wednesday.12.may.2010
I spent some time at work today (not working) reading up on tamping. I figure even if I’m stuck with the crappy plastic tamper for the next couple of weeks I could at least try to figure out a good tamping technique to try to improve my espresso. My search led me through many a site on the wonders, artistry, science that is tamping. What do I need to achieve the perfect tamp? According to the many many sites I’ve visited:
1. A good tamper
2. A bathroom scale
3. A good counter height
4. The patience of Job!
So what do I have? 1 out of 4? Maybe even 0.5 out of 4? Cuz I’m not quite sure,as yet, if I’m cut out to be a Job.
Back to the kitchen. I warm up my machine, grind my beans on a Gaggia 5, run some hot water through the portafilter, dose and tamp. I use the two part tamp method. Apply (what I think is) 5 pounds of pressure, tap the sides of the portafilter to clean, apply (what again I think is) 30 pounds of pressure, try to polish and then insert into the grouphead.
Results: Very moderate improvement of yesterday’s attempts. Soupy looking puck which surprisingly held its shape when plunked into the sink.
I tried more pressure on tamping the second shot. Hmm… shot still seems to run clear too quickly and puck still soupy.
Milk time! At least there was no mess this time but I’m still not getting that pretty looking microfoam!
I’ll try again tomorrow.
Off to view some tamping and steaming videos.
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