Should you tamp with a specific pressure?

When learning how to make espresso, one of the first essential things you learn is how to tamp evenly and with the proper pressure to produce a balanced, perfectly brewed espresso.

In this post I would like to delve deeper into the influence of pressure and the method used when we tamp.

Tap with a specific pressure

Some pressure is necessary to ensure the coffee beans infuse evenly. Too much pressure lengthens the espresso extraction and can result in over-extracted and bitter espresso. It can also hurt your wrist.

On the other hand, low pressure can result in an under-extracted or weak espresso, as the water will quickly pass through the coffee grounds.

Additionally, tamping with a certain amount of pressure is important for controlling the extraction time . Time is one of the key factors in achieving a balanced coffee.

If several baristas are working at the same time, some will likely press harder and others less, resulting in extraction differences between their espressos. And if there are significant differences in pressure and extraction time, some espressos will be very good, but others will be over-extracted and bitter.

Consistency is key in an espresso

We need consistency! That's why a pressure of 9-13 kilos is recommended when tamping. So if you want to do a coffee experiment , you can take a large scale (because the ones we use in coffee shops don't go up to that many kilos) and tamp on the scale. This allows you to see how much pressure each barista is applying.

The correct angle for tapping

Another factor worth mentioning is the angle when tamping. This is important because we want the level of tamped coffee to be even for a balanced brew. To start, you can use your fingers (without applying any pressure!) to level the grounds before tamping. You can lightly tap the portafilter, but don't overdo it ;) And then we're ready to tamp.

We know the pressure, but the angle is more subjective. Some prefer to hold the portafilter perfectly perpendicular to the table, at 90°. Others hold the portafilter almost diagonally.

There's no right answer; there are many ways to tamp and extract incredible espresso. It's a matter of experimentation, finding consistency across your equipment, and avoiding over- and under-extraction.

This has been a brief introduction to the topic of tamping, but we'll continue with more posts to go deeper! If you have any comments or questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment!