Comments on: Basics: Part 1 – Tamp

By: Jeszcze o tampowaniu/tampingu… « Filtry Espresso Lab

Jeszcze o tampowaniu/tampingu… « Filtry Espresso Lab — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:22:26 +0000

[...] tutaj. Konkluzja jest taka: “Stop killing yourself with your [...]

By: Ben E.

Ben E. — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:06:03 +0000

The most important thing my tamps do is give me some tactile feedback on my grind and distribution. Not quite sure what it is but when I’m dialing equipment in I can TELL by the way the tamp felt that this shot just isn’t going to work.

Nice article though. I totally agree.

By: Maximos

Maximos — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:12:34 +0000

Grady, you only weigh 140 lbs? As IF!!!

By: Tim Logan

Tim Logan — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:36:44 +0000

thank you! I’m glad people are finally recognizing this. Great post as always.

By: Grady

Grady — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:55:21 +0000

I like to stand on a stool to achieve approx. 140 lbs of pressure, then give the sides of the portafilter 3 or 4 taps with the tamper. But seriously… great article Spence.

By: Michael Tam

Michael Tam — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:00:23 +0000

Great pic and very very good post. I find its useful to touch up on basics as a beginner or a seasoned barista.

By: Julian

Julian — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:41:33 +0000

THE SHOULDER KNOT! I definitely had it starting out… it still bugs me from time to time! I kind of fixed it by doing what ya.wei did by correcting my posture. I would like to think I don’t tamp quite as hard as some of my fellow co-workers (I’ve seen the countertop shake from the force they put into their tamps), but I’ll keep in mind your advice on lightening the load!

And yes, pics are seriously badass!

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:47:30 +0000

Another note – Who can tamp harder than 9 bars?

Kick ass pic btw.

By: ya.wei

ya.wei — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:17:52 +0000

i had the barista shoulder earlier this year but i wasn’t even tamping that hard. my problem was i was tamping with my arm only. then i started adjusting my tamping posture and shifting my body weight while tamping. now i don’t even feel anything after working long hours on bar. it reminds me of what my high school basketball coach told me: “shoot from your knees, not from your shoulders”. Using fingers to feel the evenness is very important. that also speaks of how baristas should hold their tampers. don’t hold it like driving a stick shift – that’s just asking for unwanted wrist problem.

By: george

george — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:21 +0000

@Katie O’Shea
I stopped polishing earlier this year. I haven’t noticed any difference, other than it takes me half the time to tamp as it does anyone else.