The information in your videos is always right on the money. I'm so glad you focused on this piece of the puzzle. There's far too many videos that focus on milk texturing and then show off their latte art (and have the nerve to call it 'training'). Poor extraction = poor espresso = poor coffee. Build a good foundation... Then build your house. Good job mate. Keep it going.
This is a great video. It's a difficult thing to explain. Whenever I talk about coffee, people give me blank stares LOL. The illustrations are brilliantly simple and simply brilliant. :)
Amen! Preach! I've watched this over and over again and it's simply the best presentation of this info out there... I use it in my trainings so I can rest my voice. There would be so much more great espresso out there if every barista would take this in and digest it fully, and live it.
Id also add in, if we're talking about making espresso at home,. especially if you're new.. If you're having trouble getting even extractions, or you have a lower end or even mid level grinder that gives a lot of clumps and doesnt allow you to easily dose into the portafilter evenly... Check out the WDT method. Search google for "WDT, HomeBarista". VERY VERY simple straightforward technique that a home user can basically rely on forever if they wish. It just plain works. Obviously its not a technique you'd want to use in a professional setting. You want to develop good technique. At home though, the point is tasty coffee. P.S.- Dude this the best channel ive found in recent times. Keep up the awesome content!
So good at letting us know in an easy way of why and how it is domes🙏🏻👌🏻 Like a pro. Thanks Am trying now with my first prosumer machine to learn how to do it right. You are so right that I can make an uneven puck look even. I played around yesterday with the grinder to go very fine but in the end it was clumping and i knew that I had gone too far... Now it is a bit better when I went coarser... same ratio and same time, tamping a bit better. So far I don’t have a proper scale and I don’t have a wdt tool yet. If you have recommendations regarding scale you are welcome. For me , auto tare and auto timer is a good thing ... don’t know if I then have a lot of options?
Senyor Baca, what's up! Eddie here. I work with Senyor Sean. Just want to say I really dig your you tube channel. As a coffee educator , I wanted to ask if I can share your video on tamping tutorial with my fellow Baristas!? I completely agree with your simplicity and I think t that the peeps behind bar could enjoy your tips too! Let me know either way. Peace
the uneveness i find myself wondering about is that the top half of the puck is extracted with water and the bottom is extracted with coffee. is the top coffee not relatively overextracted? why are portafilters not extremely wide? should an obsessive scrape off the top layer of coffee part way through the extraction? is making coffee even mentally healthy?
So true... But I think there is a lot of confusion around right/wrong distribution and tamping in order to get an even density and to avoid channeling... Some people knock after tamping, some knock the whole portafilter down to the table before tamping, and others do other weird stuff like multiple tamping (1. tamp flat, then with a convex base)... etc... Sometimes when I observe the work of baristas, I feel like being in a coffee circus :-D Thanks for this nice vid and cheers from good old Germany.
Distribution is key. Great explanation! Have you had a chance to play with the Pullman distribution tool vs. OCD? I tested OCD extensively when it came out and found its results to be very sensitive to its adjusted depth - too deep or too shallow and the extraction suffered. BTW, unrelated but while I'm commenting - [old guy mode on] one vid/week is more than enough for me - don't want you to burn out! [/ogm]
I understand what you are saying about the importance of an even distribution right through the puck. I use WDT, after grinding with a KafaTek Monolith Flat. However when I remove the funnel, I usually find the coffee is not even on the surface. It's below the basket level, so I can't groom it with my finger of a flat tool. If I horizontal tap it, as Matt Perger advises, I invariably get cracks (which show up with the bottomless and the refractometer). Do I just have to practice tapping, or is there another solution?
+Matthew Hoffman you may have to practice tamping or you might try the Weiss redistribution method of stirring the grounds with an unfolded paper clip or something similar. The more expensive method would be a redistribution tool.
This is a great video, and as a perfectionist myself I am in no way advocating that we become lazy with our espresso-ing .... BUT I'm wondering just *how* different the taste actually is with minor deficiencies in the shot. Will the customer in the coffee shop be able to tell that the tamp was a little wonky? Is the change in taste so dramatic? How will a first-time coffee drinker, or someone who's never been able to experience "the perfect shot" be able to taste and tell whether a shot is actually good or not? This is just genuine curiosity btw. Coffee nuts please don't kill me! :D
This may not be as relevant but would like to ask for your thoughts on what contributes to the 'body' of a Black coffee? I've just had a bag of beans that are very 'light' on espresso, hence wondering..
My puck seems OK afterwards, and I am careful in distributing/tamping consistently and putting it in carefully. But i am getting FAST FLOW and its pulling in 15-20 seconds. to make it more confusing ( for me a newbie) it tastes DRY ASTRINGENT and BITTER and UNDRINKABLE. So, is it over/under or uneven? Or something else entirely???
My sette 270 grinder makes very fluffy grind and My portafilter basket is only 51mm in diameter. So when I try to fill it for a double shot with lets say 18g, the basket seems full already at 12-13g. Do you have a solution for that? Im still new to making espresso
What's the situation with getting suction between the puck and the tamp? Does this cause uneven extraction too? I've worked at a place that this happened with semi frequently (was one of Matt Pergers tamps). Was really weird, sometimes you would tamp and the puck would stay in a solid piece but would lift up slightly. Other times, which were super weird, you would tamp and there would almost look to be a crack in the middle that was raised up instead of a crack into the puck (I've seen similar things with sand but it's really hard to explain). Though you could tamp again and again and it wouldn't change as well. The only response I could was "it just happens sometimes, it's fine" which I wasn't satisfied with
Oversize tamps are prone to lifting the puck out via suction - especially if you pull the tamper out quickly. The Pergtamp has the angled sidewall leading towards the edge to help reduce this suction but it can still happen. The effects are similar to a cracked puck but the water will bleed through the space created between the basket and the puck itself. The easy fix is to pull the tamper out of the portafilter slowly which will drastically reduce suction. If it's a huge problem you need a slightly smaller tamper. This almost never happens with tampers smaller than 58.4 or so.
Sort of related to this video.. If you have an espresso "recipe" that you've developed on a machine with pre-infusion, how will that translate to a machine without pre-infusion (all else equal)? If it's been tasty at 34sec with 8sec pre-infusion, can you expect a 34sec shot without pre-infusion to taste similar?
Hi Chris, thanks for your amazing videos. One question: do you think it's possible to extract cocoa with an espresso machine? ;) I've made one attempt with grinded cocoa beans, but it was far from satisfactory.
after seven months, same question here. have you meanwhile find a suitable method for a cocoa drink? that would be such an awesome full of antioxidants superfood and treat!
What would be interesting to know is how (if there's a way) to level the grounds when the coffee is not filled to the top of the rim? In my case 21g of coffee, prior to tamping is below the top of the rim and when tamped, below the marking insise the portafilter. Any advice on this? I know there's an uneven extraction going on since I'm using a bottomless portafilter and can see a side where there''s a spot where barely nothing's coming out of.
years ago pucks was not so breaking... or not so much able to see. is it due to tight tampers like Pullman or is it less covered by lighter roast? or what the hell is going on?!
I think pinhole channelling has been around since the beginning of time, but with no frame of reference for consistency no one really noticed or just chalked it up to the whimsical nature of espresso.
Hi Chris! Any thoughts on 'optimum dose' of a generic unmarked basket? Would it be determined by depth or by mass? If you were working with two different beans, one much much denser than the other, how would you dose a 20g vst basket? Curious to know what you think :)
Mass generally. If you have a dose/recipe that will optimize flavor for you, assuming your using a standard 58mm basket - your bed depth will be the same for that dose regardless of basket depth. The only wild card is head-room. I prefer more head-room so I generally use a deeper basket than necessary for any given dose.
Oh right! I hadn't thought much about the head-room. Interesting to find out that you prefer more head-room. From your observation, what kind of impact has that preference made on your shots? I imagine flow would be the same regardless since that's determined by bed depth and grind size. Could it be that since it takes longer to fill the basket and get it to max brewing pressure mimics a more gentle preinfusion? would love to hear more of your thoughts!
This was such a great lesson. I’m the barista that focuses more on the recipe. Thanks so much for this helpful advice!
"Water doesn't care that you're trying to make delicious espresso" 😂💯
gives no cares
Stupid water, not caring that I'm trying to make delicious espresso :'(
Water hates everyone.
Easy to understand and well produced. Thanks
Thanks Tim!
Dude! So informative, clear, and (most importantly) succinct. Awesome stuff - can't wait for the next ones.
Thanks Brogan. Appreciate it!
The information in your videos is always right on the money. I'm so glad you focused on this piece of the puzzle. There's far too many videos that focus on milk texturing and then show off their latte art (and have the nerve to call it 'training'). Poor extraction = poor espresso = poor coffee. Build a good foundation... Then build your house. Good job mate. Keep it going.
This is a great video. It's a difficult thing to explain. Whenever I talk about coffee, people give me blank stares LOL. The illustrations are brilliantly simple and simply brilliant. :)
Amen! Preach! I've watched this over and over again and it's simply the best presentation of this info out there... I use it in my trainings so I can rest my voice. There would be so much more great espresso out there if every barista would take this in and digest it fully, and live it.
This was great, excited for the rest of the series
Thank you so much. The name of your channel is awesome!
U made a good point at the end that scales and time can be misleading
Id also add in, if we're talking about making espresso at home,. especially if you're new..
If you're having trouble getting even extractions, or you have a lower end or even mid level grinder that gives a lot of clumps and doesnt allow you to easily dose into the portafilter evenly...
Check out the WDT method. Search google for "WDT, HomeBarista". VERY VERY simple straightforward technique that a home user can basically rely on forever if they wish. It just plain works.
Obviously its not a technique you'd want to use in a professional setting. You want to develop good technique. At home though, the point is tasty coffee.
P.S.- Dude this the best channel ive found in recent times. Keep up the awesome content!
Thanks Jeff. Yes the Weiss technique is solid and easy for sure!
Love that graphic of your sketches at the end.....super cool logo thing. I want a tee with that on it!
+Jason Aarstad working on it 😼
Great diagrams! Super helpful for understanding extraction
Thanks Nick ^__^
Great video and visual explanation! Thank you!
Awesome video dude, definitely going to be showing it to some new hires! I'm stoked for this new series. You're the man Chris!
So rad. Glad you're finding it useful!
I like your ways to explain, you make it easy, keep going💪☕❤✨
Thank you!
Keep making this kinda tutorial video!! Love the way how you explain about espresso :D
Thanks Stanley!
Very useful thank you so much for sharing with us 😀 😍🙏
Great video! I also have a tendency to tamp off-kilter on the puck and not horizontal and I've heard that leads to uneven extraction too.
It can indeed. I have a tamping video coming soon!
Stoked on the new series!!!
Thanks Jack!
thanks for another video dude! Just copped a bag of The Answer online, cant wait!
Suhweeeet!
This is fabulous!
More please! Very clear and helpful.
Will do!
Great video, maybe could include clumping too in future.
You should do a video on pressure profiling. Love the videos man!
I'mma put it on the list!
So good at letting us know in an easy way of why and how it is domes🙏🏻👌🏻
Like a pro. Thanks
Am trying now with my first prosumer machine to learn how to do it right. You are so right that I can make an uneven puck look even. I played around yesterday with the grinder to go very fine but in the end it was clumping and i knew that I had gone too far...
Now it is a bit better when I went coarser... same ratio and same time, tamping a bit better. So far I don’t have a proper scale and I don’t have a wdt tool yet. If you have recommendations regarding scale you are welcome. For me , auto tare and auto timer is a good thing ... don’t know if I then have a lot of options?
3:04 I deadass just got jumpscared thinking someone was banging on my door
hmm, that's why some barista said "much difficult brewing using naked portafilter"? because it will show the uneven extraction?
Aliphya Rausyan Fikr truth!
And Channeling.
Yup. The same thing is happening in a spouted portafilter people just can't see it! See here: th-cam.com/video/BJjHcCtLaBY/w-d-xo.html
RealChrisBaca many thanks mate.
Good stuff. Thanks for the quality vids Chris
Thanks Riley, you're quite welcome!
Class. Looking forward to more of this!!!
I got your back!
Awesome Awesome Awesome! That was extremely helpful so thanks a million!
Thanks Jason!
You're a good for doing these, thank you!
You're so welcome!
Awesome! Can't wait for the next one
Thank you!
Water gives zero fucks about your spro! Great stuff. Stoked on this series.
No fucks given!
Senyor Baca, what's up! Eddie here. I work with Senyor Sean. Just want to say I really dig your you tube channel. As a coffee educator , I wanted to ask if I can share your video on tamping tutorial with my fellow Baristas!? I completely agree with your simplicity and I think t that the peeps behind bar could enjoy your tips too! Let me know either way. Peace
Yo yo! Absolutely my man - share away. That's what it's all about ^__^
Let's get a lesson on refractometers
On the list for sure
Chris if you get time maybe you could do a video on what you learned from entering competitions. It would be nice to hear about your experience. :)
+Nagel Curran I'll put on the list!
legend!
Very informative
the uneveness i find myself wondering about is that the top half of the puck is extracted with water and the bottom is extracted with coffee. is the top coffee not relatively overextracted? why are portafilters not extremely wide? should an obsessive scrape off the top layer of coffee part way through the extraction? is making coffee even mentally healthy?
So true... But I think there is a lot of confusion around right/wrong distribution and tamping in order to get an even density and to avoid channeling... Some people knock after tamping, some knock the whole portafilter down to the table before tamping, and others do other weird stuff like multiple tamping (1. tamp flat, then with a convex base)... etc... Sometimes when I observe the work of baristas, I feel like being in a coffee circus :-D Thanks for this nice vid and cheers from good old Germany.
It can get super weird.
Yeah dude! Keep em comin' Baca.
Thanks!
Wow! This was great!
🙏🏼🙌🏼☕
Thanks Michel!
Great stuff Chris :)
Thanks so much Gwilym! Hope all is well with you my man!
Distribution is key. Great explanation! Have you had a chance to play with the Pullman distribution tool vs. OCD? I tested OCD extensively when it came out and found its results to be very sensitive to its adjusted depth - too deep or too shallow and the extraction suffered. BTW, unrelated but while I'm commenting - [old guy mode on] one vid/week is more than enough for me - don't want you to burn out! [/ogm]
Accompany the ocd with declumping and you get heaven.
I understand what you are saying about the importance of an even distribution right through the puck. I use WDT, after grinding with a KafaTek Monolith Flat. However when I remove the funnel, I usually find the coffee is not even on the surface. It's below the basket level, so I can't groom it with my finger of a flat tool. If I horizontal tap it, as Matt Perger advises, I invariably get cracks (which show up with the bottomless and the refractometer). Do I just have to practice tapping, or is there another solution?
+Matthew Hoffman you may have to practice tamping or you might try the Weiss redistribution method of stirring the grounds with an unfolded paper clip or something similar. The more expensive method would be a redistribution tool.
awsome Chris
lovin it!
Thanks Isaac!
This is a great video, and as a perfectionist myself I am in no way advocating that we become lazy with our espresso-ing .... BUT
I'm wondering just *how* different the taste actually is with minor deficiencies in the shot. Will the customer in the coffee shop be able to tell that the tamp was a little wonky?
Is the change in taste so dramatic?
How will a first-time coffee drinker, or someone who's never been able to experience "the perfect shot" be able to taste and tell whether a shot is actually good or not?
This is just genuine curiosity btw. Coffee nuts please don't kill me! :D
Thank you for this! What is the best way to do it if you are using preground coffee, like Cuban espresso?
This may not be as relevant but would like to ask for your thoughts on what contributes to the 'body' of a Black coffee? I've just had a bag of beans that are very 'light' on espresso, hence wondering..
good practice
Thanks Boris
My puck seems OK afterwards, and I am careful in distributing/tamping consistently and putting it in carefully. But i am getting FAST FLOW and its pulling in 15-20 seconds. to make it more confusing ( for me a newbie) it tastes DRY ASTRINGENT and BITTER and UNDRINKABLE. So, is it over/under or uneven? Or something else entirely???
I aways do the thing to even it out, it really helps :)
+lukas zaganski 🙌🏼
My sette 270 grinder makes very fluffy grind and My portafilter basket is only 51mm in diameter. So when I try to fill it for a double shot with lets say 18g, the basket seems full already at 12-13g. Do you have a solution for that? Im still new to making espresso
What's the situation with getting suction between the puck and the tamp? Does this cause uneven extraction too?
I've worked at a place that this happened with semi frequently (was one of Matt Pergers tamps). Was really weird, sometimes you would tamp and the puck would stay in a solid piece but would lift up slightly.
Other times, which were super weird, you would tamp and there would almost look to be a crack in the middle that was raised up instead of a crack into the puck (I've seen similar things with sand but it's really hard to explain). Though you could tamp again and again and it wouldn't change as well.
The only response I could was "it just happens sometimes, it's fine" which I wasn't satisfied with
Oversize tamps are prone to lifting the puck out via suction - especially if you pull the tamper out quickly. The Pergtamp has the angled sidewall leading towards the edge to help reduce this suction but it can still happen. The effects are similar to a cracked puck but the water will bleed through the space created between the basket and the puck itself.
The easy fix is to pull the tamper out of the portafilter slowly which will drastically reduce suction. If it's a huge problem you need a slightly smaller tamper. This almost never happens with tampers smaller than 58.4 or so.
Do a lesson on temperature at the group head! :)
Sort of related to this video.. If you have an espresso "recipe" that you've developed on a machine with pre-infusion, how will that translate to a machine without pre-infusion (all else equal)? If it's been tasty at 34sec with 8sec pre-infusion, can you expect a 34sec shot without pre-infusion to taste similar?
You might be close to the same timeframe but with a much faster flow rate once the shot gets moving.
Hi Chris, thanks for your amazing videos. One question: do you think it's possible to extract cocoa with an espresso machine? ;) I've made one attempt with grinded cocoa beans, but it was far from satisfactory.
after seven months, same question here. have you meanwhile find a suitable method for a cocoa drink? that would be such an awesome full of antioxidants superfood and treat!
What would be interesting to know is how (if there's a way) to level the grounds when the coffee is not filled to the top of the rim? In my case 21g of coffee, prior to tamping is below the top of the rim and when tamped, below the marking insise the portafilter. Any advice on this? I know there's an uneven extraction going on since I'm using a bottomless portafilter and can see a side where there''s a spot where barely nothing's coming out of.
+Robin Ridell See my reply to Matthew above. Pretty similar questions
what about pre infusion? Good or bad?
years ago pucks was not so breaking... or not so much able to see. is it due to tight tampers like Pullman or is it less covered by lighter roast? or what the hell is going on?!
I think pinhole channelling has been around since the beginning of time, but with no frame of reference for consistency no one really noticed or just chalked it up to the whimsical nature of espresso.
Hi Chris! Any thoughts on 'optimum dose' of a generic unmarked basket? Would it be determined by depth or by mass? If you were working with two different beans, one much much denser than the other, how would you dose a 20g vst basket? Curious to know what you think :)
Mass generally. If you have a dose/recipe that will optimize flavor for you, assuming your using a standard 58mm basket - your bed depth will be the same for that dose regardless of basket depth. The only wild card is head-room. I prefer more head-room so I generally use a deeper basket than necessary for any given dose.
Oh right! I hadn't thought much about the head-room. Interesting to find out that you prefer more head-room. From your observation, what kind of impact has that preference made on your shots?
I imagine flow would be the same regardless since that's determined by bed depth and grind size. Could it be that since it takes longer to fill the basket and get it to max brewing pressure mimics a more gentle preinfusion? would love to hear more of your thoughts!
👌🏼👌🏼
what was the music on this one :)
+Nagel Curran I think there's a link in the description
👏🏿
also 6bar shots allday everyday
Tune it down and take it to town
too close to the lens bro
its 2017 and water still doesn't care about your desires for delicious spro
Some things just don't change...
600th like Get in ;-)
more easy. Ha