Brew Guides

With your wrist, arm and elbow positioned directly over the centre of the portafilter basket, focus on pressing evenly, using your fingertips to feel the edge of the basket. Inspect the dry puck to be sure the bed appears level.

Compacting ground coffee with a tamper restricts the flow of water, forcing coffee and water to interact. This process creates an emulsification of solubles and oil as the water passes through producing a 'crema'. Start with a 30-pound press (your bathroom scale can tell you what this feels like), applied evenly. A firm, level tamp is essential to even extraction.