Coffee Tamping
Learn how to tamp coffee
Making your favourite espresso is both an art and a science, where there’s room for a little flair whilst also playing by the rules.
Whilst you can experiment with blends and roasts, tamping is one of the most important elements to get right when it comes to serving up a rich, smooth and well-balanced shot.
How to tamp coffee
First of all, set yourself up for success by making sure that the coffee is evenly distributed. Coffee grinds will form a natural peak in the centre of the basket when they fall, so take time to level things up by using a levelling tool to even out the distribution.
Then, it’s time to tamp. Place the portafilter on an even surface before you tamp because what you’re looking for is a level, smooth result. If the level of the ground coffee is at an angle, it will affect the whole process, and the taste.
Use your tamper once to press down firmly onto the coffee until the grinds form a clear puck shape, then tamp again a second time, applying a little more pressure so the coffee is evenly compacted into a denser, firmer puck.
Coffee tamping FAQs
What is coffee tamping?
Essentially, to tamp is to press down coffee grinds into a puck inside the basket of the portafilter, so they are firmly and evenly distributed for extraction.
What is the correct coffee tamping pressure in KG?
This is a well-debated question, but when it comes down to what’s most important, research shows that a firm, consistent pressure (of around 30lb or just under 14kg if we had to put a figure on it..) is all that’s required.
Most important is the even distribution of the ground coffee, and the more level the tamp, the better.
Why is it so important to tamp coffee?
Tamping ensures that the coffee is evenly spread and correctly compacted so that water has just enough resistance to flow through consistently. This pulls out the oils from the grinds and results in the best tasting coffee.
An angled tamp will adversely affect the flavour profile, spoiling the coffee’s clarity and producing an unbalanced finish.
Tamping also prevents the dreaded ‘channelling’. Channelling occurs when there are air pockets or channels in the coffee grinds where the water is able to flow through too quickly. This results in an uneven extraction, and your espresso simply won’t taste as good.
All in all, a balanced approach to tamping is what it takes when it comes to the perfect brew.
Our Range Of Espresso Machines
Jura X8
The robust, versatile and professional coffee solution. The X8 is incredibly versatile: it can prepare the full range of speciality coffees finished with milk and milk foam as well as black coffees.
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Jura Giga X8c
Built for maximum performance. The GIGA X8 is the completely new generation of automatic coffee machines for professional use from JURA.
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