A while back, I was having huge problems with pucks fracturing, leaving half the puck stuck to the dispersion screen of my SL90 and resulting in quite a mess. I finally figured out what I was doing wrong, and thought I'd pass it along, just in case it's helpful to someone. Thanks to Starbucks for helping solve this :). I bought a pound of Starbucks Sumatra so I could dial in the grind for my new Moka pot, which didn't take very long, so I started experimenting with the fractured puck problem. BTW, I can't believe how much chaff was in the *$!. The mistake I was making was as follows: I read Schomer's site (no, that's not the mistake) and misinterpreted the tamping technique. I was 1) measuring the coffee into the portafilter, then 2) tamping very lightly, then 3) tapping the side of the portafilter, then 4) tamping with 30-35 pounds pressure, then 5) polishing, 6) pulling the shot and 7) waiting for the "pop" as the puck broke in half. My mistake was in number 2). I guess what I was doing was creating a two layer puck. When water would get between the two layers, the layers would frequently (but not always) fly apart under the pressure. I'm now tamping at full tamp on step 2 and I haven't had a fractured puck since I started doing that (approx. 100 shots pulled this way). Just for fun, I tried producing fractured pucks, and I'm quite good at it. I tried 6 times and got 3 pucks to fracture using my deficient step 2). Since this is the net, I suppose I should mention that I am in NO WAY criticizing Mr. Schomer, whose web pages are enormously helpful, but instead pointing out my own shortcomings as a barista. May your pucks always be whole, jim homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast |
At 06:07 AM 3/4/2002 -0800, you wrote: <Snip> I'll have to try the 'no light tamp' method; I sometimes get perfect pucks, but occasionally sloppy dirty messes (still practicing!)... I have a question about polishing (which might be due to my equipment). I've got a Mr. Coffee espresso machine ( All I could afford a few years ago out of college, but it's at least a pump-driven model, Coffee Geek's got a pic here http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/mrcoffeeespresso, seems to get the job done until I can afford and justify an upgrade) Anyway, it's got a plastic tamper on the handle of the scoop. When I try to polish, all it seems to do is 'auger' into the espresso, digging up around the edges. I assume this is because it's about 1 mm too small around to fully 'seal' against the side of the portafilter. In this case, should I be trying to polish anyway, and just tamp down the loosened grounds, not polish at all, or try to look for a replacement tamper (I'm not sure if this is a standard size filter or not)? -g homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast |
Based on my exploding pucks, I'm hardly an expert :), but... seems to me that auguring is a bad thing. I would search for a replacement tamper. What's the diameter of the portafilter? If I were you, I would stop polishing, since polishing seems to be roughing up the edges... jim |
At 06:52 AM 3/4/2002 -0800, you wrote: <Snip> The tamper head is 50mm diameter, and the portafilter inner diameter is about 53mm or so. Is this a standard size? Where can I get them? Although the SM site mentions "Espresso Equipment: Solis Swiss-made equipment, Illycaffe, Cups, Tampers, ..." on the home page, I didn't see any on that page... -g homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast |
53mm is definitely a size you can get. Here's one place to get one (they are a little expensive, but very nice, I bought one of the rosewood 53mm tampers):http://www.espressosupply.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=esp&Category_Code00 and there are the famous Reg Barber tampers:http://www.coffeetamper.com/tampers/index.htmjim |
My own experience is that it is virtually impossible to properly tamp
with an undersized tamper. At the very least, it is an unnecessary
irritant. My success rate improved significantly when I got a tamper
precisely the diameter of the inside of my portafilter basket. Stainless
steel and aluminum tampers are available from many sources in sizes from
about 45 to 58 mm in diameter at prices ranging from about $8.00 to $50.00.
I've been unexpectedly pleased with the performance of a tamper with a
slightly convex base. Because this shape tends (among other things) to push
the grounds toward the circumference of the portafilter basket as you tamp,
the risk that water will find a easy route through uncompressed grounds at
the edge is reduced. Polishing is significantly easier with a convex
tamper.
D. House |
on 3/4/02 10:51 AM, Jim Friedlander at jim wrote: <Snip> Funny, I just posted a review of the Reg tamper: john homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast |
On 4 Mar 2002 at 10:34, Gary P wrote: <Snip> The Solis SL needs a 54mm tamper. Jim Schulman <Snip> homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast |