Proper Tamping Technique
1.The tamper handle should be grasped like a doorknob, with the base of the handle firmly against the palm. When tamping, try to keep the tamper, wrist, and elbow in a straight line.
2.With the bottom of the portafilter resting on a solid surface, gently press the tamper into the coffee with the goal of creating a level surface. Remove the tamper from the filter basket with a slight twisting motion – this will help prevent the tamper from pulling up chunks of coffee.
3.After removing the tamper, some grinds may stick to the side of the filter basket. Tap the portafilter gently on the table to jostle the grinds onto the tamped coffee disc. Do not tap too hard, or the tamped coffee will dislodge or fracture.
4.Apply a second, finishing tamp (also called a polishing tamp). Press straight down on the coffee with about 35 pounds
(15 kilograms) of pressure, then relax the force slightly (to about 20 pounds [9 kilograms]) and polish the coffee by turning the tamper completely around twice.
5.Inspect your tamp. The coffee disc should be smooth and level with no gaps between the side of the filter basket and the coffee.
TECHNIQUES OF A BARISTA
Measuring Tamping Pressure
20 pounds, 30 pounds (9 kilograms, 15 kilograms) – how do you know how much tamping force you are actually using? Do what the baristas do: use a bathroom scale! Place a scale on a table or countertop, and tamp your coffee on top of it. Pretty soon, you will develop a feel for how much 20 or 30 pounds (9 or 15 kilograms) of force is.
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