No, but it's not linear. Really light pressure like 5lbs you'll notice a difference at 10 lbs. but difference between 30 and 40lbs are little to no difference. Not sure I'm explaining it right, but basically the more the pressure, the less the variance in pressure makes. Just my experience anyway
Joel_B Senior Member Joined: 9 Oct 2007 Posts: 1,823 Location: Pacific NW Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Astra Mega II Grinder: Mazzer SJ, Virtuoso Vac Pot: Yama 5 cup Drip: nope, french press Roaster: Behmor, WP, BBQ drum
Posted Fri Apr 13, 2012, 6:12pm Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
Question folks. What's been preached here recently (at least year or so) has been basically a simple, consitent tamp. But people are still coming here under the impression that 30lbs is doing something magical. Where are people still getting this impression?
Posted Fri Apr 13, 2012, 8:35pm Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
When I first got my La Spaz alomost two years ago started out purposly tamping 30# according to our scale. I had fallen for the hype. After awhile began questing for best possible shots. Tuned in to La Spaz Owners Forum. Some extremely knowledgable people taught me to cut my tamp pressure back to 15#. Why I asked?
Their theory was the portafilter was only 53mm therefore lighter tamp was justified. Later someone pointed out, from a physics standpoint, it was of a factor of the square inches. The taste of my shots have really improved exponentially. I'm a firm believer, as pointed out earlier, that consistency is more important than pressure, up to a point. Haven't bothered to measure for 15# since. I just tamp light.
Posted Fri Apr 13, 2012, 9:29pm Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
I've tried more and less than 30 lbs. and found 30 to work the best for me. But really if you focus on one thing it should be consistency. I took consistency to a new level so I should know, lol...
germantownrob Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2007 Posts: 2,017 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Duetto 3, A Dead Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Preciso w/Esatto,... Drip: Brazen Roaster: Diedrich IR-1, HT B
Posted Sat Apr 14, 2012, 9:39am Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
frcn Said:
I think 5 is pretty low. Whether 5 pounds is sufficient would depend on a lot of other factors, such as: - head room - quality of the grind (some grinders create a fluffy grind in a narrow particle range that seems to compress easier) - depth of dose in basket - dose - water distribution - if the machine has pre-infusion - pressure ramping profile
There's one way to find out! Well.. maybe two. ;-)
I have experimented over the years and I do find that a no tamp to 5lbs, a 15lb, and 30+ lbs require different grinds to produce the same shot in the same amount of time.
As stated over and over is consistency is the key to tamping. When I started 30lbs was the mantra so it is what I practiced on a bathroom scale, what I found for me was 30lbs tamp was very simple for me to tell by what the muscles in my arm where doing so it is what I still do. An exception to this is when my grind is a tad to fine and I am pulling multiple shots and instead of adjusting the grinder I will do a 15-20lb tamp to allow a slightly faster flow.
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,317 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Sun Apr 15, 2012, 11:38am Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
Yesterday, I found an espro tamper on craigslist for half price and I picked it up. According to that tamper I was tamping way harder than 30 pounds. I am just going to use it till I get the feel for it then it will be my husband's tamper if I can ever get him to learn to do make it for himself in the morning. I am trying to automate it as much as possible so he will do it for himself. (he gets up before I do) I just need an espro frother and I think I will have him all set up. The vario is set for the bean weight and so it will be pretty automated for him.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
mitch236 Senior Member Joined: 7 Nov 2003 Posts: 64 Location: Delray Beach Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Linea Single Group (PID,... Grinder: Mazzer Robur E
Posted Mon Apr 16, 2012, 8:24am Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
I heard it theorized that tamp pressure affects pre-infusion and that makes sense to me. Yes, the pressure of the water is much higher but it is fluid and can find easier paths through a puck. If the puck is not tamped, then the water would find easier paths through. If the puck is heavily tamped, then the water will have a harder time finding easy paths until the pressure builds to full 9 BAR (or whatever your brew pressure is set to). So that seems to coincide with the advice to tamp with somewhat firm pressure (and 30 lbs seems good enough), but more importantly, consistent pressure so your shots are consistently pre-infused.
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,317 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Mon Apr 16, 2012, 11:48am Subject: Re: Why make such a big deal about tamping @ 30 pounds?
Mine is not settable it is from espro and my understanding is it is just a 30 pound tamp. The site talks about a click. I don't really hear a click, I hear/feel the spring when it gives. I hope it not defective I mostly got it for the man so he could learn to make his own #%$#% espresso in the morning. (I am not a morning person)
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
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