To craft a perfect espresso is not everyone’s cup of tea as it involves a lot of folk knowledge. Coffee tamping is the art of making espresso which is a critical and necessary step in preparation of espresso coffee. Coffee tamper is essential for packing the coffee grounds so you get the best shot of espresso.
What is a Tamper?
Tamper evenly distributes the coffee in the filter basket of an espresso machine, as well as to compress the grinds. A little instrument that looks more like a stamper is called the coffee pamper. A tiny tool that is used to pack espresso ground into the basket of an espresso machine. It is important to handle it with care as tamping can also lead to injury either from overuse of the waste or from slipping. Tamping inconsistently makes it hard to ensure a consistent high quality cup.
Importance of Tamper
Tamping is done with a very specific purpose and the Barista puts a lot of effort into perfecting their tamp. Beyond the grind and the timing, you should remember that proper tamping is key to pulling a quality shot of espresso coffee. When you pull a shot, pressurized water is sent through the portafilter and into the coffee ground-filled basket. If you leave those grounds in a loose pile, the water shoots right through them. The water needs to force its way through the pile, when the coffee grounds are tamping.
A correctly performed tamp will result in even distribution of coffee across baskets. Also the coffee is at the same across the whole filter basket ensuring that there is not more coffee on one side then the other. Making sure to compress the coffee. Avoiding any pockets of air or cracks in the coffee grinds. This is again to ensure that there are no easy paths for the water to pass through. With the help of Coffee Makers Tampers, union of time and distribution, it results in a fuller flavour for the espresso shot.
Coffee tampers are made of lightweight metal that matches the size of basket and portafilter you are tamping. You may require more than one tamper or you can use a two sides tamper, if you have more than one basket. Make sure to know the size of your espresso basket and purchase a tamp whose base will fit. If there is any space left between the tamper and the wall of the basket the result may vary. May have a negative effect on the taste of your coffee.
So you can go for a dual head temper. It looks like tilted dumbbells with two flat ends, one of which is a little smaller than the other. Another is handle tamper, an old fashioned rubber stamp with a convex bottom and round knob handle. It is being used by professional Barista as it allows you to add more force to the tamp. Where calibrated tampers are helpful for new baristas?
Forget about pressure you use to tamp the coffee, instead focus on good technique and the consistency of a tamp pressure.
