Caught myself tamping with too much force for 2 years straight

I always pressed down super hard on my espresso tamp, like putting my whole body weight into it. At a cupping class in Austin last month, the instructor had us all grind the same beans and tamp differently. My shot came out at 18 seconds while theirs hit 27 seconds with way better flavor. Turns out I was compressing the puck so much the water channeled right through. Now I just level it with gentle pressure and get consistent pulls every time. Anyone else find out they were overdoing a basic step way later than they should have?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thomas14d ago

Yep, been there. Thought I had to crush it like a patio paver.

eric_murray2614d ago

My 2017 Ford Focus had that same problem with the clutch pack. Took me three tries before a buddy who actually rebuilds transmissions told me it's not about force, it's about the angle you come at it from. You got the right idea with the paver comparison but it's more like seating a stubborn brake caliper piston. You gotta work it slow and even, not just hammer it.