Tamping your espresso is one of the most important parts of brewing, but how much pressure should you use to tamp espresso? When you’re working on perfecting your morning cup, paying attention to details like how much pressure you’re using becomes much more important. This guide will walk you through how to nail the right pressure every time.
Why is pressure so important when tamping espresso?
The central aspect of tamping to pay attention to is the pressure you use to tamp. The difference between using too little pressure and just enough can mean the difference between undrinkable and delicious.
Too little pressure means coffee has air pockets
You don’t want air pockets in your coffee. Air pockets mean there’s too much space between the coffee grounds allowing pathways for the water you’re using to brew. These pathways can lead to channeling, which is when the water doesn’t properly and evenly saturate the puck of coffee. Instead, the water rushes through these random channels and leads to uneven extraction.
This could also lead to spurting from your machine, which you don’t want because that also affects the taste of your brew. These issues can be annoying, to say the least, but adjusting your pressure might help you fix them.
The right pressure extracts more coffee flavor
When you use the proper amount of pressure in your tamping, you can extract more flavor from your grounds. The fewer air pockets that exist in your puck, the better able your machine is to create an even extraction. That means all of your grounds can be thoroughly saturated with water, pulling more flavor from the grind.
Uneven extraction means parts of your puck will be under-extracted, leading to a more watery flavor, while some are over-extracted, which leads to a more bitter flavor. These two poor-tasting flavors are then blended together in your cup, and that’s exactly what you don’t want!
Grind and distribution are arguably more important
While knowing how to tamp espresso—as well as knowing how much pressure to use to tamp that espresso—is important, we don’t want to overstate its significance. You could be the best tamper in town, but if your beans aren’t properly ground and those grounds aren’t properly distributed, you’re still not going to end up with a great cup of espresso.
If your grind is too coarse, you’ll pull a weak shot that can’t be fixed with any amount of milk or cream. If your grind is too fine, it will clump in brewing and not only make an over-extracted and bitter shot, but it can clog your portafilter. Improper distribution can cause the same problems. Your best bet is to get these two aspects right before moving on to your tamping technique.
Helpful tips about the pressure of tamping espresso
How do you go about determining and executing the right espresso tamper pressure? Luckily, it’s not too tricky if you just follow these tips.
The recommended pressure is 20 to 30 pounds
When you’re going for repeatable, measurable, and precise espresso brewing, paying attention to your exact tamping pressure can pay off. It’s especially helpful as you’re developing a feel for the correct amount of pressure. Aiming for 20–30 pounds of pressure will give you the most consistent and flavorful cup.
Anything below 15 pounds of pressure is where you’ll start to see a more dramatic drop-off in quality with every pound of pressure you lose. Sticking to 20–30 pounds is a nice, firm tamp without forcing you to go to the gym just to brew a cup of joe.
Consistency is more important than an exact number
With tamping pressure specifically, the exact number isn’t the whole point. What you’re aiming for is consistency. For instance, if you’re regularly hitting, 20, 21, and 25 pounds of pressure, there’s no need to drill down and make sure you hit exactly 23 pounds every single time. You’re in the correct zone and able to hit your mark regularly.
What would be a true issue is if Monday you’re hitting 25 pounds, 35 pounds on Tuesday, 15 pounds on Thursday, and 50 pounds on Friday. That means you’re not paying attention to your pressure, and it’s of course going to give you inconsistent results.
Don’t twist when pushing down on espresso
Veteran baristas might remember the days when twisting your tamper was part of the process, but we’ve left those days behind. Today, common advice is not to twist the tamper when tamping. But why?
The simple reason is that when you’re tamping, the goal is to make a nice, flat, compressed puck, right? But turning the tamper under pressure means that you can inadvertently undo all that work. The friction of the tamper can kick up the grounds and leave your puck more uneven and less compressed—the exact opposite of what you want.
Make sure puck has no loose spots or gaps
A firmly packed puck should be just that. There shouldn’t be any looseness or gaps, both of which might occur if you’re not tamping hard enough or if you’re twisting while tamping. These issues mean that the air is not fully pressed out of the puck and you can end up with issues of channeling and uneven extraction.
Invest in the right tamping implements
Knowing how to tamp your espresso is step one, but having the right tools to do it is step two. You should invest in a comfortable, high-quality tamper. Make sure to look for one that’s made out of quality materials, has decent heft (especially in the base), and fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. You should also make sure to get the proper size for your specific portafilter as there are several standard sizes.
Expand your setup with a tamping station, clump crusher, or even a gravity distributor. All of these can not only make tamping your espresso more consistent, but convenient and enjoyable.
Tamping espresso requires the best tools - Pesado 58.5 can help
Brewing the best espresso you can means looking for the best tools available, and that’s where Pesado comes in. Our precision tools are designed in Australia with care by people who are obsessive about good coffee. That’s why our tampers are made from 316-grade stainless steel with a 90-degree double edge for optimal tamping. But we’re not just all about tampers, we offer everything from clump crushers to tamping stations and portafilters so you can brew the best cup possible.
