Could you explain the "Tap" part? Like, what that does to the basket / grind which results in a better pour. I dont have a fancy metal tamper, but I'll tap with something if it makes the grind more "reluctant" to allow the water to channel and then stream right through.
Maybe it help the grind particles pack more tightly? I wouldnt know; all I can do is speculate on what that does.
When I grind the coffee, I place a metal ring around the portafilter, That holds it on the cradle so the grinder and scale can issue the desired weight of coffee. The ring keeps the coffee grounds falling into the basket not all over the place. This is my grinder and it shows how the ring fits in place:
I take it out, and with the ring in place, I tap the portafilter on a towel over the counter, then put a little bit of pressure on the coffee with the tamper. This sets up the initial phase.
Then I take out the ring and I use one of them tools my daughter gifted me to do the Weiss Distribution Technique.
https://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtos/weiss-distribution-technique-wdt-how-to/
Then I tap again and use the leveler with yet another tool. I have it adjusted for the 19.6 gm depth in the dual shot basket.
I finish by coming back with the tamper, which is spring loaded and set for 30psi ( I think that's it ) to do the final set up.
So, by now, my portafilter is ready... perfect grind, perfect weight, perfect distribution of grounds, perfectly level and with the correct pressure.
Then I make the coffee. 25 to 27 secs.... with the manual low/high/low water flow profile.
The water went through an osmosis filter and with a softener made specifically for espresso.
The coffee is really good.
I always look at the puck after the shot, to ensure I get no channeling at all. Typically, I get very good solid pucks.
There.
This is beginning to sound like DIYCoffee. ☕😉
If you more detail info, PM me and I'll send you the parts. Mind you, they are crazily pricey but my daughter has been keeping me happy at Christmas and birthday for a few years. ;-D
I take it out, and with the ring in place, I tap the portafilter on a towel over the counter, then put a little bit of pressure on the coffee with the tamper. This sets up the initial phase.
Then I take out the ring and I use one of them tools my daughter gifted me to do the Weiss Distribution Technique.
https://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtos/weiss-distribution-technique-wdt-how-to/
Then I tap again and use the leveler with yet another tool. I have it adjusted for the 19.6 gm depth in the dual shot basket.
I finish by coming back with the tamper, which is spring loaded and set for 30psi ( I think that's it ) to do the final set up.
So, by now, my portafilter is ready... perfect grind, perfect weight, perfect distribution of grounds, perfectly level and with the correct pressure.
Then I make the coffee. 25 to 27 secs.... with the manual low/high/low water flow profile.
The water went through an osmosis filter and with a softener made specifically for espresso.
The coffee is really good.
I always look at the puck after the shot, to ensure I get no channeling at all. Typically, I get very good solid pucks.
There.
This is beginning to sound like DIYCoffee. ☕😉
If you more detail info, PM me and I'll send you the parts. Mind you, they are crazily pricey but my daughter has been keeping me happy at Christmas and birthday for a few years. ;-D
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^ "Look at South Indian Filter Coffee....rather less complex than this."
So what?
We're talking here about people who are passionate about making good espresso coffee.
Just like we're passionate about good audio.
Otherwise, you got Bose.
BTW... note I didn't bring up my other grinder which is dedicated for drip, french and turkish... I only use the espresso grinder for the moka and the E61 grouphead machine.
Seriuously Naresh... I'm sure the South Indian Filter Coffee is awesome, but we were discussing how to make IMPECCABLE Euro Espresso here.
I don't claim to be an expert on that... but we take our espresso VERY seriously.... nowadays my daughter is the general manager in a specialist place.. I guess I taught her well since we always had a very good machine at home as she grew up.
So what?
We're talking here about people who are passionate about making good espresso coffee.
Just like we're passionate about good audio.
Otherwise, you got Bose.
BTW... note I didn't bring up my other grinder which is dedicated for drip, french and turkish... I only use the espresso grinder for the moka and the E61 grouphead machine.
Seriuously Naresh... I'm sure the South Indian Filter Coffee is awesome, but we were discussing how to make IMPECCABLE Euro Espresso here.
I don't claim to be an expert on that... but we take our espresso VERY seriously.... nowadays my daughter is the general manager in a specialist place.. I guess I taught her well since we always had a very good machine at home as she grew up.
I thought your description was very detailed, but I missed out (or you did) about the actual coffee beans, their origin, their roast level, and how much later you use the coffee after roasting and grinding.
That is also important.
When I lived in Bangalore, the local ladies would pan roast their coffee beans daily in the morning, grind them and make the decoction, and it would be used up by the evening.
They all had fixed sources, no experiments, same shop every time...
South India is a very big source for coffee, Arabica and Robusta are the main varieties available.
I still remember the aroma.
Basically, boiling water is allowed to pass through a bed of coffee powder, which is over a perforated sheet (called filter) and the liquid collects below, that is used to make coffee. That is referred to as decoction.
About 10% decoction in the glass, the glass is topped up with a boiling hot mix of diluted milk (about 25% milk with 8% or so fat), sugar is added (stir to achieve sweetness level), then served.
Some people used to boil and strain the coffee powder to get decoction.
In most food places, there are three vessels on the heat, one is diluted milk, the others are decoction and stewed (almost) black tea, and if you ask for tea, the server will dip a strainer shaped like an ice cream cone in that black tea, drip a little in the glass, and add the same hot diluted milk to the glass, and serve
There is also a choice of 'badam' (almond) milk, that is a powder, a spoon full or so is added, same dilute hot milk is poured in the glass and served.
Same daughter is a trained chef, or another one in the specialist place as general manager?
That is also important.
When I lived in Bangalore, the local ladies would pan roast their coffee beans daily in the morning, grind them and make the decoction, and it would be used up by the evening.
They all had fixed sources, no experiments, same shop every time...
South India is a very big source for coffee, Arabica and Robusta are the main varieties available.
I still remember the aroma.
Basically, boiling water is allowed to pass through a bed of coffee powder, which is over a perforated sheet (called filter) and the liquid collects below, that is used to make coffee. That is referred to as decoction.
About 10% decoction in the glass, the glass is topped up with a boiling hot mix of diluted milk (about 25% milk with 8% or so fat), sugar is added (stir to achieve sweetness level), then served.
Some people used to boil and strain the coffee powder to get decoction.
In most food places, there are three vessels on the heat, one is diluted milk, the others are decoction and stewed (almost) black tea, and if you ask for tea, the server will dip a strainer shaped like an ice cream cone in that black tea, drip a little in the glass, and add the same hot diluted milk to the glass, and serve
There is also a choice of 'badam' (almond) milk, that is a powder, a spoon full or so is added, same dilute hot milk is poured in the glass and served.
Same daughter is a trained chef, or another one in the specialist place as general manager?
Both. only one daughter. She runs the place.. they got a kitchen and an espresso bar. She knows how to cook and make coffee so she's a darn good manager as she can teach the crew.
Sister is a big shot at Starbucks in Seattle HQ... seriously, so we get fancy coffees.... Fine for drip and french roast.
Yes, the coffee selection is indeed extremely important., I should have noted this.
For espresso I get two types... Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema or Illy Intenso Ground Espresso. Both are very consistent, reasonably fresh and make some really good coffee. We've tried all other types but, in our humble opinion, they tend to lack oils or are way too acidic.
I used to get freshly roasted coffee from an old coworker, but to be honest, I find Lavazza and Illy pretty good and the amount of work to roast your own beans is truly over the top.
When we travel, we take our Moka pot and French press. For that I found out that Illy's pre ground coffees are excellent and Amazon delivers very quickly.
Heck, in Spain, we lived on our Moka pot and Illy. Plus of course, my cousin and a miriad of very fine coffee houses... even Starbucks makes a really good espresso in Spain.
In the mornings we start with Costco's Green Label drip, a nice mid body taste, not acidic, very smooth.. then, around noon, we move to the espresso. Wife may have a double shot... cappuccino in winter, iced in the summer. I do a double shot at noon and another at 4PM.
Sister is a big shot at Starbucks in Seattle HQ... seriously, so we get fancy coffees.... Fine for drip and french roast.
Yes, the coffee selection is indeed extremely important., I should have noted this.
For espresso I get two types... Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema or Illy Intenso Ground Espresso. Both are very consistent, reasonably fresh and make some really good coffee. We've tried all other types but, in our humble opinion, they tend to lack oils or are way too acidic.
I used to get freshly roasted coffee from an old coworker, but to be honest, I find Lavazza and Illy pretty good and the amount of work to roast your own beans is truly over the top.
When we travel, we take our Moka pot and French press. For that I found out that Illy's pre ground coffees are excellent and Amazon delivers very quickly.
Heck, in Spain, we lived on our Moka pot and Illy. Plus of course, my cousin and a miriad of very fine coffee houses... even Starbucks makes a really good espresso in Spain.
In the mornings we start with Costco's Green Label drip, a nice mid body taste, not acidic, very smooth.. then, around noon, we move to the espresso. Wife may have a double shot... cappuccino in winter, iced in the summer. I do a double shot at noon and another at 4PM.
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Appreciate you writing all that out. I read the link; interesting - never knew distributing the grounds within the portafilter was a thing.
Looks like I'm pretty much "Bose" all the way when it comes to espresso based coffee consumption. Otherwise known as "Starbucks". Still maybe some essential bits missing from my prep, which is what drives my curiosity about tapping and what that might do, besides appear as a cute barista trick in a shop.
I do two pours a day, breakfast and lunch, so there's ample opportunity to experiment! Like try giving the grounds a stir with some pointy object - but only after DIYing one of those basket rings. I agree it could make a substantial mess otherwise and its a messy enough process as is.
The weight idea would be a step up for my consistency. Usually I just cram whatever I can into the portafilter, scrape off some if I cant mechanically engage closure onto the machine. I have seen a Starbucks home machine where someone busted the portafilter handle clean off. Mines next. I have spares - of course!
And a very good source at that. I actually prefer indian coffees over anything else. 100% robusta is what I use the most. When it comes to arabica, I prefer monsooned malabar. Occasionally I roast some beans myself, and then I like to blend both varieties together for a ''malabusta''.
Get a scale, they're not expensive.
I got a "calibrated Starbucks spoon". Supposedly 20 grams per... but there's inconsistency.
Once the get the grind set ( extremely important ) the weight is next. A simple scale will do great. A toothpick will do. You only need the ring if you grind into the portafilter. IF you grind separately and then use a spoon to pour into the portafilter you shouldn't need the ring. Just be careful, that's all.
A good tamper will do as well. The leveller is a luxury but it works really well as it ensure the water pressure is even across the entire puck.
Consistency is the main thing. Grinding becomes the hardest as it changes with bag after bag, different coffees, even the humidity and the weather...
Oddly enough, the machine is one of the least important items. I mean, an E61 group head is fundamental, but you don't need some of those uber fancy Italian jobs.
Two double shots a day at a coffee shop is six bucks per day. Do it 365 days and it's 2190. Go figure... the coffee is likely 80 cents per day.. so that's $1900 that you could be putting into the equipment. In your first year. After that, it's sort of free ( some maintenance ). A good grinder and machine will run at least 2500. Get them on sale.
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Re-read your post... I think you have a problem with the weight ( huh! ) in that you put too much coffee into the portafilter.. FIRST you need to put less and then be consistent with how much you put in.
You should NOT overfill the porta filter. There needs to be a little bit of space between the "screen" above (like a shower head) and the coffee. The portafilter should go in without force.
That way you get an even flow through the coffee grounds.
Think of it as taking a shower. You don't hold the shower head against your body, you hold it a bit away so the water distributes nicely over you. It's exactly the same way the group head works.
And done right, it is not a messy affair at all. The coffee puck dries out nicely and it pops easily when you're done with it.
Get a knock box ( ~$35). And a scale (~20).. Sure, you can spend a lot more... but pretty much for your usage that's what it runs in Amazon. It will really make your coffee much better and easier and cleaner.,..
...After this we can move onto frothing the milk.
You should NOT overfill the porta filter. There needs to be a little bit of space between the "screen" above (like a shower head) and the coffee. The portafilter should go in without force.
That way you get an even flow through the coffee grounds.
Think of it as taking a shower. You don't hold the shower head against your body, you hold it a bit away so the water distributes nicely over you. It's exactly the same way the group head works.
And done right, it is not a messy affair at all. The coffee puck dries out nicely and it pops easily when you're done with it.
Get a knock box ( ~$35). And a scale (~20).. Sure, you can spend a lot more... but pretty much for your usage that's what it runs in Amazon. It will really make your coffee much better and easier and cleaner.,..
...After this we can move onto frothing the milk.
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