Tamping Coffee: Does it really make a difference?

[@alanst.4417]

Finally a comprehensive and evidence-based video on tamping, answering the important questions and busting some common myths. Thank you so much, guys!

[@danman281]

Dang. A video that actually makes sense, gets straight to the point, and does it methodically. Thanks for sharing the knowledge

[@mrpaulus609]

The end of the 30 lb tamp myth! You've saved many a wrist with this video. Thanks.

[@whoami724y]

@@connercruz2762 definitely sus

[@rAustinBall]

10kg is 22lbs of pressure so not that far off of 30

[@kubectlgetpo]

That's not true. They did not compare a control of no tamp.. they say that any tamp over a certain pressure (10 kg) doesn't make a difference while being below 30 kg.

[@kubectlgetpo]

@@rAustinBall exactly.. had they done 1lb 5lb 10lb etc, it would have been more useful. But point is that you don't have to worry about "over tamping"

[@rAustinBall]

@@kubectlgetpo ya it’s just all anyone talks about these days is under tamping or just using a distribution tool. So people will be looking at this as confirmation that pressure doesn’t matter.

[@TheAndrewc5120]

For how environmentally at risk good coffee relatively is, it surprises me that the tech behind it has had amazing QoL leaps and bounds in just the couple years since this video was made. tamping stations, calibrated tampers, puck distribution tools, and infinite knowledge on youtube are right there for anyone wanting to approach home barista greatness. all you really need for good espresso is a solid machine, grinder, and know how to adjust grind for pulling shots. Everything else is a series of steps that you just have to perform adequately. Your tamp is now always level and always pressed firm enough, your grounds are now always as evenly distributed as possible with WDT, your extraction levels (as long as your grind is appropriate) are always optimal with puck screens. add fresh, world class beans, a niche zero, and a decent espresso and ANYONE can be capable of pulling the greatest shots across multitudes of varieties and styles for every conceivable drink. of course the cost is great, both time and money, but you no longer have to dedicate your life to the craft on a professional or semi-professional level to get near the top.

[@markbotta8567]

I was always taught that the tamp wasn't that important as long as it was level and the pressure was consistent - tamp to tamp. It seems your experimentation bears that out. Excellent video!

[@alimirzaei8456]

I used to press hard and harder and twist it like a propeller!!. what a relief! I had doubts about it but keep doing it for so long!...and finally the old question answered... thank you!

[@darilietas]

Wow, thank you for this quick, on-point video and not adding any pretentious personal opinions about coffee-making! It's really a rarity when it comes to content about making coffee :D

[@harryscottelliott8970]

Lol

[@damienLOVEs]

Love how you explained the tamping pressure with the kiwi, finally i really get the idea of how heavy should i tamp! Thanks

[@weswheel4834]

That made me laugh. Prior to this we were all practicing with some scales, now we just need a bag of kiwi fruit ;)

[@taroman7100]

I've saved ALL your vids. It's all in the details and you guys do it best! Thank you. Happy tamping🙂

[@cappuccinogoodfinger]

For the safety of our wrists, I’m glad more and more people has proven that hard-tamping is not as necessary as level-tamping - or even necessary at all... I still, however, fall to the old sinful habit of polishing my coffee bed after tamping just to make it beautiful - this is harder to resist than tamping hard...

[@DannyKapatrik]

Who the hell has broken their wrist from tamping coffee? Lol wimp

[@drazenbabich]

Thanks for this. Too many new home baristi are constantly looking at areas to shorten workflow when making their brew (which isn't necessary a bad thing) - replacing tamping with leveling/distribution tool is the one you see mentioned quite often these days. It doesn't help that even some of the well known names in the industry like Marc from Whole Lotta Love changed his tune recently by stating "the leveler is your tamper". Every time I come across that kind of stuff I cringe, sorry. Anyway, stay well and keep up the good work.

[@brianharder7714]

This is great. I rarely make espresso but when I do it's with a ROK machine so not particularly sophisticated. After watching this, I realize that my inability to pull a shot sometimes is not due to tamp pressure but rather grind size. Definitely an "ah ha" moment. Good work.

[@ghas4151]

The twist without applying pressure at the end of the tamp helps keep the tamping surface of the tamper clean. When I tamp without twisting at the end I find that bits of grind stick to the tamper.

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

It definitely does! Can also help to ensure your tamp is kept somewhere dry when not in use, this also will help. We try to minimise the twist so as not to introduce any potential RSI issues with the wrist whilst applying force or after. Another reason for the twist is with competition precise machined baskets and tamps, the twist helps to remove any chance of a vacuum pulling pucks up out of the baskets when removing the tamp too fast.

[@nichols1969]

Would love a comparison between tampers and levelers. Also, a naked portafilter would show the difference in the extractions much better. Thanks for the video!

[@bigglyguy8429]

Yeah, I'm wondering if a heavy distribution tool does the tamping for you really? At least it would be very consistent

[@ggivensjr]

Yeah if you don't use a naked portafilter you're hiding any imperfections in distribution and tamp.

[@MaakBow]

Yep. I diy'ed all my portafiltas to bottomless around 1999-2000 (with a holesaw and file)...I watch every single shot. You get to learn what's happening in the basket and how it will taste by what you see. It's now, to me, very difficult to dial in a bean without a bottomless.

[@kevjmu]

Great video on tamping. I have significantly improved my tamping focusing on a level tamp then tamping force. Glad to see that it doesn’t matter about force from your test results.

[@michaelperine2780]

My experience is that the extraction time and extraction pressure is predominately correlated to two variables, fineness of the grind and tamping pressure. The finer I grind the coffee the less tamping pressure it takes to get a thirty second extraction in the middle of the proper extraction pressure as shown on the gage on my machine. If the grind is too coarse, I can increase the extraction time and pressure by tamping really hard. If the grind is two fine and I tamp too hard, the pressure gage shoots up to the top of the dial and it takes much longer to get an extraction. I believe that the coffee's roast and brand may also be variables, but I have not yet been able to test that hypothesis.

[@csanton3946]

Those 2 (grind and tamper pressure) are valid points for extract time. Roast no effect on time but on extracting flavors, yes. If light roasted its harder to extract flavors and so better to grind it fine and tamp it hard to have the resistance so the water can extract. If dark roasted, you can do coarser than the light roasted coffee and tamp not as hard and ull be able to extract the flavora

[@paulgao206]

Amazing video for beginners like me! Great to know how to hold the tamper correctly and how to use my body weight to tamp the coffee.

[@SuperOpinion8ed]

Great info. I spin my tamper before pressing to more evenly distribute the grounds. I don’t have a separate tool for that but I know they make one. Then Press down firmly and give a 1/4 twist before relieving pressure. Yours is the first vid I’ve seen to address the evenness of the tamp vs angled. Great demo.

[@eugene9661]

Excellent tutorial.

[@fishingtacklechannel]

This was very helpful!

[@RedRoverTW]

Just use WDT and a leveler and calibrated tamper that sit level on the edge of the basket. By eliminating as many variables as possible, you raise your chances of success dramatically. Works every time for me. Honestly, I don't even think I need WDT, but it takes only a few more seconds.

[@rawimpact]

finally, my wife has been upset about having a pressure press on the kitchen counter for that 5 ton tamp

[@CaptainBearddd]

Super smooth editing there : 5:12

[@f87115]

Are u wearing a ring on ur thumb?.. funny you have nailed the stereotypical barista look .. I’m subbed

[@morlockgallery]

Very detailed, excellent demonstration as you explain.. and pros n cons..Thank You.

[@TheEffortlessMan]

This was so helpful, especially for a beginner like myself that started on this hobbie today! Thank you for the amount of work put into making this informative video. Blessings. ☕

[@amielterence]

Brilliant video.

[@fray2748]

Simple physics, once you've tamped until the puck won't get any lower, no amount human powered pressure will compact it any further...

[@pakcokok88]

I love your channel, thank you for sharing. help me a lot. Thank you so much for sharing and great video. You guys are awesome. Cheers mate.

[@VideoShowMeHow]

Very good, thanks heaps guys!

[@matrixofdeath]

If you haven't got a powerfull coffee machine pressure wise such as gaggia for instance, tamping while having fine grind tends to clog block the coffee flow very frustrating.

[@michaelpiersol1746]

Just saw this Mahalo great information my issue is a 20-30 second time for extraction can not get it right

[@stevejessemey8428]

Fantastic information. Finally someone providing useful tips without saying a bunch of uhhhhhhs , ahhhhhhs and ummmms.

[@ggivensjr]

I'm more interested in distribution. I use naked portafilter and have to get channeling. I have found channeling occurs more on edges of puck. That is why I tap my combo distribution and tamp tool against tabs on portafilter to ensure coffee is not clumped in middle. I find that surface distribution tool doesn't help distribute coffee deep in basket.

[@infomercialguy]

Great video. Questio. I love a good espresso. but, i don't feel like tamping. Can i just buy a "bean to cup" fully automatic machine and get similiar results?? or, is that sinful to say out lout????? if so, any suggestions on brands?

[@ComposerKuandohan]

This is a good video, but I would like to have seen comparisons between tamped, and untamped, or even hand flattened.

[@MirAuch94]

legends for diagrams would be really helpful. What data is shown at 3:15 for example?

[@normanodell2277]

Great video and very informative.

[@markbellingham4536]

Thank you for your help 🙏🙏

[@quaxenleaf]

I’d like you to discuss the usefulness of the BPlus puck screen. I use this in conjunction with WDT. Using a Linea Mini, I’ve noticed that extractions are more consistent - no channeling at all - and it keeps the shower screen and group head overall very clean. I also use the Decent tamper which insures even puck compression. What’s you your take on this added bit of kit?

[@escorreganomeupiru]

Muito elucidativo seus vídeos. Precisando de café aqui do Brasil. Tenho amigos que produzem cafés extraordinários aqui. Acima de 90 pontos SCA.

[@atfp8292]

Subscribed because of this video.

[@theartisancoffeeroaster2751]

Great Video! Always great content & well presented! Sharp Josh,

[@AllergicToLies]

thank you kindly!

[@SynysterHenrik]

Great video! Saved for future use also. However, you mentioned keeping a consistent tamp pressure when instead adjusting grinding size day-to-day at 6:45. But if light or heavy tamp pressure doesn't matter, why should keeping a consistent tamp pressure matter?

[@hisdudeness79]

This is exactly what I was gonna ask. Not to be a smartass of course, but just looking to create the best, most consistent quality in the cup of our customers, with the least amount of hassle. Other than that, thanks for a very interesting video! Greetings from Amsterdam.

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

yes, the wording was a little unclear there. you do need to tamp hard enough to compress the grounds (that was the kiwifruit bit), but beyond that, harder tamping doesn't really effect the flow rate. The point at 6:45 is to focus on the grind adjustment and keep the other parts of your technique the same.

[@The_ViciousOne]

@@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters Exactly what I was thinking... After all, by slightly adjusting tamp pressure, you can to a certain degree, compensate for finer or more coarse grinds... But i also agree that "heavy weight Tamping" isn't something really useful, since at some point the compression won't increase anymore in a meaningful way, as its limited by the fineness of the grind. In addition there are certainly other adjustments you can do before even thinking about adjusting your standard tamp pressure.

[@lokyeeyeung1415]

key notes; -tamping reduces channeling - amount of pressure doesn't reli matter. -even/level tamping is important to secure better shot (minimum channeling). >>based on that it is justifiable to get a palm tamper???

[@AndrewChang1]

Agreed, even with just a palm distribution tool I feel like it does the job (as long as I set the depth low enough to apply some pressure).

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

nice summary. we didn't test different styles of tampers specifically, however the palm tampers look like they tick the boxes. if you're using it in a cafe, I would just make sure it's not adding extra strain to your body.

[@alexlazaridisf.7276]

Great. Really clear.

[@suekleinsmith2151]

Great video! Very helpful!

[@HerUnboxing]

great info ! i didn't know about tamping level. Thanks

[@pamelasmith3533]

Coz came across a cafe where they use a spreader and a tamper ( I mean after the spreading the measured doze and then they tamp)

[@KeithHuang]

Nice explanation, thanks

[@holechannel8031]

good information, looking forward the next video

[@Dejan_23Unlimited]

Thank you 👍🏼

[@boroborable]

A bit confused, for very fine espresso grind, isn't too much or less tamping really makes the flow restricted ? I know for this video concludes it but its tested for only 1 grind settings?...

[@timmilatte]

I would be interested to see how much of a difference it makes if you tamp crooked and then forced it straight. I’ve always just taken it for granted that it would be terrible but now I think I might test it out haha

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

good question, we didn't test that specifically.

[@nickwilson2318]

we can probably guess can't we? It would be better than crooked but perhaps not as good as a good tamp first go. What causes crooked tamp to "channel" (which I'd argue is a kinda misleading and misunderstood term because it implies a shot can either channel or not, when in reality every shot channels to some degree or another. That is to say "channeling" is just an example of unacceptably uneven "exposure", which might be a useful word to popularise) is the difference in how far the water has to travel from the bed to the base of the basket. If you correct your tamp, you presumably avoid that problem. But! It probably also causes the side of the "bed" (or whatever you wanna call it) that was initially too high to be more compacted than the opposite side, ,which might still cause uneven flow. But! if it has been tamped hard enough (guys, there was no "science" in this vid at all), it shouldn't make an appreciable impact (as the pressure increases, the density of the bed approaches a maximum value (finite limit), ie please tamp as hard as poss without doing an injury). Look! Just get a puqpress and call it a day. Just remember to keep the tamping surface clean and dry.

[@timmilatte]

@@nickwilson2318 sure, we could probably guess, but isn’t that missing the point of this whole experiment? I was surprised to see the outcome with the experiment with tamp weight... we could be surprised again here

[@nickwilson2318]

@@timmilatte read my comment properly. Also, these guys aren't scientists. They aren't really using what you could call a scientific process. So, my guesses (which are based on things we've known to be true for years) is probably just as useful.

[@timmilatte]

@@nickwilson2318 ok Mr Condescending. Have a nice day

[@RobinHartJones]

I know it is not espresso but I notice most experts do not tamp a Moka pot at all. A rough levelling is about all. Is that because having the water bubble up from underneath cannot cause channeling? Perhaps tamping would make it possible for channeling happen while a loose consistency does not?

[@PJWALKER440]

The moka pot doesn’t produce the pressure needed to get through a tamped-down coffee bed in any reasonable time-frame. Tamping with any appreciable force would risk setting off the pressure valve before any coffee can make it through

[@elijahk7966]

Great video! Very interesting!

[@marylandflyer5670]

Great video.

[@peacefoodcafe7793]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Love.RoslynnAria]

Hi! Still a new and learning to be a barista. I did this tampered like 6:04,like what the picture is. The portafilter is angled and i tamper it. I got alot of 'hate' remarks and personally for me... I find that my tampering is so much even when i tilted the portafilter rather than laying it flat on the surface. I went on to a barista training course and he showed me the same way as i did.. 😑

[@phosphor8416]

To the point. Very concise presentation!

[@gdonaldson6711]

This is more related to distribution I guess, but I was taught to place the tamp on the coffee and gently twist/spin the tamp to even the bed before then compacting it - would this result in channeling/uneven distribution or is it just an extra step that wastes time?

[@bwilliams915]

I follow these practices you describe but my problem comes in with light and light medium denser roasts which channel even if I do everything right. Maybe you could touch on this here or in a video. I find these videos most helpful. Thanks

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

Channeling can be caused by a number of things, we'll go into this a little more in the next video. One thing I have found can help is trying a lower pump pressure (if your machine has an adjustable pump) - it's just my personal experience at this stage, we plan to look at the impact of pump pressure in some future research.

[@tonejac]

Can you please do a video where you explore NOT using a tamper and instead test ONLY using a leveler tool (eg, OCD)?

[@DonaldMcRoland]

5:30 Are we talking fresh kiwis? How hard does the kiwi have to be? Do tomatoes work too?

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

well played

[@rony9160]

Question: what happens if you tamp, add coffee and retamp?

[@he7737]

Thank you KZbin. Now I will be a pro at making coffee in no time!

[@AP-mn4os]

Can you please test distribution tools (i.e. OCD) to see if you actually need tamping at all after using one? Since getting my OCD tool, i've basically stopped actually tamping completely and personally found no difference in shot times or flavour. So the tool seems to level and compact the grinds enough on its own.

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

we're comparing distribution techniques (including tools like the OCD) at the moment. More to come...

[@johnwatson8192]

Hmmmmm, I came across the Puqpress only recently in a cafe and I thought that's a good idea for consistency of force particularly in a cafe environment where different staff members make the espresso based drinks. Following your finding it seems like it's a very expensive machine for little or no benefit. I have to say that I do notice a lot of cafe staff here in the UK don't press down at all and it always makes me shudder but then again seldom do I find a cafe made espresso (or if I'm really lucky an improvised ristretto) that tastes good - maybe I've turned into a snob.

[@pippipster6767]

I find that really odd. Because when I tamp hard the water has great difficulty coming through because of the resistance - and much less comes out.

[@petersimmonds4596]

Can you recommend puc tampers. They ensure a level tamp for non pros

[@martialnz]

Great Video really enjoyed this, looking forward to more content!!!!

[@MohaZY96]

I want the music name on the background at 2:08 please 😭 I love it

[@jamesbayburt]

What about tilting the basket upside down after tamping to remove any loose grains? Or not required at all?

[@yeastandgrapes]

esspresso is invented for taste of Italians. They get it 5-6 times a day. I tried different methods of preparing but it seems the classical way is the best! Esspresso is a life stile rather than aromas and so on(of course they also count). After many atempts i turned back to old way!

[@justaprttykitty827]

great vid guys.

[@rollamichael]

Gracias!

[@bartdeking]

I think on a cheap machine where the water does not come in evenly distributed and where there is no preinfusion it probably does make a difference how hard you tamp.

[@imahmud]

Thanks.

[@TheDavidcapri7]

Nice video, also when you do the tamping create more room for more coffee ;-)

[@chrisdecarlo4740]

I tried making espresso with tamping and without. For me, the tamping makes a better espresso so that's all I need to know.

[@yklearningacademy3592]

How exactly we know what Grinde we need to keep for coffee

[@seannelson012]

With the tapping of the tamp after pressing you mentioned it can cause gaps on the point of impact. What if you then press it again after the tap? Does this get rid of the gaps on point of impact? Just curious…

[@pankaj1520]

Great video.If the pressure during the tamping doesnt impact the flow of the espresso, then why do we get a watery espresso if we tamp light?

[@tinahlavata]

Or on the other hand, if I tamp too strong, the coffee doesn't even come out :/

[@AndrewChang1]

Can't speak to the coffee not coming out, but as for the watery espresso, in the video they briefly mention what happens if you don't tamp: air pockets/channels for the coffee to flow through quickly, resulting in poorly extracted espresso. If you tamp too light it's similar to not tamping -- you might not press out those air pockets. Once you tamp hard enough to remove air pockets though, there are not any benefits tamping harder beyond that. At least this is what I took away from the video :)

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

Thanks Andrew, well put 👌

[@timshenk2210]

Thanks

[@evanhadkins5532]

How about giving the basket a shake so it has an even surface?

[@DanaBonn]

I work at a supermarket and they’ve got an espresso machine that I make drinks with. Their tamper is the wrong size and it always leaves loose coffee on top of the puck and it drives me nuts. Plus the coffee sticks to the bottom of the tamper and I don’t understand why. I would speak up about it but they don’t really care about their coffee section. Quite sad really.

[@jadoei13]

I usually polish the puck, just don't apply any pressure and it shouldn't cause any issues but it reduces the coffee stuck to my tamper. I don't believe it makes any difference to the extraction, but it does make the whole process a bit cleaner.

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

If grounds are getting stuck on the tamp it sounds like there's probably moisture on the tamp or the tamping mat.

[@sarahdeschene3152]

I only have a blade grinder and I’m not sure how fine is fine enough for making espresso. Suggestions?

[@8526sammy]

Do different beans work differently with different tampering pressures?

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

Great line of thinking!! To be totally honest I don't know! However as a general rule of thumb for the final product, changes are best made at the grinder, so that would also definitely have an impact on final flavour, whereas tamping pressure (hard to replicate person-person) would normally be consistent.... worthy line of research though!

[@KristofferEngstrom]

Isnt that contradictory that the weight of tamp, didnt affect flow rate, but an uneven tamp (which would affect how compact the coffee is) did affect flowrate (since the water did flow uneven) ?

[@crazyascarl]

What about a distribution tool? If the whole point is a firm, even, level tamp... seems like that could be a an easy option. Thoughts? Comparison video?

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

we're looking at the impact of distribution techniques (& tools) at the moment.

[@lattearttabukksa7702]

Great video

[@entertainment6630]

Grate video and big fan! Just curious.....in this testing, has the test considered the different grind sizes with different tamping forces? Also, is flow rate the only method of measurement or the extraction percentage has also been measured as part the result?

[@SevenMilesCoffeeRoasters]

In this specific test the grind profile was the same and kept consistent :) Flow Rate being the only thing we researched for this particular test. And so the rabbit hole of science is!! :) All your great points, we also would like to know more about!!

[@baristakev5709]

Nice video!

[@michaelr.5894]

My question would be: If you recognize you ain't tamped level, can you correct that to get a good result again? Or is the waterflow then again uneven through that different pressured coffee cake?

[@attilaszabo7727]

I would say it's good to go in again and level it out, but there is a chance that some of the "unevenness" will remain and the shot won't be perfect. I would personally still use that shot though, especially if it's for a larger milky drink for example. If you're not in a rush and you're in a mood for perfection, you could knock the coffee out, fluff it up again, pour it back into the basket, distribute and tamp properly, but it's unlikely that you have time to do this in a cafe setting. I always teach my baristas to waste as little coffee as possible, so I would always advise against discarding the coffee and grinding another dose. Just do your best to be level every time and correct your angle if it's slightly off, it'll be fine!

[@lokyeeyeung1415]

myth on tamping resolved - thanks for the qualitied info!

[@rAustinBall]

I mean, 10kg is 22lbs. 30 is 66lbs. So your lowest settings was pretty close to the 30 lbs old school recommendation. I’d be curious if 5lbs or 10lbs would affect the results.

[@AKmumu]

My espresso machine came with a ''spoon'' that has a tamper at the other end, but I doesn't say if I need to put 2 spoon of coffee for a 2-cup basket or if I only put 1

[@Finnspin_unicycles]

Probably 2. The "traditional" dosing would be 7g for a single, 14g for a double. But it's become common to use larger amounts. If you really want to dive in, I can recommend James Hoffman's "understanding Espresso" series.

[@beforever]

Aussies always crushing Kiwis

[@rpbale]

Best tamping video out there!