Why even bother tamping? Well, mechanically, the tamp is important in the coffee extraction process. Without tamping, the water under pressure from your espresso machine will find the weakest path through the coffee grinds, resulting in a very weak and under extracted coffee.
To tamp correctly, hold the tamp level with the bottom of the portafilter and apply between 10 and 15kg of downward force. The result will be a very even and level coffee puck surface so that when your machine shower screen is activated, the water will be dispersed evenly through your coffee.
Be sure to get your eye level down to basket level so you can check that your tamp is level.
To tamp correctly, hold the tamp level with the bottom of the portafilter and apply between 10 and 15kg of downward force. The result will be a very even and level coffee puck surface so that when your machine shower screen is activated, the water will be dispersed evenly through your coffee.
Be sure to get your eye level down to basket level so you can check that your tamp is level.
