so I just stuck a paper clip into a wine cork. Yes, the critics say this is horrible. It takes longer, but it was a game changer in improving my shots. I am still waiting for my 4 mm WDT from Etsy which seems to be coming from another planet since shipping cost more than the tool. I also got a dosing funnel which is cleaner but leaves a little edge of coffee grounds around the rim of my portafilter, sigh. I just remove the funnel and give the portafilter a wee tap on the counter as you demonstrated. I use a nice heavy tamper that my son gave me years ago and I keep two fingers on the edge to keep my tamp perpendicular to the portafilter. These three tools are all I need. Sometimes it’s the little things that end up making a big difference.

[@HatariRed]

If you can get your hands on steel guitar string, that works well for me as an upgrade from the paperclip. Takes some work getting the string into the cork, as it isn't as stiff, but I quite like my guitar-string WDT tool.

[@svetlanathomas3521]

Your reputation of “spending other peoples money by making them want things” proceeds you, my friend. 😂 ☕️

[@kupopuffs420]

Precede*

[@nuffim3277]

Precde**

[@leejones30]

pre seeds

[@melkava23]

Ahhahahahah... nailed it.

[@trenton8998]

Pre-C'd*

[@noxnext]

I wasted kilograms of expensive espresso beans by always struggling with my Sage Smart Grinder Pro. On Monday my new grinder, a Niche Zero will be delivered to me from the UK and in preparation for this happy event, I ordered my first needle distribution tool as well as a leveling tool. I‘m very happy with the needle tool and had the feeling that my coffee really tasted better after using that tool! I‘m so excited for my Niche though and expect a much better coffee experience and to eliminate those coffees that either taste too sour or too bitter. I’m ready to experiment with a lot of different espresso beans in the future! ☺️

[@wardenbatdog9868]

I've no interest in coffee making but somehow I found these videos and I can't stop watching..... I think you are hypnotic in the enthusiasm for your craft. Keep mesmerizing sir.

[@blackvulcan3]

So impressed with the addition of a filter to my first shot misery with my Breville Oracle (I use the Chemex and bought your recommended hole punch). I had changed burr setting from factory down to 4 and this enabled me to run a lot finer grid at the dial (5 settings lower) and provide a very nice ratio, and delicious smoothness. I add a filter to the top of the first puck of the day to help with channeling but the extraction is noticeably better with one filter underneath, slightly dampened for each subsequent shot. Thank you James.

[@johngilman760]

recommended hole punch and size, missed it, thanks

[@ncz1-tv8tt]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us! It's great to see how small adjustments like changing burr settings and adding filters can make a big difference in the quality of your espresso. Keep experimenting and discovering what works best for you. Happy brewing!

[@PRJohnnyT]

As a typical italian, i used to mainly just make moka coffee but got bit by the espresso bug... so I wanted to thank you James and the coffee community for helping me make espresso at home. Bought a kingrinder k6 for black friday, a 2nd hand delonghi dedica, a bottomless portafilter, and a delonghi tamper. Used some illy decafeinated beans. Tried a single shot and a double shot. By following the Hoffmann teachings, and to my surprise, both didn't channel and extracted well, like in the videos! Tasty tasy tasty. PS: on the dedica, i pull a shot without coffee right before i put the portafilter and make an espresso, as it has a better temperature on the second time around.

[@colewalliser]

I took a keycap puller, cut off the connected ends and made my own distribution tool. It works wonders lol.

[@hernancoronel]

Awesome! Two of those glued together and it could probably be the best distribution tool out there!

[@tommihommi1]

@@hernancoronel the needles are quite thick, 0.4-0.3mm needles are more effective, especially with a bottom paper filter you'll want to be more on the lower end of that, with thicker needles it's really easy to lift the paper

[@bartr2888]

Lol!! That's brilliant!

[@andrewchiappetta1262]

This is brilliant. I’ve got maybe 4 extra keycap pullers around. Wish I thought of this before I bought one.

[@haiang6949]

lol, creative

[@shiftyjesusfish]

Love your work James. I used to work in a nice coffee shop and got myself hooked on espresso made on machines I'll never be able to afford but with the content you have put out I really have been able to maximize my broke-ass at home setup. A million thanks 😊

[@megannason3649]

I finally got my first little second hand espresso machine and this info is golden. I’m hoping with a better grinder and the new portafilter I ordered for it it will produce nice espresso

[@megannason3649]

My update on my setup would be puck prep is everthing for gettinbthe most out of a cheap machine

[@maseeukhan]

Dear Mr. Hoffman, I just recently discovered your channel. Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge so clearly and deeply. I have been drinking coffee for the last 30 years, but finally learned what coffee is. All thanks to you. I adopted all your suggestions as best as I could. Now, feels like I just tasted coffee for the first time in my life! Its a whole new experience. Thank you, thank you so very much, once again.

[@mostwanted189]

As always loved the whole process. Watching James always reminds me the quote " the more you know the more you know you dont know". One thing i have noticed is that when pressing the tamper down the elbow angle to shoulder is very bad if its wide open. It doesnt really matter at home for brewing around three four shots but for people working at cafe its better to keep the elbow close to your body as to not hurt shoulder..

[@sk8eroy]

I'm happy to see the workflow I arrived at myself is not too far off from yours James. I tried a wedge distributor but the shallow wedge always gave me the nagging feeling it was tamping first and distributing second. Now I strictly use a WDT tool before using a tamper with a ledge that assures a level bed. I've also opted to use mesh screens over paper filters hoping to somewhat reduce paper waste. I don't find cleaning it to be a hassle whatsoever, and I really appreciate how it keeps grounds out of my shower screen. Great content!

[@Angarsk100]

Being surrounded by people who just don't care about precision and knowledge, I really wish there were more people like James in my city, I'd be at his store every day, both for the coffee, and for the talk.

[@supra107]

I love how the entire bit starting from 18:49 is a massive ASMR fest and when James does the slurp at the end it gets cut off abruptly :D

[@planetwasabi]

honestly that whole scene was BEAUTIFUL audio visual and i just want that as a separate video to watch for a daily dose of healing tbh

[@eileenfb1948]

@@planetwasabi You can make a short clip of it for around a minute and it will play in a loop and be saved in your KZbin library - at the very end of the library. Press CLIP then play around with the timing.

[@GTRGTX999]

He knows what he's doing hahahahha

[@riffle91ar]

I laughed a little at that. It was like slur without the p 😅

And why exactly do you love that? Do objects not make sounds in your life?

[@ninatkachenko1480]

Watching you for a couple of years now. Your material is incredible and has significantly improved my coffee game. However, what made me write this comment is your last note. I'm from Ukraine, also currently in Ukraine and it's incredibly rare for any kind of non-political bloggers to mention the war that's going on in my country, let alone do anything for us. So, huge thank you, James, and best success with whatever you are doing now.

[@t0rn]

Great timing as I've very recently embarked on creating great espresso at home! I definitely went a bit crazy, because of FOMO, and bought a few of these already. Thanks, as always, James for inspiring coffee enthusiasm and for making entertaining videos.

[@nodnarbyakcam]

Grinding into a dosing cup (instead of directly into basket) changed my espresso extractions game. Doesn't matter what grinder I use, it is always super beneficial!

[@riyadh1121]

Why is that?

[@nodnarbyakcam]

@@riyadh1121 Static and distribution is the main reasons that I can see. But it works so well for me.

[@chameleon0ff]

James, thank you for supporting the Ukrainian people! All of Ukraine and our coffee community are very grateful to you! 💛💙 The influence of paper filters and WDT on espresso was really a discovery for me. When I worked as a barista in coffee shops, there was no time to experiment properly, but with the purchase of Gaggia Classic, I finally started it. In my opinion, WDT gives a slightly more predictable result due to fewer lumps that can create channels for water. And paper filters give a cleaner, but less dense taste in espresso. For example, using anaerobic natural Papua New Guinea Grass Roots (3 Champs roastery, Ukraine, Kyiv) without a paper filter, we get an explosion of tropical fruits and dark alcohol with a very high density, like in syrup. But with a filter, the taste becomes more restrained, closer to mango and dark berries, and the body becomes a little lighter and this coffee becomes a little more drinkable.

[@ohboyd]

Dilemma, do I 1) Make myself a coffee to enjoy while watching a new James Hoffmann video, or 2) wait until after the video to apply my new knowledge and make a better coffee?

[@thickandthinking]

Make one to go with the video and one after and compare the experience. 😊

[@FlashGeiger]

I've given away my espresso gear, but the novel item I made wasn't in your list. To securely hold my portafilter when tamping, I took an ice hockey puck (I'm Canadian, eh) to the machine shop at work. I drilled a hole through the centre, then a shallow conical hole around that, then milled a groove out to the side to hold the handle. It worked very well, and my daughter likely still uses it when they get out the ROK I gave them, although they seem to be having fun lately getting various coffee gear at thrift shops. (I may be responsible for that after telling them about my 1950s coffee siphon I got for $20 at a thrift store)

[@alexanderschmidt8305]

I've already put hockey grip tape to my handgrinder. I definitly need to do that puck holder you mention for my setup.

[@remnant24]

It's not on the list possibly because it's not a puck prep tool. Same reason he didn't include tamping mats.

[@underscoremouse8771]

I generally find that small batch to batch variations in grinding characteristics of the beans dwarfs most impacts of puck prep, with two exceptions. 1) needling definitely helps even the puck and prevent channeling. 2) over tamping can lead to residual stresses among particles that result in puck cracks and channeling after the grounds get wet. So don’t overtamp.

[@ianmitchell4745]

Oh yeah, above I commented that puck prep was one of the most important things, I guess I just figured that this goes without saying.

[@underscoremouse8771]

@@cartier13 within limits. I think it’s more accurate to say there’s a very wide window of pressures that result in equivalent puck. however, in my experience, if you over press, it becomes harder to have even pressure and you can crack the puck. Also, espresso has a little bit of springiness. so if you press too hard the puck can have anisotropic residual stress that results in cracking as soon as it gets wet. It’s similar to an effect that occurs with pressed ceramic powders prior to sintering.

[@edipisreks5535]

Great remedial video! I’m a huge fan of revisiting process, as it’s easy to get into bad habits. This is also perfect for new espresso dorks, of course. Just a note; the current version of the Flair 58 uses a screen only. It’s kind of a pain when knocking out the portafilter, but it certainly works to distribute the water. That suggests to me that they work very well to distribute water. :) I just got a Happy Tamper. It’s very nice, and very well designed, and very clever, but it’s absurdly expensive. But “absurdly expensive” is of course the name of the game with home espresso. One last edit! I have quit using a needle distributor or wedge and use the Weber Blind Shaker with my Niche. Putting a 2.5 inch neodymium magnet into the base with double sided tape makes it snap into place like it was made for it. I find I get excellent results with the shaker, and it’s quick and easy.

[@ianmitchell4745]

Being a home barista for about 8 years now, I have a nice prosumer setup about $2500 worth of equipment. Personally I don't think there is any aspect as important as puck prep. I always pull naked (portafilter, not me) so I've watched this very closely. I have it down to grinding whilst tapping the portafilter, stirring down to the bottom with a cake tester that I've cut short, tapping the portafilter again for some better distribution, using a wing type (I'm forgetting what you called it) distribution tool, tamp and go. I like about 19g in, 28 out at between 25 and 30 seconds on my La Spaziale which has a narrow but deeper portafilter. This is pretty consistent for me although occasionally something will go horribly wrong. I wouldn't mind getting a multi-pinned distribution tool. And I think vibration may be underrated. I'd never seen the vibration tool you used, but my feeling is it has not been perfected. I think someone could make one that would be all you would need.

[@ianmitchell4745]

Someone below mentioned batch to batch grind setting as the most important thing, I wrote the above with the assumption that this goes without saying. Within each bag of coffee, I believe puck prep is the most important aspect.

[@wesKEVQJ]

I just wanted to say thank you. The knowledge I gained from watching you has vastly inproved my espresso. I was doing things wrong. Seriously, thank you.

[@TorschtenLP]

Hi James, awesome video as always! Little hint: I am using the dosing funnel also during the process of grinding - less waste and less coffee powder to clean up afterwards. All the best from Germany!

[@pietrogigante5930]

This is an amazing video!! So inspiring! I saw coffeetenders making espresso this way in Bucharest and I was fascinated by the care put in and the slowness of the process, as opposed to the quickness usually needed to work in a bar! Hope as many people as possible may experience something like this :)

[@spiritualbeancoffee1031]

Attention is the currency of the universe •Tesla•💜

[@uAdrien]

Could you please tell me the locations that serve such coffee? Thanks!

[@pietrogigante5930]

@@uAdrien In Bucharest, the coffee bar is called Perfect Simplu, there's one next to park Cișmigiu, but there's also others, since it's a franchise!

[@SamSkorokhodov]

I like how financially conscious Mr. Hoffmann is. Do not rush to buy anything until you get to the best level with what you have. You can not make an amazing cup of coffee if your basic and preliminary steps are not done correctly.

[@luisvanegas1039]

I love how nerdy this whole espresso world is. The amount of trial and error, countless KZbin videos. Tons of wasted coffee dialing in your grinder. Understanding shot times, temp and pressure. Lots of unnecessary tools and frustrations. Just to properly extract a shot of espresso. Love it.

[@scottklandl488]

The truth is espresso, like beer tastes like garbage, and men have invented all these hoops, games, shows and machismo in order to force down these horrible beverages

[@luisvanegas1039]

@@scottklandl488 don’t know why your talking about. Both beer and coffee are delicious. Lol.

[@jen2318]

I didn’t understand that I’d be wasting coffee when I got into espresso and all that is dialing in, but here I am.

[@emidior7948]

This episode improved the quality of the espresso I make as I improvised by mixing the grounds with a fork and tapping the basket with my hands to even out the distribution of the coffee(as well as drying the basket prior to filling it).To my amazement,the resulting espresso was smoother in taste as well as having a lighter volume of crema!

[@gothicwitch19]

I used a skewer

[@ncz1-tv8tt]

感谢您的分享，您的实践和改进与我们的视频主题非常契合，也让大家能够得到更好的成果。请继续保持创新和探索，享受更好的咖啡体验。

[@labarbovent]

Let’s not forget about the ritual… it can take all the time needed, that’s what make this moment so special.

[@Naegimaggu]

12:10 I didn't have easy access to Chemex papers so I opted for the scientific papers. To be on the safe side, I used the paper detailing the effects of lipids in espresso on LDL cholesterol levels and it has worked wonders for me personally. It seems none of the lipids can penetrate the hard facts packed into these papers, keeping my heart safe.

[@allycat0612]

This is super interesting! As someone looking to make some changes in my/my partner’s habits to reduce cholesterol, do you have any recommendations for the paper / where do you buy it? Thank you!!

[@Naegimaggu]

​@@allycat0612I used the Trømso study one. You can find it for free from many science journals, The National Library of Medicine or ScienceDirect and just print it out. I also recommend this scientific paper specifically in your case: doi:10.1177/2053951720972735

[@RJ-wx3fh]

​@@allycat0612I think the joke was a pun on 'scientific paper' as in the published research/' lab filter paper' as in the filter paper used in scientific processes

[@ChristianTheChicken]

Lovely video, James. One of your most entertaining in a while. I like the unexpected ASMR section at the end. On another note, I have just purchased a ROK Grinder GC and in the process of doing so had discovered their W1 pourover. They claim that the "W" shape will provide a more consistent, even extraction of coffee than the typical "V" shape. I am curious if you could make a video on this or perhaps some other, strange shapes of pourover.

[@Lu_Woods]

The W1 looks interesting

[@moe-moon]

Hello James. I have an Delonghi Dedica where a use a certain type of bean. I have the beans ground on an EK43 after trial and error of getting the grind size perfect. My steps are: - Run the machine with naked portafilter (also heating up the cup) - Dry the portafilter and empty the cup - Weigh ground with dosing ring - Needle within dosing ring - Use distributor - Tamp (Stainless steel by hand) - Run machine with timer and weight That's about it. The WDT tool is new to me and I'm going to experiment with a puck screen. Interesting to note your view on the distributor. I'm not an enthusiast so this is very much a poor man's setup at home as optimised as it can be with the grinding being dealt at at the coffee shop. The only change I would make would be not to the machine, but rather use a single dose grinder.

[@AdamDallas]

That espresso prep at the end is possibly the best unintentional (or maybe intentional) ASMR I've ever experienced. Definitely made me want to go and make an espresso right now.

[@TheRflynn]

No, he does that intentionally. Sound is a feature of more than a few videos.

[@bratdfortd]

That bit about FOMO really exemplifies why I respect you so much

[@lucabennert1100]

I am looking forward to becoming an obsessed espresso nerd, too. First of all anybody I habe seen from this "community" online is so kind. And I cannot imagine a more relaxing way to start my day. Great video really.

[@FartPanther]

ESPRESSO POWERED NERD ENERGY!!!!

[@the_interim]

I was thinking "wait, I don't remember watching this video before" and checked the upload date. "14 minutes ago"

[@carminelombardi9575]

I never imagined that I would get so into brewing coffee, but I have. I am a beginner, so I went online to do my due diligence, to better educate myself and gain from the experience of others. Your channel has giving me the best teaching and honest opinions as to brewing methods and techniques, as well as product reviews. I want to thank you, your making my journey into this fabulous hobby so much easier, and more passionate.

[@RC534]

I use the Londinium needle distribution tool with the loops that James doesn't like 😉. For me it's fine. Although it was a bit expensive and could definitely recommend the wine-cork tip. I also use a wedge distributor after that. Not so much because of the distributing it does, but because it creates a nice level surface. I use a Barista Hustle tamper which is completely flat instead of convex like many other tampers. This combination of first having a level surface and a completely flat tamper makes it rather easy to do good even tamping and not skewing to one side.

[@ballietoflexheim]

I use the londinium dist tool and the Pullman wedge and a Decent tamper Works great with the LR. I have a Ceado 37S grinder which is great.

[@nicolasgauthier5359]

I truly miss manually preparing an espresso, but with two young boys to attend to, the fully automatic machine has to do it for me. The puck prep is part of the coffee ritual, which builds anticipation thus appreciation to the drink you make.

[@potkettle]

Haha, this rings so true. From turning on my machine on Saturday morning, to drinking the finished espresso, there was a 4 and a half hour gap.

[@Cynyr]

@@potkettle Saturdays tend to be a 1.5 hour gap between getting the beans and drinking the coffee for me. So i know how that goes. Post way through someone wants more cereal, then the dog wants to go out, then someone else spilled their juice, etc. Etc. All before that caffeine hit.

[@dbmayne]

My name is Colonel Sanders, and I'm an enthusiastic beginner aspiring to be an intermediate.This is intermittently helpful (the paper-lined basket yielded a somewhat markedly different product. In order to find out whether that step is necessary, I need to perform more tests) and also one of the most, let's say, challenging things, regardless of subject, that I've seen. That includes the television show "Frasier." While your knowledge is beyond refute, 'm just glad that this video didn't last 23 minutes.

[@PhantomO799]

Hi James, I am a Ukrainian and I am grateful for your support in our fight for freedom. Your content is very interesting and informative and your personal stance only reinforces in me the vision of what a good person you are.

[@venanciocastroviejojimenez6414]

Jajaja,ukrania fue vendida a Black Rock ,jamás seréis un país libre,estáis en manos de EEUU para lo bueno y para lo malo ,más de ésto último

[@K03sport]

Definitely wish you and your country/countrymen the best. I hope 1 day soon, the world will know and acknowledge your hardships and sacrifices.💙💛

[@IanHarrisP]

A WDT too has made a world of difference. The even extraction that it aids my Breville Smart Grinder Pro in producing is wonderful. WDT is a worthy investment, to be sure. Thoroughly enjoyed the ASMR as well.

[@royalishfamily4826]

I have a smart grinder pro as well. Which WDT did you get?

[@claptoned0]

Best channel on YT for the real coffee lovers ! In all fields, details are the most important settings to get perfection.

[@maxhaibara8828]

20:35 damn he's teasing us with a half slurp now

[@Beakerbite]

Perfectly Cut Slurps

[@tintin0linguistics]

James, I've only recently started watching your channel, but have loved coffee my whole life and for me, the ultimate brewing method was always the cezve. It makes me very sad that despite coffeeshops embracing literally every other brewing method, Turkish coffee remains outside gourmet coffee culture whatsoever. I can understand some underlying reasons for that - it is traditionaly offered very overextracted in the Middle East, it takes time, it is hard to make consistently, etc., but with proper skill all that can be overcome and it can be a really unique drink! It is startling to me, that not only do you not have a single video dedicated to it (while having videos about instant coffee!), you don't even mention it once in all of your videos (apart from a reposted video on Syrian espresso culture)! Especially since you've frequently mentioned your appreciation for immersion brewing. Sorry for sounding so bewildered, but I almost am offended on behalf of this amazing drink. I really love your analytical approach and would love to hear your thoughts on Turkish coffee and its startling absence from your channel and modern coffee culture in general. (Please like guys to get it up in the comments)

[@ystebadvonschlegel3295]

We recently started experimenting with Turkish coffee and agree with you 100% - it’s wonderful and I’d love to hear some from James about it!

[@crediblesalamander8056]

It is very strange indeed. My best guess is that most grinders simply can't grind fine enough for Turkish coffee, but that's not a good excuse for Hoffman.

[@peaches7487]

In our coffee shop we have a fixed routine for espresso prep. 1. We zero out the weight of our portafilter 2. We slap on the dosing collar and dose our grounds. At the same time we use a needle distributor to break up the clumps as the portfilter is being dosed. It saves us a lot of time. 3. We also use the ST anthony Wedge Distributor after the coffee is declumped. 4. We tamp with the ST anthony model S tamper, but there's a calibrated tamp that baristas can also use. I don't use it out of personal preference. All of our baristas are amazing coffee careerists and always love to bring in new experimental toys, but this routine is generally our standard. The only person who doesn't follow the routine ironically is the owner, who simply tamp without any sort of prep

[@DK-nz7vq]

We are about to get an espresso machine at work and I cannot quite put into words the excitement I’m feeling at the thought of finally putting the past two years of religiously watching James’ videos into practice. Sure, my productivity will fall down to 0 and I will lose all my friends but it will all be worth it for the incommensurable joy I’ll get from using my homemade cork distributer while looking with disdain at “coffee uneducated” colleagues i.e. barbarians, tamping their clumpy puck as I explain to them the intricacies of channeling and puck prep. Oh what a day this will be!

[@YoshiLover2012]

sounds like alot of hard "work" to be done.. ;)

[@missredhead5995]

“…we‘ve covered a lot of grounds…” HA! 😂

[@Bobcat-k7g]

Love your attention to detail James. Too few people are so passionate and committed to their crafts. You have spiked my interest in coffee. I’m going to experiment. Thanks. 👍

[@Photosandfood]

As always, I loved the video! Your videos are so polished and informative. My pallet isn’t refined enough to notice those little nuances. I have a lot of respect for people who can tell the difference between shots with the extra effort. I try to balance the effort for my own cups of Java. I want it to be quick and tasty. I have considered the wdt tool. It looks interesting and I feel like it might improve my own experience. I might end up making one with cork and acupuncture needles to test it before investing in one.

[@flyanotherday_original]

Lovely video! So helpful. Thanks James

[@hasanzaidi5258]

Lol 😂 you saw the whole video in 1min

[@unknownidentity9744]

@@hasanzaidi5258 10x speed ;)

[@unknownidentity9744]

no 20x😅

[@dustinemauricio516]

It has only been a minute since the vid was posted. You must be living in another dimension😦

[@zoewall3588]

i like all the prep, but was thankful for the information and honesty about what you actually "need"... I'm just starting out to this (have the cheapest machine and tools ever), but my mind was put to rest that I can just use what I have and slowly practice/build on the craft.

[@aniou8126]

Thank you for teaching us so thoroughly about everything coffee/espresso. There already seem to be a lot of steps so I’ll just throw this out there as one more (from a baker’s perspective): why don’t you sift the ground coffee through a small sieve to break up the clumps? That would ensure very even particulate matter before tampering.

[@dlevi67]

I think - but stand ready to be corrected - that the problem with any sieving is that it tends to 'layer' things, with small particles ('fines') coming out of the sieve first, and larger particles ('boulders', in coffee terms) later. When baking, typically what gets sieved is then mixed into a dough before being baked, so the problem goes away, but with coffee there is no further mixing.

[@bluemarb1e787]

So my thought on “why not sift” is that since we’re trying to get a pretty small mass of coffee grounds through a sieve, we might run into issues with the sieve retaining a substantial percentage of the grounds. It also sounds to me like you would end up with fines out the bottom of sieve first, so you might end up with slower flow like the effect you get from the vibration distributor that James brings up. Would like to see a test comparing at some point tho, cool idea!

[@dlevi67]

@@bluemarb1e787 Retention can be adjusted - just choose a sieve mesh of appropriate size. Sorting cannot, at least not without major remixing, which may create clumps, which need sieving, which sorts the particles, which...

[@gmofftarki]

Interesting that you're using the Specialita as a single-doser. Have you considered looking into some of the mods that claim to make it perform better in that context (either by tilting it forward some amount or by adding a bellows to blow stuff out of it, or by helping prevent popcorning or whatever)? I just use the hopper and burn a couple grams every day to rinse out any of the old stuff stuck in the machine, but would be very interested in hearing your experiences since you have the grinder on hand.

[@stirfryjedi]

Yeah I was surprised by that as well, I felt like it just kind of stood in for a prosumer grinder that the typical home barista owner might have. Really hope he reviews it too and thanks for the heads up about the mods.

[@petemactaggart]

@@stirfryjedi Yep, I'm sure he has better grinders at his disposal, but I'm glad he uses some equipment that we mere mortals possess. Not sure I can make the same comment on the coffee machine...

[@sumerlynn82]

I have no desire to do any of that. I’m just here to listen to your voice, which is amazing not just because of your accent but also because of the tone. So relaxing!!

[@ronnyskaar3737]

I regret buying an espresso machine. I didn't know it would take over my life, make me a slave to it and a nerd unable to relax with friends without thinking of my last shot and what to tweak.

[@qwerty197311]

Additionally, I'll add that the puck screen will pretty much negate most of any backflow of grounds into the machine, so you don't have to cafiza flush the machine as frequently. Way easier to soak the mesh along with the basket cafiza soak than do the whole flush and lever relube routine with E61s.

[@tommihommi1]

top paper is even easier to clean

[@oGoggles]

Absolutely agree. Much happier to soak a puck screen and cafiza clean the group less often.

[@ret13yrs]

The sound of your espresso machine turning on/warming is so cool! Like the beginning of an 80's rock song. 😎

[@jimsjacob]

I’ve been using my corn on the cob skewers to serve as the sworks stir thingy…. Seems to work and I have a bunch in the drawer. LOL

[@Chris173972]

Nice tip! Simple & cheap way to do it

[@WiliamShattner]

Ha, I’ve been doing that too.

[@DZ-nt7ow]

20:58 “it’s horrifying to see and we want to support it in some way” James you monster.

[@sjsmith801]

There are so many coffee snobs who may follow these basic techniques, but don't even understand why they are doing it or what the benefit is. It's nice to see a video that shows what to do but also explains why it's important, what problem it's solving etc.

[@im-a-trailblazer]

I feel like I graduated from Espresso University in 20 minutes.

[@cheekster777]

Exactly what us coffee geeks needed! 😃 Thanks so much, James. 🙏🏻